Keep moving forward America

In remembrance of Martin Luther King, Jr., his life, his calling, his mission...

At the time of his assassination in April 1968, he with the the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and various other organizations were embarking upon the 2nd phase of their mission...addressing POVERTY IN AMERICA. Many people may believe that the Civil Rights Movement accomplished it's final goal with the passage of the Civil Right's Act in 1964, but truly that was only a beginning. Other areas of injustice in America needed to be addressed and changed.

The following information from Wikipedia sheds some light on what else Martin Luther King, Jr. felt and believed in his heart and mind for the "often invisible people" of our nation.
(the link is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr)

In 1968, King and the SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference) organized the "Poor People's Campaign" to address issues of economic justice. The campaign culminated in a march on Washington, D.C. demanding economic aid to the poorest communities of the United States. King traveled the country to assemble "a multiracial army of the poor" that would march on Washington to engage in nonviolent civil disobedience at the Capitol until Congress created a bill of rights for poor Americans.

King and the SCLC called on the government to invest in rebuilding America's cities. He felt that Congress had shown "hostility to the poor" by spending "military funds with alacrity and generosity". He contrasted this with the situation faced by poor Americans, claiming that Congress had merely provided "poverty funds with miserliness". His vision was for change that was more revolutionary than mere reform: he cited systematic flaws of "racism, poverty, militarism and materialism", and argued that "reconstruction of society itself is the real issue to be faced".

From the Emancipation Proclamation ...
Though the Emancipation Proclamation had been issued on September 22, 1862, with an effective date of January 1, 1863, it had minimal immediate effect on most slaves’ day-to-day lives, particularly in Texas, which was almost entirely under Confederate control.

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union General Gordon Granger and 2,000 federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take possession of the state and enforce the emancipation of its slaves. Legend has it while standing on the balcony of Galveston’s Ashton Villa, Granger read the contents of “General Order No. 3”:

“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”

That day has since become known as Juneteenth, a name derived from a portmanteau of the words June and nineteenth. Former slaves in Galveston rejoiced in the streets with jubilant celebrations. Juneteenth celebrations began in Texas the following year. Across many parts of Texas, freed people pooled their funds to purchase land specifically for their communities’ increasingly large Juneteenth gatherings — including Houston's Emancipation Park,Mexia's Booker T. Washington Park, and Emancipation Park in Austin. Juneteenth celebrations include a wide range of festivities, such as parades, street fairs, cookouts, or park parties and include such things as music and dancing or even contests of physical strength and intellect.

to the accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement under Martin Luther King's leadership...



to the election of Barack Obama (African American, biracial, man of color, black man) as President of the United States of America...


... we continue on our journey towards one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thinking of this statement from our Declaration of Independence...

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

I think if Martin Luther King, Jr. were still alive today, he would say we have much yet to accomplish. Yes! We have made progress, but if we simply compare our current state to our past failures, we will become complacent. Instead let us continue to look inward at the state of our hearts, and outward at our attitudes and actions towards those struggling around us. Let us not turn a deaf ear and a hardened heart to what overwhelms us, but continue to come together as diverse peoples, seeking to understand one another and work together, as a neighborhood, a community, a nation, to achieve fulfillment of dreams for all.

I believe much of what Barack Obama envisions for "change in America" speaks to the 2nd phase of the Civil Right's Movement...addressing the issue of poverty and reducing the disparity felt by many citizens living in our nation.

To read about/hear what people across America are saying about the state of our nation and their ideas for change, check out the following link: http://citizensbriefingbook.change.gov/home

I often struggle inwardly with what our Declaration of Independence states about freedom, equality, and human rights, and how this truly plays out in everyday life. Slogans clearly heard are: "The United States of America, where anyone can be whatever they want to be!" "America-where one has only to succeed by hard work and "pulling oneself up by the bootstraps!" I believe that achieving personal success or accomplishing one's dreams is much more complicated than simply finding the "inner motivation" and focusing on "individual achievement".

Our forefathers fought to throw off the tyranny of the British government, only to turn around and, on many levels, ignore the rights of many people who did not have the resources and wealth to protect themselves and/or their land. And though we have "officially abolished slavery", enslavement in one subtle form or another still exists today in America, through our prison system, welfare system, drug addictions/War on Drugs, etc. Working in various capacities of social work over the last eighteen years, I have witnessed first hand the disparity people face. In race relations, economic status, our healthcare system, our approach to education and other areas, we have much yet to accomplish.

