If there is one place where love shows itself, it is at a hospital. I smile so often as I walk the halls, watching two future parents walking up and down the hallways--
soon to be mom so very, very obviously pregnant...soon to be dad so very, very lovingly attentive) slowly, oh so slowly and caringly walking those hallways.
The nurses and the doctors are so gentle... asking questions--- are you sleeping ok, are you eating enough, do you need some water-- checking monitors and various tubes, listening to one's heart beat, attentive to lumps and rashes... a caring, compassionate conversation focused on the patient's needs is always going on.
I recall one patient buying flowers for the nurses who were helping him just a few weeks ago. "You are taking such care of me and other people here," he said, "I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your work."
And those couples... patient in bed, spouse sitting next to her/him. Conversations frequently go like this... we have been married twenty, thirty years or more (with the quiet taking of each other's hand, the eyes fixed on the eyes of the other, and the smile. Love, love, love...the greatest gift we can give each other!
I leave my work just a little bit more human and definitely smiling more sincerely after being permitted to be with loving people. Often people will ask me how I am doing.
I know this does not make any literal sense... but here is the best I do so often in responding. I'll say "I am so happy I am thinking about declaring myself to be a national monument." People get me smiling so much and so intensely I begin to imagine myself on a high, high mountain, just looking at folks and beaming warm, precious light from my eyes on them.
What's love got to do with living... (in my humble opinion) EVERYTHING.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
There Is No Magic Pill
The Congress is about to pass this so called Stimulus Act ( or as some are calling it, "The Generational Theft Act" or "Zimbabwe II - the US Version"). It will cost us, when all is said and done, well over one trillion dollars or $1,000,000,000,000. That's a lot of zeros in that number.
Do you think we have that kind of petty cash laying around the old treasury just gathering dust? Do you imagine some vault in the basement of some government building in D.C. with piles of hundred dollar bills just waiting to be spent? Is there some big bank account where all of this is deposited where some mousy, bespectacled clerk anxiously awaits for Mr. Geithner to pop in and make a withdrawal?
The answer is obviously no. We don't have the money laying around in a room or an account somewhere. We will have to borrow it and some of the people we will have to borrow it from are not people we think of as having our best interests at heart.
It would be one thing if all of this money were to be spent upfront, within one year for infrastructure only. That might help a little. The problem is that most of this money does not go for infrastructure and most of what does is scheduled for two or more years out.
We are about to mortgage our grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's future for a plethora of pork! A big part of what got us to this point is the profligate spending by our legislatures and compliant chief executives at every level and party affiliation.
At some point, in the not too distant future, the bill for all of this will come due. The piper will demand his payment and we will have no choice but to raise taxes. The government will have to pay this back and they only have two sources to get the money. The first is from us. The second is just to print more money.
The amount of taxes that will have to be raised to pay this back will cripple America. Any small benefit we might get (and it's not even guaranteed there will even be a benefit) from this bill will quickly evaporate. Taxes for all Americans, not just the mythical rich, will have to be significantly raised to pay the bill. The more money we are forced to pay in taxes is less money we will have for us and our families. The more money that must be paid to service our debt is money that is not available for the social programs many seem to think we need. It also means that as employers are forced to pay more in taxes, there will be less for salaries, hiring, research and development and investment in new facilities. You will have less money to buy a house, buy a car, go on vacation or even pay your electric bill. Your ability to provide more than just necessities will be significantly impaired.
Add to the fact that this bill also sets up more entitlement spending that will also have to be funded, beyond what it will cost to pay back this huge loan, only makes the outlook that much more grim.
The other alternative is to just print more money. Easy enough, but there is a price to pay for that as well. It will cause our money to be even worth less than it is now and the amount of money required would probably propel us into hyper-inflation. For an example of this kind of monetary policy, one need only look to Zimbabwe where it takes trillions and trillions of Zimbabwe Dollars to buy a loaf of bread - if you can find one.
