I spent the last year observing and analyzing the approaches being used to tackle the growing problem of childhood mistreatment.  As the old saying goes, when you know what you are currently doing is not working, and you continue to do more of it in hopes that it will ultimately work, you are involved in insanity.  Not exactly the original wording, but you get the idea.  I think  the time has come for society to reassess its child advocacy agenda, and for new options to be placed on the table.  With that in mind, the Angel Heart Foundation will be refocusing its efforts in this arena.  We are rewriting our mission statement and will be redesigning the website. 

 I will keep you up to date on our progress!

Each year I like to pick a group to work with on a Christmas project.  This year I am supporting the ADS Peer Leadership Club of Oxnard College in their efforts to provide a fulfilling holiday for the Mixteco families of Ventura County.

So, it was off to the toy store tonight, where I wound up spending about three hours.  Wow, I didn’t know how many kinds of toys there are – some of them very, very cool.  If the children have half as much fun getting these toys as I did shopping for them, it will be a great success!

On Friday, November 19th, the Angel Heart Foundation sponsored the attendance of 750 Oxnard and Ventura elementary school children at the Ventura County Ballet Company outreach program.  The students were treated to an abbreviated performance of The Nutcracker, which kept them enthralled from beginning to end.  The girls were especially intrigued with the costumes, and the boys liked the “battle of the toy soldiers.” 

These programs are designed to introduce ballet and dance to students who would not otherwise be exposed to this art form.  A big thank you to the Ventura County Ballet Company for the work involved in putting this program together, with special appreciation to Heather Parks for bringing all these kids together!

Thanks to my dear friend for inviting me to speak to her Ventura County adult continuing education class at the Ventura TowneHouse.

How lucky you are to be able to “teach” such a wonderful group of bright, energetic, educated and talented folks.   It was a great reminder to me that nothing beats a little wisdom and that getting to age 99 can be a good thing!

A good time was had by all – and mostly me!

First, in the interest of full disclosure, let me tell everyone right up front that I am a live-theater snob.  By that I mean I know what I like, and what I don’t like, and I can be vocal about either!

Tonight I attended the St. Bonaventure Drama Department production of Macbeth.  Before I went, I thought to myself that this was a pretty ambitious production to be undertaken by a group of high school students.  What I witnessed both surprised and delighted me.

First of all, the sets and the costumes rivaled those of some professional productions I have seen.  The play included well-choreographed numbers and the introduction of some very novel musical ideas.

The young performers were enthusiast, focused and well-prepared.  They tackled the Scottish accents and Shakespearean language with great success. And they appeared to be having a wonderful time.

At the end of the play, tears came to my eyes during the fight scene between Macbeth and Macduff.   I don’t know if it was the slow motion activity, the fog filled room or the excellently choreographed battle.  All these factors taken together made this particular scene look like poetry in motion to me.

But most importantly, I was struck by what can happen when a group of dedicated (and respectful) young thespians come together to collaborate with an incredible director and fabulous choreographer, along with the perfect dramatization for a troupe of this age.

Magic – that’s what can happen!