Grandma's Gifts
Grandma's home was open to everyone. A small, quaint two-story blue wood panel home with white trim, oak tree limbs looming next to it, an old, rusty swing set used by my father, his siblings, and their children in the backyard next to a wooded area, and a white barn with orange painted bars for fences where different livestock roamed -- pigs, horses, and cows were a staple of this woman's selfless life. All of us would enter the house with hands, feet, and ears frozen from the stinging cold to the warmth of a black iron coal furnace and sweet smells of desserts cooking in the oven for the evening meal. While our feet pounded the wood flooring and voices carried through the home, Grandma continued preparing the meal. She would rarely raise her voice or reprimand us for simply behaving like kids. Grandma symbolized that Midwestern unpretentious woman who was inviting to anyone of all shapes, sizes, color, and socioeconomic status.
Today, my Grandma's life is about to come to an end. We tend to all selfishly want that loved one to survive and never leave us. However, this post is dedicated as a celebration of a long, full life one tremendous woman lived.
My Grandmother was born and raised in Lower Manhattan, New York City. It was a time when those who didn't have much money did what they could to survive. She was an outstanding student and someone who was a voracious reader throughout her life. In her later adolescent and young adult years, a beautiful thick and wavy dark-haired woman would attend many social events. She was a bit of a partying woman with that Gaffney rebellious streak to her. Many women viewed it improper to drink a Manhattan, but not Grandma. She ended up meeting a tall, slender Irish-American man who worked at the time as a playwright critic for what is now known as Q Magazine.
Approaching an imminent threat by psychopathic dictators, particularly Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin, my grandfather enlisted in the U.S. Army as a foot soldier. Along with many brave young men, he stormed Omaha Beach on D-Day. This turned out to be a life changing event.
While facing gun and mortar fire, a piece of shrapnel sliced through my Grandfather's leg. He was carried a few miles to a camp by his fellow infantryman. At this camp, there was mass confusion on who my Grandfather was. His dog tags were broken, he was barely conscious and incoherent, and medical staff on hand initially identified him as a German soldier. At one point, a priest walked by where the wounded men lied. My Grandfather asked if his Last Rites could be cited to him. The priest replied: "I'm sorry. I only have time for the living," and continued his hasty walk past the camp.
Eventually, my Grandfather was airlifted to a nearby Air Force Base. Doctors inserted a prosthetic wooden leg. This would lead to a life where he would always feel shame and embarassment "as a cripple." However, he still managed to attend my father's academic and athletic events.
After the war, my Grandmother inherited farmland out in central Nebraska from an Italian-American relative, Angelo. They agreed and moved to Nebraska where neither knew anything about farming. Eventually, both worked to understand more and more. They raised cattle, chickens, and crops. Children came along and helped with the day-to-day chores, often waking up around 4 a.m. before school started.
My Grandfather was diabetic and suffered from bouts of depression. After moving to Nebraska and the horror still lingering from WWII, he became a heavy smoker and drinker. When my father was a sophomore in college, assistance provided by the G.I. bill, my Grandfather died suddenly from a heartattack. With one older sibling and two younger ones still in primary school, my Grandmother was left to raise her children on her own.
All four children graduated from college. They went on to have successful careers and great parents. The values my Grandmother instilled were never forgotten: always remain humble, love and respect all those you meet, forgive those who have done you harm, and respect and love all. Those values were passed down to me. I'll never forget two talks I had with Grandma.
One day, I cackled and mocked a grungy garbage man who used to pick up trash at our home in Niles, Michigan. She reminded me every job out there is important and added if we didn't have someone picking up garbage, think of the messes left behind. My attitude quickly changed. She finished by telling me all jobs out there are important and people work hard to provide for everyone. It was on this day I had a respect for all of our workers.
There was another occasion when my Grandma was discussing major American historical events. I asked an innocent question at the time about people of different color. She responded, "I see no color." This reminded me how the color of someone's skin by no means makes up what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once famously said, "the content of one's character." Even though to this day, we see ugly racial divisions in certain areas of our country, I hold those values Grandma instilled in me to respect everyone with mutual love and respect.
It was just a few years ago my Grandmother attended her first caucus meeting. She probably didn't think in her lifetime a woman had a real viable chance to be elected President of the United States. Her second youngest and only daughter who was a delegate at the time brought my Grandmother along. At one point, my Grandmother, quiet and reserved mainly among strangers, proudly stood up and voiced her support for Hillary Clinton.
She still has a Hillary Clinton sticker on her door at the nursing home and probably is the only Democrat in the building. Her selfless life she lived will always be remembered. Before responding in conversation, you would see her take a pause before speaking. Her gifts to teach us how to provide joy and love for others will always be remembered.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Saturday, June 18, 2011
A long overdue review for the ghetto fabulous hotel my girlfriend and I stayed at over Memorial Day Weekend
If you ever plan to stay overnight in Savannah, Georgia, stay far, far, far away from the Savannah Suites hotel. I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about this place. If you ask anyone, I'm one of the last people to be concerned about hygiene and overall cleanliness. However, I didn't dare to even step into that bathroom's shower. You'll find out why after reading this "fabulous" (Canesha likes to use this term to describe herself) review.
I would like to have our next vacation destination be New England during the Fall season. The changing foliage in New Hampshire (been there) and Vermont (heard from others) is breathtaking. One day will be devoted to Boston and possibly taking in a game within the hollowed grounds of historic Fenway Park.
