 Image @ creativechaosandartsyfartsystuff.blogspot.com "When words fail, music speaks." --author Unknown In honor of the 4th Annual John Coletrane International Jazz and Blues Festival going on this weekend at High Point Lake in North Carolina, I'm dedicating this blog article to my newest music obsession, the smoky, steamy emotion-ripping Blues. It's only been about three years since I stuck my toes in the waters of the genre, and since then I'm obsessed with staying drenched in the music! When I listen to the impassioned sounds, the moving lyrics, I can feel my soul clench and my skin tingle. There are so many Blues greats, past and present, that I've barely scratched the surface in learning about them, but I've got time to savor every new bite, as this love affair is going to last a long time. Have a safe and decadent weekend and I hope to see you at the festival for some incredible live tunes! Come get yer Blues boogie ON! Lyrics from Some of my Favs in my "Everything Blues" Ipod Playlist: "Do you know what it means to walk alone? And what it means to be, be by yourself? Do you know what it means when there's no good news? Then you know the meaning of the blues." --The Meaning of the Blues by Joe Bonamassa (*This one reminds me so much of all the times I spent alone while my husband was deployed.) "Look upon the mountain, waiting on the train. Baby, I know it was wrong and still happened again. Waiting on my destiny, learning from my abilities. Who was wrong and who was right and do we even know why we're fighting? So take your eyes off of me and look upon the churning sea." --Driving Towards the Daylight by Joe Bonamassa (*This one makes my heart ache while I think about choices I've made in my life and if they were right or wrong.) "The gates of Heaven must be open. I think I saw an angel just walk by. Hey, the gates of Heaven must be open. I think I saw an angel just walk by. I heard a blind man screamin', say now there goes a sight for my sore eyes. There goes a sight for my sore eyes. What kind of woman is this?" --What Kind of Woman is This by Buddy Guy (*This one makes me burst into spontaneous dancing! No, seriously! Every single time!) "Needles in my heart, spell on my mind. Your powerful potion gets me every time. I toss and turn. I can't sleep at night. Your kiss burns, through my dreams. Here it comes again. I don't stand a chance. Soul possession got me in a trance. Pullin' me back, back to you. Deja VooDoo." --Deja VooDoo by Kenny Wayne Shephard (*We all have that ONE...you know that one who got away but if he or she showed up, you'd be caught all over again.) "I dig my fingertips into your back, till the pictures break and the floorboards crack. Oh, my tongue is a silver key, swimmin' deep in a sinner's sea. Come on, come on, come on...lay me down on sheets of cotton, whoa, whoa. You make me feel like I could fly, whoa, whoa. Headlights on the bed cause we ain't stoppin', whoa, whoa. If you forgot I'll tell you why, cause Charlie ain't home." --Charlie Ain't Home by ZZ Ward (*This one doesn't need a side note. WHEW! Mercy sakes! Is it hot in here?) 
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 Jack, Unimpressed by my Temper Yesterday I was taking our puppy, Jack, out for a walk like I do a dozen times a day, and I let him go without a leash. I had a bag of treats in my hand (bunny flavored, he loves bunnies even though he can never catch one), and on most days bribing him to come back with a treat is a safe bet, but not yesterday. Oh, no! He decided that he just had to do his constitutional in the field across the street, so off he scampered, completely ignoring my increasingly louder calls for him and my bag of treats. I finally caught up to him while he was mid-pucker and lugged his fat, fluffy self back home. In the process, I lost my cellphone and boy did my internal dialogue go ballistic (i.e. there was a whole lot of swearing in my mind)! After plopping him back inside, I went in search of my phone, all the while my head full of expletives regarding one very annoying pooch!
