To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
"The biggest mystery about man is that he sees death around him everyday and yet doesn’t believe it will happen to him." (Buddhist scholar)
Perhaps this is why I like Buddhism so much. I can read this statement and say, well at least I don't have this problem...I am able to worry about it (death) everyday in myself and in others!
I've been listening to dharma talks. When disasters such as the earthquake/tsunami in Japan occur we (the collective "we") are left with the painful question "what can we do?"
If you know me well enough by now, I ask WWBTGD? (What Would Buddha Teacher Gil Do?)
Buddha Teacher Gil says that it is enough to "make the effort." That is, to make the effort to respond (e.g., a financial donation to the Red Cross or relief agency) even if it’s small.
In this way, I wanted to share a relief effort I am supporting. My friend and Monday Morning News "language expert" contributor Jen Chen's cousin is the brain behind this effort (and I guarantee you it is BIG)...
I just checked, according to reports, over 250,000 households are still without power. The ReadySet battery will help...If you are still looking for a place to donate; I encourage you to check this out.
http://fenixintl.com/donate
(I love the idea of a battery that you can charge via pedaling a bike!)
If donating does not feel right to you, another thing we can do is allow ourselves to become more committed to our day-to-day efforts. For example, if you are a teacher take some class time to talk to students about what they've seen on TV, check-in on your elderly neighbor, vote for clean energy bills...get your kitty a new ID tag with proper locating information.
The third important idea in the WWBTGD philosophy is to remember to not respond, to not be changed by the difficult circumstances in Japan is to do a kind of violence to ourselves. The nature of the human heart is to respond...
If these suggestions seem too simplistic, remember they are given in the spirit of challenge not comfort. The important questions are perhaps most difficult to grapple with...what can we honestly give? Where does giving truly come freely to you and sustain those around you with joy?
In this light I'd like to offer one last effort.
I have family both by birth and by choosing living in California. Several of whom have seemed to have parked it atop the San Andrea fault... : ( Curious, this morning I went onto the FEMA website...
I've compiled a quick cheat sheet study guide for what to do before, during, and after an earthquake the SGFWTDBDAAAE (another easy to remember acronym)...
Study Guide for What to Do Before During and After an Earthquake
BEFORE
--Prepare an emergency kit. Include in it: bottled water, a fire extinguisher, flashlights (AND BATTERIES), small First Aid supplies, non-perishable food items, blankets, medications and diapers (if it’s the big one someone is going to soil themselves).
DURING
--Drop, cover and HOLD ON!!!!!!!! Get under a sturdy desk, crouch against an inside wall and HOLD ON to something sturdy.
--If in bed, STAY in bed and put a pillow over your head. (This one confuses me...)
The danger during an earthquake seems to be not falling into the earth (i.e., large cracks opening up) but rather getting squashed...
--Do NOT run outside! If you are outside STAY OUTSIDE away from trees, electric wires, and especially the weird neighbors with the gargoyles. Most people are injured when entering or leaving a building and something heavy falls on them…like a large gargoyle?
AFTERWARDS
--If you smell gas turn the gas off. If you see crackling wires, turn the main electricity in the home off.
--IF TRAPPED do not yell? Again, this one is confusing to me, but I guess the idea is that yelling causes deep inhales thus dust into your lungs. (I’m covering my mouth with my shirt and yelling my fool head off). FEMA recommends blowing a whistle or tapping on metal pipes.
(To address this concern I’ve decided I will take the action of sending each of my friends/loved ones a whistle and carry along, pocket dust masks).
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
--What to do with the little ones!? The same rule applies. Duck, Cover and Cling! Here I believe the clinging will occur to you the adult/guardian so be prepared to offer these words. “It’s okay, Mommy and Mommy are here for you and we’re going to be doing everything we can to keep you safe...Puff the kitty is an excellent hider. She’s gone to find a safe place...Yes, we can pray for her...No we can not go take her some of your goldfish."
--If the other parent is away or at work during this time tell the child that they know we’re together here and will come home as soon as heavenly possible.
okay and lastly, please use the SGFWTDBDAAAE only AFTER checking out FEMA's website http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/earthquakes.shtm.
Wishing you Peace and Comfort. Happy Monday,
Amanda
30 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
looking for heroic moments
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Good Morning,
I've got heroic moments on my mind this morning. To me a "heroic moment" can be defined as when the ordinary oversteps its bounds to become extraordinary.
Sometimes it is incredibly clear where this line gets drawn e.g., the 9/11 passengers who tried to overtake the terrorists and brought down their own plane. Other times it's a little suspect...the boy finishing last in every event at the father-son picnic saying "my dad's my hero!"
...recently I watched a documentary film in which a young man in high school stood at a wedding reception watching his father's Elvis impersonator act. He later confessed "my dad's my hero."
Where does this line get drawn? The young man with the Elvis dad highlights for me that a "heroic moment" ...depends more on the eyes of the observer.
In this way, I'd like to offer
Satchel Paige...the author of one of my favorite heroic moments...
(*I've recently been to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum)
Leroy "Satchel" Paige was an ace pitcher for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues.
Before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and helped integrate “Major League Baseball” cities across the Northeast, Midwest, and South outfitted their own teams of the best African American ballplayers. To keep the Negro League afloat teams such as the Monarchs would barnstorm across the country playing challenge games against local white talent.
It was in one of these games that Stachel’s heroism stood out.
Bases loaded a white player on the opposing side told Satchel "he wan’t no pitcher. he’s just a no good darky!”
Defiant, Satchel stopped the game and called all the outfielders and the infielders to the mound.
He said, “I don’t need ya. cept the catcher."
According to one of Satchel's teammates, a man who was on the field that day, all his fielders, except the catcher of course, then retired to the dugout.
...To me, heaving a basketball 60ft. down court to sink a winning basket is "very cool" it's "amazing" "AWESOME!!!" It's not however the heroic moment I'd pick. I'd rather go with a man or woman whose deed took on the dark history of society, that stuck a finger to the hate and injustices of segregation!
It took NINE PITCHES! Three pitches to the first batter, three pitches to the next, and three pitches to strike out the side...
for the full account you can go to
http://www.coe.ksu.edu/nlbemuseum/reslib/clips/milespaigevid.html
awesome!
So tonight as "One Shining Moment" plays for the NCAA champion and as MLB baseball continues to fire up its season, I'd like to raise a muscle in salute to Satchel who gave us all a moment to cheer for and be inspired by...okay and he also gave us these...
Satchel's Rules For Livin'
"Avoid fried meats which angry up the blood."
"If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts."
"Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move."
"Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society—the social ramble ain't restful."
"Avoid running at all times."
"And don't look back—something might be gaining on you
Happy Monday,
Amanda...jangling around gently as I move : )
Good Morning,
I've got heroic moments on my mind this morning. To me a "heroic moment" can be defined as when the ordinary oversteps its bounds to become extraordinary.
Sometimes it is incredibly clear where this line gets drawn e.g., the 9/11 passengers who tried to overtake the terrorists and brought down their own plane. Other times it's a little suspect...the boy finishing last in every event at the father-son picnic saying "my dad's my hero!"
...recently I watched a documentary film in which a young man in high school stood at a wedding reception watching his father's Elvis impersonator act. He later confessed "my dad's my hero."
Where does this line get drawn? The young man with the Elvis dad highlights for me that a "heroic moment" ...depends more on the eyes of the observer.
In this way, I'd like to offer
Satchel Paige...the author of one of my favorite heroic moments...
(*I've recently been to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum)
Leroy "Satchel" Paige was an ace pitcher for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues.
Before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and helped integrate “Major League Baseball” cities across the Northeast, Midwest, and South outfitted their own teams of the best African American ballplayers. To keep the Negro League afloat teams such as the Monarchs would barnstorm across the country playing challenge games against local white talent.
It was in one of these games that Stachel’s heroism stood out.
Bases loaded a white player on the opposing side told Satchel "he wan’t no pitcher. he’s just a no good darky!”
Defiant, Satchel stopped the game and called all the outfielders and the infielders to the mound.
He said, “I don’t need ya. cept the catcher."
According to one of Satchel's teammates, a man who was on the field that day, all his fielders, except the catcher of course, then retired to the dugout.
...To me, heaving a basketball 60ft. down court to sink a winning basket is "very cool" it's "amazing" "AWESOME!!!" It's not however the heroic moment I'd pick. I'd rather go with a man or woman whose deed took on the dark history of society, that stuck a finger to the hate and injustices of segregation!
It took NINE PITCHES! Three pitches to the first batter, three pitches to the next, and three pitches to strike out the side...
for the full account you can go to
http://www.coe.ksu.edu/nlbemuseum/reslib/clips/milespaigevid.html
awesome!
So tonight as "One Shining Moment" plays for the NCAA champion and as MLB baseball continues to fire up its season, I'd like to raise a muscle in salute to Satchel who gave us all a moment to cheer for and be inspired by...okay and he also gave us these...