Canesha's spot-on review
My boyfriend and I had the misfortune of booking a hotel under a certain website that won't give the hotel name til after you book, taking a chance because they'd never screwed us over before. Somehow we ended up with Savannah Suites, and they weren't even the cheapest. The reviews already on here are spot-on, and though I'm not sure they're still doing it, the Savannah Suites off Memorial Drive in Atlanta used to rent by the HOUR. This is the kind of classless establishment we're dealing with here. So our expectations weren't high as we went to check in.
Whoever said that people -- people who look like they just got out of jail and are stil adjusting to see normal people in the real world -- like to stare down people going to and from their room was right. I'm a pretty attractive female, so that didn't help. The last day there, there was this crazy wild-haired woman sitting outside of one of the rooms with trash bags filled with junk (evicted?) and she joined in on the looky-loo parade too. She also tried to talk to my boyfriend about Mary Kay products (??) but he brushed her off quickly before she'd really have the opportunity to bring out the crazy.
The first room they reserved for us was actually a handicapped room. As soon as you walked in, you were hit by a musty smell. Imagine going into an old building that hasn't been cleaned properly in years -- it was that kind of odor.
The "carpet" was this thin, cheap grungy material that looked like felt. The little furniture that was inside the room was comprised of pressed wood and chairs that looked like they'd come from the '70s. The tv was at least 15-20 years old, a piece of big bulky junk. Everything just looked cheap, cheap, cheap, as if the greedy owners of this rat trap have never renovated it and bought a bunch of second-hand items that didn't even look good when they were new. The last straw was the shower in the bathroom -- we'd never seen anything like it in our lives! It looked like something out of the movie "Hostel." There were weird bars and contraptions in it, the shower floor was literally flush with the bathroom floor -- meaning there's no way to keep the water in the shower. And there was no shower curtain. Basically you're just supposed to stand there and let the water go through a hole in the bathroom floor.
We asked for a non-handicapped room, and this one was only slightly better. The shower had a curtain (imagine that!), but the funky smell was still ever-present, along with crap-quality furniture, pencil-thin mattress, "flimsy" pillows, and 20-year-old thin comforter. We spent as little time in that room as possible, and purchased sandals at the K-Mart across the street to wear while showering and walking in the room. When night came, so did a couple insect companions, including a baby roach on the wall. The ceiling and walls are thin, so when some wonderfully intelligent person inexplicably thought that it would be fun to stomp on the floor upstairs, it came through loud and clear.
The staff is comprised (with the exception of one) a few bitter middle-aged women who couldn't care less about keeping hotel guests happy. One was a bit snappy when we requested a room without a torture chamber in the bathroom. Another seemed agitated when we had to go switch key cards when we changed rooms (and to echo another reviewer, the key card didn't work when we tried to use it, and the staff member acted surprised and got maintenance to come try to fix it. I glared at their charade from the side, astonished by their "eff effort" attitude.)
The frauds who own this particular Savannah Suites should be forced to spend a night there, AND use the shower without flip-flops. Oh one last thing, the coffee machine didn't even work, somehow the water for the coffee spurted upwards, creating a mess.
In summary, I wouldn't wish a hotel stay on my worse enemy.
Room Tip: For the love of all things Holy DO NOT RENT HERE.
Ahhaha!! Yes, this was worse than a Griswald vacation hotel stay. There are just two omissions here. First, all the air-conditioning vents outside the rooms were bent. Finally, we accidentally left a few articles of clothing in the room (yeah, we wanted out). Guess what happened when we tried to have the hotel send us those clothes via UPS? Yep. We're still waiting on them to this day.
If you ever plan to stay overnight in Savannah, Georgia, stay far, far, far away from the Savannah Suites hotel. I get the heebie jeebies just thinking about this place. If you ask anyone, I'm one of the last people to be concerned about hygiene and overall cleanliness. However, I didn't dare to even step into that bathroom's shower. You'll find out why after reading this "fabulous" (Canesha likes to use this term to describe herself) review.
I would like to have our next vacation destination be New England during the Fall season. The changing foliage in New Hampshire (been there) and Vermont (heard from others) is breathtaking. One day will be devoted to Boston and possibly taking in a game within the hollowed grounds of historic Fenway Park.
Canesha's spot-on review
My boyfriend and I had the misfortune of booking a hotel under a certain website that won't give the hotel name til after you book, taking a chance because they'd never screwed us over before. Somehow we ended up with Savannah Suites, and they weren't even the cheapest. The reviews already on here are spot-on, and though I'm not sure they're still doing it, the Savannah Suites off Memorial Drive in Atlanta used to rent by the HOUR. This is the kind of classless establishment we're dealing with here. So our expectations weren't high as we went to check in.
Whoever said that people -- people who look like they just got out of jail and are stil adjusting to see normal people in the real world -- like to stare down people going to and from their room was right. I'm a pretty attractive female, so that didn't help. The last day there, there was this crazy wild-haired woman sitting outside of one of the rooms with trash bags filled with junk (evicted?) and she joined in on the looky-loo parade too. She also tried to talk to my boyfriend about Mary Kay products (??) but he brushed her off quickly before she'd really have the opportunity to bring out the crazy.
The first room they reserved for us was actually a handicapped room. As soon as you walked in, you were hit by a musty smell. Imagine going into an old building that hasn't been cleaned properly in years -- it was that kind of odor.
The "carpet" was this thin, cheap grungy material that looked like felt. The little furniture that was inside the room was comprised of pressed wood and chairs that looked like they'd come from the '70s. The tv was at least 15-20 years old, a piece of big bulky junk. Everything just looked cheap, cheap, cheap, as if the greedy owners of this rat trap have never renovated it and bought a bunch of second-hand items that didn't even look good when they were new. The last straw was the shower in the bathroom -- we'd never seen anything like it in our lives! It looked like something out of the movie "Hostel." There were weird bars and contraptions in it, the shower floor was literally flush with the bathroom floor -- meaning there's no way to keep the water in the shower. And there was no shower curtain. Basically you're just supposed to stand there and let the water go through a hole in the bathroom floor.
