"I Have A 'Black History Month' Dream!" (me!) sandra, tvgp
and in my dream of dreams, this performance piece is available in book form as a great read, but is also a script, to be performed specifically in February, (* and note here, my Feb 13th bday) annually, in high school and college campuses everywhere.
* I wrote Kissin' The Chocolate Blues during my tenure as Pleasanton, California's Poet Laureate. It is a "Thank You!" Valentine to the author, speaker, writer, humanitarian that most influenced my daily, and my writing life: Dr Maya Angelou
* It opens with my sharing about reading I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, when I was in 4th grade, and being glued to every word, attaching to her story, feeling like friends with her family members, and learning so much about a world and culture I knew nothing about. It was the first autobiography I ever read -And, as I had been kidnapped and sexually violated at age 6 -this common suffering bonded me with the author in a permanent and profound way.
* I share how I eventually happened across Dr Maya Angelou on TV, and this was the first time I was able to put a real life face and [majestic] voice, with the person who wrote the book that so enriched my life -and how amazed with her confidence I became..
* I share about the several long letters I wrote her...
* ...about my pursuit to meet her in person, get an autographed book and a picture with her
* I share about seeing her on TV at President Clinton's inauguration, and listening to her read On the Pulse of Morning -but how, during this time in my life, I had been kidnapped/raped again, by a different predator -was suffering from PTSD and lost my love for the author -and for life itself.
* I share about my healing, and include as a feature, a response poem to On the Pulse of Morning, titled, That's One Slippery Rock
* I share about seeing Dr Maya Angelou speak on three different occasions, sharing her with friends/family, and
* I share about receiving multiple autographed books by Dr Maya Angleou, which I have now on both my shelf, and as wall hangings in my bedroom and art studio
* There is a song by KT Tunstall, called, Suddenly I See, and this is a theme & featured song of the story & performance. The very first time I heard it, and understood the lyrics -I thought of Dr Maya Angelou immediately
****
Kissin' The Chocolate Blues was performed one night only, at the Firehouse Art Center in Pleasanton, California in February 2014. My cast included only 3 women: Myself, as myself; Faith Alpher as Dr Maya Angelou and Jessica Reaber who sang and played Suddenly I See.
It was well received by the audience, and I enjoyed learning about its impact on individuals in the lobby after the performance. All the work I put into it was indeed justified and rewarded.
Although I do not care entirely for public speaking (but did earn a Competent Toastmaster Degree) -When I am on stage -reading- and sharing this story My heart is on fire with energy and it felt wonderful!
I would love to have it filmed -And I would love to pass it on for others to perform.
For this i continue to pray... in Jesus Name, amen.
/it is how i came up with the title -combining black history month; I know why the caged bird sings, valentines; my bday, presidents day, chocolate, romance... stir.
***
Poetry History:
while Dr Maya Angelou did pen a poem titled, Caged Bird (...the caged bird sings with a fearful trill, of things unknown but longed for still...)
I know why the caged bird sings, the title of her autobiography, was named by her friend, Abbey Lincoln Roach, who borrowed the phrase from a poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar, titled Sympathy
an excerpt, the last stanza, is this:
I Know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore, --
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven flings ---
I know why the caged bird sings!
****
this is just fun for me:
when i did title my performance, i used Kissin' vs. Kissing. -and i believe i was subconsciously influenced because Dr Maya Angelou employs that abbreviation style frequently also. i refer to it as 'talk writing' or 'talk typing' -i suppose now we could say, 'talk textin'
it's when you lean more toward how words sound in conversation vs. how they are actually spelled in a formal dictionary.
also,
unintentional, but check this out: i often abbreviate, Kissin' The Chocolate Blues to, KTCB,
and what do you know: I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
remember, i am nothing, if not self-entertaining.
Happy Black History Month, Happy Birthday all you Aquarians! Happy President's Day...
what's the common denominator? Happy! #firehouseartcenter
Banshees of Inisherin another movie review by (me!) ~topps
topps -look sexy, FREE movies event.. we can get all those channels for free write now
sexy -yeah, black.. black experience...
topps -it's february, -black history month...
topps/sexy -black history always..
topps -HBO Max! free! all the way til Feb 5th.. what's today?
sexy -feb 5th
and so, with only a matter of hours left until the free HBO Max would expire, we clicked on Banshees of Inisherin
we can all agree there are already too many award shows, -write, but among the 800 we already have, if i were voting and in charge, "and Banshees of Inisherin wins again" -because in so many different categories: originality; cinematography; humor; cast; direction; surprise/shock factor; depth of script; timing and delivery of the most powerful, thought-provoking lines.. tenderness/harshness contrast
i just loved this story; this setting; this cast..
and i read very briefly someone else's review, which described it primarily as a movie about the power of forgiveness..
and i was like, -did we watch the same movie?
but as is always true, you can only get out of a movie (book, podcast, conversation...) from what foundations, life experiences, knowledge exist within you at the given time
i.e., how old was i when i read animal farm? with what life experiences/education? -the big stand out for me at the time -this pattern of finding ways to do things faster, better, more efficiently which will yield us all more -free- time; early retirement
but how that never actually happens does it; the faster we can do things; the more we do within the exact same time frame; especially where business/profits factor in.
years later, i was happened across someone discussing how the story was analogous to -russia? communism? and i went back to look again.. (and will write now...) -sure enough. and i'm not inclined to re-read it, although i'm pretty sure it is in my home library, but honey.. i missed the intention entirely, but got my own thing out of it and still appreciated the story and the writing; the cast of characters
anyway.. all that to say, when i watched banshees of inisherin, as an almost 57 year old, born/raised in the bay area.. etc., etc.
the first thing that captivated me -besides the scenery throughout- was how perfectly they captured the sting of rejection
and i loved it especially because so often we see betrayal/rejection in romantic relationships, but the sting of rejection can be between former friends, siblings, neighbors, teacher/student, co-workers.. cashier/customer.. on and on.. rejection is rejection is rejection.. and they covered it in many of its incarnations in this movie; from the slight, to the sting.. to the stings infection which, left unchecked, becomes fatal
and the same reason so many of us admire the works of amor towles, gentleman in moscow, for how it created an entire world within the confines of a hotel
banshees creates entire worlds, and covers giant themes, on a small island, with a small population, within a small community
hints of what made the movie, what about bob, so funny.. they were present; but the ratio of profound to humorous is much higher in banshees
and the sting of rejection is only one major theme -how they captured and conveyed an existential crisis! -wow to the writing; wow to the cast delivering..
by the time you reach your 40's, 50's -pretty strong chance you've been on every side of rejection; being rejected; rejecting someone.. wounding; wounded; recovering; recovered; battle-tested as the saying goes, for the spiritual wars that lie ahead..
by the time you reach your 40's, 50's.. -pretty strong chance you've, somewhere along the journey, been hard to shake off; or found it hard to shake someone else off.. and have learned to appreciate how geography/proximity factors in; -across the globe is easier, for example, than across the way
i can laugh now, but.. embarrassing to the point of being mortified as i all too slowly came to realize; get the message; pick up the social cues..
i mean, the poor guy.. what he intended as a one-stand night, i turned into a several year
-it wasn't a nightmare exactly.. but, honey, i stuck around
and i think, looking back, what happened, is that i was just so creative about how i found ways to stick around, he part allowed and encouraged it, just to see what i could come up with next
anyway,
as to the existential crisis.. brilliantly portrayed in banshees, - if you do go through life without having considered, processed, accepted the terms of being mortal
without understanding and appreciating you cannot argue or debate or alter the terms
that in fact, we are all just a mist.. whether long earthly lives or short
-if you go through life without learning and understanding and applying the meaning of it all..
vs. what is the line? entertaining yourself while staving off the inevitable
well, it is just this very moment coming to me as my definition of an existential crisis:
an existential crisis is when you get stuck on the question, to be or not to be
instead of rejoicing in the answer
to love and be loved.