Finally, after an hour of scouring through deep, thick weeds, and calling myself a hundred times using the house phone, I found the little red-cased bugger (..and why is it that when you want your phone to ring loud, it doesn't and when you want it to be quiet, it's ridiculously loud???)! I walked home and sat on the bottom step of the deck, cursing the dog, cursing myself for cursing the dog, and crying with equal parts relief and shame. This is how my husband found me when he got home from work. "What's wrong? What happened?" he wanted to know, his face registering concern at my obvious distress. "I am a horrible person," I cried. He shook his head at me. "Why is that?" he wanted to know. "Because I love my phone more than I love our dog!" I sobbed. "He ran away today and when I caught him I lost my phone and all I could think about what how the phone was more valuable to me than the dog! See? That's horrible!" He chuckled gently and asked, "Really? What did you do first, look for the phone or see to Jack's safety?" I sighed. I really hate it when he does that! "Whatever," I said and sucked back the last of my tears. Later, I was thinking about whether or not I'd truly become a slave to technology (or just a horrible person for getting angry at Jack), when I realized it wasn't the phone at all that I was freaked out about. It was all of the people in my life whom I value that it connects me with. I panicked at the thought of severing that connection (which is leftover baggage from a lifetime of feeling unwanted and needing to be worthy). In truth, I know that those connections are strong, deep, tight (although in a moment of crisis, old wounds say otherwise in my head). I know that those connections have absolutely nothing to do with the phone and if I didn't have the phone any longer, I'd find other ways to nurture those bonds that are so very precious to me. I have forgiven Jack for sending me into a tizzy and I've forgiven my Irish ancestors who are responsible for my sometimes hot temper! I am also eternally grateful for those in my life who love me in spite of said temper and who are patient with me, willingly talking me down from the ledge. Note to self: take the dog out on a leash from now on and leave the phone in the house!  Image @ cartoonstock.com "Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does." --author Unknown A lot of people I know don't like to talk about politics or religion with others and if you've spent any amount of time watching the news or partaking in various forms of social media, it's easy to understand why...these two topics are a crazy, volatile, hotbed of a mess! It's also easy to find those on one side or another standing on a soapbox and loudly bashing others for "bad choices", "religious violence" "hypocrisy", etc., while blaming anyone and everyone for the choices of a select few. I think most people who are inclined to jump on a "bashing bandwagon" do so because they are frustrated and feel helpless in regards to finding a real solution to various problems (although I realize that some people are just mean). It's much easier to sit on the sidelines and blame others for, well, any number of things, verses standing up and doing something actually useful (and it's NOT always easy to know what that useful something might be). So, in the spirit of doing something useful, I'm going to use my own voice to share a few of my recent personal experiences along these topical lines, in hopes that I'm not alone in how I feel about them. A couple of mornings ago, I was scrolling through my Facebook News Feed and reading various posts of friends and family (which I do daily, mostly in an attempt to keep track of my girls, while also following important things going on in various friends' lives who are far away). I came across a rant session by one of my friends, who was going on about how "stupid" anyone who voted for President Obama was, and that "people like them" were the ones responsible for the current "nosedive of America". "Hmmmmmm," I thought. "Guess that would be me." I am a registered Democrat, which actually means absolutely nothing to me in the grand scheme of things, as it has zero bearing on how I vote in regards to anything or anyone. I also am one of those people whom he was referring to that voted for President Obama, both times. Do I think he's done a "bang-up job" as President? I do not. Is that my fault for voting for him? No fricken way! I will NOT be held responsible for the decisions others make and this includes the President, members of Congress, or anyone else! I made a choice to exercise my right to vote (and those choices were certainly limited, a fact I have an issue with but is an entirely different topic). The person I "chose" has made a right big ol' mess, in my opinion, but he didn't make that all by himself and there are plenty of FUBAR'd decisions made by ALL