We asked for a non-handicapped room, and this one was only slightly better. The shower had a curtain (imagine that!), but the funky smell was still ever-present, along with crap-quality furniture, pencil-thin mattress, "flimsy" pillows, and 20-year-old thin comforter. We spent as little time in that room as possible, and purchased sandals at the K-Mart across the street to wear while showering and walking in the room. When night came, so did a couple insect companions, including a baby roach on the wall. The ceiling and walls are thin, so when some wonderfully intelligent person inexplicably thought that it would be fun to stomp on the floor upstairs, it came through loud and clear.
The staff is comprised (with the exception of one) a few bitter middle-aged women who couldn't care less about keeping hotel guests happy. One was a bit snappy when we requested a room without a torture chamber in the bathroom. Another seemed agitated when we had to go switch key cards when we changed rooms (and to echo another reviewer, the key card didn't work when we tried to use it, and the staff member acted surprised and got maintenance to come try to fix it. I glared at their charade from the side, astonished by their "eff effort" attitude.)
The frauds who own this particular Savannah Suites should be forced to spend a night there, AND use the shower without flip-flops. Oh one last thing, the coffee machine didn't even work, somehow the water for the coffee spurted upwards, creating a mess.
In summary, I wouldn't wish a hotel stay on my worse enemy.
Room Tip: For the love of all things Holy DO NOT RENT HERE.
Ahhaha!! Yes, this was worse than a Griswald vacation hotel stay. There are just two omissions here. First, all the air-conditioning vents outside the rooms were bent. Finally, we accidentally left a few articles of clothing in the room (yeah, we wanted out). Guess what happened when we tried to have the hotel send us those clothes via UPS? Yep. We're still waiting on them to this day.
Friday, April 22, 2011
An alternate review of 'The Human Centipede': How far have we evolved or not?
Where do we as human beings rank among other species? One recent controversial, gratuitous horror film, The Human Centipede, could be viewed as a parody of the human condition. The film is set in present day Germany with a deranged surgeon known for his work on separating conjoined twins. At some point, he withdraws from his professional work to focus on an experiment: artificially conjoining animal and human subjects to create a centipede.
As the film opens, two American female tourists decide to travel to a nightclub. While driving down a secluded rural road, their car hits a bump that leaves them stranded with a flat tire. They finally see a light through the dense wooded region and see a house. Upon arriving, they meet a stoic, expressionless man who shows no interest in their accident.
The viewer can be quickly alarmed by the doctor's aloof behavior, as the women become more uncomfortable amid his presence. As expected, the uncomfortable, awkward conversation leads to a series of bizarre events, leaving the women completely helpless to the psychopath's actions. They're drugged, shown a slide show presentation on how the human centipede is formed, have their tissue surgically removed where bone and tissue can meet, and eventually are conjoined as a human centipede along with a young, Japanese man.
This dark, lurid film is shot with dim lighting. Camera shots zoom in on the surgical procedure, showing the doctor stenciling an outline around the jaw and knee cap areas and cutting open skin with a knife. His nervous anticipation to finish what appears to be a long awaited experiment for him can be seen by sudden, involuntary body quivers. Once the experiment is completed, he revels in his masterpiece and has his subjects treated akin to dogs.
Although the film's grotesque nature can easily be viewed by the average critic as over-the-top nonsensical violence, how does this relate to our condition? What do we really want to see in our everyday lives? Does tragedy and horror fascinate our imaginations? According to the corporate-owned media, yes it does.
Turn on a cable news network on just about any given day, and it plays out like a horror film. Segments feature inferences on what could happen if polticians vote a certain way and how that vote could leave us penniless one day, natural disasters, protests turned violent from excessive police or military force, a suburban child suddenly has gone missing as family, friends, and authorities frantically search to find him or her, mangled vehicles after a car accident that leave those involved seriously injured or killed, and a murder mystery quickly catches the audience's attention to play it out for the next few weeks. We kill more of our own than any other species on the planet. So, one can question how a film like this really taps into the deepest recesses of our primal instincts or has us rethink how our voracious vicarious appetites for death and destruction can be tamed.
Where do we as human beings rank among other species? One recent controversial, gratuitous horror film, The Human Centipede, could be viewed as a parody of the human condition. The film is set in present day Germany with a deranged surgeon known for his work on separating conjoined twins. At some point, he withdraws from his professional work to focus on an experiment: artificially conjoining animal and human subjects to create a centipede.
As the film opens, two American female tourists decide to travel to a nightclub. While driving down a secluded rural road, their car hits a bump that leaves them stranded with a flat tire. They finally see a light through the dense wooded region and see a house. Upon arriving, they meet a stoic, expressionless man who shows no interest in their accident.
The viewer can be quickly alarmed by the doctor's aloof behavior, as the women become more uncomfortable amid his presence. As expected, the uncomfortable, awkward conversation leads to a series of bizarre events, leaving the women completely helpless to the psychopath's actions. They're drugged, shown a slide show presentation on how the human centipede is formed, have their tissue surgically removed where bone and tissue can meet, and eventually are conjoined as a human centipede along with a young, Japanese man.
This dark, lurid film is shot with dim lighting. Camera shots zoom in on the surgical procedure, showing the doctor stenciling an outline around the jaw and knee cap areas and cutting open skin with a knife. His nervous anticipation to finish what appears to be a long awaited experiment for him can be seen by sudden, involuntary body quivers. Once the experiment is completed, he revels in his masterpiece and has his subjects treated akin to dogs.
