Thursday, August 31, 2006
The death of Ellipse:
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The death of Ellipse – 20-year-old charity cannot keep its doors open – apathy and mismanagement kill a vital resource for people with HIV/AIDS in San Mateo County.
Ellipse Peninsula HIV/AIDS Services, an AIDS Service Organization (ASO) can no longer serve its clients or keep its doors open. Food is rotting on the shelves. Mice and their droppings are creating a health hazard in the organization's pantry.
The cause is apathy and inaction on the part of the Board of Directors.
I was not informed that as director Ms. Fitzgerald was taking "consulting fees" for counseling sessions with clients throughout discussions of money and spending, and was only told of this second-hand. It may have been agreed to by the board before I became a member, but it strikes me that this particular detail was not shared openly with me. I specifically asked about operating expenses and this was not revealed.
Though her position implies direct involvement, she works full-time at another position and is not at Ellipse's offices even one day a week. I do not see how someone can "direct" an organization if they are never there during the operating hours.
There was a time when the board could have handed over day-to-day operations in a responsible manner, but they chose to let the organization die instead. As board members they could not even be bothered to return phone calls or email. They rarely (if ever) set foot on the premises.
Ellipse has been serving food and offering counseling to people with HIV/AIDS for over twenty years, and its death takes a vital and needed resource away from San Mateo County.
The last board member, Phillip T. Alden, a local activist and volunteer, quit when it became clear the board was no longer interested in serving the needs of clients. Mr. Alden has worked to bring attention to this tragedy and to expose the irresponsibility of the other board members.
"The apathy of the board was bad enough, but they also sabotaged my efforts to bring the facility up to local health and safety codes. They disgust me," Mr. Alden stated.
More involved statement from Phillip Alden:
"I am bothered by the apathy of the people involved. They must have known they were preparing the organization to fail. This comes after they worked to save it from mismanagement by the previous executives. Why save an organization just to kill it? Ellipse has a unique asset that enables them to deliver food to people with HIV/AIDS in San Mateo County, and they let the structure of this asset degrade to the point of near-guaranteed collapse and failure.
"Where is the fiscal responsibility? Where is the accountability? Why bring an activist and journalist on board to witness your driving the organization into the ground? Why was I invited to watch something that should be criminal?"
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
The death of Ellipse – 20-year-old charity cannot keep its doors open – apathy and mismanagement kill a vital resource for people with HIV/AIDS in San Mateo County.
Ellipse Peninsula HIV/AIDS Services, an AIDS Service Organization (ASO) can no longer serve its clients or keep its doors open. Food is rotting on the shelves. Mice and their droppings are creating a health hazard in the organization's pantry.
The cause is apathy and inaction on the part of the Board of Directors.
I was not informed that as director Ms. Fitzgerald was taking "consulting fees" for counseling sessions with clients throughout discussions of money and spending, and was only told of this second-hand. It may have been agreed to by the board before I became a member, but it strikes me that this particular detail was not shared openly with me. I specifically asked about operating expenses and this was not revealed.
Though her position implies direct involvement, she works full-time at another position and is not at Ellipse's offices even one day a week. I do not see how someone can "direct" an organization if they are never there during the operating hours.
There was a time when the board could have handed over day-to-day operations in a responsible manner, but they chose to let the organization die instead. As board members they could not even be bothered to return phone calls or email. They rarely (if ever) set foot on the premises.
Ellipse has been serving food and offering counseling to people with HIV/AIDS for over twenty years, and its death takes a vital and needed resource away from San Mateo County.
The last board member, Phillip T. Alden, a local activist and volunteer, quit when it became clear the board was no longer interested in serving the needs of clients. Mr. Alden has worked to bring attention to this tragedy and to expose the irresponsibility of the other board members.
"The apathy of the board was bad enough, but they also sabotaged my efforts to bring the facility up to local health and safety codes. They disgust me," Mr. Alden stated.
More involved statement from Phillip Alden:
"I am bothered by the apathy of the people involved. They must have known they were preparing the organization to fail. This comes after they worked to save it from mismanagement by the previous executives. Why save an organization just to kill it? Ellipse has a unique asset that enables them to deliver food to people with HIV/AIDS in San Mateo County, and they let the structure of this asset degrade to the point of near-guaranteed collapse and failure.
"Where is the fiscal responsibility? Where is the accountability? Why bring an activist and journalist on board to witness your driving the organization into the ground? Why was I invited to watch something that should be criminal?"
Thursday, August 24, 2006
"Animal Logic I," Marillion – "Clutching At straws," and "The Quantum And The Lotus:"
I think one of the best "little moments" is seeing that Amazon.com box arriving in the mail. I don't order things often because I have no shortage of music, DVDs or reading material. But I occasionally take 2-3 items off my wish list for a few reasons; it's fun getting that little box in the mail, their prices are cheaper than I would pay in a local chain store, Amazon has an amazing selection and inventory, and things go out of print.
The last two are likely the most interesting reasons. The selection online cannot be matched by any "brick-and-mortar" stores. I've found a few albums that were out-of-print, or close to, for the same price as readily available titles. One time I paid close to $30.00 for a piece of music I really wanted that was out-of-print, though it wasn't on Amazon, but usually I pay $10 or less for a single disk album.
The same goes for books and DVD movies. While I feel badly for traditional stores like Tower Records, I also remember paying more than $15.00 for a CD that cost only a buck or two to create, package and ship. Everyone who likes music has been fleeced by this, and in return for the hundreds or thousands of dollars we paid out over the years we received a $5.00 check. Tower also could have gone online, but it's a family company whose patriarch held firmly to an outdated business model.