Satchel's Rules For Livin'
"Avoid fried meats which angry up the blood."
"If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts."
"Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move."
"Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society—the social ramble ain't restful."
"Avoid running at all times."
"And don't look back—something might be gaining on you
Happy Monday,
Amanda...jangling around gently as I move : )
mitty's resume...need assistance
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
It came to my attention that there was a small hiccup in the system last week OR should I say a mild hairball cough?
Mitty aka Mittens was in charge of the MMN e-mail while I was out of town...but she failed to perform her duty.
So, Mitty has been put on notice! I'm afraid she has become a financial drain on the MMN operation and needs to find outside employment. She has been working on her resume and I ask that you take a moment to read and pass on to any contacts or potential employers. We would be most appreciative.
Sincerely,
Amanda Editor and Chief!!!
*********
Mittens Vallo
Education:
Street
Work Experience:
Monday Morning News dancer, performer, features writer
Published Author- "Mitty's Haiku Corner" a chapbook of original poems
Achievements:
???
Activities & Skills:
effective in kitty massage
type 70+ wpm with 98% errors
operate small machinery (can open cabinet doors with hinges)
excellent people skills
Certification(s)
Completed "Living Well With a Disability" Facilitator Training 5/11
Licensure
Rabies and Feline AIDS Vaccination (current)
Special Interests:
napping
licking ear buds
bird watching
References:
Dr. Andrea Shuster, DVM
Columbus, OH 43212
Susan the Cat Foster Care Lady
Westgate, OH
Juanita Sanchez
Assistant Rooms Manager
Hilton Inn Express
O'Fallon, MO
Okay, Mitty has just asked for her job back...I have a face full of kitty fur and a nose of tuna breath. (Ewwww...) after we address hygiene she's REHIRED!!! This is just the kind of worker we need around here.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. now she's napping
Good Morning,
It came to my attention that there was a small hiccup in the system last week OR should I say a mild hairball cough?
Mitty aka Mittens was in charge of the MMN e-mail while I was out of town...but she failed to perform her duty.
So, Mitty has been put on notice! I'm afraid she has become a financial drain on the MMN operation and needs to find outside employment. She has been working on her resume and I ask that you take a moment to read and pass on to any contacts or potential employers. We would be most appreciative.
Sincerely,
Amanda Editor and Chief!!!
*********
Mittens Vallo
Education:
Street
Work Experience:
Monday Morning News dancer, performer, features writer
Published Author- "Mitty's Haiku Corner" a chapbook of original poems
Achievements:
???
Activities & Skills:
effective in kitty massage
type 70+ wpm with 98% errors
operate small machinery (can open cabinet doors with hinges)
excellent people skills
Certification(s)
Completed "Living Well With a Disability" Facilitator Training 5/11
Licensure
Rabies and Feline AIDS Vaccination (current)
Special Interests:
napping
licking ear buds
bird watching
References:
Dr. Andrea Shuster, DVM
Columbus, OH 43212
Susan the Cat Foster Care Lady
Westgate, OH
Juanita Sanchez
Assistant Rooms Manager
Hilton Inn Express
O'Fallon, MO
Okay, Mitty has just asked for her job back...I have a face full of kitty fur and a nose of tuna breath. (Ewwww...) after we address hygiene she's REHIRED!!! This is just the kind of worker we need around here.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. now she's napping
let's go to the instant replay!
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I have a very small matter of greeeeat importance this morning! As I was cleaning up my files this morning I came across this...
"Get in the Zone" from the College Basketball Experience...
Think of it this way. I have very bad balance. Every time I go to reload my shot in a rapid fire competition it feels a bit like standing on a water bed. Ol Pistol Pete to my right was a machine!!! Cranking out shots so fast there was a trail of smoke!
I lost this "friendly" competition...25 to 37!!!
My shaky right leg will not go out the loser! Dad may have begged off “arthritis in both hands” but he was soon to be seen disappearing, running off to shoot more free throws! ...and i want a REMATCH!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. "Look at the scoreboard!" (stomp stomp!) I'm comin' for ya Dad!!! : )
I have a very small matter of greeeeat importance this morning! As I was cleaning up my files this morning I came across this...
"Get in the Zone" from the College Basketball Experience...
Think of it this way. I have very bad balance. Every time I go to reload my shot in a rapid fire competition it feels a bit like standing on a water bed. Ol Pistol Pete to my right was a machine!!! Cranking out shots so fast there was a trail of smoke!
I lost this "friendly" competition...25 to 37!!!
My shaky right leg will not go out the loser! Dad may have begged off “arthritis in both hands” but he was soon to be seen disappearing, running off to shoot more free throws! ...and i want a REMATCH!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. "Look at the scoreboard!" (stomp stomp!) I'm comin' for ya Dad!!! : )
Paddlin'
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
26 Mayıs 2012 Cumartesi
where i learned to play ball
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I may be going a little overboard with this baseball business but when you’ve got two full museums worth of material you gotta work it!
Just in case you snoozed through my last couple MMN posts (no worries baseball tends to have this affect on me too), I’ve been learning about women’s baseball and the Negro Baseball Leagues. Following one of these entries, I received this hot tip from a MMN insider
Amanda,
Good evening. I enjoyed your email. Did you know that Minster had a woman who played in this league from 1951 through 1955? Check her out. Her name is Katie Horstman. I just did a search and there's lots of information on her.
Love you,
Dad
So...
Katie Horstman, now 76 yrs. old grew up in Minster, the same small town in Northwest Ohio where my Grandparents came or age and raised their families. With five brothers, Katie learned to play ball tagging along and insisting they include her in their games. At age 15, a scout spotted her in a church-league softball game and helped her earn a tryout for the All American Girls Baseball League.
That's when she announced she would be taking her talents South of "the Bend" to the Fort Wayne!...
(i.e. she signed a contract for roughly $250 a month to play for the Fort Wayne Daisies)
Having the same Midwest potato salad family reunion experience, I’ve perhaps walked across some of the same fields perhaps even swung a bat in the same park that sprung this Fort Wayne Daisy of the AAGBL.
While the story of what these pioneering women experienced remains interesting, what is most interesting to me is what became of Katie after the league.
I imagined rebellion.
Did she skip town for the bright lights, anonymity, and casual wear of a big city? Did she fall into a depression, get drunk on love and booze and settle down with a nice farm boy? Did she run for mayor of Minster and throw cheese from the dairy float in the Oktoberfest parade? (the main event each year in the German Catholic village of Munster).
No, Katie became a nun.
who then became a physical education teacher and...
This is where her story at least in my life's narrative picked up again. As a talented young female athlete with bloodlines in Minster, peep the word that you've joined the middle school track team and you will hear...
"Have you heard of the Minster girls?"
No matter that your 400 time clocks in around average, your "finishing kick" is only the Charlie Brown moments in your head...(i.e. if you close your eyes it seeeems fast!)
a response of "No, I have not,"
leads to the recounting of the remarkable lore of--KATIE HORSTMAN!...
After saying goodbye to another winning team, The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, Katie barnstormed the Midwest, teaching physical education and eventually returned home to Minster and brought life to the girls' sports programs.
To give you an idea of her success I've "coped" (i.e. copied) a bit of her induction into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame (2002)
Given I have no real physical limitations to my imagination, I like to imagine Coach Horstman and I are kin. Had I arrived all spindly legged on her team quickly she would recognize an uncanny talent. "Our differences..." she would note "are our strengths." We are different. Katie could see I shouldn't throw heavy objects. I, with patience, could be taught the technique to harness my "ups" (high jumping) into a torpedo of bendy efficiency. Oh the records we would set...the heights we would reach!
Katie went from milking cows to shagging flies for the Daisies to...
medaling in the Olympics (2 gold 2 bronze) with her slow-pitch softball team in the Senior Olympic Games. Currently, she lives in the LA area. In addition to performing baseball education clinics her most recent efforts include doing work to establish a Palm Springs Elderhostel (another term I have only heard in Minster. It means Senior Citizens getting in a car and traveling some place for educational enrichment).
To me the greatest gift of Katie Horstman's legend is the jog she will always give to my favorite memory.
I was 10 years old playing backyard baseball with the boys. A stiff wind from the outfield blowing in a steady smell of country air (cow poop). With the bravado only mustered by a young girl wearing a plastic Cincinnati Reds helmet, I stopped my grandma on her trek out to the garden (she kept it next to the bullpen). I asked, "Grandma can you hit?"
My grandma in buckle-strap sandals grabbed a bat and cracked a jaw dropping fly ball I only wish an AAGBL scout could've seen.
and another...and another!!!...
Perhaps Grandma was showing us what all good women have to share. No matter the circumstance there's always a place in life for a heart with endless determination and resilience. Get on out there and Play ball! : )
Alright, that's what I have for today.
Wishing you an even happier Tuesday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
I may be going a little overboard with this baseball business but when you’ve got two full museums worth of material you gotta work it!