Although the film's grotesque nature can easily be viewed by the average critic as over-the-top nonsensical violence, how does this relate to our condition? What do we really want to see in our everyday lives? Does tragedy and horror fascinate our imaginations? According to the corporate-owned media, yes it does.
Turn on a cable news network on just about any given day, and it plays out like a horror film. Segments feature inferences on what could happen if polticians vote a certain way and how that vote could leave us penniless one day, natural disasters, protests turned violent from excessive police or military force, a suburban child suddenly has gone missing as family, friends, and authorities frantically search to find him or her, mangled vehicles after a car accident that leave those involved seriously injured or killed, and a murder mystery quickly catches the audience's attention to play it out for the next few weeks. We kill more of our own than any other species on the planet. So, one can question how a film like this really taps into the deepest recesses of our primal instincts or has us rethink how our voracious vicarious appetites for death and destruction can be tamed.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Allow fate to be the guide
As the horrifying images of Sept. 11, 2001 are shown on my T.V. screen at this moment, we question why. Why would a just God allow for so many to perish? If we are all created in his image, why do some seemingly only have one purpose -- to harm others? I was so proud to see how so many of us united in the days and weeks following these senseless attacks. This proved to me why all along I continually feel we share more commonalities than differences.
Of course, we have many today who share different perspectives. They're angered why a husband, wife, brother, sister, and someone who provided so much love could be taken away in a matter of moments. The love for lost loved ones is never forgotten on the day they left us. I choose to remember all the times of laughter, learning from experiences this person shared with me, and ultimately, what I learned from this person. This act buries all the fear that can lead to hate.
Selfish gain is never fondly remembered quite as much, is it? Try to memorialize a man or woman who spent his or her remaining days deceving and hurting others for personal gain. Ultimately, we are all here to love and help those around us. This is what has been written in every major religious text. The prophets who were all sons of Abraham to those who spent their lifetimes sacrificing their safety to fight for those who don't have a voice are remembered the most. In these uncertain times where people choose to spread hate to others they deem are different, let's not forget why we are here to live.
As the horrifying images of Sept. 11, 2001 are shown on my T.V. screen at this moment, we question why. Why would a just God allow for so many to perish? If we are all created in his image, why do some seemingly only have one purpose -- to harm others? I was so proud to see how so many of us united in the days and weeks following these senseless attacks. This proved to me why all along I continually feel we share more commonalities than differences.
Of course, we have many today who share different perspectives. They're angered why a husband, wife, brother, sister, and someone who provided so much love could be taken away in a matter of moments. The love for lost loved ones is never forgotten on the day they left us. I choose to remember all the times of laughter, learning from experiences this person shared with me, and ultimately, what I learned from this person. This act buries all the fear that can lead to hate.
Selfish gain is never fondly remembered quite as much, is it? Try to memorialize a man or woman who spent his or her remaining days deceving and hurting others for personal gain. Ultimately, we are all here to love and help those around us. This is what has been written in every major religious text. The prophets who were all sons of Abraham to those who spent their lifetimes sacrificing their safety to fight for those who don't have a voice are remembered the most. In these uncertain times where people choose to spread hate to others they deem are different, let's not forget why we are here to live.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
A dear elderly friend: 'Don't worry. You don't have to hurt anymore' and please help us at Children Without A Voice
I walked out of the elevator at University Hospital in Augusta, frantically trying to find Dr. Wilson's room. As I asked a receptionist at the desk, she pointed to his room. I walked in and didn't recognize this man. There must be two Wilsons on this ICU floor.
"That's not Dr. Wilson," I told the receptionist. "Is there another Dr. Wilson on this floor?"
"No," she responded. "That's the only Dr. Wilson we have here."
"Was another Dr. Wilson moved off this floor," I asked as panic and anxiety began setting in.
"No. This is the only Dr. Wilson we've had here," she calmly replied.
As I turned around to head to the elevator, I saw Mrs. Wilson walk into the strange man's room. She motioned for me. I followed her into the room with disbelief. This is what Dr. Wilson looks like now.
"He lost a lot of weight," she told me.
A few hours earlier, Robin, my former longtime girlfriend called me with shear panic in her voice. "P.J. My dad's on life support." I froze. I didn't speak. Those few seconds of silence could've lasted an eternity. She ended by saying she didn't know if he would live through the night. Finally, I gathered myself and told her that her dad lived a remarkable life. It's best that he passes away without having to endure any further pain.
Dr. Wilson opened his eyes for a mere second or so. An oxygen tube extend from a machine down his throat, IVs covered his body, and a few catheter tubes ran from two other machines to his neck and genitalia. He had suffered a heart attack.
I went back the next day. His family members had come from Texas and South Carolina to see him. On this day, he was in much better shape. His eyes were open, he was writing on a notepad to his younger sister, and had those same mischievous looks I fondly remember. "When you get out of here, we're going to have to go to Chinese. You fly, I buy," I said with a lighthearted chuckle as his eyes widened.
He wrote on a little pad I brought, "P.J., That for coming." I knew what he really meant to say there and it was completely understandable how his writing was somewhat indecipherable. Next, there was another few moments in time that will never escape me. This was comparable to my near-death experience and reminded me that I should have faith there is a Heaven. He wrote on a notepad to his younger sister the following:
"I was toiling to get into Heaven. A man approached me at a gate and said, "Don't worry. You don't have to hurt anymore."
Tears began streaming down my face. This man has been there as a mentor, friend, and someone who deeply cared for the well-being of others (good, strong Democrat too). His family invited me to join them for lunch downstairs in the cafeteria. No way. I couldn't do it in this condition. I had to make the excuse that I had just eaten which I did and kindly declined the offer.