I took two CDs off my wish list. The first is Animal Logic I. Stuart Copeland on drums, Stanley Clark on bass and Deborah Holland doing vocals. These are three musicians producing an album that is musically brilliant and satisfying. This isn't one of those derivative "musician's album" pieces of music that is difficult to listen to, but a clean, sharp and melodically pleasant work. Amazon had to ship this from a third-party vendor, which makes me think it's about to go out-of-print, (a common signal event in the music distribution world.) If you like good rock by top-flight musicians I highly recommend this album.
The second is Marillion – "Clutching At Straws." This is another in a line of British progressive rock bands that produce my favorite kind of music. Genesis, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Yes and Marillion is the kind of stuff that fills my CD collection. I don't mind being a rock dinosaur because the music is so damn satisfying. I have almost every Genesis release and I never get tired of listening to it, especially the stuff before Peter Gabriel left the band.
But "Clutching At Straws" is a bit darker than most. It's about drug and alcohol addiction, but more about when the addiction causes your entire life to crash around you. It doesn't end in a happy place somewhere inside an AA meeting, but inside a bar. "Just another empty gesture with an empty glass." It's a wonderful darkness that lets the mind drift to that place where we process the truly serious side of our lives and emotions.
"But I've got no discipline, got no self control. Just a little less painful here with my back against the wall."
The mournful "Sugar Mice" near the end of the album is the kind of song that stays in haunted memory, that touches that chord of failure in us all:
"Well the toughest thing I ever did, was talk to the kids on the phone.
When I heard them asking questions I knew that you were all alone.
Can't you understand the government left me out of work?
I just couldn't stand the looks on their faces saying 'what a jerk.'
"But when it gets right down to it there's no one really left to blame.
When it gets right down to it there's no one really left to blame.
Blame it on me. You can blame it all on me.
Sugar mice in the rain."
I swear to god this album can still bring a tear to my eyes. It reaches that painful place inside and says, 'we know how it hurts and how sometimes it doesn't get better.' It's a genuine expression of that darkest aspect of our lives – guilt, shame and constant failure.
Why listen to such an album? (You may ask.) I'm not advocating listening to albums like this on a daily basis, but some of the finest rock albums ever made are about the dark side of our lives. "The Wall" is about one man's descent into madness. "Tommy" is about a boy driven deaf, dumb and blind by witnessing his father's murder, and the torment he suffers before rising to exaltation and eventual crucifixion.
Sometimes our lives take a dark turn and we need music and books and paintings to reflect that, to express the hurt so we can let it go as much as possible. Catharsis or grieving, art helps us share our pain and find solace in unity. It is as necessary as that which makes us feel good, those heroic moments where everything works out and everyone is happy in the end, because life is not always like that.
Musically this album also kicks ass, and you have to love a band whose lead singer goes by the name of "Fish."
I also ordered a book called; "The Quantum And The Lotus." It was recommended to me and it's sat on my wish list for a while now. The book is about a series of conversations between a monk and an astronomer – about how science and Buddhist thought are becoming increasingly intertwined. I'll post more on this after I read it.
I think one of the best "little moments" is seeing that Amazon.com box arriving in the mail. I don't order things often because I have no shortage of music, DVDs or reading material. But I occasionally take 2-3 items off my wish list for a few reasons; it's fun getting that little box in the mail, their prices are cheaper than I would pay in a local chain store, Amazon has an amazing selection and inventory, and things go out of print.
The last two are likely the most interesting reasons. The selection online cannot be matched by any "brick-and-mortar" stores. I've found a few albums that were out-of-print, or close to, for the same price as readily available titles. One time I paid close to $30.00 for a piece of music I really wanted that was out-of-print, though it wasn't on Amazon, but usually I pay $10 or less for a single disk album.
The same goes for books and DVD movies. While I feel badly for traditional stores like Tower Records, I also remember paying more than $15.00 for a CD that cost only a buck or two to create, package and ship. Everyone who likes music has been fleeced by this, and in return for the hundreds or thousands of dollars we paid out over the years we received a $5.00 check. Tower also could have gone online, but it's a family company whose patriarch held firmly to an outdated business model.
I took two CDs off my wish list. The first is Animal Logic I. Stuart Copeland on drums, Stanley Clark on bass and Deborah Holland doing vocals. These are three musicians producing an album that is musically brilliant and satisfying. This isn't one of those derivative "musician's album" pieces of music that is difficult to listen to, but a clean, sharp and melodically pleasant work. Amazon had to ship this from a third-party vendor, which makes me think it's about to go out-of-print, (a common signal event in the music distribution world.) If you like good rock by top-flight musicians I highly recommend this album.
The second is Marillion – "Clutching At Straws." This is another in a line of British progressive rock bands that produce my favorite kind of music. Genesis, Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, Yes and Marillion is the kind of stuff that fills my CD collection. I don't mind being a rock dinosaur because the music is so damn satisfying. I have almost every Genesis release and I never get tired of listening to it, especially the stuff before Peter Gabriel left the band.
But "Clutching At Straws" is a bit darker than most. It's about drug and alcohol addiction, but more about when the addiction causes your entire life to crash around you. It doesn't end in a happy place somewhere inside an AA meeting, but inside a bar. "Just another empty gesture with an empty glass." It's a wonderful darkness that lets the mind drift to that place where we process the truly serious side of our lives and emotions.