*****
hallelujah & amen
LIVING OUT MARTIN LUTHER KING JR'S DREAM (me!) ~topps
I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.
****
i am a survivor. the #2 victim of the lakeside serial rapist who kidnapped at gunpoint, covered up and raped anywhere from 9 to 11 victims in san leandro california in the mid 1980's. his first victim (that is, first known to police victim; #1) committed suicide. the last victim, (before the serial rapes stopped) was murdered. the serial rapist remained (remains) at large. the lakeside serial rapist was a black male wearing a black hoodie, and i only saw his face for one second before a gun was put to my temple.
-be me for 30 seconds.. in the aftermath of this life threatening, shocking, traumatic, brutal experience
when the rapist kept claiming new victims, and could be anywhere, any time
where, because i only saw his face for one second.. literally could be any black male, in any direction i walked, drove, shopped -with only the ability to rule out very tall, very large, or very short, very small black males
it is to be terrorized; i understand the experience of being terrorized. -by a black male; wearing a black hoodie
be me for 30 seconds, when this recent trend started, and encouraged all black males to wear black hoodies -not in a utilitarian way; as clothing liked and appropriate for the season, place..
but wearing them as statements. -be me for 30 seconds..
be us. we'd like to make a few statements:
the survivors of the lakeside serial rapist in san leandro california in the mid 1980's.
we have dreams. the young woman (#1 known to police) that committed suicide in the aftermath being raped at gunpoint; she had dreams. the woman known as the last victim; she had dreams..
and all of us survivors between the first and last known to police victims -we all have dreams.
***
i was also in a bank when it was arm robbed, in hayward, california. -black males. pointing guns at everyone -made to 'freeze' or die
be me; be us, for 30 seconds today, on martin luther king jr's celebratory, famous speech day
***
the single most important thing he said in his speech as far as i'm concerned: judge people, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character
do you do that?
i do. -if anyone has cause to carry a 'racist' attitude, you can agree i have good cause? but God, prayer, decades of healing; evaluating; assessing; re-trying; healing, evaluating, assessing.. prayer, God, decades of work toward healing..
i have learned and stay in the life long practice of judging people not by their skin color..
nor by their religion, or lack thereof;
i do not judge people by their looks, by their income, by their education
i do not judge by political party affiliation; or by their form of transportation
i judge -and i do judge; i judge by a person's CONTENT of CHARACTER. i've said it many times before:
evil does not have a skin color; evil comes in every shape and size across the globe and across all of time. evil is evil.
so does love. LOVE comes in every color, shape and size; across the globe, and throughout all of time; beyond time even, -to infinity; love is eternal.
we do no one on the planet any favors, if we default to excuses, blame or forgiveness based on skin color. -content of character should be our primary measuring tool; our scale
discerning good from bad; discerning bad from evil; discerning weakness from wickedness
look across the planet, over the history of all humanity; all of time to date
no one group has the monopoly on pain and suffering and injustices
freedom is not free; period.
any one individual; any city, any state, any country who desires freedom must fight for it; it is never altruistically handed over in advance upon the sudden enlightenment of abusive people in power
i love this example: hmmm, men.. it just doesnt seem write that woman can't vote.. there's something unsettling, that just doesn't make sense.. why don't we change that today! yes! let's go give women the write to vote.. let's do it write now!
or, circa 1776, i think our taxes are too high, we might be letting greed get the best of us.. let us lower the taxes for everyone today!
and you can expand that scenario in a million different ways to fit a million different fights for freedom, from the write to wear your hair long, to the write for equal pay for equal work.. on and on ad nauseum
freedom isn't free; period
and no one group has the monopoly on pain, suffering and injustices
genocides, holocausts, massacres, annihilations.. gang wars, cartels, mafias...
abusive power; uprisings for freedom.. is one of the most common patterns in all of humanity.
and while we recognize 'America' as being free..
i wonder how many american's really are -free.
human trafficking, slaves of domestic abuse; slaves to poverty; slaves to drugs; slaves to fear... slaves to hidden secrets; scandals, skeletons, slaves to greed...
do you want to be free?
you're going to have to fight for it. everyone one of us is a soldier in a war, whether we are conscious of that fact or not: and many wars there are: military wars, cyber-wars, bio-wars, spiritual wars..
-the life long battle between good and evil. i have my armor. [Ephesians 6:10] do you?
In Jesus is the way, the truth, the life -and i have been set free!
Hallelujah & Amen
What Nationality Are You? I ask again with a smile...
stood behind this perfectly happy customer in line.. and had to snap a picture "CH!"
-original post Tues March 18th, 2014:
Q: "what nationality are you?" By (me!) Sandra, tvgp
My sister reminded me recently about how we dreaded that question in our youth. -reason being, everyone else seem to have a solid answer that would roll off their tongue, and we never actually -knew. Ask two different parents; get two different vague answers, which seemed to change if and when we asked again. Truth is, I don't think they really knew.. So, 'heinz 57' became the standard reply.. Colloquial term borrowed from whatever kind person thought it up first.. 'A big mix.. 57 different nationalities; american muts'. -now, we've since traced a lot of irish.. Indian, French.. And lots more..But I have always also known, not by blood but by observation, that I have Italian in me. I learned this in the fourth grade when the principal stopped me mid-sentence and said, "sandy I want you to sit on your hands". -and when I did.. I couldn't talk anymore in complete sentences, -only stutter. I need my hands to talk. Word on the street was that Italians talk with their hands.. So obviously then I must have Italian in me. I also learned along the way that I must be part black. I learned this first when I was at the movies.. And the white audience sat so quiet and still.. But the black audience would get all involved in the story and talk out loud to the screen.. I'll never forget the first time i was told to 'shhhhh' at the movies.. 'You are not my people' I thought to myself.. 'They are!'. And so that's how I knew I was part Italian and part black.. But I had this confirmed at church and on the dance floor.. I also remember in elementary school being taught about the spirituality of the native Indians.. How they respected the land and each other and how they were dominated by the 'white man' with guns. In those stories I always related better with the Indians.. I believe in rain dancing and honoring spirits.. So really, I figured things out on my own along the way: I am part Italian, part black, part Indian. I learned I was part Asian during a stroll at a flea market.. My white friends/family always dressed me in matching clothes that were 'in season'. It never much mattered to me.. Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration... What happened is that I observed that this was VERY IMPORTANT to my friends and family, and so it better become important to me too.. But at the flea market I saw a beautiful Asian Woman.. She was wearing striped pants that in no way complemented or matched her print blouse. The colors did not match, the patterns each did their own thing.. And yet she seemed as happy as could be. So even if my family didn't know officially via professional genealogy research or DNA tracking.. I knew I was part asain too. Italian, black, Indian, Asian... The O'Riley sir name would lock in my irish heritage.. And the fact I love beer and green is my favorite color.. But -keeping my arms still when I dance? If I can't talk without my hands it only stands to reason that I cannot dance without my arms.. The same thing happens: my feet can't move only stutter.. So that helped me start figuring out percentages: like I must be only half irish... Also, I shared some kind of connection.. Unexplained but profound the first time I saw Russell crowe on the big screen... And I knew! In that magical, I intuitive, mysterious way, that -whatever he is; I am that too. What is he? Anyway.. One day we will make this all scientifically valid.. And all that.. But I know I have relatives from Spain! And Russia.. And based on my reaction to certain climates: I am Hawaiian.. Took to the hula like a coconut to the tree.. Plus, its what I was designed for; to be cracked open. -what about you? If I pick your brain for your thoughts instead of your finger for blood; who are you? Who are your people?