parties and more than enough blame to go around. I, however, am not responsible for his actions, anyone's actions but my own! Period. So, as I continued to read the news feed, it didn't take long for me to find another "bash" session, this one about those of the Muslim faith and how the speaker thought it was obvious that they were carrying out a sinister plot to destroy the world (based on recent events by the ISIS extremist group in Syria and Iraq). To blame an entire faith for the actions of an extremist few makes about as much sense as blaming ALL of womankind for the sins of Eve (and I have to shake my head here because there are people out there who do just that)! From a historical standpoint, NONE of the major religions on earth is blameless for the irrational, violent, extremist behavior done in the name of their religion. All of them have a fair amount of blood on their hands. Does that mean that all persons connected with those faiths are equally to blame? Absolutely not! Does it mean that religion itself is inherently evil? Again, NO way! Perhaps a better (and more accurate approach) would be to hold everyone (myself included) accountable for the things they do instead of their affiliation. Perhaps we should practice tolerance for those who don't think like us, kindness for our "fellow man", and hold those responsible for the "bad things" happening in the world, on every level, truly accountable. And perhaps we should CREATE the world we wish to live in, instead of complaining about the one we've got.  Image @ iarchos.wordpress.com 
Image @ printcopia.com
Core Commotion
by Amy M. Schaefer I feel the turbulence, as my heart pounds and my head floods with a thousand images. Emotions I cannot name, do not understand bang like debris against my insides. "Breathe," I tell myself. "Focus on, air in, air out," but it's too late And all I can do is hang on while the storm has its way with me. I grip the deck rail tightly, though I know it won't help Because the winds pounding me are from within, so holding on to something in the fleshy world is useless. Closing my eyes, I focus on the sun I can feel softly warming my skin, The tinkling chorus of wind-chimes blowing nearby in the late summer breeze, And the rich smells of earth and flowers nearby. "Breathe in. Breathe out." Minutes pass but it feels like hours before finally The emotions suddenly are arrested, frozen in place, then they burst apart And their particles settle like quiet snowflakes, melting into whatever they touch. My skin prickles from the latent adrenaline rush residual, but my heartbeat slows to normal, balance restored. Tears dampen my cheeks. I lift my face, allowing the sun to claim what is left of the storm. "Okay," I whisper into the breeze. "It's going to be okay." I keep moving forward. (Note: Sometimes words come to me just like this poem, in some wild, living moment where they force their way into being just by how persistently they bang on my brain and demand that I free them! Maybe that's the way it is for all people of a creative nature, manifested in a myriad of venues!)  Image @ lesptitsmobiles.com "Books are lighthouses erected in the great sea of time." --E.P. Whipple I am always caught off guard with the flood of emotions a great book rips from me when I dive headlong into one. I don't know why I am because it happens every time and I've read hundreds of books, but when I'm immersed in a good one I don't want to eat or pee or sleep or stop to answer the phone. I just want to stay in the story, savoring every single sensation of the journey and it is always with a pang of regret that I devour the final page. If you are an avid reader, I know you understand this sentiment exactly. And if you're not, I strongly encourage you to find books that make you feel this way. Why? Because the residual of these feelings provide an electric charge for an otherwise ordinary, everyday life. What pulls me in the most is a story that resonates with my own personal experiences, appeals to me on multiple levels, like stoking my sense of adventure and inspiring my Hope for what could be. It is also a perfect way for me to put my life down for awhile and shut off any and all worries, escaping to some wondrous place other than "here". Today I spent seven hours (from start to finish) locked in the grip of such a book. I went on a fantastical and passionate adventure with characters bearing traits of various people I know from my everyday life. Some would consider my Monday wasted for allowing my time to be spent on such a frivolous endeavor. But for me, I laughed, I cried, I smiled and was angry. I remembered what wild love feels like, as well as brutal pain, and in the end got to savor a happy ending like a decadent dessert! If those things aren't the spice of life, I can't imagine what is, so I say, "I'll have another, please, and make mine extra sweet and spicy!" 