"But I've got no discipline, got no self control. Just a little less painful here with my back against the wall."
The mournful "Sugar Mice" near the end of the album is the kind of song that stays in haunted memory, that touches that chord of failure in us all:
"Well the toughest thing I ever did, was talk to the kids on the phone.
When I heard them asking questions I knew that you were all alone.
Can't you understand the government left me out of work?
I just couldn't stand the looks on their faces saying 'what a jerk.'
"But when it gets right down to it there's no one really left to blame.
When it gets right down to it there's no one really left to blame.
Blame it on me. You can blame it all on me.
Sugar mice in the rain."
I swear to god this album can still bring a tear to my eyes. It reaches that painful place inside and says, 'we know how it hurts and how sometimes it doesn't get better.' It's a genuine expression of that darkest aspect of our lives – guilt, shame and constant failure.
Why listen to such an album? (You may ask.) I'm not advocating listening to albums like this on a daily basis, but some of the finest rock albums ever made are about the dark side of our lives. "The Wall" is about one man's descent into madness. "Tommy" is about a boy driven deaf, dumb and blind by witnessing his father's murder, and the torment he suffers before rising to exaltation and eventual crucifixion.
Sometimes our lives take a dark turn and we need music and books and paintings to reflect that, to express the hurt so we can let it go as much as possible. Catharsis or grieving, art helps us share our pain and find solace in unity. It is as necessary as that which makes us feel good, those heroic moments where everything works out and everyone is happy in the end, because life is not always like that.
Musically this album also kicks ass, and you have to love a band whose lead singer goes by the name of "Fish."
I also ordered a book called; "The Quantum And The Lotus." It was recommended to me and it's sat on my wish list for a while now. The book is about a series of conversations between a monk and an astronomer – about how science and Buddhist thought are becoming increasingly intertwined. I'll post more on this after I read it.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Helping or harming?
As some of you know, I volunteer with a local ASO (AIDS Service Organization) here in San Mateo County. Aside from writing their materials I open and run the place one day a week. Right now we're in transition. We provide food, but there are multiple places people can get groceries. What we really provide is support – a listening ear, a place where clients can blow off steam.
I had an interesting experience last Wednesday:
We had a client come in for food, a black woman in her 30s-40s. When she came we started talking about health and the black community. She was aware that bad diet is a serious health factor in her community, probably because she is diabetic herself. She's also overweight and admitted she does not exercise. She also said she's been overweight since childhood.
Because we grew up so close to each other we shared experience. And even though my friend who also volunteers there said she was all "drama" I liked her. I don't know if we could ever be friends because our lives are so different, and she has her own agenda, (as do I) – but I just felt well-disposed towards her and enjoyed talking with her.
We don't tell our clients what food they should take. We just let them help themselves to whatever we have in the pantry. It's not our job to tell others how to live their lives.
But I noticed she took mostly food that was bad for her, either with much refined sugar or something that converts to sugar in the metabolism process. She was clearly intelligent, and had been educated by the nutritionist at her medical clinic. She knew the food she was getting was contraindicated for someone with diabetes. She even ate some ice cream while she was there, without testing her blood sugar level.
And I wondered if we were helping or harming her. Part of our transition is getting away from food distribution, staying with emotional support and providing community, and introducing a computer lab where we teach our clients about the basics of computer use.
It would solve some problems, create new ones, and reinforce what we feel is our true purpose. (I'm also on the board.) But watching this woman leave with bags of food that are poor choices nutritionally, I began to think about where education stops and personal responsibility begins. We had an educated, well-informed, intelligent person making terrible decisions.
She will likely never lose weight, never eat right and never control her blood sugar the way she should.
I have two close friends who are in similar circumstances. Both are very heavy. One has terrible heart problems. The other has had a bone in his foot disintegrate – meaning the foot cannot support the body weight and causing great physical pain. Both are smart, educated men. Both have been overweight since childhood.
The dysfunction in our world effects people in all kinds of ways. Some eat, some drug, some drink, some cut themselves, and some endanger their lives constantly.
But at some point we either stop or we die. The Tao says that behavior that is opposite the path of "Te" is a death trip. Those who make war are killing themselves in mind, body and spirit. To a lesser extent the same is true of my friends and the woman I described.
The Tao says it should not be believed on its face. Apply the teachings and view the world through the teachings to see if it is true for you. As I watch the world through this lens I see the words confirmed. The Tao does not require faith because, like physical science, it can be proven. This is one of the reasons Tao is not a religion in the strictest sense of the word. I don't have to believe in prophets or gods, miracles or the promise of a better place when I die. The Tao lives in today.
It's clear this woman and my two friends are on a death trip. Just ask their doctors. I can see clear physical evidence of the hypothesis.
But the flip side of the coin, living the path of "Te," is not easy. Smoking cigarettes, abusing drugs and alcohol, sedentary lifestyle habits – are the opposite of "Te."
Thank the universe it is forgiving, for none of us are perfect when it comes to "Te." Even the Dali Lama will admit to character defects that keep him from perfect "Te."
But that does not absolve us of personal responsibility. Some people have been taught they should mentally kick themselves and tell themselves negative messages about what kind of people they are. This is not personal responsibility. Self-recrimination is also opposite the path of "Te." The past cannot be changed. Fix what you can and move on. Because recrimination is also a way of avoiding personal responsibility. If I beat myself up over my mistakes I don't have to fix things in the Now. Once again I avoid personal responsibility while thinking I am doing just that. Denial.
