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“There’s no place like home.”

–Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz

 I love Buffalo and Western New York.  It has been my home for all but seven years of my life.  So I find the escalation of violence in this community both painful and disconcerting. 

As one who lives in the rural end of town, I can’t imagine the sense of fear that permeates the neighborhoods of Buffalo these days.  Every time I see photographs of the hole in the dirt floor where Sr. Karen’s body was stuffed, I feel physically ill.  How could such a terrible end come to such a remarkable woman?  How could one human being destroy another like that?

I understand that drugs are a powerful and destructive force in our community.  Their power is self evident in the death of Sr. Karen.  What I don’t know is how we as a community fight against such devastating forces and take back our community.  How do you fight against such a power?  Legislation has no effect.  Police force only stems the flow.  Legalization?  I think not.  Education seems to help, but doesn’t seem to be able to sustain the true addicts.

So is it that violent and senseless acts that startle and unsettle an entire community are the only means of making all of us become aware and take action? 

I did not know of Sr. Karen and her amazing work before her death.  And how sad that it took her death for that connection to happen. But in her memory I will do what I can to help foster the peace in our community that she so treasured and promoted. 

 

The Real Dirt….

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”

—Margaret Atwood, Canadian author

This week after work, my plan is to get the yard in order and the garden beds cleared out.  Considering there’s about an acre of landscaped area around my house, that’s a pretty big task.  But I love being outside and I love working in the garden. 

And like Margaret Atwood, I love smelling like dirt at the end of a spring day.

 

 

I Wanna Be Ignorant

“I wanna go back again.

When kids believed in Superman.

And AIDS was just a diet plan.

Oh life was so much simplier then.

I wanna be ignorant.

I wanna love my government.

I wanna know what Jesus meant

When he said to love your fellow man.

I wanna be ignorant.” 

–Tom Stahl, WNY singer/songwriter

If you are unfamiliar with Tom Stahl he is a Western New York gem often over shadowed by his big sister, Mary Stahl, the classic balladeer.

Tom is a master of words and music, and he gives it up everytime he performs.  I really admire him and his wife Lou.

I Wanna Be Ignorant is such a perfect song when life just becomes so nasty and overwhelming to the point that it seems that nothing good can happen.

I admire Tom and I rely on his music in those times when   there’s no postive place to go.

Like that old saying….sometimes ignorance is bliss.

And How Was Your Week?

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

-Friedrich Nietzsche, German Philosopher

 It’s been over a week  since I’ve written any posts. 

In that time, I’ve come to realize the true significance of Nietzsche’s quote considering life in my little corner of the world has included: 

1) gaining, losing and re-gaining an employment opportunity that I was offered and virtually guaranteed.

2) A 4-day trip to my son’s house in Charlotte, North Carolina where I worked my butt off from 7am to 11pm or later everyday cleaning, scrubbing, fixing, and repairing to help ready his house for sale,

3) A phone call from an emergency room nurse in St. Petersburg, Florida where my father lives.

The nurse explained that my father had suffered a bleed in his brain that caused him to loose  his ability to speak. 

As a result he had to be hospitalized and a number of life decisions needed to be made for him. 

Here’s the bonus….I’m his only family, and I haven’t seen him more that 5 days in the last 15 years since he simply walked out of my life.

The good news?  I’m still kickin’… and I’m definitely stronger…

 

 

The crashing end to a dream

“I always dreamed of winning a gold medal.  But through the process I have learned that it’s not only about winning the gold.  It’s about the experience and the honor.”

–Michelle Kwan, U.S. and World Champion figure skater

 Yesterday when I heard reports of Kwan struggling to execute the more rigorous sections of her Olympic skating routine, I was frustrated. 

She skated into this year’s Olympics on a “medical waver” free pass, due to a a groin injury that kept her from competing to make the team.

Further, I wondered how Emily Hughes felt sitting at home after losing her spot on the team following Kwan’s somewhat controversial inclusion.

So I was surprised, saddened and elated all at once when I caught Kwan’s early morning press conference during which she withdrew from the Olympics in order to give Hughes time to travel to Turin and prepare to compete.

Kwan appeared pale and drawn at the media event and spoke quietly with little emotion.  Almost as if she had nothing left inside of her.

That is until a reporter with more balls than brains asked how it felt to know that she wasn’t going to achieve her life long dream?

It was at that moment that Kwan allowed tears to surface as she spoke the above quote.

Then almost immediately, she brought herself back under control and offered her best wishes to Hughes.

It was one of the classiest moments I have ever witnessed at the Olympics and in sports generally.

I hope that everyone surrounding Michelle Kwan can somehow assure her that gold medal or not, she is truly a champion of the highest caliber.

A smile to start your day

“Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.”—–Faith Whittlesey, career government employee and diplomat.

Great WOW! Quote

I have no regrets. I wouldn’t have lived my life the way I did if I was going to worry about what people were going to say. —-Ingrid Bergman, actress.

I love this quote…..gives you added strength to follow your own path, even when others throw up roadblocks and detours.

Give ‘em hell, honey!