Image @ popreflection.wordpress.com
 Image @ imgarcade.com While the heat of summer still hangs heavy in the air (at least here in North Carolina), the back to school buzz has finally arrived! Students are gearing up to see their friends and get back to a normal academic routine, parents are emptying their wallets as they provide a new year's worth of school supplies, and educators, administrators, and school support staff have prepped and spit-polished various institutions of learning! With all of the school related topics floating around this time of year, one in particular caught my eye. A cousin of mine wanted people's thoughts about whether or not our middle and high schools here in the United States are too stressed, facing demands that are too rigorous, and just too over-loaded. As a mother and educator of nine years, my initial reaction to this was that we are not demanding enough of our students if we want them to be independent and successful, but as an academic, I wanted something more concrete than just my own opinion, so I began digging. One of the things I like about the book Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Educational Issues, Sixteenth Edition is that the collection of essays examines multiple points of view in regards to modern issues in our schools. An essay by Marc Tucker provides a global context for education needs. He believes that global competition should greatly influence school reform and here's why. A Clear and Present Danger Given the dynamics of global competition, the need for highly skilled U.S. graduates is becoming more pressing. For one thing, people in other countries are becoming more educated. In 1969, the United States led the world in the percentage of working-age adults who had completed high school (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development [OECD], 2006a). This is no longer the case. Also, 30 years ago, U.S. students accounted for 30 percent of the world's population of college students. That percentage has now plunged to 14 percent and continues to fall (OECD, 2006b)...how can the United States ensure that its workers continue to command high wages and maintain their standard of living? We can do so only by meeting two criteria: We must match the best academic performance in the world and, at the same time, offer the most creative and innovative workers. (pp.66-67) Tucker goes on to suggest that while many programs have been tried in order to improve our schools (with failing or sporadic results), one thing we haven't tried is to overhaul our education system entirely. A complete overhaul of the entire U.S. education system would be a political nightmare, but the need to do so seems imminent if we're to truly help our youth. From the extensive research I've read, I believe it can be done, but it requires all levels working together for the mutual benefit of a strong youth (and I don't believe this applies strictly to American students). In order to help our children manage stress, we must provide them with a strong support system that is loving, nurturing, and effective. Such is a system is sorely lacking in the world. One of my college professors, Dr. Mengesha, once told our class that in certain parts of Africa the standard greeting for people instead of, "Hi. How are you?" was "How are your children?" It is a question we should be asking ourselves daily, and not just about our own children, but about them all! Think of what we could do if we were to have a global paradigm shift towards that mentality. The possibilities are, quite literally, endless! Note: To all students, parents and education staff "out there, everywhere", have a safe, magical wondrous school year filled with learning!  Image @ QuoteKo.com  Image from liz-green.com "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples." --Mother Teresa What constitutes a strong society? When I use the term "strong", I don't mean physical might, instead implying stable, happy, balanced and prosperous. All of these things most often grow out of a society that has their basic needs met, solid family units/values/support, and access to education, as well as job opportunities. Family values is a political buzz phrase that I hesitate to use here even though it's applicable, because it has become completely watered down by politicians who schmooze their way into whatever office they're running for (and no, I don't believe all politicians are bad, but there's certainly no shortage of ones driven by greed and/or self-interest). So, how would my city of the future address these issues and promote a strong citizen base? I'd begin with the foundation...family. No government can legislate values, nor should it, but what they can do is provide a safe, fair, stable environment for its citizens to flourish. This involves allowing freedom for people to live, love, and learn, while lending support to those in crisis. It also includes a place where there's a climate of hope for a better future. There are places around the world, including here in the United States that attempt to do this, but you need only watch the news to see that we are still failing to care for our people. Many families worldwide are living at or below poverty level and for them just living one day to the next is a huge challenge. We have to do better. We have to have programs that are actually useful and work. And while it may sound as if I'm promoting a world with a socialist agenda, the truth is my city would take a Humanism approach. Humanism here is defined as a "progressive philosophy of life...that affirms our ability and responsibility to lead ethical lives of personal fulfillment that aspire to the greater good of humanity" (...from the AHA pamphlet, and found at www.humanistsofutah.org/what.html). While I do not agree with all facets of the dogma contained in the American Humanism Association, like all other philosophical schools of thought, I believe the "truth" is a bit of this, and a dab of that in terms of "rightness". Another part of the Humanism philosophy that I firmly believe is "...in a morality that holds its highest goals: happiness, freedom, and progress for everyone irrespective of nation, race, or religion." If these goals are maintained as the cornerstone of my city's purpose, all choices made to help see them attained, then I believe the climate for those things can be achieved! That's the place I want to live in, grow old in, and belong to. I'd like to think that the possibility of such a place is not as far-fetched as, say, living in a world full of unicorns! 