One of the (many) reasons I love dogs and cats is because they are examples of Zen. They live totally in the Now. The cat does not beat itself up over the quilt it destroyed last year, nor does it worry about the future. The cat lives in the Now all the time.
So when I look at the woman I described or my two friends the following comes to mind – You know what the problem is. The past cannot be changed. You know what you have to do. Do it Now.
I guess part of the solution lies in desire. Do you want to keep living? Do you want to be healthier? Do you want to let go of the past? Do you care about where you are today and tomorrow? Where does your desire lie? What are your priorities?
I accept these people as they are today. My only wish is for their health and happiness. But part of me struggles with their continuation of bad decision-making. This is not the path. Because I believe what has been proven to me.
But it has taken 40 years to see it. I know why most people come to the Tao when they are my age or older. In youth we live for the moment – excitement and stimulation. As young adults we strive for understanding and our place in the world. I had to go through it all to reach this place. I guess that's why they call it the beginning of wisdom. In some ways it feels like being an ignorant child again. I begin to understand what I do NOT know. I had to go through years of study and hard work to get to a place where I feel I'm at the start again.
There's less comparison. I don’t have to judge myself by those around me. I'm no better or worse than anyone else, and they are no better or worse than I. We all want the same things. We all want to be loved. We don’t want to be alone. I also believe we all want to help others. We want to make the world a better place. When we are given the chance to help we become enthused. In some way we believe that we are helping somehow right at this moment.
I just wish I had more faith the universe is unfolding as it should. It's hard to look at the suffering and not get angry and frustrated. It's hard to look at hate and see the fear that drives it. When I can remember that fear is driving all the pain in the world it's easier to see, but it hurts. I want to change things, stop the hurt, push back the darkness.
Most of all it's hard accepting my limitations.
As some of you know, I volunteer with a local ASO (AIDS Service Organization) here in San Mateo County. Aside from writing their materials I open and run the place one day a week. Right now we're in transition. We provide food, but there are multiple places people can get groceries. What we really provide is support – a listening ear, a place where clients can blow off steam.
I had an interesting experience last Wednesday:
We had a client come in for food, a black woman in her 30s-40s. When she came we started talking about health and the black community. She was aware that bad diet is a serious health factor in her community, probably because she is diabetic herself. She's also overweight and admitted she does not exercise. She also said she's been overweight since childhood.
Because we grew up so close to each other we shared experience. And even though my friend who also volunteers there said she was all "drama" I liked her. I don't know if we could ever be friends because our lives are so different, and she has her own agenda, (as do I) – but I just felt well-disposed towards her and enjoyed talking with her.
We don't tell our clients what food they should take. We just let them help themselves to whatever we have in the pantry. It's not our job to tell others how to live their lives.
But I noticed she took mostly food that was bad for her, either with much refined sugar or something that converts to sugar in the metabolism process. She was clearly intelligent, and had been educated by the nutritionist at her medical clinic. She knew the food she was getting was contraindicated for someone with diabetes. She even ate some ice cream while she was there, without testing her blood sugar level.
And I wondered if we were helping or harming her. Part of our transition is getting away from food distribution, staying with emotional support and providing community, and introducing a computer lab where we teach our clients about the basics of computer use.
It would solve some problems, create new ones, and reinforce what we feel is our true purpose. (I'm also on the board.) But watching this woman leave with bags of food that are poor choices nutritionally, I began to think about where education stops and personal responsibility begins. We had an educated, well-informed, intelligent person making terrible decisions.
She will likely never lose weight, never eat right and never control her blood sugar the way she should.
I have two close friends who are in similar circumstances. Both are very heavy. One has terrible heart problems. The other has had a bone in his foot disintegrate – meaning the foot cannot support the body weight and causing great physical pain. Both are smart, educated men. Both have been overweight since childhood.
The dysfunction in our world effects people in all kinds of ways. Some eat, some drug, some drink, some cut themselves, and some endanger their lives constantly.
But at some point we either stop or we die. The Tao says that behavior that is opposite the path of "Te" is a death trip. Those who make war are killing themselves in mind, body and spirit. To a lesser extent the same is true of my friends and the woman I described.
The Tao says it should not be believed on its face. Apply the teachings and view the world through the teachings to see if it is true for you. As I watch the world through this lens I see the words confirmed. The Tao does not require faith because, like physical science, it can be proven. This is one of the reasons Tao is not a religion in the strictest sense of the word. I don't have to believe in prophets or gods, miracles or the promise of a better place when I die. The Tao lives in today.
It's clear this woman and my two friends are on a death trip. Just ask their doctors. I can see clear physical evidence of the hypothesis.
But the flip side of the coin, living the path of "Te," is not easy. Smoking cigarettes, abusing drugs and alcohol, sedentary lifestyle habits – are the opposite of "Te."
Thank the universe it is forgiving, for none of us are perfect when it comes to "Te." Even the Dali Lama will admit to character defects that keep him from perfect "Te."
But that does not absolve us of personal responsibility. Some people have been taught they should mentally kick themselves and tell themselves negative messages about what kind of people they are. This is not personal responsibility. Self-recrimination is also opposite the path of "Te." The past cannot be changed. Fix what you can and move on. Because recrimination is also a way of avoiding personal responsibility. If I beat myself up over my mistakes I don't have to fix things in the Now. Once again I avoid personal responsibility while thinking I am doing just that. Denial.