While attempting to help a young couple in 2005 break off generational chains of "homelessness, poverty, abuse, and drug addiction", I witnessed a huge chasm between desire, ability, opportunity, and achievement. On July 4th, 2005, thinking about this couple's heart wrenching struggle to survive and to change, and the struggles of so many through the years who have not seen the fulfillment of their hopes and dreams, I voiced my frustration about "freedom in our nation" through this piece...

Fourth of July Cry

Empty promises
It’s what you represent

Oppression
The system
carrying on
the virus
of oppression

slavery…
modern day
Infected
raw, sore
and bleeding

Offering up
the broken
the wounded
Spirits collapse
under it’s weight

A mindset of oppression
It’s what you represent.

Empty promises
Land of opportunity
Broken bottles
Littered sidewalks
The American dream

Hungry mouths
Homeless shelters
What about the empty promises?
A hand up
A hand out

Catch 22
Breeding dependence?
Generational curses
Land of the free
Jails overflowing

Drug infested neighborhoods
Home of the brave
Gun wars
Drive by shootings
Birthday parties

Death, blood, violence
Soldier fighting in Iraq
For more
Empty promises
Death, blood, violence

Twisted logic
Kill or be killed
Poisoned souls
Tortured minds
Heaven or hell

America the beautiful
Boarded up shacks
Cockroach hotel
Amber waves of grain
Freely blowing

Freedom, my ass
America God bless
Oh shed your grace on me
Death, blood, violence
People swinging from trees

Stolen land
Crushed spirits
Sidewalk sleeper
Whisky bottle in hand
Empty promises

Tkaeu
2005

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation

where they will not be judged by the color of their skin,

but by the content of their character.

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

My favorite mural in Cottonwood, Arizona taken 2007

When we let freedom ring,

when we let it ring from every tenement and every hamlet,

from every state and every city,

we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children,

black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics,

will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old spiritual,

"Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, we are free at last."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Storytelling of the old west...

Community mural in the "historic" downtown area of Cottonwood. A story is waiting to be told in this artistic rendition of the "old west"...the history and rich culture of this area...Yavapai County.

(The above pic and the italicized information below are from the following link: http://www.artconnections.org/html/participation.html)

Artists and community businesses contributed talents and resources to nurture Cottonwood’s first public mural. Artists spent 4 weeks designing the mural. Ideas and images came from thoughts of community member’s strong connections to their environment, their history and their diverse cultures.

Artists involved are Carol Hildebrand, Diana Holladay, Catherine Beason, Theresa Shostakovich, Carl Cambio, Janet Baser, Sallie Martinez, Serafina Raphael, Mina Shore, Jessica Sierra, Don Decker and Kathy Englund. All artists volunteered to work on the design committee because they felt this was a worthwhile project for the community. Sherwin Williams donated gallons of paint, Focus on Graphics and Copy Max helped get brochures and letters printed. Leslie Owen and Rebecca Baker of Buena Vista Children’s Services partnered and many of their students in the Discovery Connection helped with the design.

"In 1874 soldiers from Camp Verde were stationed at an adobe house, but at that time there was no name for the present Cottonwood (where the house existed). As settlers moved in and the community developed, it took its name from a circle of sixteen large cottonwoods growing about one-quarter of a miles away from the Verde River. The place was unhealthful. Malaria and dysentry were severe problems as mosquitos rose in thick clouds from stagnant pools left by receding floods. Such quinine as was available sold at $4.00 an ounce and could be bought only when it was in surplus at Camp Verde. Nevertheless, by 1879, several families had settled there, including the Nichols, Van Deerens, Hawkins, and Strahans. It is a curious fact that eact family had nine children. The adobe building formerly used by soldiers became a school house. Today Cottonwood is a thriving community. P.O. est March 6, 1879, William H. Michael pm.
(info from following link: http://jeff.scott.tripod.com/cottonwood.html)
Tuzigoot National Monument was created to preserve the Indian culture of the area. The name Tuzigoot is an Apache word for “crooked water”. The site covers 42 acres and has so many things to offer its visitors.

The Sinaguan Indians built Tuzigoot in 1000 A.D. The Sinagua Indians worked the land and traded with other cultures. Then in 1400 the Indians just vanished. Tuzigoot is the remains of their village or pueblo. The pueblo includes 110 rooms with second and third story structures. (This information and much more on the Tuzigoot National Monument is found at this site: http://www.arizonan.com/parks/tuzigoot-national-monument/)

Bourque and Gibran

Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet

and the winds long to play with your hair.