Just in case you snoozed through my last couple MMN posts (no worries baseball tends to have this affect on me too), I’ve been learning about women’s baseball and the Negro Baseball Leagues. Following one of these entries, I received this hot tip from a MMN insider
Amanda,
Good evening. I enjoyed your email. Did you know that Minster had a woman who played in this league from 1951 through 1955? Check her out. Her name is Katie Horstman. I just did a search and there's lots of information on her.
Love you,
Dad
So...
Katie Horstman, now 76 yrs. old grew up in Minster, the same small town in Northwest Ohio where my Grandparents came or age and raised their families. With five brothers, Katie learned to play ball tagging along and insisting they include her in their games. At age 15, a scout spotted her in a church-league softball game and helped her earn a tryout for the All American Girls Baseball League.
That's when she announced she would be taking her talents South of "the Bend" to the Fort Wayne!...
(i.e. she signed a contract for roughly $250 a month to play for the Fort Wayne Daisies)
Having the same Midwest potato salad family reunion experience, I’ve perhaps walked across some of the same fields perhaps even swung a bat in the same park that sprung this Fort Wayne Daisy of the AAGBL.
While the story of what these pioneering women experienced remains interesting, what is most interesting to me is what became of Katie after the league.
I imagined rebellion.
Did she skip town for the bright lights, anonymity, and casual wear of a big city? Did she fall into a depression, get drunk on love and booze and settle down with a nice farm boy? Did she run for mayor of Minster and throw cheese from the dairy float in the Oktoberfest parade? (the main event each year in the German Catholic village of Munster).
No, Katie became a nun.
who then became a physical education teacher and...
This is where her story at least in my life's narrative picked up again. As a talented young female athlete with bloodlines in Minster, peep the word that you've joined the middle school track team and you will hear...
"Have you heard of the Minster girls?"
No matter that your 400 time clocks in around average, your "finishing kick" is only the Charlie Brown moments in your head...(i.e. if you close your eyes it seeeems fast!)
a response of "No, I have not,"
leads to the recounting of the remarkable lore of--KATIE HORSTMAN!...
After saying goodbye to another winning team, The Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, Katie barnstormed the Midwest, teaching physical education and eventually returned home to Minster and brought life to the girls' sports programs.
To give you an idea of her success I've "coped" (i.e. copied) a bit of her induction into the Ohio Women's Hall of Fame (2002)
By 1980, she focused on track and cross country. For the next five years, Coach Horstman's Minster girls team never lost a track meet. After being Runner-Up State Champions in 1975, the inaugural year of girls track and field, Coach Horstman's Minster girl's team won five consecutive state championships.
Given I have no real physical limitations to my imagination, I like to imagine Coach Horstman and I are kin. Had I arrived all spindly legged on her team quickly she would recognize an uncanny talent. "Our differences..." she would note "are our strengths." We are different. Katie could see I shouldn't throw heavy objects. I, with patience, could be taught the technique to harness my "ups" (high jumping) into a torpedo of bendy efficiency. Oh the records we would set...the heights we would reach!
Katie went from milking cows to shagging flies for the Daisies to...
medaling in the Olympics (2 gold 2 bronze) with her slow-pitch softball team in the Senior Olympic Games. Currently, she lives in the LA area. In addition to performing baseball education clinics her most recent efforts include doing work to establish a Palm Springs Elderhostel (another term I have only heard in Minster. It means Senior Citizens getting in a car and traveling some place for educational enrichment).
To me the greatest gift of Katie Horstman's legend is the jog she will always give to my favorite memory.
I was 10 years old playing backyard baseball with the boys. A stiff wind from the outfield blowing in a steady smell of country air (cow poop). With the bravado only mustered by a young girl wearing a plastic Cincinnati Reds helmet, I stopped my grandma on her trek out to the garden (she kept it next to the bullpen). I asked, "Grandma can you hit?"
My grandma in buckle-strap sandals grabbed a bat and cracked a jaw dropping fly ball I only wish an AAGBL scout could've seen.
and another...and another!!!...
Perhaps Grandma was showing us what all good women have to share. No matter the circumstance there's always a place in life for a heart with endless determination and resilience. Get on out there and Play ball! : )
Alright, that's what I have for today.
Wishing you an even happier Tuesday,
Amanda
practicing poet
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
Here's something I bet you didn't know. April is National Poetry Month!
In celebration I'm putting on my white robes and refusing to leave my room...I thought I'd also get out some parchment this morning and pen a few ditties of my own.
Poem #1 (I'm still working on the titles...)
My heart leaps when I behold
dewy dew drops
clinging to blades of grass
unshorn
trickle dee dee on down
my love
among the worms
#2
death like a moonlit shadow
lurking i hide in thee
waiting
to send shivers
of joy through an unmarked history
#3
when you are old gray and full of sleep
i will sing you a lullaby soft and sweet
(something from the Beatles Abbey Road collection)
should you snuff, snorezzzel horzzzel a reply
it will be my harmony bye and bye
#4
I wandered lonely as a cloud but then I went through the emergency exit and it was LOUD.
Security came running and I definitely wasn’t lonely anymore.
The End.
If you like my "poetic inspirations," you might enjoy my favorite poets Shel Silverstein and Paul Guest (I don't really understand his poems just his process)
http://www.shelsilverstein.com/play.asp
http://paulguest.blogspot.com/ (Paul Guest's blog)
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. stay tuned. next week drumming and spoken word!
Good Morning,
Here's something I bet you didn't know. April is National Poetry Month!
In celebration I'm putting on my white robes and refusing to leave my room...I thought I'd also get out some parchment this morning and pen a few ditties of my own.
Poem #1 (I'm still working on the titles...)
My heart leaps when I behold
dewy dew drops
clinging to blades of grass
unshorn
trickle dee dee on down
my love
among the worms
#2
death like a moonlit shadow
lurking i hide in thee
waiting
to send shivers
of joy through an unmarked history
#3
when you are old gray and full of sleep
i will sing you a lullaby soft and sweet
(something from the Beatles Abbey Road collection)
should you snuff, snorezzzel horzzzel a reply
it will be my harmony bye and bye
#4
I wandered lonely as a cloud but then I went through the emergency exit and it was LOUD.
Security came running and I definitely wasn’t lonely anymore.
The End.
If you like my "poetic inspirations," you might enjoy my favorite poets Shel Silverstein and Paul Guest (I don't really understand his poems just his process)
http://www.shelsilverstein.com/play.asp
http://paulguest.blogspot.com/ (Paul Guest's blog)
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. stay tuned. next week drumming and spoken word!
mitty's resume...need assistance
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
It came to my attention that there was a small hiccup in the system last week OR should I say a mild hairball cough?
Mitty aka Mittens was in charge of the MMN e-mail while I was out of town...but she failed to perform her duty.
So, Mitty has been put on notice! I'm afraid she has become a financial drain on the MMN operation and needs to find outside employment. She has been working on her resume and I ask that you take a moment to read and pass on to any contacts or potential employers. We would be most appreciative.
Sincerely,
Amanda Editor and Chief!!!
*********
Mittens Vallo
Education:
Street
Work Experience:
Monday Morning News dancer, performer, features writer
Published Author- "Mitty's Haiku Corner" a chapbook of original poems
Achievements:
???
Activities & Skills:
effective in kitty massage
type 70+ wpm with 98% errors
operate small machinery (can open cabinet doors with hinges)
excellent people skills
Certification(s)
Completed "Living Well With a Disability" Facilitator Training 5/11
Licensure
Rabies and Feline AIDS Vaccination (current)
Special Interests:
napping
licking ear buds
bird watching
References:
Dr. Andrea Shuster, DVM
Columbus, OH 43212
Susan the Cat Foster Care Lady
Westgate, OH
Juanita Sanchez
Assistant Rooms Manager
Hilton Inn Express
O'Fallon, MO
Okay, Mitty has just asked for her job back...I have a face full of kitty fur and a nose of tuna breath. (Ewwww...) after we address hygiene she's REHIRED!!! This is just the kind of worker we need around here.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. now she's napping
Good Morning,
It came to my attention that there was a small hiccup in the system last week OR should I say a mild hairball cough?
Mitty aka Mittens was in charge of the MMN e-mail while I was out of town...but she failed to perform her duty.
So, Mitty has been put on notice! I'm afraid she has become a financial drain on the MMN operation and needs to find outside employment. She has been working on her resume and I ask that you take a moment to read and pass on to any contacts or potential employers. We would be most appreciative.
Sincerely,
Amanda Editor and Chief!!!
*********
Mittens Vallo
Education:
Street
Work Experience:
Monday Morning News dancer, performer, features writer
Published Author- "Mitty's Haiku Corner" a chapbook of original poems
Achievements:
???