One of the (many) reasons I love dogs and cats is because they are examples of Zen. They live totally in the Now. The cat does not beat itself up over the quilt it destroyed last year, nor does it worry about the future. The cat lives in the Now all the time.
So when I look at the woman I described or my two friends the following comes to mind – You know what the problem is. The past cannot be changed. You know what you have to do. Do it Now.
I guess part of the solution lies in desire. Do you want to keep living? Do you want to be healthier? Do you want to let go of the past? Do you care about where you are today and tomorrow? Where does your desire lie? What are your priorities?
I accept these people as they are today. My only wish is for their health and happiness. But part of me struggles with their continuation of bad decision-making. This is not the path. Because I believe what has been proven to me.
But it has taken 40 years to see it. I know why most people come to the Tao when they are my age or older. In youth we live for the moment – excitement and stimulation. As young adults we strive for understanding and our place in the world. I had to go through it all to reach this place. I guess that's why they call it the beginning of wisdom. In some ways it feels like being an ignorant child again. I begin to understand what I do NOT know. I had to go through years of study and hard work to get to a place where I feel I'm at the start again.
There's less comparison. I don’t have to judge myself by those around me. I'm no better or worse than anyone else, and they are no better or worse than I. We all want the same things. We all want to be loved. We don’t want to be alone. I also believe we all want to help others. We want to make the world a better place. When we are given the chance to help we become enthused. In some way we believe that we are helping somehow right at this moment.
I just wish I had more faith the universe is unfolding as it should. It's hard to look at the suffering and not get angry and frustrated. It's hard to look at hate and see the fear that drives it. When I can remember that fear is driving all the pain in the world it's easier to see, but it hurts. I want to change things, stop the hurt, push back the darkness.
Most of all it's hard accepting my limitations.
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Abolish Homework:
Aside from the story in today’s San Francisco Chronicle about kids and overloaded backpacks, I was having this discussion with my friend, Kevin yesterday.
Sociologists have been saying kids are over-scheduled, they don’t have time to make friends or just engage in unstructured play. They said it’s how kids learn negotiation skills and how to relate, and these lessons cannot be taught in a highly-structured environment with adults ever-present.
It’s actually a problem for many adults also. No time to just relax and socialize away from computers and the internet.
Our schools have kids 7-8 hours a day, and many include a study period. That should be enough. It’s arrogance and dictatorial to assign kids more hours of schoolwork every evening and on weekends. It’s understandable when there’s a major test to study for, but aside from those times, schools have no right to infringe upon the home time of students.
If kids are over-scheduled and don’t have enough free time, this is part of the problem. Schools take up enough of a kid’s day without bleeding into their afternoons and evenings. If the school is not teaching with 7-8 hours of time a day the failure is on their part.
(Aside from the usual aspects that get in the way of teaching.)
The one exception I would consider is assigning a book every semester. But it’s really parents that should be encouraging their children to read. With all the media that pulls at our attention families should be leading by example. In my family there were often times when everyone in the house was reading a book at the same time.
Many of us leave the office and the work stays there. Why should it be different for kids? They need more unstructured time. The schools need to figure out how to do their job in the plethora of hours they are given.
Aside from the story in today’s San Francisco Chronicle about kids and overloaded backpacks, I was having this discussion with my friend, Kevin yesterday.
Sociologists have been saying kids are over-scheduled, they don’t have time to make friends or just engage in unstructured play. They said it’s how kids learn negotiation skills and how to relate, and these lessons cannot be taught in a highly-structured environment with adults ever-present.
It’s actually a problem for many adults also. No time to just relax and socialize away from computers and the internet.
Our schools have kids 7-8 hours a day, and many include a study period. That should be enough. It’s arrogance and dictatorial to assign kids more hours of schoolwork every evening and on weekends. It’s understandable when there’s a major test to study for, but aside from those times, schools have no right to infringe upon the home time of students.
If kids are over-scheduled and don’t have enough free time, this is part of the problem. Schools take up enough of a kid’s day without bleeding into their afternoons and evenings. If the school is not teaching with 7-8 hours of time a day the failure is on their part.
(Aside from the usual aspects that get in the way of teaching.)
The one exception I would consider is assigning a book every semester. But it’s really parents that should be encouraging their children to read. With all the media that pulls at our attention families should be leading by example. In my family there were often times when everyone in the house was reading a book at the same time.
Many of us leave the office and the work stays there. Why should it be different for kids? They need more unstructured time. The schools need to figure out how to do their job in the plethora of hours they are given.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Book Progress – Final Corrections:
I haven’t been very good about posting to this blog and I apologize for that. Getting a book ready for publication is more work than I ever thought, though I love every minute of it. If I were only publishing a book things would have gone much faster than this, but in the past eight-plus years I’ve been an activist, educator and volunteer; and I’ve been running a busy household with frequent guests and a lot of fun.
Life has been wonderfully full and exciting.
On the book front I’ve finished my Point-Of-View (POV) edit and corrections to the narrative. This week I started correcting the text. As I input those correction I will be sending the final text to my good friend, Stuart Tanner, for the final copy edit.
Did I mention that, in addition to having English running through his veins, Stuart is also a top-flight poet. As I get older I appreciate the beauty of good poetry more and more, though my writing talent does not lie in that direction. I’ve had the good fortune to know two talented poets personally, Stuart is one of them.
After Stuart and I finish the final copy edit, the manuscript goes out to my proof-readers. When those come back and are checked, I print out the final manuscript. This undergoes a final read-through, including reading it aloud. Corrections can happen even at this final stage if needed.