"thank you!" mr mcmillion from (me!) sandra, tvgp
(me!): "no way.. that's a fun name, -really? McMillion" /because I was sliding his credit card through the machine, and I often read names to find them first in the customer data base.
mr mcmillion customer: "yes.. and my friends like to joke and call me mr. thousands"
(me!): "that's just funny.. what's the origin?"
mr mcmillion customer: "Irish"
(me!) " wonderful! ~those are my people.."
mr mcmillion customer: "you are Irish.."
(me!): "yes.. and you know how I know... it's not because I did a 23 and me, or anything.. or genealogy.. I know i'm part irish because I started drinking beer and writing poetry at a young age"
mr mcmillion customer: laughs. "I'm having my history researched.. turns out I have some (?) /can't remember first thing he told me.. and Indian..
(me!) "that seems like a cool thing to get to learn.. enjoy this gorgeous day"
***
-and forgive me.. but, I don't take it as seriously.. and ive met a number of people now who have traced their origins through dna.. send a sample/receive results via mail.
not one person has ever questioned...
so, I guess everyone assumes 100% accuracy on the part of the system/process/results..
but, ive worked in many places.. 100% accuracy is pretty hard to come by
and I joke with my kids, like.. I swear to you, people put so much faith in the system/results, that they could be obviously one thing (say, physically, obviously -Asian, but if there paper work says, they are African American and Indian, -that is what they believe they are. period.
this fascinates me. and sends my mind on another one of those..
what it means to believe..
***
also, -because of inter-racial, international, global love/romances/one night stands, etc. between already blended ethnicities.. this will become less and less significant, important over time..
who you are.. how you identify yourself... what you're made of...
fast forward a few scores in your imagination and tell me how important this is:
i'm .03 Mexican, .007 irish.. .5 African American .7 Italian 8. .12 indian 9. .18 Chinese
.3 Polish etc., etc.,
"so, you are all that?"
"yes.. i'm all that.. and then some" /according to this paper...
CH:
I am many things...***
In, Jesus only knows.. name, amen.
HORROR FILM BEAUTIFUL MOVIE for (sexy! & tops!)
we love this movie
but it opens with some horrific depictions of Christians; Jesus; the Church in general...
and we kept looking at each other.. like, "Oh My God! -what interpretation of the Bible is any of that behavior from?"
and we know from history, from books, from movies, and from listening to real life testimonies
-there has been (and sadly still is) some horrific, absolutely hideous and evil practices that take place by very fraudulent, highly corrupt, con-artist-Christians..
but just to be certain... they are frauds.
i could re-write a million passages/scriptures here, but if we only look at the fruits of the spirit:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control...
Colossians 3:12 -chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
-you see none of this in the behaviors, decisions, manners of the people who are representing God, Jesus, the Church, the Bible in this movie..
so, i've always kind of acknowledged/understood, that if THAT was your introduction to Jesus, and Christianity -of course you would curse it, and everything it stands for
but, the frauds do not represent the 'true' Christians /and notice how often we all need to employ the word 'true'
it goes on and on,
but worth repeating here... how often we mistakenly project on to the whole population of a group; the actions of a few; or the actions of the-some
so you can see then, how easy it is to corrupt and intentionally misrepresent a group -especially mass media
-corrupt cops do not represent 'cops'
and it is this understanding, throughout life, and applying it in a variety of situations that has allowed me to completely understand and appreciate
the black male wearing a hoodie who kidnapped me at gunpoint -he does not represent black people
the black males who arm-robbed the bank i was a customer in... who held the gun toward me, and other customers in line -they did not represent all black people
the puerto rican who... the middle eastern man who.. the mexican girls who...
i say it so often in conversations, i can tell people are little tired of hearing it, but
CONTENT OF CHARACTER PEOPLE!! not race, or skin color, or political affiliation, or education
and, so, even when watching this movie.. i realize, they are not representing the entire population of "Indians"
and the mean racist fans do not represent all sports fans...
on and on, etc., etc,
but on the whole.. an engaging, enlightening and inspiring movie.
thoughts on gun control and Amendment II by (me!) ~topps
it is still highly sensitive; raw; -in the recent aftermath of mass elementary school shooting in texas, i am inspired to share
-how utterly undone i was personally to learn about the sandy hook mass shooting in 2012; and how utterly moved i am now/today, to learn about how those parents, survivors are reaching out to the survivors in texas now
i repeat here -my youth includes having a cocked gun at my temple by a very violent, angry, predator, so on the topic of gun control i have been slowest to land on my own -stance; if you will
but i watch very little to no news in the aftermath of any given mass, or individual shooting. -there has been no need "it is all script and loop" i say, which has become my own, "script and loop"
different people saying nearly the exact same things
those looking for greater gun control/regulations...
those against government interference; controls/regulations..
survivors with raw trauma, anguish...
"gun control would have prevented..." vs. "laws only prevent law abiding citizens from being able to protect themselves.. criminals will still find guns.."
i believe that if we captured the words exclusively from all political sides in the aftermath of a mass shooting
we could almost cut and paste for the next one.
-there will be a next one. what a heartbreak..
****
i had a vision recently. in it, children at an elementary school, free and safe, learning, growing..
and a prison with violent criminals behind bars in (traditional black/white stripes).
-a shooting over here.. a shooting over there..
iron bars go over the school windows, metal detectors installed on campus..
slowly, inmates are released... free, spreading fear, evil... inflicting violence..
and the once free beautiful young children are wearing black n' white striped clothes looking through the iron bars of their classroom windows.
we have to be so careful about not allowing criminals to imprison our children; not allowing criminals to imprison our law abiding, caring, loving, everyday citizens.
