Apparently, It’s Not Too Late to Apologize…

Yesterday, the House adopted that policy when they issued an apology for the African Americans for slavery and for Jim Crow.

Here’s an excerpt of the article that appeared on MSNBC.com:

The House on Tuesday issued an unprecedented apology to black Americans for the wrongs committed against them and their ancestors who suffered under slavery and Jim Crow segregation laws…

Congress has issued apologies before — to Japanese-Americans for their internment during World War II and to native Hawaiians for the overthrow of the Hawaiian kingdom in 1893. In 2005, the Senate apologized for failing to pass anti-lynching laws.

Five states have issued apologies for slavery, but past proposals in Congress have stalled, partly over concerns that an apology would lead to demands for reparations — payment for damages.

There was no mention of reparations, and I think that’s okay, for a number of reasons.  For one, we are all so intertwined, that I can see people being upset when people who aren’t African Americans receive benefits.  Additionally, I’m not so sure what issuing a check would do- other than be a symbolic attempt at what had been previously promised (40 acres and a mule).  Perhaps that’s important; however, I can’t see that being something that fares well in the United States.  I also see that being something that will divide more than unite.

But, as we’ve learned- it’s not too late to apologize.  And I am glad that it’s happened.

What Would You Attempt to Do If You Knew You Could Not Fail?

The title of this post is one of my favorite quotes.  I always use it as an inspiration for my life and as motivation to keep going to accomplish the many dreams that I have.

This quote makes me think of the Randy Pausch- the now famous college professor known for “The Last Lecture”, which has inspired many people across the country and the world.  I bought the book for myself, and it’s one of my favorites.  I gifted it to my mother for Mother’s Day, and she loves it.  I recommended it to a friend, and they gifted it to their mother also.  Seriously, if you haven’t read it, you should.  There’s no hype- it’s really that good.

But really- if you KNEW that failure wasn’t an option- what you attempt to do?  I believe that too many of us are caught up in the fear of failure to even put forth a halfhearted attempt at living our dreams.  Which is, pretty sad.  I also believe that there is something that we are each born to do, that the world is waiting for us to live and accomplish our dreams, so that we can not only inspire others, but leave the world we live in a little better than how it found us.

So- what would you attempt to do?

from God’s perspective

I have a tendency to worry about things that I really can’t control. I think we all do to a certain extent.

Personally I spend a good amount of time concerned with what’s going to happen next; what the next steps will be, how the future will play out. Honestly, I don’t know why, because I really can’t do anything but live my life and let God work out the rest.

Today as my flight was taking off, I was amazed at how much I could see from the air. Literally, I could see from the airport, past my apartment, to the END of Florida. And then it hit me. This is the big picture. This is what God sees.

At some point, our vision leads to the horizon, and we have to trust God for what lies beyond that point until we get there for ourselves. And knowing that God can see the BIG picture, far beyond what we can imagine; it would serve us (especially me) well to trust that He has everything worked out. I think Albert Einstein said it best, “All I have seen teaches me to trust the creator for all I have not seen.”

Just my thoughts! Peace and blessings!

Hang it up versus Hanging on

We all deal with different situations in our life that will have us asking ourselves- should I hang it up or should I just hang on?  My general belief is that in most situations, you should hang on; especially in those where you have invested lots of time and energy.  But perhaps that was my youthful naivety.  As I get older, and I suppose, a bit more cynical, I can look at some things and recognize or rather, rationalize that I should hang it up.  Basically, I should count my losses, be grateful for the experience, and keep it moving.

Am I wrong here?  A bit cynical?  At what point do you decide to hang it up as opposed to hanging on?

spare the rod, spoil the child…

…At least that’s how they’re starting to feel in Central Georgia.  According to this article in the AJC, some schools in Central Georgia will be bringing back the paddle.  Here’s an excerpt of the article:

The Twiggs County school board reinstated its corporal punishment policy this summer to allow students to be spanked to curb misbehavior.

Some board members felt that in many cases, detention for students or a scolding wasn’t working.

“We had a policy but we weren’t using it,” said Ethel Stanley, one of the board’s five members. “Sometimes smaller kids will obey better if they have a paddling. The more you give them rope, the more they try.

“It’s something to deter them,” she said.

Last year, Twiggs County schools reported more than 300 student misconduct incidents and 62 fights, according to a state report. The system has about 1,100 students.

At least two board members said student discipline problems are also a factor in higher-than-normal teacher turnover this past school year, and officials are trying ways to improve student achievement.

Most of the system’s source of misbehavior comes from middle-schoolers, said Levi Rozier, Twiggs County’s campus police chief.

“That’s when they’re finding themselves,” Rozier said.

But for the deterrent to work, teachers and principals will need to be consistent when correcting students’ behavior, and parents will have to accept the change, he said.

“It has to be bought in by parents,” he said.

Twiggs parents will have to sign a permission slip for their child to be paddled by an administrator, and witnesses will have to be in the room, Stanley and board member Johnnie Moore said. There also will be a meeting to inform parents of the changes, Stanley said.

The teacher part of me agrees that sometimes you do want to paddle- and maybe even bust a kid in the head.  I was paddled in school, and I was spanked at home.  I think I turned out alright.  However, the other teacher part of me doesn’t want to be placed in a situation where the parents are angry at me for spanking their child, even if they did sign the permission slip.  There’s always the chance they could feel like you went too far or that the child’s behavior doesn’t warrant a paddling.