Then I format the document, finish the paperwork for the publisher, and send it out.
When the publisher gets it, they will convert the book from a word processor file to a publication file. There can be errors during this conversion. The publisher sends me galleys as .pdf files and I scan them for final correction.
Every error caused by their software costs me nothing. Every error of mine costs .03 and those three pennies add up fast. I understand the reasons, which is why I use multiple proof-readers and talented editors.
A shout-out to my first editor, and writing mentor, Ken Ludden, whose SIL web site is back up and running. I’m immensely grateful to Ken for all his help, and I hope his second book comes out soon.
I haven’t been very good about posting to this blog and I apologize for that. Getting a book ready for publication is more work than I ever thought, though I love every minute of it. If I were only publishing a book things would have gone much faster than this, but in the past eight-plus years I’ve been an activist, educator and volunteer; and I’ve been running a busy household with frequent guests and a lot of fun.
Life has been wonderfully full and exciting.
On the book front I’ve finished my Point-Of-View (POV) edit and corrections to the narrative. This week I started correcting the text. As I input those correction I will be sending the final text to my good friend, Stuart Tanner, for the final copy edit.
Did I mention that, in addition to having English running through his veins, Stuart is also a top-flight poet. As I get older I appreciate the beauty of good poetry more and more, though my writing talent does not lie in that direction. I’ve had the good fortune to know two talented poets personally, Stuart is one of them.
After Stuart and I finish the final copy edit, the manuscript goes out to my proof-readers. When those come back and are checked, I print out the final manuscript. This undergoes a final read-through, including reading it aloud. Corrections can happen even at this final stage if needed.
Then I format the document, finish the paperwork for the publisher, and send it out.
When the publisher gets it, they will convert the book from a word processor file to a publication file. There can be errors during this conversion. The publisher sends me galleys as .pdf files and I scan them for final correction.
Every error caused by their software costs me nothing. Every error of mine costs .03 and those three pennies add up fast. I understand the reasons, which is why I use multiple proof-readers and talented editors.
A shout-out to my first editor, and writing mentor, Ken Ludden, whose SIL web site is back up and running. I’m immensely grateful to Ken for all his help, and I hope his second book comes out soon.
Deprivation Disorders:
I’ve been learning about this type of disorder since March of this year and it’s really opened my eyes to an aspect of human behavior that is much more common than I thought. While there are many reasons for the way we humans behave I believe this disorder may have a greater influence than any other factor in our lives, especially when it comes to sexual behavior.
Deprivation disorder is characterized by personal denial of things that bring us pleasure or make us happy and fulfilled. Sometimes it’s disguised as virtue. Religion can often serve as a cover for this denial, but deprivation disorder is wide-ranging.
Sexual anorexia is a common form. For any number of reasons people deny themselves the pleasure of sexual contact. Sometimes the cause may be sexual abuse in our past, but I don’t believe it’s the sole reason. People deny themselves sexual contact because, on some level, they don’t feel they deserve to be physically desired.
But that’s only one form. This disorder takes thousands of forms. Eating disorders may be one form, but it’s important to remember there are many reasons driving eating disorders. People deny themselves good quality food, food that tastes good, or dessert. Often this seems like virtue. “I don’t eat sweets because I care about my body.”
From what I’ve been learning, virtue is the number one tool in hiding deprivation disorder. People use religion and virtue as a shield for their denial of good things. But virtue has nothing to do with this problem. Virtue becomes the excuse.
Some people take this to extremes. They won’t dress nicely or groom themselves the way they should. They avoid things that may improve the quality of their lives. Sometimes they even deny themselves medical and/or dental care. Anything that might bring them pleasure is avoided. Their lives take on a monkish quality. Their lives become a prison of denial.
Sexual Anorexia. I was floored when this concept was introduced to me. But sexual anorexia is likely the most common form of deprivation disorder. There are so many reasons to avoid sexual contact it’s the easiest form this illness takes. I’ve come to believe that sexual victimization can be one source of sexual deprivation disorder.
But it’s not the only reason.
Deprivation disorder is most likely linked to low self-esteem or low self-image. The causes are many but the outcome is the same – denial of that which might bring us joy.
And breaking people out of this might be one of the hardest things we ever attempt. The denial of pleasure becomes so deeply ingrained it becomes a prison. The words of others are not enough to break us out of our deprivation disorder. We have made deprivation part of our skin – flesh and bone.
The big question is; how do we break the cycle? How do we overcome our deprivation disorder and convince ourselves we deserve the things in life that bring us joy?
The answers are as deeply seated as the disorder is. How do we overcome low self-esteem? How do we become emotionally worthy of pleasure? Allow ourselves sexual pleasure without guilt or hang-ups? Give ourselves permission to have that dessert?
On a personal level, I don’t think I suffer from deprivation disorder. But there are people in my life who seem to, and it hurts to watch them suffer. I don’t have the words to convince them they deserve to be happy and satisfied.
The obvious answer appears to be discussion. On their part. I can say all the positive things in the world, encourage until I’m blue in the face. They have to start talking about their feelings with someone trained to help them work through it.
And I wonder how pervasive this disorder really is. When I see friends who are clearly malnourished I wonder if deprivation disorder is the cause.
It hurts to see good people suffer without apparent reason. I know all too well how the past can influence the present, but I also know we have the power to change our lives. Some people are denied good things because they don’t make enough money to enjoy a certain standard of living, but sometimes money (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with it.
