The Newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world
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Aug 31, 2005?
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Now on to the good stuff..........
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<p>Animal awareness series endorsed by Shiloh and Hank our mascots; all stories must receive their approval.</p>
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Today's Queue Stories ~**~**~**~
Uniform or Gown
Sharon Bryant
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We've all seen young men today wearing earrings to school.? We've watched as? students attend school with their hair spiked up and colored orange, red and green.? We've seen tattoo's, tongue? rings, bellybutton rings, nose rings, etc.?
We've seen changes in the "dress codes" that once were enforced in schools but? now placed on the back burner.
I had a conversation with a teacher one time on these issues and I was told that they didn't care WHAT they wore as long as they stayed in school.? I have attended ROTC awards and seen many in uniform, look "different" than the rest of their class.
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Three states today were mentioned on our news about this year??™s graduating classes.? Some of these classes have young men who will be getting their diplomas in
the next few days.? Only one thing makes them different from the rest of their class.? They are in the military.
They have requested that they be allowed to wear their uniform to their graduation ceremony, but are being turned down.
One school stated that it would be a "distraction" to the rest of the class.
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I guess I have to disagree with this.? After attending a graduation ceremony last week and seeing what I saw, there were many people who were a distraction to the ceremony.
It was not the graduates who were drawing the attention but the? people attending the ceremony.
Maybe I'm from the old school when things were different, but to stick it out and stay in school and earn your diploma is an honor.? It is one of the special days in a person's life.? Especially today when so many are dropping out.
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I feel people attending the ceremony should have respect for those graduating.? I don't think it was "proper" for young
girls to wear short tops with their belly hanging out.? I didn't feel it was appropriate for young men to attend with blue jeans on, three sizes too large, legs dragging on the floor and people looking at their "undies."
I didn't feel it was proper to wear baseball caps backwards, and talk and snicker through the ceremony.? ? Yet that's what they did.
I attended the ceremony because of a girl that
I? care about? and I am proud she had the determination to finish school.? I was very proud to see her stand up when the top ten names were called.? I know her determination to go on to college and become a teacher for first grade students one day.
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I think about these young men who are presently in the military and desiring to wear their uniform to their ceremony.
I would think their school would be proud of them.? I don't feel that? a U.S. Marine, Navy, or Army? uniform would be a "distraction" to the graduating class.? Instead I would feel that some would silently say, "Thank you" for those in uniform.
What do you think?
Sharon Bryant
1946 @bellsouth.net
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About Me:
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? I am Sharon Bryant,? 59 years old and reside in Alabama.
I lost my child in 1977 when he was five and I write articles on bereavement often.
I am a chocolate/candy maker and also a wood crafter and knitter.
I am married to a wonderful man, and have two remaining children, a daughter 25, Amy, and a second son, Randy, age 22.
My main goal in life is to help those who have lost a child. My website is: www.angelsremembered.tk
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The Best Bar BQ Place in America
Roger Dean Kiser
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I was traveling with two Canadian friends, going from Florida to Detroit, Michigan. One of them mentioned he was getting hungry. As this was their first visit to the United States, they wanted to try something special instead of the usual fast food junk.
As we drove along, I tried to think of something they might enjoy as well as remember for years to come.
"Hey, don't you guys have some really good Bar BQ down here in the states?" asked Bill.
"Well, we got the delicious McRib," I said, as I laughed.
"I don't mean stuff like that. I mean real Bar BQ. Stuff that's cooked for hours and real messy to eat."
"Well, we got chicken and rib places. Things like that."
"We have those places in Canada. I want real Bar BQ for a change," said Mark.
Well, I have never eaten any of it, but I have always heard that Blacks folks make the best Bar BQ," I told them.
"Well, let??™s stop and get some," said Bill, with a big smile on his face.
"I have no idea where you would get it," I told them.
"Don't they have any black restaurants down here?"
"No, not very many. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen one, except in the black areas of town."