Activities & Skills:
effective in kitty massage
type 70+ wpm with 98% errors
operate small machinery (can open cabinet doors with hinges)
excellent people skills
Certification(s)
Completed "Living Well With a Disability" Facilitator Training 5/11
Licensure
Rabies and Feline AIDS Vaccination (current)
Special Interests:
napping
licking ear buds
bird watching
References:
Dr. Andrea Shuster, DVM
Columbus, OH 43212
Susan the Cat Foster Care Lady
Westgate, OH
Juanita Sanchez
Assistant Rooms Manager
Hilton Inn Express
O'Fallon, MO
Okay, Mitty has just asked for her job back...I have a face full of kitty fur and a nose of tuna breath. (Ewwww...) after we address hygiene she's REHIRED!!! This is just the kind of worker we need around here.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. now she's napping
let's go to the instant replay!
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I have a very small matter of greeeeat importance this morning! As I was cleaning up my files this morning I came across this...
"Get in the Zone" from the College Basketball Experience...
Think of it this way. I have very bad balance. Every time I go to reload my shot in a rapid fire competition it feels a bit like standing on a water bed. Ol Pistol Pete to my right was a machine!!! Cranking out shots so fast there was a trail of smoke!
I lost this "friendly" competition...25 to 37!!!
My shaky right leg will not go out the loser! Dad may have begged off “arthritis in both hands” but he was soon to be seen disappearing, running off to shoot more free throws! ...and i want a REMATCH!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. "Look at the scoreboard!" (stomp stomp!) I'm comin' for ya Dad!!! : )
I have a very small matter of greeeeat importance this morning! As I was cleaning up my files this morning I came across this...
"Get in the Zone" from the College Basketball Experience...
Think of it this way. I have very bad balance. Every time I go to reload my shot in a rapid fire competition it feels a bit like standing on a water bed. Ol Pistol Pete to my right was a machine!!! Cranking out shots so fast there was a trail of smoke!
I lost this "friendly" competition...25 to 37!!!
My shaky right leg will not go out the loser! Dad may have begged off “arthritis in both hands” but he was soon to be seen disappearing, running off to shoot more free throws! ...and i want a REMATCH!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. "Look at the scoreboard!" (stomp stomp!) I'm comin' for ya Dad!!! : )
Paddlin'
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
23 Mayıs 2012 Çarşamba
mitty's resume...need assistance
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
It came to my attention that there was a small hiccup in the system last week OR should I say a mild hairball cough?
Mitty aka Mittens was in charge of the MMN e-mail while I was out of town...but she failed to perform her duty.
So, Mitty has been put on notice! I'm afraid she has become a financial drain on the MMN operation and needs to find outside employment. She has been working on her resume and I ask that you take a moment to read and pass on to any contacts or potential employers. We would be most appreciative.
Sincerely,
Amanda Editor and Chief!!!
*********
Mittens Vallo
Education:
Street
Work Experience:
Monday Morning News dancer, performer, features writer
Published Author- "Mitty's Haiku Corner" a chapbook of original poems
Achievements:
???
Activities & Skills:
effective in kitty massage
type 70+ wpm with 98% errors
operate small machinery (can open cabinet doors with hinges)
excellent people skills
Certification(s)
Completed "Living Well With a Disability" Facilitator Training 5/11
Licensure
Rabies and Feline AIDS Vaccination (current)
Special Interests:
napping
licking ear buds
bird watching
References:
Dr. Andrea Shuster, DVM
Columbus, OH 43212
Susan the Cat Foster Care Lady
Westgate, OH
Juanita Sanchez
Assistant Rooms Manager
Hilton Inn Express
O'Fallon, MO
Okay, Mitty has just asked for her job back...I have a face full of kitty fur and a nose of tuna breath. (Ewwww...) after we address hygiene she's REHIRED!!! This is just the kind of worker we need around here.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. now she's napping
Good Morning,
It came to my attention that there was a small hiccup in the system last week OR should I say a mild hairball cough?
Mitty aka Mittens was in charge of the MMN e-mail while I was out of town...but she failed to perform her duty.
So, Mitty has been put on notice! I'm afraid she has become a financial drain on the MMN operation and needs to find outside employment. She has been working on her resume and I ask that you take a moment to read and pass on to any contacts or potential employers. We would be most appreciative.
Sincerely,
Amanda Editor and Chief!!!
*********
Mittens Vallo
Education:
Street
Work Experience:
Monday Morning News dancer, performer, features writer
Published Author- "Mitty's Haiku Corner" a chapbook of original poems
Achievements:
???
Activities & Skills:
effective in kitty massage
type 70+ wpm with 98% errors
operate small machinery (can open cabinet doors with hinges)
excellent people skills
Certification(s)
Completed "Living Well With a Disability" Facilitator Training 5/11
Licensure
Rabies and Feline AIDS Vaccination (current)
Special Interests:
napping
licking ear buds
bird watching
References:
Dr. Andrea Shuster, DVM
Columbus, OH 43212
Susan the Cat Foster Care Lady
Westgate, OH
Juanita Sanchez
Assistant Rooms Manager
Hilton Inn Express
O'Fallon, MO
Okay, Mitty has just asked for her job back...I have a face full of kitty fur and a nose of tuna breath. (Ewwww...) after we address hygiene she's REHIRED!!! This is just the kind of worker we need around here.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. now she's napping
Mom Like Mine
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
There's a bit of a Mother's Day hangover here. When you don't make it home on the "big day" and you know BOTH the card and the gift you sent are arriving late...there's an uneasiness that settles in as we seek to do better!
Thankfully, I was reminded of the gentle nature and healing power of a Mother's heart when I listened to this song. This is an original song recorded yesterday by Makena (and my good friends Siena & Toast)...
http://makenamusic.com/audio/MomLikeMinelive.mp3
It's helped to calm me down. I've been able to breathe this morning and have not had to result to eating raw owls eggs and fried canary (i.e., an old wives tale remedy for hangover ).
I thought I'd share it with anyone who's heart might feel a little heavy or unpleasant this morning too.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
There's a bit of a Mother's Day hangover here. When you don't make it home on the "big day" and you know BOTH the card and the gift you sent are arriving late...there's an uneasiness that settles in as we seek to do better!
Thankfully, I was reminded of the gentle nature and healing power of a Mother's heart when I listened to this song. This is an original song recorded yesterday by Makena (and my good friends Siena & Toast)...
http://makenamusic.com/audio/MomLikeMinelive.mp3
It's helped to calm me down. I've been able to breathe this morning and have not had to result to eating raw owls eggs and fried canary (i.e., an old wives tale remedy for hangover ).
I thought I'd share it with anyone who's heart might feel a little heavy or unpleasant this morning too.
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Giving it your all
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
Give it all give it now! That was the message of Pastor Holly's sermon yesterday. The teaching point or at least for me, figuring out what "it" is...
What is "it" that I have to give? I asked.
Inspired, I sat down to work a little more diligently on a piece I'm writing for a Father's Day. Something I do when I write, to try to make sure it is coming from an authentic place, is I record the story then listen for edits.
The video below was the result.
I have a question for pastor Holly. What if when you are giving it your all the rest of your life steps in and says NOW!
Happy Monday, : )
Amanda
Give it all give it now! That was the message of Pastor Holly's sermon yesterday. The teaching point or at least for me, figuring out what "it" is...
What is "it" that I have to give? I asked.
Inspired, I sat down to work a little more diligently on a piece I'm writing for a Father's Day. Something I do when I write, to try to make sure it is coming from an authentic place, is I record the story then listen for edits.
The video below was the result.
I have a question for pastor Holly. What if when you are giving it your all the rest of your life steps in and says NOW!
Happy Monday, : )
Amanda
let's go to the instant replay!
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I have a very small matter of greeeeat importance this morning! As I was cleaning up my files this morning I came across this...
"Get in the Zone" from the College Basketball Experience...
Think of it this way. I have very bad balance. Every time I go to reload my shot in a rapid fire competition it feels a bit like standing on a water bed. Ol Pistol Pete to my right was a machine!!! Cranking out shots so fast there was a trail of smoke!
I lost this "friendly" competition...25 to 37!!!
My shaky right leg will not go out the loser! Dad may have begged off “arthritis in both hands” but he was soon to be seen disappearing, running off to shoot more free throws! ...and i want a REMATCH!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. "Look at the scoreboard!" (stomp stomp!) I'm comin' for ya Dad!!! : )
I have a very small matter of greeeeat importance this morning! As I was cleaning up my files this morning I came across this...
"Get in the Zone" from the College Basketball Experience...
Think of it this way. I have very bad balance. Every time I go to reload my shot in a rapid fire competition it feels a bit like standing on a water bed. Ol Pistol Pete to my right was a machine!!! Cranking out shots so fast there was a trail of smoke!
I lost this "friendly" competition...25 to 37!!!