There is no magic pill for the economy and spending hundreds of billions of dollars that we don't have is certainly not going to help us or the economy in any way shape or form. No pork-laden government spending bill will fix this mess.
The bill will come due. The party will be over and the hangover will probably never end. The American dream will be finished.
VW
Do you think we have that kind of petty cash laying around the old treasury just gathering dust? Do you imagine some vault in the basement of some government building in D.C. with piles of hundred dollar bills just waiting to be spent? Is there some big bank account where all of this is deposited where some mousy, bespectacled clerk anxiously awaits for Mr. Geithner to pop in and make a withdrawal?
The answer is obviously no. We don't have the money laying around in a room or an account somewhere. We will have to borrow it and some of the people we will have to borrow it from are not people we think of as having our best interests at heart.
It would be one thing if all of this money were to be spent upfront, within one year for infrastructure only. That might help a little. The problem is that most of this money does not go for infrastructure and most of what does is scheduled for two or more years out.
We are about to mortgage our grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's future for a plethora of pork! A big part of what got us to this point is the profligate spending by our legislatures and compliant chief executives at every level and party affiliation.
At some point, in the not too distant future, the bill for all of this will come due. The piper will demand his payment and we will have no choice but to raise taxes. The government will have to pay this back and they only have two sources to get the money. The first is from us. The second is just to print more money.
The amount of taxes that will have to be raised to pay this back will cripple America. Any small benefit we might get (and it's not even guaranteed there will even be a benefit) from this bill will quickly evaporate. Taxes for all Americans, not just the mythical rich, will have to be significantly raised to pay the bill. The more money we are forced to pay in taxes is less money we will have for us and our families. The more money that must be paid to service our debt is money that is not available for the social programs many seem to think we need. It also means that as employers are forced to pay more in taxes, there will be less for salaries, hiring, research and development and investment in new facilities. You will have less money to buy a house, buy a car, go on vacation or even pay your electric bill. Your ability to provide more than just necessities will be significantly impaired.
Add to the fact that this bill also sets up more entitlement spending that will also have to be funded, beyond what it will cost to pay back this huge loan, only makes the outlook that much more grim.
The other alternative is to just print more money. Easy enough, but there is a price to pay for that as well. It will cause our money to be even worth less than it is now and the amount of money required would probably propel us into hyper-inflation. For an example of this kind of monetary policy, one need only look to Zimbabwe where it takes trillions and trillions of Zimbabwe Dollars to buy a loaf of bread - if you can find one.
There is no magic pill for the economy and spending hundreds of billions of dollars that we don't have is certainly not going to help us or the economy in any way shape or form. No pork-laden government spending bill will fix this mess.
The bill will come due. The party will be over and the hangover will probably never end. The American dream will be finished.
VW
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Fern Hill Economic Recovery Meeting
Every day we see the news: financial institutions and major industries failing, unemployment rising, home foreclosures mounting, banks not lending. We don't have to travel far in this town to witness the stark evidence. Some of my favorite places to shop, like PC Club on 38th, CompUSA, and Circuit City, are all shuttered now. My neighbor has been laid off his job since December and grows more and more discouraged by the day, with his wife out of work as well. The VA's homeless facilities are filled to capacity, and are now resorting to putting veterans back out on the street with nowhere to go. We can't go on much longer like this.
The current administration has a plan to deal with our economic stress. It has been both praised and criticized from both sides of the aisle. But the Obama White House doesn't just want to hear what the politicians have to say about his bill -- he wants to hear from you and me, those who are struggling under the pressure of burdens we never anticipated in better times gone by.
That's why he's asked us to organize community meetings, right here in our own neighborhood, to talk about the stimulus plan and what it means to us personally. You can submit your question beforehand, and maybe it will be featured in the video that's to be distributed and shown at the meetings.
Go to "Organizing for America" to view event background and details, submit your question, and find a neighborhood meeting. We're having one in the Fern Hill area -- please RSVP if you'd like to come!
"The same tide lifts all boats." Let's be the change we've been waiting for!