"Well, let's head to Blackville," said Mark.
I looked over the front seat and sort of rolled my eyes at him.
"What was that look for?" he questioned.
"You don't just drive into Blackville and get a meal down here."
"And, why not?"
"I don't know. You just don't do it," I told him.
Not much else was spoken for the next thirty minutes. All at once, Bill pulled into a gas station, stopped, and rolled down his window.
"Excuse me," he said to a black man pumping gas into his car. "Is there a black area around here anywhere?"
The black man looked up and stared directly at the three of us. He raised his arm
slowly, and pointed his finger toward the North. "Knoxville, Tennessee -- thirty miles," he said.
"Thanks," said Bill as we drove off.
When we reached Knoxville, we stopped several times to ask directions to the black area of town. Each time we were given the
same look we had received from the man at the gas station.
As we drove into "Blackville,??? we began to drive up and down the streets looking for a sign that said, "Bar BQ".
"There's a sign, ???Best Bar BQ in town.??™ Right there," yelled Mark, pointing to a bright yellow sign with large red lettering.
Bill pulled over and parked in the small dirt area beside the building. The three of us got
out and headed toward the front door. There were five or six black people standing outside. Each stared at us as we passed.
BOY! That sure smells good," replied Mark.
When we walked inside the stares were even more piercing. As we took our seats, the entire place became quiet. We sat for several minutes; no one came to take our order.
"EXCUSE ME," Bill said to a large black man standing behind
the counter.
The man just ignored us.
"I think we had best go," I told Mark and Bill.
The three of us got up and headed toward the entrance. As we reached the doorway, I turned around and said "No problem, fellows." I was waving my hand back and forth. "Just showing my two white Canadian friends what it was like to be black in America. Now I guess they know."
No one said a word as we walked to the car.
"HEY!" yelled someone from behind us. I looked around and saw the large black man from behind the counter. He was waving his finger for us to come back.
The three of us got out of the car, walked over, and stopped in front of the man.
"You want Bar BQ, or you don't?" asked the man.
We followed him back inside, and for more than thirty minutes we ate the best Bar BQ I had ever tasted. When we had our fill, we tried to pay for our meal, but our money was refused.
As we left the establishment the large man walked
to the doorway and yelled out, "How does it feel to be black?"
"Pretty darn good!" I was patting my full belly with both hands.
"And that's the way it should be," said the man. He smiled, laughed, and then waved us goodbye.
That was without a doubt, the best BAR BQ Joint in America.
Roger Dean Kiser
trampolineone @earthlink.net Roger Dean Kiser is the author of thebook "Orphan, A True Story ofAbandonment, Abuse and Redemption."Roger also writes non-fiction shortstories which he displays on hiswebsite "The Sad Orphan" located at:www.rogerdeankiser.comRoger's short stories have also beenpublished in: Chicken Soup, Heartwarmers Heartwarmers of Love,
ACool Collection I and II (Israel), "The Bully" was made intoa short film by Nicholas Delfinoand has been entered into several majorfilm festivals in the United States.
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I WISH I COULD WRITE, BUT I CAN??™T! By Karin Janin
I wish I could write but I can??™t. One of my goals is to write inspirational books. I truly enjoy touching the lives of others, lifting spirits and offering hope whenever I can. But what I enjoy most is helping others to overcome obstacles and recognize options and possibilities in their lives. Knowing that, I find I have a little roadblock myself
when it comes to writing my first book. For example, this is what happens to me. I grab my cup of coffee, sit down in front of my computer, take a deep breath, and place my fingers on the keyboard armed with determination. Then comes the pivotal moment. A clean white page suddenly appears and the curser blinks; everything is ready for the magic to begin. Except me. I sit frozen, staring at the blank page on my computer screen. I sit and sit and sit. And stare and stare and stare. Finally, I ask myself, ???Why can??™t my computer write for me????