Image @ www.resourcegraphics.com
 Image @ thebestcolleges.org "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." --Martin Luther King, Jr. I am a political news junkie currently in recovery for my own sanity and peace of mind. Watching the world in such an utter state of disarray while the talking heads analyze, argue, and lie is beyond frustrating! Mostly I see a million ways in which "we", i.e. the human race, get it WRONG and I diligently search for signs of where and how we get things right. It is often extremely difficult to find. But what are the solutions? The answer to this question matters a great deal to me because I whole-heartedly believe if we're not part of the solution, then we're part of the problem. It is with these things in mind that I ponder the government and laws for my "ideal city" and incorporate my own ideas about things I'd like to see change. My city of the future would begin on as firm a foundation as possible, with room to grow and adapt as needed, which is not unlike the United States Constitution, a beautiful and fluid document. City government would involve everyone having a voice in the decisions made, but final decisions would be based solely on the good of the community as a whole (I am not a fan of a "mob rule" mentality but I do think that everyone should have a voice, some just need to be "bigger" than others)! All people of a certain age would be required to work and contribute towards the betterment of the "whole", but this could be in small ways as well as large, i.e. providing child care for those who needed it, creating art projects that offer an aesthetically pleasing environment, or tending to a vegetable garden. Note: Arts, Music, Entertainment, Creativity, etc...these are all also positive contributions to a society. Issues for the government would be handled by groups of experts in the applicable fields, with the "people" allowed to weigh in with valid points (not ALL opinions are valid) and logical arguments before a final decision was made. Also, issues would not be pigeonholed into categories such as gay rights or women's rights, etc. These distinctions would give way to HUMAN rights! The rights to live, love, marry, worship (or not), attend schools, apply for jobs, etc., those are human rights and should be a "given"! These building blocks go hand in hand with laws set in place to guide and protect the people. I could write a list of laws as thick as War and Peace, but for the sake of brevity I'll stick to the ones I think are the most important. Laws of the Future City 1. All citizens have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Life is defined as all basic needs being met (food, water, clean air, clothing, shelter and access to good medical treatment/care as needed). Liberty is defined as the ability to live free without infringement on another human being's freedoms. That in no way negates or excuses the citizens of their personal responsibility to the whole. The pursuit of happiness is defined as the freedom to love, marry (upon reaching the appropriate age of consent), and worship (or not) as they wish, as long as their rights do not infringe upon the rights of others. *Note: No marriage rights will be denied, so long as the parties are of age, consensual and non-coerced. Citizens also have the right to pursue higher education that is of interest and to fairly compete for various jobs and positions within the society. 2. All citizens of he city must work and make positive contributions to the whole unless they are deemed by an appropriate medical diagnosis to be unable to contribute anything in any way towards the greater good. Note: Older citizens of retirement age will be asked to serve on various Boards of Elders to contribute their advice and wisdom according to their interests and ability. 3. All citizens are required to have and be proficient in basic education concepts and then trained towards a job or trade of their aptitude, desire and ability. Note: Parents, students, school administration and educators will be held accountable for all parts of this process. 4. A portion of all revenue generated by all persons and businesses in the city will be taken as taxes for the function, upkeep and growth of the city and those funds disseminated in an open way that can be followed by the people. Persons responsible for the government funds who cannot show use of said funds in a productive manner will be terminated immediately. 5. Citizens who harm or infringe upon the rights of others will serve an appropriate punishment and then be banned from the city. I don't have all the answers about how to make our world better, or even if a city like the one I've been describing could thrive. Mostly, I have a head full of questions, a desire to make a positive mark, and a hope that we can get it right before we destroy ourselves completely. And I do know that if we don't ALL try, that's exactly what will happen to us! What positive contributions do you make to the world?   