~~Cheryl
The current administration has a plan to deal with our economic stress. It has been both praised and criticized from both sides of the aisle. But the Obama White House doesn't just want to hear what the politicians have to say about his bill -- he wants to hear from you and me, those who are struggling under the pressure of burdens we never anticipated in better times gone by.
That's why he's asked us to organize community meetings, right here in our own neighborhood, to talk about the stimulus plan and what it means to us personally. You can submit your question beforehand, and maybe it will be featured in the video that's to be distributed and shown at the meetings.
Go to "Organizing for America" to view event background and details, submit your question, and find a neighborhood meeting. We're having one in the Fern Hill area -- please RSVP if you'd like to come!
"The same tide lifts all boats." Let's be the change we've been waiting for!
~~Cheryl
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Memphis in Seattle
In trying to manage our money (and our lives) one area we knew we could cut down on was entertainment, but recently we splurged—if you can call it splurging—and availed ourselves of the discount the 5th Avenue Theater gives to educators and took our daughter to see Memphis. What a wonderful treat that I could consume again and again!This Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (Bon Jovi keyboardist and founding member) musical is loosely based on the life of Memphis DJ Dewy Phillips, one of the first white disc jockeys to play African American or “race” music for his white listeners around the same time that Elvis was being influenced by it. But Memphis is about more than the birth of rock ‘n roll.
This fast paced, energetic musical is about not only the birth of rock ‘n roll, but about the birth of hope and change. It is timely that it is being performed now. I got goose bumps listening to the beautiful voices of a wonderful cast sing about hope and change. Although all original music, it could well have been written in the 1950s. The costumes are accurate and the sets remarkable. It seemed like there were about 30 set changes, but they went so quickly and smoothly that you could have been watching a movie. The miking was perfect so you could actually understand the words the cast was saying and singing.
I cannot say enough good things about this musical and predict that eventually it will be one that high schools will perform with relish. If you can squeeze some live theater out of the budget or are an employee of a school take a trip to Memphis. You won’t be sorry.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Despite doom, gloom and spiraling economy with crayons and paper in hand, President Obama and all of us can draw changes that will transform nation
Above center: Enlargement of smaller sign displayed on a bulletin board included during last year's exhibit entitled "Tacoma's Civil Rights Struggle - African Americans Leading The Way" at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma.
In light of last November's election of Barack Obama, the word change on the smaller chocolate brown sign on the bulletin board in photos that accompany this blog at a recently concluded exhibit at the Washington State History Museum entitled Tacoma's Civil Rights Struggle - African Americans Leading The Way may be viewed a bit differently.
The highly fascinating and relevant aforementioned exhibit which closed in December offered local citizens a chance to look back at the past, become informed and celebrate the kind of faith, hard work and determination in this area and others that paved the way for the elevation of the nation's first president of African-American heritage.
Pre-election, change was a call for something to happen in this case the election of a new president, the adoption of a new outlook and government to go with it all.
Post-election, change can possibly be viewed directly in a more personal and intimate way. Change is now what can we do to help our President, our government and leadership in cities, towns and rural areas around the country particularly in light of each day's passing and review of what seems even more rapid and dramatic changes in the economy some of whose full and possibly overwhelming effects are only beginning to be understood and absorbed as they trickle their way across the land.
Most of us - if asked suddenly, bluntly and off the cuff to contribute a concrete answer into a reporter's microphone in a neatly tied sound bite, may quite honestly have no ready reply in hand. Some of us are good talkers. Some of us are more skilled with the written word.
(As an example on this blog In Your Neighborhood local writers Stephanie Frieze's pieces on economizing within your own family (Being Cents-able, Making Do In Hard Times/Anytime) are a great start, as Joseph McGowan's sentiments (Good Time At The Monarch Hotel) on the value of building a positive mind set model thoughtful written ideas about changes to name just two.)