–Kahlil Gibran

Cottonwood Mural 2007

Check out the details of this mural in my close up shots shown below.

I'm including a poem that I believe relates to the images in the mural

and to the artist's purpose in her work.

I found this mural on the side of the Goodwill building in downtown Cottonwood.

The mural artist is Joan Bourque and these websites:

http://www.artfuloceans.org/html/murals.html

http://www.artconnections.org/html/joan_bourque.html

provide more examples of her works and explains the focus and intent of her art projects.

The Children
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children." And he said:Your children are not your children.They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.They come through you, but not from you, and though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love, but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts.You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness; for even as He loves the arrow that flies, so he loves also the bow that is stable.
-Kahlil Gibran

I found the above poem on the following website: http://colleenscorner.com/Poetry7.html. She shares quite a few poems that are worth remembering. Thanks Colleen!

About blogging: You know it never ceases to amaze me how much you can learn on-line about total strangers, who don't seem so much like "strangers" after you read so many details about their personal lives. The crazy thing about the blogging world is that for bloggers and those who read blogs...you could possibly learn more about "perfect strangers" than you may ever know about your own family members, particularly if you do not share proximity. I wonder what this says about us in this internet age? Well this strange phenomenon could be eliminated if everybody just blogged, sooo EVERYBODY GET BLOGGING! RIGHT?!? :)

Oh, and something else about Collen (mentioned above)...well, she is a terrific photographer! Check her pics out at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clinker/ It's totally worth the click.

Life can be full of one great discovery after another!

Change or bust?

In the upcoming week, many eyes will be on Washington D.C. in anticipation of the 2009 presidential inauguration. With the cold fronts sweeping down from Canada, I can imagine that those attending will be braving very cold weather to be present at this event. There may be lots of "dancing for joy" just to keep somewhat warm. Or maybe they can pack together like penguins and take turns moving from the inside to the outside. Needless to say, I'm kinda envious of those who will be traveling to the capital. It will be an exciting time!! Instead I will be in 60-70 degree weather here in Phoenix, Arizona, watching the ceremonies on TV in my home, while millions will be in D.C. attending various inaugural events, and at the Capitol on January 20th, despite the below-freezing outdoor temps, to celebrate this historic moment. Considering I don't like freezing...brrrrr...or huge throngs of people (yuck!), I think I'll be right where I need to be. Just the same-I'll still wonder what it would have been like to attend Barack Obama's inauguration.

Looking for "classic information" about the White House and the presidential team? Here it is: http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/

Following the inauguration though, things will definitely heat up for Barack Obama and his Cabinet members. Is "change" really about to happen? How much "change" can truly occur during Barack Obama's current four year term? Will we, as individuals, be challenged, also, by our new president, to participate in bringing about "change" we desire? I think we all wonder just what "change" will look like under Barack Obama's leadership.

The world hates change, yet it is the only thing that has brought progress.

Charles Kettering

Mural in Cottonwood, AZ 2007

One of my hobbies is taking pictures of murals. Above is a mural or "wall art" pic I took during a visit to Cottonwood, Arizona in 2007. (This week I will feature murals from my Cottonwood collection.) I think this mural is fitting for the upcoming week with Barack Obama transitioning from president-elect to United States President. What is my take on this mural's connection to current events? Our new President's focus will be on the condition of the United States and it's role in the world, and much of the world's focus will be on our new President hoping he will effect positive progress. Of course, the "true message" of this Cottonwood mural is in "the eye of the beholder".