It’s especially hard when deprivation looks like virtue. How do you convince someone their behavior has nothing to do with belief or virtue without hurting their feelings?
In an often dark and difficult world, seeing people voluntarily adding to their suffering seems wasteful and needlessly degrading.
And like so many important things in this life, there are few easy answers, but there are answers.
I’ve been learning about this type of disorder since March of this year and it’s really opened my eyes to an aspect of human behavior that is much more common than I thought. While there are many reasons for the way we humans behave I believe this disorder may have a greater influence than any other factor in our lives, especially when it comes to sexual behavior.
Deprivation disorder is characterized by personal denial of things that bring us pleasure or make us happy and fulfilled. Sometimes it’s disguised as virtue. Religion can often serve as a cover for this denial, but deprivation disorder is wide-ranging.
Sexual anorexia is a common form. For any number of reasons people deny themselves the pleasure of sexual contact. Sometimes the cause may be sexual abuse in our past, but I don’t believe it’s the sole reason. People deny themselves sexual contact because, on some level, they don’t feel they deserve to be physically desired.
But that’s only one form. This disorder takes thousands of forms. Eating disorders may be one form, but it’s important to remember there are many reasons driving eating disorders. People deny themselves good quality food, food that tastes good, or dessert. Often this seems like virtue. “I don’t eat sweets because I care about my body.”
From what I’ve been learning, virtue is the number one tool in hiding deprivation disorder. People use religion and virtue as a shield for their denial of good things. But virtue has nothing to do with this problem. Virtue becomes the excuse.
Some people take this to extremes. They won’t dress nicely or groom themselves the way they should. They avoid things that may improve the quality of their lives. Sometimes they even deny themselves medical and/or dental care. Anything that might bring them pleasure is avoided. Their lives take on a monkish quality. Their lives become a prison of denial.
Sexual Anorexia. I was floored when this concept was introduced to me. But sexual anorexia is likely the most common form of deprivation disorder. There are so many reasons to avoid sexual contact it’s the easiest form this illness takes. I’ve come to believe that sexual victimization can be one source of sexual deprivation disorder.
But it’s not the only reason.
Deprivation disorder is most likely linked to low self-esteem or low self-image. The causes are many but the outcome is the same – denial of that which might bring us joy.
And breaking people out of this might be one of the hardest things we ever attempt. The denial of pleasure becomes so deeply ingrained it becomes a prison. The words of others are not enough to break us out of our deprivation disorder. We have made deprivation part of our skin – flesh and bone.
The big question is; how do we break the cycle? How do we overcome our deprivation disorder and convince ourselves we deserve the things in life that bring us joy?
The answers are as deeply seated as the disorder is. How do we overcome low self-esteem? How do we become emotionally worthy of pleasure? Allow ourselves sexual pleasure without guilt or hang-ups? Give ourselves permission to have that dessert?
On a personal level, I don’t think I suffer from deprivation disorder. But there are people in my life who seem to, and it hurts to watch them suffer. I don’t have the words to convince them they deserve to be happy and satisfied.
The obvious answer appears to be discussion. On their part. I can say all the positive things in the world, encourage until I’m blue in the face. They have to start talking about their feelings with someone trained to help them work through it.
And I wonder how pervasive this disorder really is. When I see friends who are clearly malnourished I wonder if deprivation disorder is the cause.
It hurts to see good people suffer without apparent reason. I know all too well how the past can influence the present, but I also know we have the power to change our lives. Some people are denied good things because they don’t make enough money to enjoy a certain standard of living, but sometimes money (or lack thereof) has nothing to do with it.
It’s especially hard when deprivation looks like virtue. How do you convince someone their behavior has nothing to do with belief or virtue without hurting their feelings?
In an often dark and difficult world, seeing people voluntarily adding to their suffering seems wasteful and needlessly degrading.
And like so many important things in this life, there are few easy answers, but there are answers.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
One More Opinion
Faith Without Works:
There are people in my life, not my partner or our closest friends, but people close to me nonetheless, who talk a lot about changing things in the world – but do absolutely nothing to bring about such change. The reason I’m bringing this up is because I’ve started to realize how much this bugs the shit out of me.
The kind of people I’m referring to talk a great game. If you didn’t know them you might assume they are politically and socially active based on how they talk, but they do nothing to make the world a better place outside of give-and-take organizations. If they do anything that benefits others it always involves them getting something back. They never volunteer, never show up at events or demonstrations, never march in rallies. Some of them don’t even vote. Often they claim their involvement in religious or spiritual groups means they give, but that dynamic is a give-and-take, not selfless giving. And when you observe their behavior even in their spiritual and/or religious community they don’t really contribute anything there, either.
Some are the most self-righteous and arrogant people I’ve ever known. They talk as if they are somehow more evolved or progressive than others when in practice they are very selfish. Everything is somehow about them. A reflection of them. When others take action they talk about how it will affect them. Every single event is viewed through a lens of how it affects their lives.
When people complain about politics the first question I ask is if they vote. The second question is if they write letters to their elected representatives. If they don’t I usually state they really don’t have the standing to complain – basically they should shut up.
And the type of people I’m talking about are very good at justifying and rationalizing their selfishness, instead of simply being honest about how self-interested they are. They pretend to be deeply spiritual and they fear being accurately reflected. Excuses are their mainstay.
I get really fed up with people who claim to be spiritually progressive but do nothing to make the world a better place. They accuse others of the selfishness and hypocrisy they display constantly. If you do nothing to change the world you are not putting your spirituality into practice.