****
these are equally true for (me!): i can utilize my imagination, as a loving parent.. and having had my own horrific experience with violence/guns/murder.. i can imagine the shock, the pain, the anguish, the disbelief, the suffering of a parent who receives the news their child has been shot and killed at school.
and i can easily understand how devastated to learn about how the shooter got access to the guns that claimed their childs life.. easily understand wanting answers; greater control; stricter laws;
equally true: i can use my imagination to understand and to see, how criminals -at their very nature; disregard regulations, laws.. outlawing guns = only outlaws have guns
equally true: i can see how disarming everyday citizens, gives the advantage to violent, predators, and there are also children shot, lives lost, due to an absence of being able to protect one's home and family; business
equally true: i can see via history, disarming citizens can also be a set up for tyranny.
equally true: i've seen/visited areas with very relaxed gun regulations, but no mass shootings; very low homicide rates; and areas with stricter laws, but greater murders.. & vice versa
add on political agendas; monetary issues... it is certainly a great deal for anyone to wade through and make sense of
and this may change, but i am currently in agreement with the sad truth, that more laws are not the answer. enforcement of laws already on the books; perhaps.. i do believe in background checks and waiting periods
still working through..
but, inevitably the constitution, and Amendment II are discussed in the aftermath of any/every mass shooting in the news
without having read/researched the federalist papers, or other historical reference,
in a plain, dry and current read of Amendment II, i offer this interpretation
in regard to the argument that guns were intended only for militia
if that were true, Amendment II would read,
The right of a well regulated Militia to keep and bear Arms, being necessary to the security of a free State, shall not be infringed.
or,
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, shall not have their right to keep and bear Arms, infringed.
in my interpretation/opinion, there is a very discernable distinction being made; Militia and people (people synonymous with everyday citizens; laypeople).
in my interpretation/opinion, there is no reason at all for the inclusion of 'the right of people' unless they intended to include 'the right of people.' in addition to the Militia.
and i'm going to turn the page here,
to mention two rather unrelated, but impressive things
1. when the discussion came up recently about 'the second amendment' -i immediately said with a smile, i said,
"i have a pocket constitution! but even better.... i know where it is!" /you would have to know my history with clutter/boxes/storage/moving to appreciate what a miracle and answered prayer that is, and let me slip in a "thank you!" here to Cheryl Cook-Kallio for gifting me the pocket constitution when she was a customer and i was a cashier at Ricks Picks.
and 2.
i still remain so amazed really, by the generosity and selflessness of America's founding fathers..
literally,
because just in my own 56 years of life.. the amount of exposure i've had to "my way or the highway" personality types, in history, books, tv shows, movies.. but also, in life at schools, places of work, places i've visited.. the amount of dictators, bullies.. the amount of exposure i've had to leaders who can't listen; who insist whatever they believe is what everyone should believe or else
and so,
i am wildly amazed and impressed.. by Amendment I: ... no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..
etc., -especially when you consider the Christian beliefs of leaders writing the constitution
im getting way off track, but
add it to the long, long list of why i love to blog.
hallelujah & amen.
KNOW (me!) BY NAME(S)... by (me!) sandra, tvgp..
Dear Dear David Placek, I was watching CBS Sunday Morning just now, and think I heard..
yes.. I think I heard.. (Stop. Rewind. Playback.)
"You charge $100,000.00 to come up with brand NAMES?!?"
I certainly could use $100,000.00 ... because at last glance I think I was sitting at about.. -.35 In my bank account. (There is no typo.. ). and zero in savings. Now.. check this out: I saw my lucky number in this same segment. /see prior post. And! so, I had the knowledge some big money is headed my way.. but from who? -no idea..
until! until I rewatched the show.. and re-listened to them interview YOU.. Couldn't quite make out what they said your name was..
David placid? David classic? so I researched by the name and city of your company..and... "Bingo!". -bingo.. that's a great name isn't it..
anyway.. I clicked on careers.. perused the criteria/qualifications..
and.. Well, you might accidentally pass me over or ignore me all together based on your criteria, so allow (me!) to instead ...
drop a few names... /name drop.. a few of the names I've come up with.. On my very own! over the past very many years:
ready?
my website: WriteousMom.com. -great play on words don't you think? -combines many things, many aspects in just a few catchy syllables: I am a writer.. I am a Christian; highly spiritual, I am a very proud, very blessed mom.. occasionally people will mispronounce.. But that is the rare exception, not the rule.. Most times I receive compliments.. " great name!". "Oh that's good.. That's fun.". " I really like that."
my Blog: SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com. -its a little long, I admit that.. But it is very fitting! more than a few people comment on how I am always smiling.. and a lot of what I write is serious, but I like to tackle serious subjects in a playful way.. Tongue n cheek, so to speak.. having endured my fair share of traumas.. im grateful for the ability to still smile.. Smile big.. Smile authentically... Of course I am female.. So that's the SHE part of the name.. And girls and Womens issues are very important to (me!) And I sometimes make effort to speak on behalf of females in general.. So that's how I came up with that name.. And I do receive a variety of compliments on that name too..
I'm very proud of the name I came up with for the first piece I ever wrote for theater.. Check this out:
Kissin' the Chocolate Blues.
this was a stage play I wrote and co-starred in to say "thank you!" To my favorite poet, speaker, author, entertainer.. Dr Maya Angelou.. I performed it in February.(black history month). As an onstage valentine (think chocolate, romance. Hugs and kisses) .. and the content speaks to how people sing the blues.. That is, rising above the blues by the very singing of it.. I'm very proud of that name.. And also received many compliments..
just very recently.. I named the documentary I co-created for the city of pleasanton:
8 shots of ink. -very proud of that name.. here I combined my position as the 8th poet laureate of pleasanton.. With -shots- which has the double meaning of drink shots.. Fun! and medicinal shots.. Healing! with the INK common to writers.. and tattoos.. I've also received many compliments on that name..
in august of 2015 I will celebrate 10 years of blogging! And so I have also all this experience giving titles to essays, blog posts, poems, feature articles, etc. Etc. Thousands!!
I named the class I taught at the pleasanton poetry, prose and art festival.. Also, fun play on words: Must Love Blogs.. -received many compliments on that name..
My resume for coming up with names is pretty long.. and based on feedback: pretty cool, pretty catchy, and pretty funny..
the thing is.. while I have received lots and lots of compliments, what I have never received is
a dime.
for many years.. Based on my instincts and experience, passion, gifts and talent.. well, I always thought I would one day..
Some day!
make my living as a writer or artist. My business card reads:
literary & mixed media artist.
but now! based on seeing my lucky number on money! and on the special MONEY edition of CBS Sunday Morning
in which they interviewed YOU.. and which sent my mind on a "I named that!" Memory tour..
now I realize that.. I'm destined to make my living the way you do! a namer.
Yes..
Sandra Harrison Kay..
you shall know (me!) by my name(s).
Like.. tvgp for instance.. That stands for: Tri-Valley gypsy poet..
-for very obvious reasons... and I get a lot of compliments on that too.. but what I really need to get.. Is..
Paid.
look forward to hearing from (you!)