On another blog on AJC.com, a reader commented that there would also probably be a racial component, where black parents wouldn’t want a white teacher paddling their child.  I’m not too sure about the racial component- I think all parents are hesitant about letting someone else lay hands on their child.  Period.  Anyhow, this could be very interesting.  I wonder if they keep statistics about who’s paddled and for what.  I’d like to know that information.

It’s Official…

…I’m now in Florida. And since I now have cable and internet, I’m writing this post from my very own apartment in Florida.

These last few days have been a blur. I had my last day at work at Georgia Gwinnett College on July 18, left work, ran some errands and said some last minute goodbyes, finished packing the apartment and UHaul, loaded Maddie the Mazda on the car tow, and left Athens, GA around midnight. After driving/sleeping/good overnight conversation, we (my best friend Ty and I) arrived at the apartment complex around Noon on Saturday, July 19. That then started the rush to get the truck unloaded and all the furniture put together before Ty flew back to NC to continue his regularly scheduled life.

So, what do I think? Well, I made it. I’m here. While I had a mini breakdown moment on Friday at work when they had a surprise going away party for me, I really had the breakdown moment on Saturday evening after Ty and I raced around Target trying to get a long list of apartment essentials. For some reason, it really hit me that I was starting a new chapter in my life at that point and all the tears that I hadn’t shed began to flow pretty freely. I also think that feeling exhausted to the next level (after getting about 4 hours of sleep in a moving truck) played a part in it, also. At any rate- the best solution I could come up with is to curl up on my new sofa with my long term partner in crime: my teddy bear Fuzzy (we’ve been rolling tight for 23 years). And it seems that some sleep, a hug from Ty, and some encouraging words helped a lot.

So now what? Well I’m still unpacking some stuff. I immediately realized that when my mom comes to visit in about a week or so, we’ll have to do some serious cleaning out of the closet, because I transferred all my clothes to a walk-in closet and it’s already close to full! I also realized that in the mean time, I’ll have to stop doing something that I love- BUYING BOOKS- because I have SO. MANY. BOOKS. Hopefully the bookshelf game will be upgraded in the next couple of days, but right now, the boxes of books are stored in the laundry room.

Do I like it? I like what I’ve seen thus far. It’s very picturesque, and being a mile from the beach doesn’t hurt. It IS expensive (a quarter pounder with cheese value meal from McDonald’s cost me almost $7), which is, of course, a draw back. Lots of people ride their bikes, which gives me incentive to save my money for one, especially considering how close Publix, Walgreens, and Walmart are. I’ve seen a mix of people, and it’s definitely not the “south” (people don’t say “Hi” or “Excuse me” or any of that stuff that I’m used to). It’s cool for what it is, and I’m sure I’ll like it more once I see more and get fully acquainted to where I am. I was also very excited to learn that one of my UGA classmates is down here working with Miami Teaching Fellows. At least I’ll have someone I know down here for 2 years.

Moving down here has been a huge leap of faith, and at each point where I thought I wanted to give up or change my mind, there have been people to encourage me and uplift me.  I’m grateful to God for the opportunity and the experience, and I look forward to all that’s to come (and that includes visits from you all).

Well well, I think that’s all for now. I’m off to do more unpacking.

ridiculous and in poor taste…

Yes, I’m talking about the cover of The New Yorker Magazine featuring Senator Barack Obama and his wife:

I wonder what’s next. It’s hard for me to be surprised at anything that comes out now.

Julian Bond Speaks the Truth on an Obama Presidency

I like the NAACP and I respect their work, more so historically than presently. And that’s me being honest. I think some people of my generation feel the same way.

However, I think that Julian Bond was on point with his remarks about an Obama Presidency at the NAACP Convention. Here’s an excerpt of an article published on MSNBC.com:

Julian Bond, a veteran civil rights leader, said Obama’s candidacy doesn’t “herald a post-civil rights America, any more than his victory in November will mean that race as an issue has been vanquished in America.”

But he drew loud applause when he said the country, and “all of us here,” are taking pride in the success in this year’s campaign by a candidate who couldn’t have stayed in some cities’ hotels a few decades ago.

“We know that Obama’s electoral success — even if he should win the ultimate prize — won’t signal an end to racial discrimination, but it does mark the high point of an interracial movement that dates back to the Underground Railroad,” Bond said, referring to Cincinnati’s historical role in helping fleeing slaves reach freedom.

I think it’s a great point to acknowledge. And I’m hoping that people don’t HONESTLY believe that having a black president would alleviate YEARS of racial inequality that is still present today. It’s definitely a move in the right direction; however, as to adjust the words of Robert Frost, the United States still “has promises to keep, and miles to go before she sleeps”…at least in the area of race relations.

This can’t be for real…

As I was doing my morning perusal of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, I found this article. Here’s an excerpt:

A man says he was so consumed by the spirit of God that he fell and hit his head while worshipping.

Now he wants Lakewind Church to pay $2.5 million for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering.

Matt Lincoln says he is suing after the church’s insurance company denied his claim for medical bills.

Seriously.  People will SUE for ANYTHING…this is about to be, no, this is ridiculous.  Sigh.

do labels matter?

Simple question-

You’re dating someone and you have been for a while.  Neither person is dating someone else- so it’s safe to say that you’re exclusive.  Does it matter if there is the label/title of “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”?  Why or Why not?