“Faith without works is dead.”
My mentor always taught me the opposite of faith is fear, and I would wager the type of people I’m talking about have a lot of fear they hide behind their high-minded words. If true this is very sad.
And it’s not that I don’t like these people. I don’t respect them and I think they’re full of shit, but I don’t dislike them. I don’t know if this makes them bad people. It’s not my place to judge that.
I guess there’s a part of me that just wants them to be honest. If they’re going to live a life of selfishness they should stop pretending they are deeply spiritual and progressive.
Because their behavior is an insult to those of us who put ourselves out there. They are taking credit for the hard work and selfless giving of others, credit they do not deserve. They are also generally arrogant, hypocritical and dishonest. They really are no better than the people they criticize. It’s an insult to those who do make a difference.
I guess that’s the part that bugs me the most.
I actually have more respect for people who don’t try and pretend they do not live a selfish life. I would rather listen to a selfish person who is honest about their pursuit of their personal interests.
I’m tired of listening to these hypocrites’ pathetic attempts to build themselves up. As I get older I find I have less patience and tolerance for bullshit in general, and less patience for this specific type of bullshit. Maybe I realize the value of time more than I used to, and these people waste the time of others.
I guess I also get a little defensive towards people who try to take credit for the hard work of others. They really do insult those who give of themselves. Most people don’t like to take credit for the hard work they do. This is a common behavioral trait among people I respect and admire. So I guess it seems like a double-insult when the selfish are trying to take credit they do not deserve.
It’s dishonest, egoistic, and a disservice to those who are trying to make a difference.
If you’re doing nothing, shut the fuck up. You have no right to complain about the state of the world because you do nothing to change it. It’s that simple.
And if this seems like an attack I guess it is. I just run out of tolerance for those who build themselves up at the expense of others, for the hard work of others. In a way it’s a violation of others, and it’s a great insult to those who give freely of themselves.
That’s my soapbox for the day.
Faith Without Works:
There are people in my life, not my partner or our closest friends, but people close to me nonetheless, who talk a lot about changing things in the world – but do absolutely nothing to bring about such change. The reason I’m bringing this up is because I’ve started to realize how much this bugs the shit out of me.
The kind of people I’m referring to talk a great game. If you didn’t know them you might assume they are politically and socially active based on how they talk, but they do nothing to make the world a better place outside of give-and-take organizations. If they do anything that benefits others it always involves them getting something back. They never volunteer, never show up at events or demonstrations, never march in rallies. Some of them don’t even vote. Often they claim their involvement in religious or spiritual groups means they give, but that dynamic is a give-and-take, not selfless giving. And when you observe their behavior even in their spiritual and/or religious community they don’t really contribute anything there, either.
Some are the most self-righteous and arrogant people I’ve ever known. They talk as if they are somehow more evolved or progressive than others when in practice they are very selfish. Everything is somehow about them. A reflection of them. When others take action they talk about how it will affect them. Every single event is viewed through a lens of how it affects their lives.
When people complain about politics the first question I ask is if they vote. The second question is if they write letters to their elected representatives. If they don’t I usually state they really don’t have the standing to complain – basically they should shut up.
And the type of people I’m talking about are very good at justifying and rationalizing their selfishness, instead of simply being honest about how self-interested they are. They pretend to be deeply spiritual and they fear being accurately reflected. Excuses are their mainstay.
I get really fed up with people who claim to be spiritually progressive but do nothing to make the world a better place. They accuse others of the selfishness and hypocrisy they display constantly. If you do nothing to change the world you are not putting your spirituality into practice.
“Faith without works is dead.”
My mentor always taught me the opposite of faith is fear, and I would wager the type of people I’m talking about have a lot of fear they hide behind their high-minded words. If true this is very sad.
And it’s not that I don’t like these people. I don’t respect them and I think they’re full of shit, but I don’t dislike them. I don’t know if this makes them bad people. It’s not my place to judge that.
I guess there’s a part of me that just wants them to be honest. If they’re going to live a life of selfishness they should stop pretending they are deeply spiritual and progressive.
Because their behavior is an insult to those of us who put ourselves out there. They are taking credit for the hard work and selfless giving of others, credit they do not deserve. They are also generally arrogant, hypocritical and dishonest. They really are no better than the people they criticize. It’s an insult to those who do make a difference.
I guess that’s the part that bugs me the most.
I actually have more respect for people who don’t try and pretend they do not live a selfish life. I would rather listen to a selfish person who is honest about their pursuit of their personal interests.
I’m tired of listening to these hypocrites’ pathetic attempts to build themselves up. As I get older I find I have less patience and tolerance for bullshit in general, and less patience for this specific type of bullshit. Maybe I realize the value of time more than I used to, and these people waste the time of others.
I guess I also get a little defensive towards people who try to take credit for the hard work of others. They really do insult those who give of themselves. Most people don’t like to take credit for the hard work they do. This is a common behavioral trait among people I respect and admire. So I guess it seems like a double-insult when the selfish are trying to take credit they do not deserve.
It’s dishonest, egoistic, and a disservice to those who are trying to make a difference.
If you’re doing nothing, shut the fuck up. You have no right to complain about the state of the world because you do nothing to change it. It’s that simple.
And if this seems like an attack I guess it is. I just run out of tolerance for those who build themselves up at the expense of others, for the hard work of others. In a way it’s a violation of others, and it’s a great insult to those who give freely of themselves.
That’s my soapbox for the day.