Since this experience, Dr. Wilson continues to be a fighter. It began for him in a small town in Tennessee where he was bullied by his peers, lived in poverty, entered the Navy at 16 while lying about his actual age on his Social Security card, finished top in every Naval technical class he took, earned his Ph.D from Boston University after dropping out of high school, worked for the Pentagon in the late '80s, and finished his service to society mentoring prospective Master's Degree teachers. Before I came back to the Atlanta area, the medical staff took the oxygen tube out of his throat. His voice is gravely, but he still has the same charming wit and sarcasm to him. I hope his vision is fulfilled to where not only him but all of us one day enter that place where one reminds us, "Don't worry. You don't have to hurt anymore."
Children Without A Voice
Currently, I spend a few hours a week volunteering for Children Without A Voice, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. This is a nonpartisan, universal fight we have to rescue children from reckless and cruel adults. I ask each and every one of you to read the touching profile story of our founder, Lin Seahorn. She has lived an extraordinary life and is a great, down-to-earth woman.
The organization is still in its infancy stages. It began in 2007. Recently, Three Days Grace (I'm not a fan of their modern rock sound) performed a benefit concert for us. The lead singer and drummer for Linkin Park (not a fan of them either. Sorry, I'm picky when it comes to music) has thrown in their support. We need more. Please visit www.childrenwithoutavoiceusa.org. On the left hand side of the screen, click on the action alerts link. There's no obligation. All you have to do a few times a week is copy and paste an e-mail I send from our Legislative Committee to demand maximum sentencing for those charged with crimes against a child. And if you do feel like doing a little extra, you can contact me or Lin to come on board. She encourages you to do whatever you want by applying your strengths -- writing, audiovisual, etc. Any help you provide is greatly appreciated.
I walked out of the elevator at University Hospital in Augusta, frantically trying to find Dr. Wilson's room. As I asked a receptionist at the desk, she pointed to his room. I walked in and didn't recognize this man. There must be two Wilsons on this ICU floor.
"That's not Dr. Wilson," I told the receptionist. "Is there another Dr. Wilson on this floor?"
"No," she responded. "That's the only Dr. Wilson we have here."
"Was another Dr. Wilson moved off this floor," I asked as panic and anxiety began setting in.
"No. This is the only Dr. Wilson we've had here," she calmly replied.
As I turned around to head to the elevator, I saw Mrs. Wilson walk into the strange man's room. She motioned for me. I followed her into the room with disbelief. This is what Dr. Wilson looks like now.
"He lost a lot of weight," she told me.
A few hours earlier, Robin, my former longtime girlfriend called me with shear panic in her voice. "P.J. My dad's on life support." I froze. I didn't speak. Those few seconds of silence could've lasted an eternity. She ended by saying she didn't know if he would live through the night. Finally, I gathered myself and told her that her dad lived a remarkable life. It's best that he passes away without having to endure any further pain.
Dr. Wilson opened his eyes for a mere second or so. An oxygen tube extend from a machine down his throat, IVs covered his body, and a few catheter tubes ran from two other machines to his neck and genitalia. He had suffered a heart attack.
I went back the next day. His family members had come from Texas and South Carolina to see him. On this day, he was in much better shape. His eyes were open, he was writing on a notepad to his younger sister, and had those same mischievous looks I fondly remember. "When you get out of here, we're going to have to go to Chinese. You fly, I buy," I said with a lighthearted chuckle as his eyes widened.
He wrote on a little pad I brought, "P.J., That for coming." I knew what he really meant to say there and it was completely understandable how his writing was somewhat indecipherable. Next, there was another few moments in time that will never escape me. This was comparable to my near-death experience and reminded me that I should have faith there is a Heaven. He wrote on a notepad to his younger sister the following:
"I was toiling to get into Heaven. A man approached me at a gate and said, "Don't worry. You don't have to hurt anymore."
Tears began streaming down my face. This man has been there as a mentor, friend, and someone who deeply cared for the well-being of others (good, strong Democrat too). His family invited me to join them for lunch downstairs in the cafeteria. No way. I couldn't do it in this condition. I had to make the excuse that I had just eaten which I did and kindly declined the offer.
Since this experience, Dr. Wilson continues to be a fighter. It began for him in a small town in Tennessee where he was bullied by his peers, lived in poverty, entered the Navy at 16 while lying about his actual age on his Social Security card, finished top in every Naval technical class he took, earned his Ph.D from Boston University after dropping out of high school, worked for the Pentagon in the late '80s, and finished his service to society mentoring prospective Master's Degree teachers. Before I came back to the Atlanta area, the medical staff took the oxygen tube out of his throat. His voice is gravely, but he still has the same charming wit and sarcasm to him. I hope his vision is fulfilled to where not only him but all of us one day enter that place where one reminds us, "Don't worry. You don't have to hurt anymore."
Children Without A Voice
Currently, I spend a few hours a week volunteering for Children Without A Voice, a nonprofit dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. This is a nonpartisan, universal fight we have to rescue children from reckless and cruel adults. I ask each and every one of you to read the touching profile story of our founder, Lin Seahorn. She has lived an extraordinary life and is a great, down-to-earth woman.