I wish I could write but I can??™t. I have read many wonderful books in my life by a variety of authors. I am in awe of anyone who has something published. Anything
at all. And I am intimidated by their amazing accomplishments. Even a little jealous. How can these gifted authors describe in such beautiful detail the billowing clouds, howling winds or bubbling brooks? Their imaginative writing triggers my imagination. I ???see??? what they are writing. I know I have a vivid imagination, so what??™s the problem here? Why can??™t I put it all down on paper?
I wish I could write but I can??™t. Okay, one more thing that doesn??™t help in overcoming my sit-and-stare-at a blank-screen syndrome is the English language itself. (This is a special issue for me as I was born in Germany, and grew up as a child in Latin America. English became my third language.) Why do so many words sound alike and mean something entirely different? Just this morning I was talking to my husband??“ who by the way is a great writer so I am naturally intimidated by him??“ about the differences between affect and effect. Then, consider the words to, too, and two! They all sound alike but have different meanings or usage. Whoever thought up the rules for using these little words should be shot!
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wish I could write but I can??™t. Despite the strangeness of the English language, some people have such a command of it that they seem to effortlessly weave amazing stories. Does it take that to be a great writer? Do I want to be a great writer? I??™m not sure. I am a simple person with simple ideas. I simply want to write stories that inspire. We all have a story to tell, and we all have our own style of sharing those stories.
I wish I could write but I can??™t. As I sit and write in my office, I turn to the right and see a statement I??™ve written for my clients on my wipe board. It reads, ???Eliminate the words TRY and CAN??™T ??“ TRY is a frustrating excuse and CAN??™T keeps you stuck.??? I realize that I must walk the walk, not just talk the talk. How can I help others go beyond
???TRYING and CAN??™TING??? when I haven??™t gone beyond those words myself?
So what??™s holding me back? Me, Myself, and I. Ok Me, Myself and I, let??™s start writing.
There is an old saying ??“ Act as if it has already happened. It is time to act upon my dream and open the door of possibilities. Writing from my heart is a dream. So what am I waiting for?
I close my eyes and imagine myself bundling the words I TRY and I CAN??™T, throwing them out the window, feeling to force of letting go. Once I complete the visual, I then imagine looking into the mirror and seeing the person I want to be now and I affirm:
I WILL WRITE BECAUSE I CAN.
I will write because I can. I open my eyes feeling armed with ???new found??? determination. This time I WILL complete my goal of writing. No more whining, complaining or comparing. It no longer matters to me if I am not read by millions or even one person because I am writing for myself.
I will write because I can. I can write, I know I can because it is in my heart and soul to write. An expression of who I am will go into each and every word. Enough chatter ??“ time to move forward.
I am writing because I
can. ______________
ABOUT KARINKarin Janin ??” is an author, a creative life coach, a motivational speaker, a jewelry designer, a singer (kind of), a mother, a grandmother, a wife and more.? She has her own bi-monthly TV show in New York City? that's featured on ? ???Uniquely You Now.??? Karin is also the founder of a motivational site: I Achieve ??? I Can (http://www.karinjanin.com) and The Orphan Connection (http://www.orphanconnect.com). She can be reached at: karin@karinjanin.com
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Poetry Section
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? The Cosmic Joke
David Vincent Dec
My psychiatrist coined this phrase ??“ at least that??™s the first I??™ve heard of it. She means sometimes to make sure you get ???the point??? the universe ??“ place the name of your higher power here ??“ sends you messages to remind you so you don??™t forget what you just learned.
Here??™s an example; last week I wrote a poem, ???Shed My Skin,??? which told of a transformation I had made. In my own idea system (instead
of belief system because changing an idea can be done, but changing a belief is much trickier), I think we are here on Earth to transform. So, when these moments hit, that realization can be overwhelming. When I am proactive instead of reactive to a situation, I transform and receive more Light from the universe. While driving back to work after lunch last week with my green-tea-frappuchino, out of know where I realized my soul within me, hence the idea for shedding my skin and revealing and living through my soul.