Blessings! xo$xo$xo$
Live! At The Oakland Paramount
ORIGINAL POST 02/16/2007:
i am still marinating in her words, her message, her presence
the lady to my left i think was representative of many others in the audience; a long time "speaker series" ticket holder, only vaguely familiar with the name Maya Angelou
so didn't i just beam when she asked me, "so why does the caged bird sing?" -because this gave me the opportunity to reach inside my red bag, pull out the complete collected poems, open directly to page 194 and let her (and her husband) read for themselves.
and i watched their facial expressions change as they took in her words, and listened to their whispered, wow's, and new that they, like my mom to my right, would be blown away by the presence, voice, personal stories, humor and inspiration of one of america's greatest poet's
*
her life story is extraordinary, but it's how she delivers her message, how she so generously turns her traumas and blessings into bread and wine for all of us to feed and grow on
*
i often think of Maya Angelou when i hear k.t. tunstall's song:
"she makes me feel like i could be a tower, big strong tower, yeah"
but here's the thing.. not only can she make us everyday people feel like we can be towers..
if you're feeling like dirt
she'll remind you you are the very soil; the foundation from which greatness can grow
*
in the retelling of stories about her uncle willie, paralyzed on one side of his body, black and uneducated, living in lynchville, usa
we learn that this everyday black man, despite his significant obstacles, and with every good reason to be bitter and unkind, instead helped people much as he could with the limited resources he had
and as a result, extraordinary experiences and opportunities are bestowed upon his niece because, over and over again throughout her life, "your uncle willie was the only one who once helped...."
*
and as we listen in utter stillness, then laugh out loud, and wipe away occasional tears
a dormant truth is being awoken in each of us: our significance.
*
the wide-spread, far-reaching, positive consequences of our smallest sincere gestures.
and she takes such beautiful, sweet time in giving due credit to all -the many, many neighbors, teachers, friends (and foes), family, police, congressmen, employers, staff, acquaintenances, on and on- who have touched and shaped her journey
*
her journey - which includes being stuck on a train at around age 5 with her older brother bailey, each of them with only a tag around their wrist noting their grandmothers name and address - no adult supervision - but somehow arriving
*
and the blessings from uncle willie's care and attention
*
but then also a rape by her mother's boyfriend, who spent one night in jail, and only days later was kicked to death
and then - having realized that her telling resulted in the murder of a man,
for some 5+ years she is mute. afraid to say another word in fear someone else might be killed
*
her journey - which includes falling in love with poetry, and the teacher who challenged her:
"you do not love poetry. you cannot love poetry until you sing it out loud and it crosses your own lips" -and how this helped her speak again "i left my voice, but my voice never left me."
*
her journey - which includes great financial and emotional poverty, a teenage pregnancy, being the first black female cable car conductor in san francisco, traveling on broadway as a singer/dancer and playwright, helping side-by-side Dr. Martin Luther King Jr among others in the civil rights movement, one son, two divorces, traveling the world, learning seven languages, earning 60+ doctorates, careers in news/television/movies/radio, reading at clinton's presidential inaugration, national best selling memoirs and poetry and sold out, standing room only speaking engagements around the world
*
her journey is poetry
*
and she sings it for us, on this night, with this refrain
"i am human. and because i am human, nothing human can be alien to me."
a fresh version of "we are more alike my friends, than we are unalike"
*
over and over, with grace and determination and humor and love she reminds us what we all have in common as human beings; always uniting; always shrinking the gap
*
and in the hour and a half she captivated, educated and inspired she told so many different wonderful stories, and not in chronological, but in spiritual order it seemed
*
there was a story about a mom who hugged her and cried "i want to thank you for saving my daughter's life" -which takes a wild emotional turn, because it turns out in the handwritten thank you for saving my life letter from this young, white, racist and suicidal girl, she also writes how very ugly and frightening she found Maya Angelou's appearance
and we feel deeply sympathetic.. taking into consideration Maya Angelou's 6ft stature and remembering the long, painful history of blacks ridiculed for their full lips and generous derrieres
she says, "reading that letter made me want to commit suicide!" and then follows that up with a loud, abrupt, burst of laughter
"oh, but if i was going to commit suicide, i wasn't going alone! i wanted to find that girl and help her get the job done"
and then the entire theatre fills with relief and laughter
*
and a fun story too, about her leaving a high paying position w/20th century fox because of some derogatory statements made about blacks
how they offered to pay her more if she would just come back, but she kept right on walking down the hallway, past numerous executives and celebrities, out the door, one foot after the other, head held high, proud and determined to stick by her principles,
around the corner she goes, out the door, across the lot, marching to her car
and then realizes she left her purse with her car keys in her office.
"so i did what any proud women in my situation would do," she tells us wearing a bright, wide smile
"i hid in the bushes until everyone left."
*
and weaved throughout these endearing and inspiring stories, she does not arrogantly recite but joyfully sings shakespeare, langston hughes, delighting us with her unique rhythm, breathing new life into the overlooked and forgotten
*
reminding us how we are each and everyone, free to do our own composing
compose our lives, our families, our communities, our world
every thought and gesture a note that carries on.
*
she was thanked with a long and loud standing ovation.
she is 78 years old now. there is no calculating how many lives she has touched and transformed in this short time frame, but i'm grateful to count myself, my mom, my children, many students and several friends among them.
LOVE! these two documentaries.. (me!) sandra, topps, writeousmom
love exposure to how young people are thinking; to see what influences they are under; see what their generation is wrestling with; how they are making their decisions/based on what..
i had no knowledge of this program, despite it's 80 year history, i think it was.. until watching this.
will write much more later,
but for now.. yes! each individual WILL NEED TO WRESTLE with a variety of 'hot' topics.. in addition to countless luke warm and cold ones..
abortion was not a topic anyone had to wrestle with; until it was..
generations before you did not have to wrestle with social media..
generations before you did not have to wrestle with AI and its impacts..
autonomous driving vehicles.. never even entered my mind when i was in high school; but at age 59 i was a passenger in one..
WILD! -space force..
and i will close for now, with this wisdom for all:
on a global scale; country scale; state scale; county scale; city scale; district scale; neighborhood scale; family scale; and for the individual:
you make the best decisions you can, with the information/knowledge you have at the time, taking entire populations into consideration
if you decide on (A); and (A) wins! and (A) is implemented, executed, with great fan fare
but the RESULTS, once implemented are not what you expected or intended; are counterproductive..
there always needs to be room, a way, a means, to course correct and try something new.
****
after you make any decision; know for yourself most importantly, but also for others:
how you arrived at your decision; what it is based on, why you even made a decision
***
i've already written ad nauseum on the topic; but for the purposes of this specific post and relevant to current political climate
ROE vs WADE
ABORTION -i based my decision on my own life experience as a 15 year old pregnant teen (later miscarried); -i based my decision on being a peer counselor to pregnant teens in high school.. direct exposure to pregnant teens in overwhelm and crisis
i based my decision on the knowledge/belief that making abortions illegal would directly result in the rise of self-inflicted abortions and black market abortions; where the harm to human life is greater and worse
i based my decision on the understanding that making abortions illegal does not actually stop them from ever happening
i based my decision on listening to religious and other groups share that they believe abortions were 'selfish' -they viewed, and projected the reason for a given person to have an abortion was (paraphrasing) -not letting this baby ruin my life..
i, by the way, NEVER, encountered that way of thinking or feeling when counseling pregnant teens..
and for myself it was 100% overwhelm; feeling utterly unqualified..