Cottonwood (the home of the above mural) is a bustling little town/city of 10,000+ in Yavapai County, situated between Prescott and Sedona-two popular Arizona vacation spots. I usually take Route 260 on my way to Sedona, which takes me right through Cottonwood and past turn-offs for Cornville and Page Springs. These days my visits to the area are recreational, but my first trip to Cottonwood, in 1991, was work-related. At the time I was working as a perinatal case manager and had the opportunity to visit young expectant women throughout Northern and Central Arizona. My job was to assess their medical needs and educate them on having a healthy pregnancy and how to utilize community resources for assistance. The goal of the perinatal program was to reduce premature deliveries and thereby save money for the insurance company. During one trip to this area of Arizona to visit a client, I accidentally stumbled into the Cornville/Page Springs area. It is a hidden valley that is lush and green and beautiful...like an oasis. I experienced an instant connection. Maybe it was the small town feeling, maybe the surprising, unexpected beauty? To this day I'm not really quite sure why, but a feeling of "returning home or to where I belong" is what came over me. At the time, a friend of mine and I believed we would, at some point in the future, be involved in facilitating a residential placement of some kind for "teens in trouble" in a ranch-like setting. As a result, I began saying to myself and others "I can truly see myself living here in this area someday". It felt like my destiny. A drive through Cornville and Page Springs "to look around and dream" was a yearly destination for me for years following that first visit. In the last ten years or so, Cornville and Page Springs have changed somewhat. Lush vineyards now thrive on the fertile land that was once home to livestock and crops. And the population has grown some too. I hold fond memories of this area, but the idea of a running "a treatment ranch" here has evaporated (for a variety of reasons). These days, my plans for the future include residing somewhere close to my daughter. She assures me that remaining in Arizona is definitely not in her plans. She dreams of living in New York City...talk about change!!!

Last year, in a "last chance" attempt to discover if I could envision a future for myself in the Page Springs-Cornville-Cottonwood area, my mother and I took a day to visit real estate agencies and gather information about job opportunities. My mother and I are drawn to the area for different reasons, but desiring change we wanted to weigh the possibilities of relocating. Unfortunately, comparing the pros and cons of exploration, we had to conclude that a move to Cottonwood was not a feasible venture. For my mother, the negative was mostly the real estate, and for me, the negative was employment opportunities. The cost of living is comparable to Phoenix, but not the salaries. If I were to move to Cottonwood, and seek employment in a similar position as I now hold with Maricopa County, I would be taking a significant cut in pay. Not to mention, I found no jobs for which I qualify, paying a comparable salary.

So in the end, I may not ever make this area (Page Springs-Cottonwood-Cornville-Sedona) my home, but it will remain one of my favorites, and definitely offers many reasons for anyone to return again and again to soak in it's amazing beauty and therapeutic surroundings.

An informative website of the area: http://www.gatewaytosedona.com/department/category/VerdeValley

Makes me smile...

Something that makes me smile...

This is a music video of a duet-Vanessa Williams and Chayanne singing and dancing, showing bits and pieces of their 1998 movie, "Dance With Me". The video is fair quality, but the music is maravilloso.

I briefly mentioned Chayanne in my last post. Since I've been thinking about and looking for dancing videos this week, "Dance With Me" came to mind. I decided to post a bit of info about Chayanne, since this movie and his role in it hold a special place in my heart.
His official website: http://www.chayanne.net/
Chayanne (06/28/28) is a Latin pop singer. He was born in Puerto Rico and his family moved to the states when he was a babe. He began his music career in the late 70s with 'Los Chicos' and went solo in 1984. He has released twenty (?) albums to date. He is married and he and his wife have two children. I was hooked after watching him in "Dance with Me". The character he played, Rafael Infante, lives in Cuba and after experiencing the death of his mother, he discovers information about his biological father. He writes the man about his mother's death and asks for a job. The man played by Kris Kristofferson, does not know he is Rafael's father. He owns a dance studio in Texas and allows Rafael to come work for him. The movie centers around the "goings on" at the dance studio and preparation for an upcoming dance competition. It is a story about discovery of self, family and love. It is one of those "feel good" movies-funny, romantic and heartwarming with lots of music and dancing! Chayanne's role as Rafael depicts a man who has integrity, courage, and passion. It's more than just the looks, it's the aura, sensitivity of this man, that is so captivating. I'm not really into the whole hollywood/music star "thing", but thinking about the movie and his role in it makes me smile. It's my birthday, hence this post.

The video below that I chose also to download is quite sad, but I think it again portrays the tender side of Chayanne. Tenderness in a man makes just about any woman smile :)

Sentada Aqui En Mi Alma (Sitting Here in my Soul)
...one of his videos...


The link: http://music.aol.com/video/chayanne-sentada-aqui-en-mi-alma/chayanne/1131339




Oh and by the way...the Cardinals won their game against the North Carolina Panthers...Cardinals 33 - Panthers 13. So they continue to advance in the playoffs. Believe it or not I could hear fireworks going off after the game. Cardinal fans in Glendale (and the Valley of the Sun from the news coverage) are going wild and crazy with excitement!!