Yet rather than leave for another umpteenth time the sole responsibility and singular formation of answers to our government, previously identified policy makers, community leaders and others who have made up the vast majority of the writers and talkers allowed to make decisions such as these in our land, it may be increasingly clear that change for the better may truly be dependent upon just "U" and "I".
Furthermore when given crayons, paper and a charge to draw a picture of what this sort of change would look like, even the smallest elementary pupil and a few celebrity animals among us might become equal peers with full-fledged adults should we limited the compositions to stick-figures only.
What if all those who make-up Tacoma or South Puget Sound or Western Washington were asked in mass to take a box of crayons in hand, draw and hand-in just one picture of a change they'd really like to see? And what if all these pictures (or even a sampling) found their way onto the desks and attention spans of those men and women with whom we eventually rely to make and implement the kinds of changes which are required?
In my view putting one's vision of positive change down from a place tucked inside your brain. pulls it outside to air. Your creativity can breathe and enjoy the bright light of day. Committing it to paper and looking at it is like opening every window in a closed house (assuming you still have one) and shouting to your neighbors (assuming they haven't lost their mortgages) and all who come by (assuming any jobs are left to be had ) in a universal language.
At the very least, a request for a crayon drawing from the entire population may launch, encourage or yet discover the regional talent whether young or old who may subsequently travel the same road as modeled by one of my personal favorites, the Seattle Post Intelligencer's brilliant and award-winning artist David Horsey.
Should individuals such as Horsey be uncovered considerably more interesting change will be almost certainly assured if these heretofore unknown individuals should furthermore boldly step - drum roll please, into one of the most essential roles aside from say President Obama that any free progressive, creative and respectable nation has to offer the flexible lycra horizons of a social and political cartoonist!
In light of last November's election of Barack Obama, the word change on the smaller chocolate brown sign on the bulletin board in photos that accompany this blog at a recently concluded exhibit at the Washington State History Museum entitled Tacoma's Civil Rights Struggle - African Americans Leading The Way may be viewed a bit differently.
The highly fascinating and relevant aforementioned exhibit which closed in December offered local citizens a chance to look back at the past, become informed and celebrate the kind of faith, hard work and determination in this area and others that paved the way for the elevation of the nation's first president of African-American heritage.
Below: Photo of full bulletin board display at the civil rights exhibit at Washington State History Museum.
Pre-election, change was a call for something to happen in this case the election of a new president, the adoption of a new outlook and government to go with it all.Post-election, change can possibly be viewed directly in a more personal and intimate way. Change is now what can we do to help our President, our government and leadership in cities, towns and rural areas around the country particularly in light of each day's passing and review of what seems even more rapid and dramatic changes in the economy some of whose full and possibly overwhelming effects are only beginning to be understood and absorbed as they trickle their way across the land.
Most of us - if asked suddenly, bluntly and off the cuff to contribute a concrete answer into a reporter's microphone in a neatly tied sound bite, may quite honestly have no ready reply in hand. Some of us are good talkers. Some of us are more skilled with the written word.
(As an example on this blog In Your Neighborhood local writers Stephanie Frieze's pieces on economizing within your own family (Being Cents-able, Making Do In Hard Times/Anytime) are a great start, as Joseph McGowan's sentiments (Good Time At The Monarch Hotel) on the value of building a positive mind set model thoughtful written ideas about changes to name just two.)
Yet rather than leave for another umpteenth time the sole responsibility and singular formation of answers to our government, previously identified policy makers, community leaders and others who have made up the vast majority of the writers and talkers allowed to make decisions such as these in our land, it may be increasingly clear that change for the better may truly be dependent upon just "U" and "I".
Furthermore when given crayons, paper and a charge to draw a picture of what this sort of change would look like, even the smallest elementary pupil and a few celebrity animals among us might become equal peers with full-fledged adults should we limited the compositions to stick-figures only.
What if all those who make-up Tacoma or South Puget Sound or Western Washington were asked in mass to take a box of crayons in hand, draw and hand-in just one picture of a change they'd really like to see? And what if all these pictures (or even a sampling) found their way onto the desks and attention spans of those men and women with whom we eventually rely to make and implement the kinds of changes which are required?