My shaky right leg will not go out the loser! Dad may have begged off “arthritis in both hands” but he was soon to be seen disappearing, running off to shoot more free throws! ...and i want a REMATCH!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. "Look at the scoreboard!" (stomp stomp!) I'm comin' for ya Dad!!! : )
Paddlin'
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
17 Mayıs 2012 Perşembe
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
To contact us Click HERE
I had such a fabulous weekend! I spent treasured time with my parents, went to a very, very lovely wedding on Saturday and spent Sunday morning in Ames for coffee with a friends, followed by a sorority event. Wow, do I miss ISU! The women currently in my sorority and alumna are all amazing, passionate, inspired, and strong women. Coming back for our International Reunion Day reignited my love and gratitude towards Alpha Gamma Delta and helping to build the woman I am today. I was extremely hesitant about joining a sorority, but after encouragement from my dad and brother, it turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life thus far! No matter the changes that have been made in the past five years, these places still feel like home:
The sorority event was held at one of Ames' most beautiful locations, Reiman Gardens. This was one of my favorite places on campus to take photos when I was living there, so it was only appropriate that I snapped a couple quick shots today:
 |
| ISU Alpha Gamma Delta house: Inspire the Women, Impact the World |
 |
| ISU College of Design |
cognitive dissonance from the study bunker...
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I've been holed up in the study bunker waiting for the storms to end but I thought I'd emerge long enough to share something with you...
The word of the day is "cognitive dissonance." (okay that's two words). Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two conflicting ideas simultaneously.
Cognitive dissonance has been running amok lately...
"Arnold Scwharzenegger fathers an illegitimate child!...Lance Armstrong accused of doping!...The end of the world Saturday May 21st...oops just let me revise the math"
but the place I am finding it most interesting is in the aftermath of a news story that's staying pretty close to the Mike and Mike (ESPN radio) bobble headed sports desk. Last week, Phoenix Suns President Rick Welts came out as gay.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/sports/basketball/nba-executive-says-he-is-gay.html
Reaction of course has included such luminaries as Charles Barkley, hockey analyst (and mullet hairdo supporter) Barry Melrose, and Herm Edwards, a man who has given us such deep quotes as "We play to win the game!"
Some media types are predicting the end of the world. The question that remains:
Rick Welts is a NBA executive. What will happen when a teammate comes out to one of his brothers in the locker room?
I was able to go inside the heads of NBA basketball players with my personal-people-reader meter this weekend and this is what I found...
Cognitive Dissonance!!!!
Taken from an unnamed source here are the conflicting thoughts I was able to record...
Don't look at me fagot...
I don’t want it in my locker room.
Shoot, Darnell’s a real cool dude!
I'm not predicting the end of the world but rather a struggle perhaps and wrestling with uncomfortable feelings. My thought is that the NBA player who comes out to his teammates will experience acceptance to the degree his teammates resolve their conflict at Darnell's a cool dude. Here is what you will see...
After the gay player comes out, I predict many many many...many baaaaad interviews within and around the NBA community.
There are 3 ways we generally try to get rid of cognitive dissonance once it is present. I've stated each one and offer what it will sound like on SportsCenter...
1. Decrease the importance of dissonant beliefs.
ESPN Analyst: "So, Charles now that Darnell Dudes is out how do you feel about it?"
Charles: “It don’t matter, all I want is a teammate that knows how to win.”
2. Add more consonant beliefs that outweigh the dissonant beliefs.
Players against the openly gay teammate will turn to the Bible and other players, family, or media types also speaking out against the gay teammate. They will restate their concerns. “Guys aren’t comfortable with it.” “It's just my personal belief that it’s wrong.” (From these guys you should also then hear a lot less about "being there for my teammates").
3. Change the dissonant beliefs so they are no longer inconsistent.
Don't look at me fagot...
I don’t want it in my locker room.
I put us winning before my own stats
Darnell's a real good player.
Hey, Darnell's gay, a good player, and a cool dude. It’s okay to be there for my teammates...
ESPN radio announcer: "How has this affected you in the locker room?"
Darnell Dudes' teammate: "Yes, I’d like to have a gay teammate. All things being equal I PREFER having gay teammates!!!"
okay, maybe it won't ever go that far but it's okay to dream it : ).
Back to the study bunker!,
Happy Tuesday,
Amanda
p.s. my personal-people-reader meter is something handed out to ALL undergrad psych majors. it also comes with a Junior Psychology Badge!!! : ) Noooo, not really! ; )
Good Morning,
I've been holed up in the study bunker waiting for the storms to end but I thought I'd emerge long enough to share something with you...
The word of the day is "cognitive dissonance." (okay that's two words). Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding two conflicting ideas simultaneously.
Cognitive dissonance has been running amok lately...
"Arnold Scwharzenegger fathers an illegitimate child!...Lance Armstrong accused of doping!...The end of the world Saturday May 21st...oops just let me revise the math"
but the place I am finding it most interesting is in the aftermath of a news story that's staying pretty close to the Mike and Mike (ESPN radio) bobble headed sports desk. Last week, Phoenix Suns President Rick Welts came out as gay.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/16/sports/basketball/nba-executive-says-he-is-gay.html
Reaction of course has included such luminaries as Charles Barkley, hockey analyst (and mullet hairdo supporter) Barry Melrose, and Herm Edwards, a man who has given us such deep quotes as "We play to win the game!"
Some media types are predicting the end of the world. The question that remains:
Rick Welts is a NBA executive. What will happen when a teammate comes out to one of his brothers in the locker room?
I was able to go inside the heads of NBA basketball players with my personal-people-reader meter this weekend and this is what I found...
Cognitive Dissonance!!!!
Taken from an unnamed source here are the conflicting thoughts I was able to record...
Don't look at me fagot...
I don’t want it in my locker room.
Shoot, Darnell’s a real cool dude!
I'm not predicting the end of the world but rather a struggle perhaps and wrestling with uncomfortable feelings. My thought is that the NBA player who comes out to his teammates will experience acceptance to the degree his teammates resolve their conflict at Darnell's a cool dude. Here is what you will see...
After the gay player comes out, I predict many many many...many baaaaad interviews within and around the NBA community.
There are 3 ways we generally try to get rid of cognitive dissonance once it is present. I've stated each one and offer what it will sound like on SportsCenter...
1. Decrease the importance of dissonant beliefs.
ESPN Analyst: "So, Charles now that Darnell Dudes is out how do you feel about it?"
Charles: “It don’t matter, all I want is a teammate that knows how to win.”
2. Add more consonant beliefs that outweigh the dissonant beliefs.
Players against the openly gay teammate will turn to the Bible and other players, family, or media types also speaking out against the gay teammate. They will restate their concerns. “Guys aren’t comfortable with it.” “It's just my personal belief that it’s wrong.” (From these guys you should also then hear a lot less about "being there for my teammates").
3. Change the dissonant beliefs so they are no longer inconsistent.
Don't look at me fagot...
I don’t want it in my locker room.
I put us winning before my own stats
Darnell's a real good player.
Hey, Darnell's gay, a good player, and a cool dude. It’s okay to be there for my teammates...
ESPN radio announcer: "How has this affected you in the locker room?"
Darnell Dudes' teammate: "Yes, I’d like to have a gay teammate. All things being equal I PREFER having gay teammates!!!"
okay, maybe it won't ever go that far but it's okay to dream it : ).
Back to the study bunker!,
Happy Tuesday,
Amanda
p.s. my personal-people-reader meter is something handed out to ALL undergrad psych majors. it also comes with a Junior Psychology Badge!!! : ) Noooo, not really! ; )
disaster preparedness from the bathtub
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I was sitting in the bathtub with way too much time to think. From the other room came growing confusion in the weatherman's excitable voice...
"I've never seen it like this before...they're popping up more quickly than we can track them!...there's another one!"
I could hear my neighbor's new baby crying through the wall. "Great" I thought, after mobile homes and nursing homes I'm pretty sure tornadoes take aim at disabled people and young mothers in apartment communities.
I determined that I would not help them write this story..."and in this apartment complex they found three dead...a young mother holding her infant and what appeared to be a young disabled woman who threw her body over her cat...the cat survived..."
Sooo, I consulted my handy resource "The Prepared Lifestyle" from the University of Kansas and Kansas Department of Health and made my own checklist.
I've come up with my own disaster preparedness checklist highlighting some of the items they forgot.
Helmet- with 200+ mph winds, there is going to be flying and falling debris. Should I be lucky enough to be trapped somewhere, I’d at least like the opportunity to think my way out of it.
CamelBak- filled with water and a fuel belt filled with Ensure Plus for longer durations...
BITE DOWN. PUSH ON. http://www.camelbak.com/
Kitty harness- in trial runs with the kitty harness, Mitty simply lays down and flops on her side or does the military crawl. Regardless of noisy rescue efforts (helicopters, bulldozers, jack hammers), this should keep her close…
Flash drive- I found that despite my dedicated listening to dharma talks and meditation practice...I am very attached to ideas. I don’t mind my computer being blown to bits but did have the impulse to go grab my flash drive. Just in case any of my writings contain that one kernel of a thought that could bring world peace. I’d like to save that...
Saw & tourniquet- finally FINALLY I’d have good reason to cut my left foot off. I'm really hoping it is the body part that gets stuck.