arcanumdeepsecrets.wordpress.com "Community, Identity, Stability." --from Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, ch.1, pg. 1. Creating an "ideal" world, city, etc. can certainly be a slippery slope, as seen in numerous novels about such places (like the Brave New World envisioned by Mr. Huxley). But if we're going to live in a better world, the first step in that is by imagining what it might look like. I have never been very adept at video games but my husband and daughters are great at them. They used to play one called SIM City, where you plan and build your own city in hopes that it will be successful so that you can "win" the game. So, what is the perfect city? To my mind, it begins by being well thought out, entirely "green", and prosperous (although prosperity is not always defined by using a monetary yardstick). If I were the one responsible for building it, the first thing I'd do is consult a field of experts i.e. engineers, city planners, waste management experts, sociologists, psychologists and builders who are cutting edge with "green" building. I'd want the city center to be the Business District. The next ring out would be devoted to small businesses, condos & apartments and recreational facilities. The final, outer ring would contain homes and communities, i.e. an urban area, as well as a Harbor District. Ideally, beyond this ring would be a river, deep and wide, that almost completely surrounded the city (I know, sounds a bit like a moat, doesn't it? But I was thinking more of the Harbor areas you can find at major cities built butt-up against a large body of water.). All buildings would be built using recycled materials or green materials and 100% powered by clean energy. No personal vehicles would be allowed in the Business District, only emergency vehicles and all who worked in the downtown area would be required to park and walk into their jobs, ride a bike, or ride the light rail for a small yearly fee (that would go towards maintenance). Recreational parks would be dispersed throughout all parts of the city and would include botanical sections, as well as food growing sections (imagine going into a park that contains apple trees and vendors who sell things created with those apples, i.e. a warm apple fritter to eat on your lunch break at work). How is this different from what can be found in cities around the world today? Besides being a completely green environment, this city would be completely self-sustaining and all of its occupants encouraged to invest, not financially, per se, but emotionally, i.e. this is your community to live in, grow in, and care for. And if you're wondering how the city would be completely powered by non-fossil fuel clean energy, I encourage you to read about the innovative ideas that are out there right now, including those of Nikola Tesla nearly a hundred years ago (Why have we sat on THAT all this time????). Not only is it possible for "us" to do much better, but it has been so for a LONG time! What are we waiting for? 
Future City Image @ www.futureforall.org
 Rural Slum Area-- Image @ alexisokeowo@wordpress.com In the year 2014, this is the best we can do? So, the topic around my house yesterday was about the characteristics of the "city of the future". It all began when my husband asked me what I would do with an almost "unlimited" amount of resources and could do anything I wanted with them. It made me think about what I would "change" and/or re-do if I had a complete do-over. What kind of world would I live in? Maybe watching a Doctor Who marathon is what inspired me to think bigger in regards to his question than I might have otherwise, because before I was even sure about my answer, I blurted out, "I'd buy a big chunk of land and build a city of the future!" "That's not what I thought you'd say," he said to me, smiling (it's not easy to catch someone off guard who's known you nearly thirty years). "It's not what I thought I'd say, either, but there it is and it's true. Remember when we took the girls to Disney and went through Tomorrow Land? Why doesn't our world look like that? We certainly have the technology to go even further than what was imagined by ol' Walt years ago, but look at the mess our world is in! How much of our planet's population live in conditions that barely reflect us crawling out of caves? Why is there such a disparity of resources when we have the knowledge to end that a hundred, hell, a thousand times over? We're just screwed out of certain privileges and opportunities because of where we were or weren't born? All you have to do is spend fifteen minutes in a classroom full of children to KNOW that we can, we should be doing so much better! Why aren't we? And what would a 'practically perfect world' look like, anyway? I'd start with a city (although if we're dreaming REALLY big, a colony on another planet...I once gave that very assignment to a group of my students, i.e. Plan the Perfect Colony). I'd create that city with clean energy, where all basic needs are met and opportunities for growth are TRULY equal." That conversation lasted throughout most of the day and ran the gamut of how schools would be set up to the inner workings of the "downtown" area or business district. Imagining a Utopian society is not new and has been kicked around, hashed out by philosophers, scholars, writers, poets, dreamers, and ordinary folk for thousands of years. Ideas about what it might look like are vast and diverse. The blog articles this week will be exploring a more detailed plan for a city of the future! Feel free to chime in with reckless abandon and share your own thoughts, comments and suggestions!  Child Poverty Image @ infowars.com |
About The Author
I grew up in rural North Carolina. When I was only nineteen, I moved away and became a military wife. My only aspiration at that tender time in my life was to create an adult life that "fixed" all of the "injustices" of my childhood. Secretly, however, I wanted to reach for the sky! I wanted to be a writer and find ways to "save the world" (my mother used to say, "You have Save the World Syndrome".). Mostly, I wanted to matter. Archives
August 2021
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