In my view putting one's vision of positive change down from a place tucked inside your brain. pulls it outside to air. Your creativity can breathe and enjoy the bright light of day. Committing it to paper and looking at it is like opening every window in a closed house (assuming you still have one) and shouting to your neighbors (assuming they haven't lost their mortgages) and all who come by (assuming any jobs are left to be had ) in a universal language.
At the very least, a request for a crayon drawing from the entire population may launch, encourage or yet discover the regional talent whether young or old who may subsequently travel the same road as modeled by one of my personal favorites, the Seattle Post Intelligencer's brilliant and award-winning artist David Horsey.
Should individuals such as Horsey be uncovered considerably more interesting change will be almost certainly assured if these heretofore unknown individuals should furthermore boldly step - drum roll please, into one of the most essential roles aside from say President Obama that any free progressive, creative and respectable nation has to offer the flexible lycra horizons of a social and political cartoonist!
Good Timing At The Monarch Hotel
Just got back last night from Portland, Oregon. Learned a lot---how to accept myself more, how to focus on my strengths and weaknesses more clearly, how to let people share themselves with me and how to share myself with others with more depth, how to just have a whole lot of fun. 
It could get chilly at night, warmed up some during the day, and, in this picture, you can see how the wonderful mountains are starting to dry out, just a little bit, we hope...
This was a "get down time." The presenters, Gil and Rose Apodaca, from Beaumonth California, and Fr. Tom Griffith, Divine Word Priest, from Duxbury, Massachusetts (one cool dude, let's give a shout out for cool Catholic priests!"
In this picture, from the right are the presenters, Father Tom Griffith,SVD, Rose and Gill Apodaca, the coordinators for the program (the hard workers), LaVonne and John Doherty, from Portland, and yours truly (who was a long distance encourager and got in this picture because, first, I look pretty (just telling it like it is), and second, along with the coordinators, I am a member of the executive team for the region...
The theme: well, Marvin Gaye would sum it up this way, "Let's Get It On." Behind the words and movement of that wonderful artist would be affirmation of love, of one's need for touch, affection, understanding, and passion, of the beauty of giving oneself to one's beloved.
And I was so happy to deepen my appreciation of love, affection, passion, and of self-giving. Check out these two, they were witnesses to our deliberations... sitting on the presenters' table and appearing in various locations over the weekend to remind us that the greatest gift we can give to each other is unconditional love.
I enjoyed getting outside and clowning. Some folks who were getting in a smoke before the next section suggested taking a picture of me in front of the recycling bin would be instructive.
Were they focusing on various possible metaphors... (and I added the swagger and moves of a rapper to make the metaphors melt)... a.. this brother is getting too old and plump and needs to be recycled; b... this brother is crazy, be careful... c. this brother is running for governor of Illinois, RUN AWAY!
Well, my brother (by love community, not by birth, ok...or am I belaboring the obvious) got me on videotape. I have left out his name and phone number to protect the silly.
I really enjoyed this enrichment... and I had a great time... thanks John and LaVonne and Gil and Rose and Fr. Tom... you are making a real difference in my life
Check out the music and the folks coming in before one of the presentations... cool, cool people!!!
It could get chilly at night, warmed up some during the day, and, in this picture, you can see how the wonderful mountains are starting to dry out, just a little bit, we hope...This was a "get down time." The presenters, Gil and Rose Apodaca, from Beaumonth California, and Fr. Tom Griffith, Divine Word Priest, from Duxbury, Massachusetts (one cool dude, let's give a shout out for cool Catholic priests!"
In this picture, from the right are the presenters, Father Tom Griffith,SVD, Rose and Gill Apodaca, the coordinators for the program (the hard workers), LaVonne and John Doherty, from Portland, and yours truly (who was a long distance encourager and got in this picture because, first, I look pretty (just telling it like it is), and second, along with the coordinators, I am a member of the executive team for the region...