A clean pair of underwear. (hey, see above photo).
And lastly, should I perish...a tattoo that says "Lola" or something racy so that my family might get a smile when they have to ID me...hint my stripper name is "Chesty Leathertush." : )
I guess the truth is no matter how prepared, we never know when disaster will strike. There is no checklist to ultimately keep us safe. As I've listened to some of the amateur video from the Joplin, MO tornado, it struck me how the young man taking the video, fear in his voice, kept asking amidst the confusion...
"Are you okay? Are you okay?"
His concerns not for saving himself or his Youtube footage but rather conveyed in this message
"I'm trying to keep my weight off of you." In times of GREAT stress sometimes what emerges is the full beauty and potential of the human heart to care for the stranger piled below.
(Thankfully, she responded, "yes, i'm okay.")
I spent a lot of time sitting in a bathtub last week contemplating suffering. Here's what I've concluded. To not be changed or moved by a disaster is doing a disservice to yourself. Let your heart break and some of the teachings of the dharma (e.g. love and compassion) can fall in…
In ADDITION to my checklist, as my response, I'm taking a little more care in noticing when I say “It doesn’t matter…”
for example,
You throw a pop can in the trash not the recycle bin…
You try to slip a few 2's and 7's in the 1's only recycle dumpster
You park in the disability space...when you could walk
You miss calling a friend to give them a birthday wish...
We can be better stewards of the land and better caretakers for each other. I hope you let your good heart (plus action!) be your response to devastation and suffering.
Mindful Memorial Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
I was sitting in the bathtub with way too much time to think. From the other room came growing confusion in the weatherman's excitable voice...
"I've never seen it like this before...they're popping up more quickly than we can track them!...there's another one!"
I could hear my neighbor's new baby crying through the wall. "Great" I thought, after mobile homes and nursing homes I'm pretty sure tornadoes take aim at disabled people and young mothers in apartment communities.
I determined that I would not help them write this story..."and in this apartment complex they found three dead...a young mother holding her infant and what appeared to be a young disabled woman who threw her body over her cat...the cat survived..."
Sooo, I consulted my handy resource "The Prepared Lifestyle" from the University of Kansas and Kansas Department of Health and made my own checklist.
I've come up with my own disaster preparedness checklist highlighting some of the items they forgot.
Helmet- with 200+ mph winds, there is going to be flying and falling debris. Should I be lucky enough to be trapped somewhere, I’d at least like the opportunity to think my way out of it.
CamelBak- filled with water and a fuel belt filled with Ensure Plus for longer durations...
BITE DOWN. PUSH ON. http://www.camelbak.com/
Kitty harness- in trial runs with the kitty harness, Mitty simply lays down and flops on her side or does the military crawl. Regardless of noisy rescue efforts (helicopters, bulldozers, jack hammers), this should keep her close…
Flash drive- I found that despite my dedicated listening to dharma talks and meditation practice...I am very attached to ideas. I don’t mind my computer being blown to bits but did have the impulse to go grab my flash drive. Just in case any of my writings contain that one kernel of a thought that could bring world peace. I’d like to save that...
Saw & tourniquet- finally FINALLY I’d have good reason to cut my left foot off. I'm really hoping it is the body part that gets stuck.
A clean pair of underwear. (hey, see above photo).
And lastly, should I perish...a tattoo that says "Lola" or something racy so that my family might get a smile when they have to ID me...hint my stripper name is "Chesty Leathertush." : )
I guess the truth is no matter how prepared, we never know when disaster will strike. There is no checklist to ultimately keep us safe. As I've listened to some of the amateur video from the Joplin, MO tornado, it struck me how the young man taking the video, fear in his voice, kept asking amidst the confusion...
"Are you okay? Are you okay?"
His concerns not for saving himself or his Youtube footage but rather conveyed in this message
"I'm trying to keep my weight off of you." In times of GREAT stress sometimes what emerges is the full beauty and potential of the human heart to care for the stranger piled below.
(Thankfully, she responded, "yes, i'm okay.")
I spent a lot of time sitting in a bathtub last week contemplating suffering. Here's what I've concluded. To not be changed or moved by a disaster is doing a disservice to yourself. Let your heart break and some of the teachings of the dharma (e.g. love and compassion) can fall in…
In ADDITION to my checklist, as my response, I'm taking a little more care in noticing when I say “It doesn’t matter…”
for example,
You throw a pop can in the trash not the recycle bin…
You try to slip a few 2's and 7's in the 1's only recycle dumpster
You park in the disability space...when you could walk
You miss calling a friend to give them a birthday wish...
We can be better stewards of the land and better caretakers for each other. I hope you let your good heart (plus action!) be your response to devastation and suffering.
Mindful Memorial Monday,
Amanda
out on vacation...
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I had a "come to Jesus" moment this weekend. Sunday when I went to church I realized even pastors take vacations. Pastor Holly was away and instead the teen youth group ran the service.
A startling noise kept making its way from the strings section of the youth choir's accompaniment (I think it was a violin), the words "like, you know" completed the take home message from the sermon and the hostess of communion welcomed all to come forward and try a taster platter of different sampler breads.
So...Monday Morning News will be out of the office this week. Should you need to reach me please call my assistant...
Happy Monday,
Amanda
I had a "come to Jesus" moment this weekend. Sunday when I went to church I realized even pastors take vacations. Pastor Holly was away and instead the teen youth group ran the service.
A startling noise kept making its way from the strings section of the youth choir's accompaniment (I think it was a violin), the words "like, you know" completed the take home message from the sermon and the hostess of communion welcomed all to come forward and try a taster platter of different sampler breads.
So...Monday Morning News will be out of the office this week. Should you need to reach me please call my assistant...
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Paddlin'
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
I had the good fortune of taking my maiden voyage in a kayak this weekend on Lone Star Lake. Regardless of ability, I think this is an activity anyone can enjoy. So, I'd like to encourage ALL to try...
5 Reasons to Try Paddling
1. You can adopt an ease to the language not typical of the urban Midwest.
In the West people get stoked...
ya’ll, honeys in the South
you sit and tawk in New Yawk
go "out and aboot" up North
now Midwesterners have somethin’ to do too. Go paddlin! : )
2. With cell phones, we are tuned into each other greater than ever before, physically though it has come at a cost as we so often miss the opportunity to interact with those around us. By choosing to go out in a kayak for a couple hours you are choosing to support friendly face-to-face communication with strangers.
3. People with houses on the lake may come out to great you and on some mornings have even opened up a window and turned up the stereo for all to enjoy (feels very different than when your apartment neighbor decides to do this).
4. If you travel in a pack and someone brings enough snacks, you are basically a party that floats! And...if you like to talk, you have a captive audience! Remember though that the corollary is also true. You are a captive audience! This might not be the best time to share your stories of Sacagawea and goals for Eskimo rolls...
5. The Polynesian navigational system...
In double-hauled canoes, "Papa Mau" and his crew made their way from Hawaii to Tahiti, reading only subtle changes in wind direction, waves, the flight of birds, the course of dolphins, the color of the water...
In no time whatsoever a new kayaker can determine that this unfortunate situation means log jam. : )
Happy Monday,
Amanda
13 Mayıs 2012 Pazar
Will I be allowed my learner's permit during school hours?
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I like in Pennsylvania and my birthday is today. I failed my permit test and want to take it tomorrow instead of going to school. My parents will let me do this. Will the DMV still issue me my permit if I pass the test? ThanksWill I be allowed my learner's permit during school hours?
im pretty sure the dmv will still give you your permit if you take it during school hoursWill I be allowed my learner's permit during school hours?
The DMV probably doesn't care. But you better have a good excuse to give your school.Will I be allowed my learner's permit during school hours?
yeah they will I took mine during school hours, the DMV has no relation to your school
im pretty sure the dmv will still give you your permit if you take it during school hoursWill I be allowed my learner's permit during school hours?
The DMV probably doesn't care. But you better have a good excuse to give your school.Will I be allowed my learner's permit during school hours?
yeah they will I took mine during school hours, the DMV has no relation to your school
Do I need to provide the DMV my certificate of education even though...?
To contact us Click HERE
I have my permit to get my license ? To get my learners permit I had to show the certificate of completion in the education part. But I lost that certificate. So when I go to appy for my driver's license, do I need to show that certificate again ? Or do I just show my certificate of 6 hours of Behind-The-Wheel training ?
This is for California by the way.Do I need to provide the DMV my certificate of education even though...?
No, you won't be needing it when you apply for a license.
This is for California by the way.Do I need to provide the DMV my certificate of education even though...?
No, you won't be needing it when you apply for a license.
Is it possible to get your driving permit right when you turn 15?
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im 14 and turning 15 in about 4 days but was wondering if i could get some online lessons then when i turn 15 get my permit. I know someone that bought some a online code at the DMV and needed 30 hours on that website. He was 14 and the week he turned 15 he got hes permit. So is it possible to get my permit right when im 15 with classes before? Also i live in colorado.Is it possible to get your driving permit right when you turn 15?