You're only as good as you think...

Do you ever have one of those days when you wake up late, rush to get ready and when you reach for your keys, they are not where you should have left them? You didn't put them where you usually put them, because the night before you had come home tired, and your cell phone had rung and you took the call. Distracted, you laid your keys down, instead of immediately putting them away where you usually put them.

You only talk for a few minutes, but as soon as you get off the phone, you remember what you are supposed to do before bed. You have a project the next day and need to find information to complete the project...information you organized at one time or another and put away for just a time as this. But you can't remember where that place is, because you have many boxes in which you store your organized information. So you spend several hours looking for the information and are relieved when you finally find it, only to also realize that you've just used up two precious hours of sleep.

You know tomorrow you have to get up quite early because you have started a part time job for a few hours in the morning twice a week to supplement your full time job. You're not really feeling tired enough to fall asleep, because you're still wired from looking for all the information and you're thinking about your friend who called you and is going through a difficult time. You then think of a particular piece of music that has helped you fall asleep in moments just like this one, and so you open up the cabinet to pull it out. But that particular music is not where you thought it would be. You look high and low for it, and once you find the music you are looking for, you are ready to relax and get some sleep. Finally you crawl into bed, exhausted from the relentless searches. Unfortunately you are still abit wired from two adrenaline surges and knowing that you must be up in less than approximately six hours to start the next day. After laying down, you get up several more times to take care of small items you've been too "busy" to remember to do, such as using the bathroom. In the meantime, your keys have fallen off the bed, after pulling the covers back, and have dropped under the bed, just out of sight.

In the morning you push the snooze button one time too many, and then all of a sudden you wake up with a start! Looking at the clock you see that you have 15 minutes before you must leave to make it to your job on time. You rush around getting ready and when you reach for your keys, where you always put them, they are not there. You have no idea where you could have put them, you frantically search everywhere you can possibly think of that you would have put them. After 15 minutes of searching, you find them under the bed, but now you will have to call work to let them know you are running late. You're stressed and pissed off because you hate this...you're thinking "if it's not one thing, it's another!!! Aaaarrrrgggghhhhh!!!!!!!

Well...believe it or not, this can be a typical day for someone who is ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), even with medication to assist them in managing the disorder's effects/symptoms.

The information below gives a basic idea of what dealing with these disorders is like and this information is from the following site: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_symptoms.htm
Adults with ADD / ADHD struggle daily with self-regulation: regulating their attention, regulating their impulses in talking and action, and regulating their emotions. If you have trouble staying focused, getting organized, starting and completing your work, managing your time and money, and remembering all the little things in your daily life, you may very well be one of these people.

The chaos of living with unrecognized and untreated ADD / ADHD can take its toll: never-ending to-do lists, the stress of missed deadlines and forgotten appointments, aggravated friends and family members [and co-workers/bosses] who just don’t understand why you can’t pull it together and self-recrimination over your lack of accomplishments.

For the last five years I have attempted to "manage" my out-of-control", easily distracted brain with medication. I have found one, in particular, that has helped somewhat. One positive outcome is I no longer lock my keys in the car, at least once a month. (For awhile I was beginning to think my "calling" in life was to keep locksmiths in business.) Fortunately for me, but not necessarily the locksmiths, I haven't locked my keys in my car in years. And there are many other improvements that have taken place since I've sought out information and help in managing my brain malfunctions.

When I say "you're only as good as you think", I'm not speaking of self-esteem. I'm talking about brain functioning. Alzheimers, dementia, bipolar, obsessive-compulsive, schizophrenia, post traumatic stress disorder, ADHD. These are just a few of the brain malfunctions that a significant number of people are living life with everyday. Some can be managed somewhat with medicine and therapy, others with behavior modification and diet, but some are still mind-boggling to medical doctors, research scientists, psychiatric doctors, family members, etc. The brain is a stunning piece of creation! Regardless of how our brains are functioning today, it is important to stay informed about brain health and to take care of your brain and your body. We really are only as good at what we do, as our brain is at taking on the task we give it to do.

For those who believe their minds are working flawlessly, and have no evidence of malfunction in their relationships or job to cause them concern, they may hardly give brain functioning a second thought. It is difficult to explain to others who have not had to work with a less than "flawless mind" what it is like.