I was quite happy and excited about this. I made a transformation. The most challenging thing for me is after you make one transformation, the universe wants to remind you that you need to continue to transform. How? By giving you the cosmic joke. You know, one of those
things that happens to you and makes you look up and say, ???Is this a joke???? or ???Is this a test???? or my favorite, ???Ok, ok, I got it!???
Shortly after my realization of my transforming and living through my soul, I received a cosmic joke; another opportunity to transform. There is an irony to this process. If I don??™t transform I won??™t ever get another cosmic joke. That??™s giving up because not to transform means not to grow. I mention this to explain my poetry. I see poetry in everything. After a transformation, I write something positive. When given a new cosmic joke, I write about the challenge and that sounds or reads sad.
I do enjoy the process of transformation. My writing is the best way for me to be proactive when a transformation opportunity comes up. I also keep my
ego in check by expressing my successful transformations by writing, too.
Suffice it to say the cosmic joke is once we make one change, the universe isn??™t done with us yet. We will always be given an opportunity in the form of a cosmic joke to not react, be proactive, and transform.
Peace, Love, and Light. /dvd
P.S. A poem titled "The Cosmic Joke" will soon follow.
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dave@davedec.com
David Vincent Dec
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Cosmic Joke
David Vincent Dec
Chards of Light stream in all at once As dawn breaks on this marble head of mine Awake it seems for the very first time Aware of the point my world wants to make
Before too long as I enjoy this news My ego is kept in check
by the Light The cosmic joke is sent to me now The gift; a brand new lesson yet to learn
Ok, ok, I get the point Yet the transformation must still be made My trust is tested yet again Because with this test some pain will be felt
I know my growth will help, my friends That is the purpose for us to be To receive for all in this world of ours Not to receive for the self alone
Ego wants only for ourselves This cosmic joke was sent to remind us That ego is the opponent??™s favorite sin And ego is the root of all evil
The Light will shine and smile on us Only when we get this cosmic joke There will be Light for all to share And we will receive as part of that whole
Peace &
Light. /dvd
dave@davedec.com
David Vincent Dec
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My Nubian Princess
David Vincent Dec
She stood tall in her carriage and shocked me at first sight As she passed by she says hello in a deep warming voice Her smile and her eyes take so much breath from my soul I cannot make the words so I smile and dream
She appears again and again and I can??™t do a thing I want so much to take her and make my dreams come true Her eyes are as dark as her soft silken skin I just want to touch her, take her, taste her, and then??¦
If this never comes true this dream of being there I will take care of it myself as I close my eyes and see Her smile, her voice, her skin, her lips, and her all This is more than a lust; it is a need to be with her
The next time I see her I would have been there in my heart A sin worth while for this pale man who dreams I give part of my soul to her and pray that she knows I would dare all to be with her in her arms not my dreams
dave@davedec.com
David Vincent Dec
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Affectionately known as dvd, David is a real renaissance man. He is an adult educator, singer, songwriter, and story teller. His real passion is writing poetry. Not only does he write poems, he writes prose to explain to his readers the stories behind the poetry.
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Writers Feedback
? This Lady is the Peke saver over in Missouri. Name Carol White.. She is a real nice Lady.. needs few of them prayers. She is the
one with a son, Nam vet who fell about 3 years ago. fell at least 12 feet. has a bad head injury. So she could use a double dose of prayers.
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My Surgeon called today and my surgery date for a Carotid endarectomy due to a 90% blockage is set for? the 6th of Sept--2005.
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Hope you all stick with me through this---Thanks--"Carol"
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Announcements
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Melba Moore will be on the air with me live! Tune in www.artistfirst.com today Monday 29,2005. It seemed so far off but the time has come, listen to my show First Cut and find out what this song bird has been up too! You don't want to miss this interview.