The organization is still in its infancy stages. It began in 2007. Recently, Three Days Grace (I'm not a fan of their modern rock sound) performed a benefit concert for us. The lead singer and drummer for Linkin Park (not a fan of them either. Sorry, I'm picky when it comes to music) has thrown in their support. We need more. Please visit www.childrenwithoutavoiceusa.org. On the left hand side of the screen, click on the action alerts link. There's no obligation. All you have to do a few times a week is copy and paste an e-mail I send from our Legislative Committee to demand maximum sentencing for those charged with crimes against a child. And if you do feel like doing a little extra, you can contact me or Lin to come on board. She encourages you to do whatever you want by applying your strengths -- writing, audiovisual, etc. Any help you provide is greatly appreciated.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The Other Spill
While tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil continues to desecrate the Gulf of Mexico and wildlife along the coast, the question sorely needed to be repeatedly asked, Why hasn't there been a disaster plan in place after decades of offshore drilling? One would think in this technological age we would have the necessary technology in place in the event one of these disasters occurs. It's a collective failure of past and present oil companies and government agencies. However, President Obama continues to be the fall guy for all of it. At this point, I don't understand why we're continuing to solely rely on a company who has repeatedly failed with safety regulations and has purposely misled us all. I think former President Clinton's advice to bomb the well is a good one. How could it get any worse at this point? Why aren't we using the devices proven to suck up the oil on the water's surface instead of these booms that have proven to not be 100 percent effective along the wetlands and coasts?
With this oil spill's depressing ad nauseum live web cam video feeds, we have another spill to contain. This is one long overdue -- the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. As previously reported by a Conservative think tank, Rand Corporation, only 7 percent of military occupations have defeated terrorism. We are spending billions of tax dollars to private contractors who have used this occupation as a profit making venture. They've proven to be nearly stagnant in their reparations projects -- schools, water supply, utilities, etc. Finally, we see some good news. The majority of Americans in several polls across the board now oppose our occupation. Although this doesn't have the personal impact of a draft from Vietnam, I think it's high time people begin protesting in the streets to end this inflaming of extremism and extraordinary costs it has had on all of us.
This is one example of where I want President Obama to change course. Frankly, I'm critical of the Bush and Obama administrations on what they know about these contractors who have participated in a number of illegalities. Most notably, Eric Prince, founder of Blackwater (now Xe) should along with his upper management be at the forefront of these criminal prosecutions. Finally, one should investigate how these two administrations could possibly be linked as accessories.
I still support Obama and understand the harsh realities of obstruction set out by the Radical Right. However, I'm not one to make excuses for him when there are substantiated injustices occuring. Our occuaptions in Iraq and Afghanistan are glowing examples.
What else could be done to boost the economy?
1. The Far Right likes to pretend it has a monopoly on moral values. It's funny how the staunchest, self-proclaimed social conservative is caught for infidelity. So, marriage has a terrible track record in this country. With this said, I'll shift to a Libertarian view -- why not legalize prostitution and tax it? Can you imagine how many of these wealthy business elites would solicit these services and the returns that can go into our Treasury? Let's stop pretending we're so much more superior than the average mammals on this planet. Our biological urges take over. I commend all those who practice monogamy, and I'm no different in this approach. However, I also understand the reality of seeing so many who don't take their vows seriously.
2. Abolish the death penalty and legalize drugs. The city of San Antonio went bankrupt in 1992. It's no secret Texas is the death penalty capital of the world. It really shows how people's hearts are hardened and minds are numb to commit another murder. San Antonio's primary reason for bankruptcy was, you guessed it, death penalty appeals cases. Our jails are filled with convicts on death row for decades.
This country continues to spend billions a year on getting high. Yes, they're dangerous and have life-altering effects. However, tobacco continues to be the number 1 killer out there. Our jails are filled with non-violent offenders who pose no threat to others in society. One would think our priority would be rehabilitation and mental health service clinics, not more jail houses. It was criminal to see one community here in Georgia spend nearly half its annual budget on a new corrections facility. If this country legalizes marijuana like California is proposing and backed by its moderate Republican Governor, that's more revenue coming in.
3. O.k. The most pragmatic of the three here is quite simple. We need to place the tax burden back where it belongs -- the top 1 percent of this country's earners. There was a time when we had a strong middle class, but the decades have gone by and so has our collective bargaining empowerment. I don't think there's been a time in our history when corporations have been this powerful. So, implement the estate tax. This is millions that would be coming in. Second, provide tax incentives to companies who won't ship jobs overseas. Third, provide even more tax incentives to companies willing to develop alternative energy sources. Finally, forget the Tea Party's approach that we're being taxed to death. We're not. The tax rate was the lowest this past year since 1950. The problem -- costs have significantly increased and wages remain stagnant. Restructure the tax codes so the wealthiest are paying their fair share once again and shift the burden away from the lower and middle classes.
While tens of thousands of gallons of crude oil continues to desecrate the Gulf of Mexico and wildlife along the coast, the question sorely needed to be repeatedly asked, Why hasn't there been a disaster plan in place after decades of offshore drilling? One would think in this technological age we would have the necessary technology in place in the event one of these disasters occurs. It's a collective failure of past and present oil companies and government agencies. However, President Obama continues to be the fall guy for all of it. At this point, I don't understand why we're continuing to solely rely on a company who has repeatedly failed with safety regulations and has purposely misled us all. I think former President Clinton's advice to bomb the well is a good one. How could it get any worse at this point? Why aren't we using the devices proven to suck up the oil on the water's surface instead of these booms that have proven to not be 100 percent effective along the wetlands and coasts?
With this oil spill's depressing ad nauseum live web cam video feeds, we have another spill to contain. This is one long overdue -- the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. As previously reported by a Conservative think tank, Rand Corporation, only 7 percent of military occupations have defeated terrorism. We are spending billions of tax dollars to private contractors who have used this occupation as a profit making venture. They've proven to be nearly stagnant in their reparations projects -- schools, water supply, utilities, etc. Finally, we see some good news. The majority of Americans in several polls across the board now oppose our occupation. Although this doesn't have the personal impact of a draft from Vietnam, I think it's high time people begin protesting in the streets to end this inflaming of extremism and extraordinary costs it has had on all of us.