-because i know the vulnerability; the overwhelm; i have experienced and witnessed
-when i hear the words 'murderer' 'evil' 'selfish' 'baby killer'
and i consider how those psychologically devastating descriptions/judgements are being added on to hearts/minds/spirits/souls of individuals already bearing so much weight
breaks my heart. i believe those terms 'murderer' 'evil' 'baby killer' -should be exclusively reserved for actual murderers, actual evil doers, actual baby killers.. [sad, but in the news on any given day..]
i believe, based on my experience and as a witness.. the ultimate decision does belong to the woman -as it is her body
i am confused by 'you can give your baby up for adoption' -but hearing from USA citizens that wanted to; and did adopt -they were turning to foreign countries.. /no time to research more on this..
i do and have believed -both sides want the same thing: the least amount of unplanned pregnancies and least amount of abortions possible within the flawed human race..
i do believe (and read) this issue is better addressed through education than legislation
so, i ask: if the number of abortions in a given state were reduced through education -if that was the provable fact: would you still push on the legal front?
and even write now, i ask, and have not yet researched..
but more importantly, am not seeing anywhere in headline news.. the upshot; the results of the more recent legal decision, over turning Roe vs Wade;
in the states it is no longer legal/accessible.. self-inflicted abortions on the rise? black market abortions on the rise? young women with unplanned pregnancies.. finding ways to travel to other states?
have unplanned pregnancies themselves been reduced?
lastly reiterate: greatest time, energy, effort, human and financial resources should go toward preventing unplanned pregnancies to begin with
i am of the belief, we already have schools, cities, states who are doing a better job of this than others.
who is getting the best results? how?
In Jesus holy and trustworthy, merciful, grace-filled, all healing, all understanding and loving name..
*****
oh! i want to write soon on the topic of whether or not our teachers should be armed..
Good God! doesn't that all by itself tell you about the wrong direction things have been headed..
****
belated addendum/insights/revelations: a % unplanned pregnancies, which resulted in adoptions
have mutually blessed adoptive parents/children in unquantifiable & life long ways.
and! which would not have been possible without that initial 'unplanned' pregnancy. countless unique human lives, blessed, enriched, contributing to the world..
from a my Christian perspective -whether an unplanned pregnancy results in abortion, (grace; mercy prevail) or stays with original parent(s), or where that infant/child is adopted..
GOD is LOVE. -where there is LOVE, God resides..
LOVE is always worthy of the deepest study, reverence.. to learn of love; give it, receive it..
1 John 4:16
1 Corinthians 13...
****
and what a distinction.. everyone knows there are loving foster and adoptive parents.. genuine, caring, nurturing and true..
and everyone learns there are also foster/adoptive parents who are in it for the money. utterly self-seeking..
selah!
GENIUS COMPOSER!! that's what she was.. is. -found it.. sandra mickanen DELIGHTED to share
so, i was write... regarding previous post. in drafts, not published,
but! i am going to post it here, change/remove her name, and not include the picture. I LOVE HAVING ACCESS TO MY MEMORIES... a thing for which i can never thank the blogosphere enough..
*****
from may of 2013:
it deserves a more detailed explanation..
so here you go: everyone's favorite wine lord, tony -was providing delicious tastings to some women on one side of the wine bar, while i had just finished up serving a variety of customers myself
so, looked like i had a little down time, as they say
but! this wine goddess likes to stay productive, (little pat on my own back), so i went write away over to the deli where i thought i'd constructively use my down time to chop up a giant block of gourmet cheese into darling little bite size square~ish pieces for our gem society members (do i sound a little like spongebob?)
side note: ruby hill's gem society members enjoy not only free wine tastings; but also, access to our vintner's collection, award winning reserve collection AND world class member only exclusive wines /thank you chris graves
PLUS! we spoil you (and up to three guests) by providing a delicious selection of gourmet cheeses & crackers in the area reserved for gem society members only
but! the cheese doesn't cut itself, write..
so, there i was
in the deli, with a cutting board on the counter, a very sharp knife in my left hand, and a block of cheese in the other...
i placed the block '0 cheese on the cutting board...
and (insert spongebob voice here) and set the very sharp knife down on said cutting board
because i remembered how important it might be to thoroughly wash my hands before touching the block 0' gourmet cheese
so i thoroughly washed my hands
and then picked the very sharp knife back up, and started digging, cutting, poking, stabbing, tearing, twisting the almost impossible to penetrate skin tight plastic wrap that -very, very securely- protected the cheese
and write as i was stabbing the plastic with my very sharp knife..
a super duper creepy crawly, like...
ultra big and nasa fast -blackish, brownish
freaky lookin' spooky tarantula~black widow~hybrid animal/insect creature
darts itself across the cutting board
so now you have a spider phobic wine goddess with a very sharp knife in her hand...
the result?
not blood.
opera! a very organic and effortless soprano
"waaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh" and that very sharp knife became my conductor wand as i backed myself at a steady pace away from the deli
and so sincerely, one of the beautiful young women tony was serving, said, " are you singing? opera?"
i had to laugh.
(that's the first way she saved my life... laughter. it's like c.p.r. for phobics)
then..
bless her genius composer heart...
i explained my circumstance, and even though, she doesn't like spiders anymore than i do, (well, maybe a little bit more than i do) she still went over, like a true she~roe, spotted the creature now camouflaged on the dark floor tile
and stepped on it with her cute foot, and darling sandal
"MY SHE-ROE" she flashed in my mind as a daring warrior-spy-homeland-security secret agent
then with great compassion and understanding
she showed me the dead squished spider on the bottom of her sandal
spider-phobic compassionate people, know, by the way, how very important it is for spider-phobics to SEE, with their own two eyes, that the spider creature is indeed DEAD
we don't like to be just told...
we need to KNOW.
/think osama bin laden here...
anyway..
she so kindly let me see the spider was actually dead, with no chance, whatsoever, it would return
and then she scrapped it off her sandal and into the garbage
i proposed to her, and we are now living happily ever after.
/having fun..
she then shared a couple personal terrifying spider/cockroach stories..
i thanked her for saving my life
and then we talked some more..
i learned, like me, her and her sister are best friends.. her sister is a genius history major... and she is a genius composer
and their genius mom & friend were so wonderful to talk to also..
we took a couple pictures..
exchanged emails.. and websites
and now, i'm just excited to see their careers & contributions unfold..
maybe write here in livermore! -because, it turns out, she writes -movie scores
so i told her, not only is pleasanton/livermore like a 2nd napa, but livermore is also, like a 2nd hollywood!
" nicole kidman was filming a movie here only months ago!"
so i will close here with a toast
"to she-roes! history! music! movies! family! friends! sisters! -success!"
look foward to our paths crossing again.