All I can say is it is a good thing when one's mind is functioning vs when it's malfunctioning. The "functioning brain" is even more appreciated when one has been the guinea pig (once again) for a new or different drug for a variety of reasons and is left dealing with a "scambled brain", when med outcomes don't go as planned. Fortunately I am assertive, knowledgeable, and self-aware enough to know when to put my foot down and say "no" to more experimentation and ask for what I need, and my current psychiatrist is "respectful and mindful" of patient personal experience, deduction and conclusion/input. I've been reminded, in the last four months or so, that in order to have a postive outcome in dealing with almost anyone in the medical field, one has to be assertive, persistent, and extremely informed.

Over the years I have read various information on ADD and ADHD. Dr. Daniel Amen is one of the many who has written books on dealing with ADD/ADHD. He has done considerable research in these areas and other areas of brain functioning and recently has been doing lectures on brain health to everyone who will listen. Here is a link to his website... http://www.amenclinics.com/my-brain-health/ The information provided includes many helpful reminders of what we can do to take care of our body and our brain.

The dance video today is ball room dancing - The Cha Cha Cha. Ball room dancing...the costumes and the dance moves are breathtaking. One of my favorite movies that includes ball room dancing is "Dance With Me" with Vanessa Williams and the gorgeous Chayanne.
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3sRYp9HxEk&feature=related

Little Jonathan (one of my nephews) turned two years old on January 8th. I can't help but remember his birthday, as it is so close to my own. He shares his birthdate with Elvis, so I just had to download a couple of kids doing Elvis impersonations. I'm going to download one elvis video and just include the link to the other...

Link to another young Elvis singer and dancer...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ3sqEdVHiY&feature=related

Unbeknowst to my brother and his wife, my secret harbored hope is that Jonathan will be a music fanatic. Coming into the world on Elvis's birthday...I think it's possibly a given! :)

Gotta fly!

Just dropping in for a quick post...

Back to work...slow day again...answering phones, opening doors, processing paperwork for releases, monitoring cameras, and the facility count. We took in as many teens as we released. Our facility count is really low at present...not as many teens committing crimes? not as many teens being detained for the crimes they commit? not as many repeat offenders? not sure why, but we definitely have less teens locked up in juvenile detention at the present moment.

If it's because of less crime, that is a very good thing! We've been joking around that we may have to begin looking for new jobs if the count continues to shrink. Now there's a way to cut a chuck out of the state's financial overload. Just imagine...teens go to school, get jobs, volunteer, follow the basic rules at home and in the community and the state uses the money to provide scholarships and/or grants for more teens to attend college or get some type of technical or job training. Then if we could just get all the adults to stop behaving so badly!! Nightline recently covered a story on a prosecutor in New York that is getting stiffer penalties for drunk drivers who kill. Instead of getting only a few years for reckless endangerment or manslaughter, several drunk drivers have recently been charged with and convicted of murder getting minimums of 15 and 25 years in prison. Personally I think this is a smart move. If you are going to drink alcohol or use drugs, the least you can do is NOT DRIVE. Too many innocent people are being killed. Unfortunately in this area-people killed by drunk drivers-the numbers are going up, not down.

What Is The Answer?

A baby’s life begins
As another’s life is snuffed
A father’s absence felt
Another can is huffed

Faces from many backgrounds
Eyes and hearts searching for hope
Settling instead for imitiations
maryjane, glass pipe or whatever...to cope

Sucked into the vacuum
Lives are out of control
Surveyors of the damage
What exactly is the goal?

Is it mending or conditioning?
These lives torn at the seams
Ever mounting casualties,
Hearts full of broken dreams

Caught in revolving doors
Swimming against the stream
Walking halls of stone
No way out, they scream

The ghetto life offers so little hope
What will become of their futures?
Will they live beyond tomorrow
stitched up with dirty sutures?

Will their minds just be wasted
And their talents neglected or lost?
What is the answer to this madness?
Finding it surely worth any cost!

Looking for the answers
time is running out
For every one that’s a successful release
Many others expected to fail without a doubt

With myriads of options
where have we turned?
It seems there are so many lessons,
yet so little learned.

tkaeu (2005)

On to a more positive note...I'm downloading a few dance videos from Russia. The Russian dance moves include lots of high flying kicks, low to ground kicks, and lots of kicks in between...mostly just for the men. All I have to say is these guys must be in very good physical shape. From what I've watched of the Superstars of Dance show so far, dance moves for the females in Russia are very dainty, delicate, and feminine...like ballerina or porcelain dolls.