This is one example of where I want President Obama to change course. Frankly, I'm critical of the Bush and Obama administrations on what they know about these contractors who have participated in a number of illegalities. Most notably, Eric Prince, founder of Blackwater (now Xe) should along with his upper management be at the forefront of these criminal prosecutions. Finally, one should investigate how these two administrations could possibly be linked as accessories.
I still support Obama and understand the harsh realities of obstruction set out by the Radical Right. However, I'm not one to make excuses for him when there are substantiated injustices occuring. Our occuaptions in Iraq and Afghanistan are glowing examples.
What else could be done to boost the economy?
1. The Far Right likes to pretend it has a monopoly on moral values. It's funny how the staunchest, self-proclaimed social conservative is caught for infidelity. So, marriage has a terrible track record in this country. With this said, I'll shift to a Libertarian view -- why not legalize prostitution and tax it? Can you imagine how many of these wealthy business elites would solicit these services and the returns that can go into our Treasury? Let's stop pretending we're so much more superior than the average mammals on this planet. Our biological urges take over. I commend all those who practice monogamy, and I'm no different in this approach. However, I also understand the reality of seeing so many who don't take their vows seriously.
2. Abolish the death penalty and legalize drugs. The city of San Antonio went bankrupt in 1992. It's no secret Texas is the death penalty capital of the world. It really shows how people's hearts are hardened and minds are numb to commit another murder. San Antonio's primary reason for bankruptcy was, you guessed it, death penalty appeals cases. Our jails are filled with convicts on death row for decades.
This country continues to spend billions a year on getting high. Yes, they're dangerous and have life-altering effects. However, tobacco continues to be the number 1 killer out there. Our jails are filled with non-violent offenders who pose no threat to others in society. One would think our priority would be rehabilitation and mental health service clinics, not more jail houses. It was criminal to see one community here in Georgia spend nearly half its annual budget on a new corrections facility. If this country legalizes marijuana like California is proposing and backed by its moderate Republican Governor, that's more revenue coming in.
3. O.k. The most pragmatic of the three here is quite simple. We need to place the tax burden back where it belongs -- the top 1 percent of this country's earners. There was a time when we had a strong middle class, but the decades have gone by and so has our collective bargaining empowerment. I don't think there's been a time in our history when corporations have been this powerful. So, implement the estate tax. This is millions that would be coming in. Second, provide tax incentives to companies who won't ship jobs overseas. Third, provide even more tax incentives to companies willing to develop alternative energy sources. Finally, forget the Tea Party's approach that we're being taxed to death. We're not. The tax rate was the lowest this past year since 1950. The problem -- costs have significantly increased and wages remain stagnant. Restructure the tax codes so the wealthiest are paying their fair share once again and shift the burden away from the lower and middle classes.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Waking up to utopia
One morning, everything is how you envisioned it. You have absolutely no fear, sadness, or regrets. There's only uninhibited euphoria. Neighbors wave, smile, and provide their well wishes to you. You have control. You know there isn't a single person who can take your power away. Everything is designed to your liking. Wherever you move, you are showered with more love. This is at the core of our being and existence. This is why many of us are engaged in sociopolitical issues where we all can wake up one day to have just a hint of utopia.
There is another perspective. What's the point of living if all of us aren't perpetually flawed? Why would we need to live if all our fantasies are attainable? We would lose all our zest, appreciation for what we have obtained, and all passions for love. Philosophers and writers have used this approach before. Paradise certainly seems more and more like a boring place.
Currently, I devote a few hours a week as a volunteer to a nonprofit that's dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. There are some heartwrenching court cases and stories I've come across. However, this has me gain a growing appreciation every time I read these horrid pieces how I was given parents who provided for my best interests.
It has been a tough road seeing how countless applications I've sent have gone unresponded. One interview was disastrous with a firm that clearly would've turned into another disastrous employment experience. Another interview at the surface seemed ideal, until I read multiple sources reveal how it failed to compensate its workers for overtime, demanded they skip their lunch break, and spend all time and energy approaching strangers to meet outrageous quotas for an environmental nonprofit agency. This is the ideal time for employers to take advantage of the lower and middle class. It's nothing new and has happened throughout our young history.
Enter the Tea Party. I sympathize with this organization's supporters. After talking to a few distant friends of mine who attended rallies, their adamant opposition is squarely directed at government. Government is inherently evil, goes against the interests of ordinary citizens, and imposes unnecessary taxes. O.k. There have been some statements made on behalf of the ones spearheading this organization like former disgraced Rep. Dick Armey that are treasonous.
My father provided me this simple statement that applies at every level of our lives, "The data will lead the way." The Tea Party leaders and its followers continue misrepresenting the data. Start with taxation. This year, tax rates hit a low that hasn't been seen since 1950. Second, our founders knew the average citizen is incapable of self-governing. This is why we formed a representative democracy, although I still argue our country is controlled by the wealthy elite -- the same 1 percent who has owned more than half our wealth since the 1950s (restructure the tax burden on the top earners where they're paying 90 percent of our tax revenues). So, their outrage is misdirected and leads to a system that is more inherently dangerous than the one we had for eight years under President Bush.
I watched an interview that I quite frankly felt was overblown last night with Rachel Maddow and Kentucky Republican Senate nominee, Dr. Rand Paul. Paul recently made some outrageous statements pertaining to the 1964 Voting Rights Act. He said private businesses shouldn't have government interfering and telling them how to run their businesses even though he opposes discrimination at all levels. I understand where he comes from. Yes, I'm extremely confident Paul isn't a racist. However, he wants to implement a very destructive self-regulating society where we essentially eliminate all checks and balances.