The theme: well, Marvin Gaye would sum it up this way, "Let's Get It On." Behind the words and movement of that wonderful artist would be affirmation of love, of one's need for touch, affection, understanding, and passion, of the beauty of giving oneself to one's beloved.
And I was so happy to deepen my appreciation of love, affection, passion, and of self-giving. Check out these two, they were witnesses to our deliberations... sitting on the presenters' table and appearing in various locations over the weekend to remind us that the greatest gift we can give to each other is unconditional love. I enjoyed getting outside and clowning. Some folks who were getting in a smoke before the next section suggested taking a picture of me in front of the recycling bin would be instructive.
Were they focusing on various possible metaphors... (and I added the swagger and moves of a rapper to make the metaphors melt)... a.. this brother is getting too old and plump and needs to be recycled; b... this brother is crazy, be careful... c. this brother is running for governor of Illinois, RUN AWAY!Well, my brother (by love community, not by birth, ok...or am I belaboring the obvious) got me on videotape. I have left out his name and phone number to protect the silly.
I really enjoyed this enrichment... and I had a great time... thanks John and LaVonne and Gil and Rose and Fr. Tom... you are making a real difference in my life
Check out the music and the folks coming in before one of the presentations... cool, cool people!!!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
South Sound, In Your FACE!
Well, in your Facebook that is!
And hey, with Facebook I resisted. I really did. I shall NOT do Facebook, I shall NOT do Facebook, I shall NOT do Facebook.
So, I joined.
And I love it. It's fun. It's easy. It's FREE. It's a quick way to keep in touch with friends and find old friends. However, one thing it can do is promote our lovely local businesses, causes, people, and places. Here's how.
You can search or have pop up Facebook groups to join or to become a "fan" of a certain entity, person, or place. For me personally, I have become a "fan" of Tacoma's fab, "The Hub" restaurant and Point Defiance Park. I joined a Tacoma lovers group, the Tacoma Vegetarians group, and a Wilson Rams Alumni group. I supported causes for Tacoma schools. All online, Facebook style. Easy. FREE. And you can see other names and/or profiles of other South Sound locals who dig the same groovy things you do! And you can easily click on these groups you've joined and get the latest and greatest information. And if you really ambitious, you can start your own thing. It's just a click away. What's even better is that my friends see all of my local ties on Facebook and they go check 'em out too. It's a wonderful way to highlight our community.
Readers, Bloggers, check out Facebook if you are so inclined. And, as an added bonus, I'd love your help brainstorming other local ties, passions, causes, places, and people that I could highlight using this medium.
Have fun and let your imagination soar!
Peace,
Kim
And hey, with Facebook I resisted. I really did. I shall NOT do Facebook, I shall NOT do Facebook, I shall NOT do Facebook.
So, I joined.
And I love it. It's fun. It's easy. It's FREE. It's a quick way to keep in touch with friends and find old friends. However, one thing it can do is promote our lovely local businesses, causes, people, and places. Here's how.
You can search or have pop up Facebook groups to join or to become a "fan" of a certain entity, person, or place. For me personally, I have become a "fan" of Tacoma's fab, "The Hub" restaurant and Point Defiance Park. I joined a Tacoma lovers group, the Tacoma Vegetarians group, and a Wilson Rams Alumni group. I supported causes for Tacoma schools. All online, Facebook style. Easy. FREE. And you can see other names and/or profiles of other South Sound locals who dig the same groovy things you do! And you can easily click on these groups you've joined and get the latest and greatest information. And if you really ambitious, you can start your own thing. It's just a click away. What's even better is that my friends see all of my local ties on Facebook and they go check 'em out too. It's a wonderful way to highlight our community.
Readers, Bloggers, check out Facebook if you are so inclined. And, as an added bonus, I'd love your help brainstorming other local ties, passions, causes, places, and people that I could highlight using this medium.
Have fun and let your imagination soar!
Peace,
Kim
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