You can obtain a permit at 15 only if you enroll in a state-approved driver education program and complete the Affidavit of Completion of a Driver Education Classroom Course.
You can apply for a permit at 15 1/2 only after completing a four-hour driver awareness course. You must also complete an Affidavit of Completion of a Driver Education Classroom Course.
If you elect to forgo classes, you must wait until turning 16 to apply for a permit.Is it possible to get your driving permit right when you turn 15?
i belive u have to do it a couple weeks before you turn 16
You can obtain a permit at 15 only if you enroll in a state-approved driver education program and complete the Affidavit of Completion of a Driver Education Classroom Course.
You can apply for a permit at 15 1/2 only after completing a four-hour driver awareness course. You must also complete an Affidavit of Completion of a Driver Education Classroom Course.
If you elect to forgo classes, you must wait until turning 16 to apply for a permit.Is it possible to get your driving permit right when you turn 15?
i belive u have to do it a couple weeks before you turn 16
How to get plates and title to motorcycle in CA?
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The previous owner had planned to make this a flat track bike so they no longer have the title or plates because they weren't needed, and now that I have it I would like to get these to put it back on the street. I've spent hours on the CA dmv website and couldn't find anything. If anyone else has had to deal with this I would like to know what I need to do.How to get plates and title to motorcycle in CA?
With the high theft rate of motorcycles, it is a chore to get a title if you were not the owner who registered it.professor layton
With the high theft rate of motorcycles, it is a chore to get a title if you were not the owner who registered it.
Driving/dmv question? (10 pts best)?
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I have already learned to drive from my father. I have gotten the 20 hours of experience ready and I filled out the 20 hour form from the dmv. now what else do i need to do to take my road test? i dont want to take a long drivers ed course. i heard about a quick 5 hour class i could take to get a certain certificate? can someone explain to me what else do i need to do or provide me with links of forms i neeD?Driving/dmv question? (10 pts best)?
It varies by state, what state are you in?
It varies by state, what state are you in?
I live in Florida, Can you get your permit in a different county than you live in?
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I live in Florida, and I took my permit exam online. The DMV where I live is always super packed and is always hours of waiting. The DMV in the neighboring county is always empty and quick to get in and out. I wanted to know if I could go to the other county than I live in to get my permit license. Thanks.I live in Florida, Can you get your permit in a different county than you live in?
You can go to any DMV location. It's a state thing; not a county/city thing.I live in Florida, Can you get your permit in a different county than you live in?
Why not .
You can go to any DMV location. It's a state thing; not a county/city thing.I live in Florida, Can you get your permit in a different county than you live in?
Why not .
Can I cash a check with an expired license and my renewal receipts?
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I went to Bank Of America today and the moron there wouldn't cash my Pell grant because my license expired a week ago! I went to the DMV and sat for 4 hours to get this crappy receipt that proves I renewed it. Will I have any problems when I try to cash it tomorrow?Can I cash a check with an expired license and my renewal receipts?
Bank of America? Good luck!!! They suck. To answer your question...They probably won't do it. If they give you crap just curse them out!barometer
Bank of America? Good luck!!! They suck. To answer your question...They probably won't do it. If they give you crap just curse them out!
In San Diego, how long is the DMV line if you don't have an appointment?
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I want to go get my permit. When should I start standing in line? A few minutes before it opens? An hour?In San Diego, how long is the DMV line if you don't have an appointment?
With the layoffs of the employees and reduced hours it may be a bit more time consuming than normal.
You may want to consider having your mail forwarded to the office that you plan to go to.
By the way, you should be old enough to drive straight to the bar and have your first drink when you get out.In San Diego, how long is the DMV line if you don't have an appointment?
usually you can check by phone the wait/go to place where line is not that long for the basic
With the layoffs of the employees and reduced hours it may be a bit more time consuming than normal.
You may want to consider having your mail forwarded to the office that you plan to go to.
By the way, you should be old enough to drive straight to the bar and have your first drink when you get out.In San Diego, how long is the DMV line if you don't have an appointment?
usually you can check by phone the wait/go to place where line is not that long for the basic
How do I get GA to give driving privilages back after something that happened 6 years ago?
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I got a speeding ticket about 6 years ago in GA for doing 90 ina 50 zone while under the age of 21. They revoke licences for this and require that you take a 6 hour class and pay them so i can get this cleared up to get a license in another state. This is not possible in AZ where I live. All classes are 4 hours long and GA DMV keeps hanging up on me when they cant find an answer for me.
Is there a statute of limitations or something for this? I payed the ticket right away. What can I do to get finally be rid of GA for ever.How do I get GA to give driving privilages back after something that happened 6 years ago?
I am betting the class had to be taken in GA. call the court where the ticket was issued and ask. Arizona cannot force GA to release your case.How do I get GA to give driving privilages back after something that happened 6 years ago?
dont waste your time with the DMV. I would call the court clerk in the city the ticket was written,and ask what can be done.if you explain the circumstances,and are willing to cooperate,Im sure something can be done.
Is there a statute of limitations or something for this? I payed the ticket right away. What can I do to get finally be rid of GA for ever.How do I get GA to give driving privilages back after something that happened 6 years ago?
I am betting the class had to be taken in GA. call the court where the ticket was issued and ask. Arizona cannot force GA to release your case.How do I get GA to give driving privilages back after something that happened 6 years ago?
dont waste your time with the DMV. I would call the court clerk in the city the ticket was written,and ask what can be done.if you explain the circumstances,and are willing to cooperate,Im sure something can be done.
Fulton County, GA DMV. What do I need to do when I purchase a new car?
To contact us Click HERE
I just sold my previous vehicle to Carmax. I then went and bought a new car from a dealer. They gave me a copy of what looks like my new registration cards, but I don't know what I have to do at the DMV to get my new car to be legit. I still have the plates from my old car. Also, does anyone know if the DMV has any Saturday hours for what I will need to do?Fulton County, GA DMV. What do I need to do when I purchase a new car?
Since state laws vary, you need to be asking this question of the dealer where you bought the car.
Since state laws vary, you need to be asking this question of the dealer where you bought the car.
5 Mayıs 2012 Cumartesi
27 years wise
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Image from Potter and Butter, Cake toppers available in their Cake Pom Collection
Today, I turn the wonderful age of 27! Ever since I turned 23, I’ve kind of freaked out about turning another year older; there were just so many things in my life that were uncertain, undetermined and not as I had planned. But now, at the wise age of 27, I’m starting to see things differently. Life is always going to be uncertain, undetermined and not as planned. I’m learning to cherish that fact.
In yoga last week the teacher shared this quote:
How beautiful and true? I am so very blessed in this life. I have wonderful friends and family and spent my pre-birthday weekend cherishing time with them. I have a great job and even a successful side business that I've always dreamed of! I'm healthy and able-bodied. I have no material wants or needs in my life. I can only imagine the beauty and success that the future holds.
27 is going to be be a *beautiful year!
*I apologize for my over-use of the word beautiful, I blame my yoga teachers...
Image from Potter and Butter, Cake toppers available in their Cake Pom CollectionToday, I turn the wonderful age of 27! Ever since I turned 23, I’ve kind of freaked out about turning another year older; there were just so many things in my life that were uncertain, undetermined and not as I had planned. But now, at the wise age of 27, I’m starting to see things differently. Life is always going to be uncertain, undetermined and not as planned. I’m learning to cherish that fact.
In yoga last week the teacher shared this quote:
How beautiful and true? I am so very blessed in this life. I have wonderful friends and family and spent my pre-birthday weekend cherishing time with them. I have a great job and even a successful side business that I've always dreamed of! I'm healthy and able-bodied. I have no material wants or needs in my life. I can only imagine the beauty and success that the future holds.
27 is going to be be a *beautiful year!
*I apologize for my over-use of the word beautiful, I blame my yoga teachers...
a little disability vigilante justice
To contact us Click HERE
Good Morning,
Joe Montana, Bill Cosby, and Gen. Colin Powell...what do these people have in common?
All of these folks spoke at the GET MOTIVATED! seminar I went to last week at the Sprint Center (downtown KC).
Howard Putnam? anybody...anybody? a former CEO of Southwest Airlines was also there.
To recap, as some of you may know, I had an incident on a Southwest Airlines flight. I requested assistance with my wheelchair so I could make a tight connection. The flight attendant ignored my request in favor of learning more about my neighbor's Kindle (electronic book). I missed my flight. I and a few friends (...and my mother) wrote Southwest letting them know of our disappointment with the poor service I'd received. Over a month had passed still no word...
So, an eye for an eye? Time for a little disability vigilante justice!!!...
As I perused my GET MOTIVATED workbook, I came across his (Mr. Putnam’s) name in the list of speakers I thought, since I had my daily business so interrupted with neglect and rudeness how would he like it if I came into his world and interrupted him?