Here's what Rand Paul's utopia would turn out. We would inevitably see more and more divisions in our society. People would become more hostile to each other. It's just out of good faith we trust good people like the ones who run Massey Energy, Beyond Petroleum (Beyond Pollution), Exxon-Mobil, Goldman Sachs, AIG, Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum (owns 80 percent of Nigeria's economy),.... Essentially, Rand Paul will stop at nothing to carry out Milton Friedman's vision for a laissez faire society. How did it work out during the Nixon years, Kissinger's direct involvement in overthrowing a Democratically elected leader in Argentina and seeing how a once prosperous country turned to privatization went from full employment to 20 percent unemployment, and those glorious Reagan years when Reagan once said poor people are poor out of choice.
As far as representing the lower and middle classes, this is why President Obama thus far has shown himself to be a centrist. He hasn't aggressively attacked big business, has an F rating by the Brady Campaign on gun control, passed a health care reform bill where an obscure statute states any insurer who denies a customer coverage based on a pre-existing condition pays a $100 fine per day, continues to go against historical results on military occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and barely scratched the surface funding for clean energy initiatives in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Overall, he's had to do it. Look at what he's up against. Bill Maher summed it up best, "Since the 1970s, the Left has become the center, and the Right has moved into a mental institution."
One morning, everything is how you envisioned it. You have absolutely no fear, sadness, or regrets. There's only uninhibited euphoria. Neighbors wave, smile, and provide their well wishes to you. You have control. You know there isn't a single person who can take your power away. Everything is designed to your liking. Wherever you move, you are showered with more love. This is at the core of our being and existence. This is why many of us are engaged in sociopolitical issues where we all can wake up one day to have just a hint of utopia.
There is another perspective. What's the point of living if all of us aren't perpetually flawed? Why would we need to live if all our fantasies are attainable? We would lose all our zest, appreciation for what we have obtained, and all passions for love. Philosophers and writers have used this approach before. Paradise certainly seems more and more like a boring place.
Currently, I devote a few hours a week as a volunteer to a nonprofit that's dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect. There are some heartwrenching court cases and stories I've come across. However, this has me gain a growing appreciation every time I read these horrid pieces how I was given parents who provided for my best interests.
It has been a tough road seeing how countless applications I've sent have gone unresponded. One interview was disastrous with a firm that clearly would've turned into another disastrous employment experience. Another interview at the surface seemed ideal, until I read multiple sources reveal how it failed to compensate its workers for overtime, demanded they skip their lunch break, and spend all time and energy approaching strangers to meet outrageous quotas for an environmental nonprofit agency. This is the ideal time for employers to take advantage of the lower and middle class. It's nothing new and has happened throughout our young history.
Enter the Tea Party. I sympathize with this organization's supporters. After talking to a few distant friends of mine who attended rallies, their adamant opposition is squarely directed at government. Government is inherently evil, goes against the interests of ordinary citizens, and imposes unnecessary taxes. O.k. There have been some statements made on behalf of the ones spearheading this organization like former disgraced Rep. Dick Armey that are treasonous.
My father provided me this simple statement that applies at every level of our lives, "The data will lead the way." The Tea Party leaders and its followers continue misrepresenting the data. Start with taxation. This year, tax rates hit a low that hasn't been seen since 1950. Second, our founders knew the average citizen is incapable of self-governing. This is why we formed a representative democracy, although I still argue our country is controlled by the wealthy elite -- the same 1 percent who has owned more than half our wealth since the 1950s (restructure the tax burden on the top earners where they're paying 90 percent of our tax revenues). So, their outrage is misdirected and leads to a system that is more inherently dangerous than the one we had for eight years under President Bush.
I watched an interview that I quite frankly felt was overblown last night with Rachel Maddow and Kentucky Republican Senate nominee, Dr. Rand Paul. Paul recently made some outrageous statements pertaining to the 1964 Voting Rights Act. He said private businesses shouldn't have government interfering and telling them how to run their businesses even though he opposes discrimination at all levels. I understand where he comes from. Yes, I'm extremely confident Paul isn't a racist. However, he wants to implement a very destructive self-regulating society where we essentially eliminate all checks and balances.
Here's what Rand Paul's utopia would turn out. We would inevitably see more and more divisions in our society. People would become more hostile to each other. It's just out of good faith we trust good people like the ones who run Massey Energy, Beyond Petroleum (Beyond Pollution), Exxon-Mobil, Goldman Sachs, AIG, Royal Dutch Shell Petroleum (owns 80 percent of Nigeria's economy),.... Essentially, Rand Paul will stop at nothing to carry out Milton Friedman's vision for a laissez faire society. How did it work out during the Nixon years, Kissinger's direct involvement in overthrowing a Democratically elected leader in Argentina and seeing how a once prosperous country turned to privatization went from full employment to 20 percent unemployment, and those glorious Reagan years when Reagan once said poor people are poor out of choice.
As far as representing the lower and middle classes, this is why President Obama thus far has shown himself to be a centrist. He hasn't aggressively attacked big business, has an F rating by the Brady Campaign on gun control, passed a health care reform bill where an obscure statute states any insurer who denies a customer coverage based on a pre-existing condition pays a $100 fine per day, continues to go against historical results on military occupations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and barely scratched the surface funding for clean energy initiatives in the Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Overall, he's had to do it. Look at what he's up against. Bill Maher summed it up best, "Since the 1970s, the Left has become the center, and the Right has moved into a mental institution."
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