EDITOR N' CHIEF (my daughter!)
i'm sure i did the exact same thing, but with far less savvy
i sat, as any proud mom would, on the toilet this morning reading my daughter's 4th grade writing portfolio. she wrote well about her field trip to coyote hills, "...after lunch i knew we had an advancer ahead of us. We hiked an enormous hill! Once we got up there I knew it was worth it. I could see so far, because we were very high. We were so high I could see all the way across the bay! I also got to see the Dumbarton Bridge, San Mateo Bridge, and the Santa Cruz mountains. There were a lot of land forms in the bay. The Hike to the Stars was very fun!"
she wrote brilliantly, i thought, in her piece titled: Layers of the Earth, which was typed. and then, how beautiful she writes in cursive for her sacramento essay; five handwritten pages with great detail, realistic dialogue and authentic emotion
her report on the history of softball! -excellent in every way.
it's when i read her paper titled A Special Way of Life, that i got to coughing uncontrollably.
-allergic reaction to bullshit.
now, i need to tell you, that my daughter absolutely hated this book. dreaded the turn of every page. slunk like a invertebrate at the mere sight of the cover. and from my sympathetic cheerleading post as her mom.. it seemed to me too, that this homework assignment, this one book, was lasting three years.
so didn't i just choke on my own bittersweet breath when i read, "Island of the Blue Dolphins was a book filled with adventure. Karana was very careful about the things she did, but still very brave. She called the island: Island of the Blue Dolphins.
and i think my daughter is a genius. when i re-read this paper, i see she wrote everything expected and required of her from character description, to setting, to plot and genre identification without ever leading on about how she really felt as the reader.
In the book Karana showed a lot of bravery. For example, she watches the sea elephants fight, tried to catch a devilfish, and goes through a big, black cave.
but laugh, and laugh, i do, everytime i read her closing statement:
To me, Island of the Blue Dolphins stood out from other books.
~what a diplomat.
THE MAGNIFICENT GIFT OF FAITH (ALPHER!) reviewed by (me!), sandra, tvgp AKA: WriteousMom
THE MAGNIFICENT GIFT OF FAITH
Packed House, Rave Reviews & Standing Ovation
for Faith Alpher’s One Woman Show at The Bankhead Theater in Livermore
Sunday, Jan 9th, 2011
Through the Eyes of Faith, is technically speaking, a one-woman show, but actually speaking, it’s like a 15 women and 5 men show; performed by one amazing woman:
Faith Alpher
The mood, tone and context are set brilliantly from the start with a dark and empty stage. Through the Eyes of Faith begins with only an engaging and nostalgic male voice narrating through the speaker system, inviting the audience to remember when.. remember when children played outside all day.. roller-skated without helmets and kneepads, -before video games and cable tv, before the internet and email; when (insert popular commercials and tv programs from the 60’s & 70’s here). And we learn, it was in this environment, this time in history, this popular culture, a baby girl was born in Teaneck, New Jersey
Lights up and we see Faith, charading her birth into the cold, cruel world with comedic flair. In no time, her earliest childhood memories are shared and instantly replace any sentimental affection for days gone by with nostalgia’s two notorious enemies: truth and reality.
She portray’s herself as a stinky and bossy pain in the ass younger sibling with a talent for pissing off, grossing out, annoying and chronically antagonizing her older sisters; but not with intention or malice of course. She reveals herself as unkempt, yes, but more from unconsciousness and youth than laziness. She confesses to the crime of ruining her sister’s purple Jordache corduroy’s with Clorox -but we have to laugh. The combination of her creative coveting paired with the life or death value her older sister places on that one pair of purple pants is familiar to us all. Race references are thrown in, like “you’d think a black girl would know how to wash clothes…” and succeed in earning the laughs they were designed to ignite.
Faith maintains an audience~friendly format throughout the performance by taking a few moments prior to each personality transformation, to politely introduce the true life character she is about to become. A master level actor, it appears she highlights that one perfect setting, and that one perfect conversation, which best showcases not only each person’s essence, but each person’s unique contribution to the shaping of her own life journey. These real life characters ranged from her divorced, single, hard-working, stage~ish, mom, to her recovering alcoholic father; her older, meaner, sister’s, to her crazy cousins; her heartless catholic teacher to her life~saving catholic teacher; her Caucasian new jersey boyfriend, slash, future husband to her Caucasion in-laws, cousins, aunts, and also included a sexually abusive uncle, described with air quotes as a “friend” of the family.
With truth, candor, humor and a rare objectivity, she animates each person’s dark, rejectable flaws along with their light and socially acceptable qualities, yielding a real factor and trust that bonds audience to story. With each new character we are attracted some, slightly repelled, but ultimately endeared.
The entire performance was remarkable from my seat in the house, but there are three stand-outs: Witnessing the elementary & middle school age Faith relive the anxiety-provoking, ego-bashing auditions she endured to ultimately be cast in commercials -which lead us to the most loving/tender scene between her crying young self on the subway and her mom, who employs love and humor to heal her daughter’s broken, rejected heart.
And another great scene which brings to life her alcoholic father cheering her on with great fatherly pride at a school basketball game.
In both acts, the love between parent and child rises above each individual’s struggle and weakness, until we are left with tears of hope; and smiles of faith.
Those private tears and spontaneous smiles are soon replaced with group belly laughs, when Faith invites us to her inter-racial wedding. Here she succeeds again in earning laughter with racial references stereotypical for the decade. It all leads to a very original, very raw, fresh and funny scene between her and new husband Daniel, in their honeymoon suite, “overlooking the Hudson River.”
“We had not, you know, ..sealed the deal.. before we married,” she explains, and the audience is treated to all the hilarity that comes with an exaggerated animation of the awkward, anxious, nerve-racking behaviors that precede a first sexual encounter between young man & new wife. We are further treated to a surprise stage appearance by her director/husband of 13 years now, Daniel, who -without the aid of dialogue, elevates the scene to roaring applause.
Through the Eyes of Faith, concludes with Faith sharing some amazing real life new chapters in the people’s lives she has brought to life: We learn her father gave up alcohol along his journey and is celebrating 27 years of sobriety. Better still, and equally inspiring, we learn Faith’s parents re-married -each other- in 1997 and remain married to this day. We learn she was able to share the secret of sexual abuse with her mom, as a young adult, and through prayer was able to forgive and more forward.
Collectively we cry, laugh and learn those terrifying auditions Faith endured in her youth.. the gifts she received from her flawed but loving parents, the obstacles, rejections, tragedies, the small successes and acts of kindness along the way, the death of her supportive father in law, all combined to bring us here:
The Bankhead Theatre in Livermore, to embrace this chapter in our lives. To witness, firsthand, the power and presence of this one phenomenal woman who is also a daughter, sister, cousin, student, wife, mother of three, radio personality, actor, comedian and perhaps most importantly, fellow human.
She closes with an impactful poem which encourages each audience member to recognize their own life story and to have faith in and on their unique journey. And we, an audience of some 500+ people, closed by thanking and congratulating her with a standing ovation.