In a stadium filled with 20,000 people, the lights went down and the spot light came on. Howard took the stage and shook a jubilant fist "Details, we did it by never losing sight of the details!" I doodled in my workbook...
a lone voice way off in the nose bleed seats (with companion seating available) cries out
"Hey Howard!" flight #24 I'd come say hello but I still need my wheelchair!"
or or
a lone wheeler moves from gate to gate
Hey Howard you can locate me at gate 127!!! (subject to change)...oops wait a minute now I'm at gate 126...
okay i'd probably just keep it simple.
booooo KIIIINDLE!!!!
This morning I have much happier news to report. I've heard back from SWA headquarters! In sum, there's a deep apology and a promised voucher toward another flight. I've posted the reply to read it in its entirety.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/amanda-vallo/southwest-airlines-response-to-my-inquiry/10150216436424879
I am very appreciative of the actions they’ve taken.
Six weeks earlier through a simple human interaction I felt reduced to the size of an airline peanut. Today with this response...I’m encouraged and grateful to those joining me in the fight. Don’t be afraid to get on your horse for a little disability vigilante justice!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. The seminar itself is a whole 'nother story. I wouldn't recommend it. Not even if it's free. It's like a quasi Republican convention with special guests (aka nauseating sales gurus).
Good Morning,
Joe Montana, Bill Cosby, and Gen. Colin Powell...what do these people have in common?
All of these folks spoke at the GET MOTIVATED! seminar I went to last week at the Sprint Center (downtown KC).
Howard Putnam? anybody...anybody? a former CEO of Southwest Airlines was also there.
To recap, as some of you may know, I had an incident on a Southwest Airlines flight. I requested assistance with my wheelchair so I could make a tight connection. The flight attendant ignored my request in favor of learning more about my neighbor's Kindle (electronic book). I missed my flight. I and a few friends (...and my mother) wrote Southwest letting them know of our disappointment with the poor service I'd received. Over a month had passed still no word...
So, an eye for an eye? Time for a little disability vigilante justice!!!...
As I perused my GET MOTIVATED workbook, I came across his (Mr. Putnam’s) name in the list of speakers I thought, since I had my daily business so interrupted with neglect and rudeness how would he like it if I came into his world and interrupted him?
In a stadium filled with 20,000 people, the lights went down and the spot light came on. Howard took the stage and shook a jubilant fist "Details, we did it by never losing sight of the details!" I doodled in my workbook...
a lone voice way off in the nose bleed seats (with companion seating available) cries out
"Hey Howard!" flight #24 I'd come say hello but I still need my wheelchair!"
or or
a lone wheeler moves from gate to gate
Hey Howard you can locate me at gate 127!!! (subject to change)...oops wait a minute now I'm at gate 126...
okay i'd probably just keep it simple.
booooo KIIIINDLE!!!!
This morning I have much happier news to report. I've heard back from SWA headquarters! In sum, there's a deep apology and a promised voucher toward another flight. I've posted the reply to read it in its entirety.
http://www.facebook.com/notes/amanda-vallo/southwest-airlines-response-to-my-inquiry/10150216436424879
I am very appreciative of the actions they’ve taken.
Six weeks earlier through a simple human interaction I felt reduced to the size of an airline peanut. Today with this response...I’m encouraged and grateful to those joining me in the fight. Don’t be afraid to get on your horse for a little disability vigilante justice!
Happy Monday,
Amanda
p.s. The seminar itself is a whole 'nother story. I wouldn't recommend it. Not even if it's free. It's like a quasi Republican convention with special guests (aka nauseating sales gurus).
a goose with a people problem
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Good Morning,
As I made my way into the mail hut last week, a notice posted on the mail room door caught my attention. In large bold letters--GOOSE UPDATE!!!
In sum, it read...
Dear Residents,
In April, a goose took up residence and laid a clutch of eggs in one of the plant beds surrounding the pool. One month later. No geeselings. The Kansas Department of Wildlife ascertained the goose was sitting on a nest of inviable eggs. The goose continued sitting upon the eggs. This week the Kansas Wildlife came and took the goose to another location where she is now able to meet other goose friends!!!!
As the door slammed behind me, the take home message sank in. We now have a "Goose Policy?" (what the frick?)
Given my recent success in letter writing and new found provisional licensure status I'm lobbying to see if I can get an inclusion in this new "Goose Policy." As per this date, new policy for Deer Creek management and staff would require contacting the on-site "Goose Grief Consultant." In this new role, I have been in contact with the geese and other animals on the property and helped them craft a letter.
June 13, 2011
Attn: Deer Creek Management
We the geese flock are writing with regards to the handling of an important matter to the Deer Creek animal community. Ginny Goose our beloved sister, mother, and friend was relocated from her home for non-aggressive behavior unbefitting of a goose. We feel resident behavior contributed equally in this matter. The staffs constant checking as well as the pointing, monitoring and loud screaming of children would not allow us to send in on-site assistance to Ms. Goose in the form of natural supports. As the care in your "Goose Update" has shown, we know you can appreciate Ms. Goose's "odd" behavior as an issue of complicated grief. For as much as we have not pooped on the front lawn or any of the walkways leading up to the pool, we would have asked that you respect us in aiding Ginny in her process. It deeply saddens us to lose one of our own, and to be treated so poorly on a land we share. Please, please, please bring Ginny back.
As a matter of public record we are releasing this letter to Facebook and the Monday Morning News Blog. We've also formed a peaceful coalition with a band of foxes, raccoons, snapping turtles, and Deer Creek cats and dogs residents to develop a "People Policy" and will cc you on our recommendations. We ask that you post and distribute to all Deer Creek Residents.
Sincerely,
The Geese
Ruffy Rottweiler, Stanley & Myrtle Turtle, Buster, Mr. Coon, and Mittens Vallo
Okay, in my usual off-beat kind of way here's what I'm trying to say...
I don't think the goose is the problem. We just aren’t comfortable with allowing nature to "be." As a resident of EARTH, I would have preferred we leave Ms. Goose alone. How about we raise more mindful kids and stop treating her like an exhibit in the zoo? Before writing more "Goose Policy" let's turn the binoculars around and see maybe it's a goose with a people problem!
One Earth One Chance! (I just read that off the recycle bin out my window...)
Happy Monday,
Amanda
Good Morning,
As I made my way into the mail hut last week, a notice posted on the mail room door caught my attention. In large bold letters--GOOSE UPDATE!!!
In sum, it read...
Dear Residents,
In April, a goose took up residence and laid a clutch of eggs in one of the plant beds surrounding the pool. One month later. No geeselings. The Kansas Department of Wildlife ascertained the goose was sitting on a nest of inviable eggs. The goose continued sitting upon the eggs. This week the Kansas Wildlife came and took the goose to another location where she is now able to meet other goose friends!!!!
As the door slammed behind me, the take home message sank in. We now have a "Goose Policy?" (what the frick?)
Given my recent success in letter writing and new found provisional licensure status I'm lobbying to see if I can get an inclusion in this new "Goose Policy." As per this date, new policy for Deer Creek management and staff would require contacting the on-site "Goose Grief Consultant." In this new role, I have been in contact with the geese and other animals on the property and helped them craft a letter.
June 13, 2011
Attn: Deer Creek Management
We the geese flock are writing with regards to the handling of an important matter to the Deer Creek animal community. Ginny Goose our beloved sister, mother, and friend was relocated from her home for non-aggressive behavior unbefitting of a goose. We feel resident behavior contributed equally in this matter. The staffs constant checking as well as the pointing, monitoring and loud screaming of children would not allow us to send in on-site assistance to Ms. Goose in the form of natural supports. As the care in your "Goose Update" has shown, we know you can appreciate Ms. Goose's "odd" behavior as an issue of complicated grief. For as much as we have not pooped on the front lawn or any of the walkways leading up to the pool, we would have asked that you respect us in aiding Ginny in her process. It deeply saddens us to lose one of our own, and to be treated so poorly on a land we share. Please, please, please bring Ginny back.
As a matter of public record we are releasing this letter to Facebook and the Monday Morning News Blog. We've also formed a peaceful coalition with a band of foxes, raccoons, snapping turtles, and Deer Creek cats and dogs residents to develop a "People Policy" and will cc you on our recommendations. We ask that you post and distribute to all Deer Creek Residents.
Sincerely,
The Geese
Ruffy Rottweiler, Stanley & Myrtle Turtle, Buster, Mr. Coon, and Mittens Vallo
Okay, in my usual off-beat kind of way here's what I'm trying to say...
I don't think the goose is the problem. We just aren’t comfortable with allowing nature to "be." As a resident of EARTH, I would have preferred we leave Ms. Goose alone. How about we raise more mindful kids and stop treating her like an exhibit in the zoo? Before writing more "Goose Policy" let's turn the binoculars around and see maybe it's a goose with a people problem!
One Earth One Chance! (I just read that off the recycle bin out my window...)
Happy Monday,
Amanda
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