SHE HOLDS YOU CAPTIVATED IN HER PALM.. (Dr Maya ANGELOU!). By (me!) Sandra, tvgp
K, so.. You know I have been trying to meet her, close up and personal my whole life it feels like..and 3 or 4 times, the same thing happened.. I write a letter I hope to hand to her.. I bring a book I hope to have signed.. And a camera for the picture I hope to have: Dr Maya Angelou and me! and every time the same thing happens.. I show up.. See her in the distance.. Listen in awe to her every word.. Laugh, smile, cry, smile... Look to whoever is on my left, or write, in front or in back of me.. "can you even stand how wonderful she is? How does she do that? Make everyone feel so valuable, like it's ok to be the human we are.." and that absolutely incomparable combination of voice, presence, content.. It is a deep down inside kind of pleasure to read her books.. but she must also be SEEN! And ... "everything around her is a silver pool of light.. People who surround her feel the benefit of it... It makes you calm. -She holds you captivated in her palm". <----- -="" -and="" -glide.="" -in="" -physically-="" -shame="" -something="" -there="" -where="" -wow.="" ...-already="" ...="" 125="" 50="" 75="" a="" about="" after="" all="" along="" am="" amazing="" an="" and="" angelou="" angelous="" another..="" aquarian="" around="" art="" as="" ask="" at="" attending="" author="" away="" back="" balcony="" be.="" be="" beautiful="" beauty="" before="" better="" black="" blues="" breath="" bridge..="" bridge="" but="" by="" came="" can="" car="" cecil="" celebration="" center="" chocolate="" christian="" christians..="" class="separator" clear="" co-founder="" come="" coolest="" countless="" cracked="" cracks...="" day="" december="" dedicate="" did="" div="" do="" does.="" dont="" dr="" dressed="" drove="" each="" enter="" entire="" equally="" etc..="" even="" event="" everyday="" extra="" far="" favorite="" february="" feeling="" firehouse="" for="" forgiveness...="" francisco..="" francisco="" from="" front="" get="" giant="" give.="" glide.org...="" glide="" gorgeous="" got="" grout="" hand="" handsome="" hate="" have="" hear..="" hear="" heard="" heart="" help="" her="" herself..="" hey="" his="" history="" honor="" hoping="" hour="" house="" how="" humanitarians:="" humility="" humor="" i="" identify="" in="" inspiring="" is="" isn="" it="" janice="" jessica="" jesus="" joy="" just="" k.t.="" kissin="" know="" knowledge="" late..="" late="" learning.="" learning="" legacy="" legends="" let="" like="" lines..="" list="" listening="" live....="" live="" lives="" living="" looked="" looking="" lost="" love..="" lyrics="" m="" magic="" married="" martin="" may="" maya="" me..="" me="" means="" meant="" meet="" member="" mirikitani="" month="" mosaic..="" motivations="" movie="" my="" n.="" next="" night..="" not="" now="" of="" oh="" on="" one="" open="" opera="" other="" our="" over="" p="" painful="" part..="" part="" people..="" people="" performance:="" performer="" physically="" poet="" power="" practicing..="" presence..="" presentation..="" presidents="" pretty="" pride="" prince..="" prince="" proposed="" pure..="" putting="" quickly="" rare="" re-introduced="" re="" really="" recognize="" remarkable="" reverend="" robin="" running="" s="" safe="" safely="" said="" san="" saved="" say="" says="" screens="" seat="" seats..="" seats="" secure="" see="" senior="" she="" sister="" skipping="" slash="" smile..="" snuggled="" so="" sometimes="" song="" spectacularly="" spirit-="" spirit....="" spirit...="" spirit..="" spirit="" spoke="" spread="" stage..="" still..="" still="" stories="" style..="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;" such="" suddenly="" sung="" sure="" t="" taking="" testimony="" than="" thank="" that="" the="" their="" themselves="" then="" there...="" there..="" there="" these="" they="" thing..="" thing="" things="" think="" this="" those="" though="" time="" to="" together="" too="" top="" touched="" transform..="" travel...="" troubled="" truly="" tunstall...="" up="" us="" valentine="" ve="" waaay="" wait="" wanna="" was..="" was="" wasn="" water...="" way="" we="" website:="" well="" were.="" were="" what="" where="" who="" wider="" wife="" williams="" with="" witnessing="" wonderful="" words..="" words="" work="" worst="" write..="" write="" wrong="" yeah...="" yeah="" year="" years...="" years..="" years="" yes="" yet="" you...="" you="">
#firehouseartcenter
The Micro & Macro's of Escaping to Freedom by (me!) sandra, tvgp
The macro example would be what took place here, in US, -the slavery and oppression and violence toward blacks; followed by the civil rights .. and while not entirely accomplished for sure; to see President Barack Obama.. we have a pattern:
The macro example would be women... -allowed to vote?! -how did that happen?
The macro example would be gays and lesbians... allowed to marry?! -how did that happen?
the oppression
the uprising/the war
the breakthrough..
victory.
and this pattern has repeated itself throughout history, and over all time, and all over the globe; and it is taking place write now; and it will continue..
on a micro level: we have domestic violence; and the same pattern
write inside the house of one American family, we have the exact same pattern as is, and has, and will take place with large populations across the globe.
you have the abuser/the oppressor, who creates an environment of fear; and controls and oppresses with both psychological/emotional manipulation and physical abuse.. threats verbalized, and threats implied, and threats followed through on...
at some point, -and as this is not a natural way to live and -if I may borrow here, from popular Christian speak: it is out of alignment with what God desires..
for the seculars: it is out of alignment with how any human being should or desires to live.
at some point, the oppressed spouse, makes a decision to escape.
if I may borrow here from Malcolm Gladwell, -
the tipping point when it comes to the victim of a domestically abusive relationship
is when he or she is willing to
risk their very life in order to get out.
the tipping point is when, no matter what.. no matter how risky.. no matter how hard financially..
no matter what it cost..
the victim will escape; break free...
some people stay stuck their entire lives. some people take the risk, and pay the highest price; and some people successfully break free..
but the common denominator for those who escape, is that living free of the abuse is the only thing that makes life itself worth living.
now,
domestic violence takes place in households where there are two people of the same race.. -so fill in the variable anyway you wish: in exclusively black homes; in exclusively white homes; in exclusively latino homes.. and in mixed marriages; mixed households.. and it is taking place all across the globe,
because it is A PATTERN of behavior... not exclusive to any one race.. one time, or one place...
it is a content of character issue, and not skin color issue
the oppressor/controller
the victim(s)
the tipping point
the price
freedom
victory
again, again, again, ad nauseum.
it seems to me in theory, and in my imagination, that we certainly by now have enough examples that we should be able to
1. identify more quickly the problem
2. reduce the amount of time in the oppressed/controlled circumstance
3. expedite freedom
and you know my dream of dreams is... the root of the oppressive/controlling/violent character..
find it. pull it out by...
and I will re-mention here, slavery has not been abolished; it is alive and well under a new name; human trafficking.
and then I will just close with mentioning one of my favorite bumper stickers I see on the cars of people in the military service, or the loved ones of..
freedom is not free.
-it must be fought for... and once fought for
protected. it is the job that never ends... and is always worth fighting for...
in God's one free nation at a time name, amen!
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