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!

Certain factions in this country have sunk to new lows – namely the Tea Party and many of their candidates.  I find little value in the vitriolic anger and hatred spewed by these folks.   It is disrespectful, dangerous and downright ignorant.  Freedom of expression aside, when did it become appropriate and acceptable to use Nazi propaganda and Ku Klux Klan costumes to divide and separate our country.

EACH OF USE needs to begin to take a stand against those who attack blacks, Jews, Muslims, gays, Mexicans - indeed, anyone who is ”different than we are.”  Election Day is a good time to start.  This country belongs to all Americans – not  just white Christians. 

I am truly embarrassed by the behavior of people who dress in white sheets, and call themselves “good white folks.”  I suggest that if they want to express their concerns, they take off their Cone-Head masks, put down the swords, and have a rational discussion.

Tea Party Ignorance on Display

Last week I spoke at both Oxnard College and Ventura College.  One class was Addiction Recovery Counseling and the other Early Childhood Development.  Although I was a little apprehensive before I went, both turned out to be wonderful experiences.  The students (especially in the recovery class) were no-nonsense folks, and they just wanted to hear the truth and nothing but the truth.  Many of them had (to say the least) difficult childhoods and similar backgrounds.  It was very humbling to be there, allowing them to have a safe space to tell their stoies and to hold my feet to the fire.  I know I learned much more than they did!

This picture doesn’t have anything to do with the classes – I just like Timmy and Lassie!

This past week I was thinking a lot about gratitude, and the blessings in my life.  It’s funny how when you focus on what you have, it makes what you don’t have seem unimportant.  I was sitting by the ocean today, and began to realize how beautiful life really is when you take the time to enjoy it.

I was thankful for being able to watch the sailboats navigate the choppy waters.  For the kids squealing as the cold ocean waves swept over them.  And for the para-sailers who dotted the sky with their multi-colored sails.

And then I thought about some of the people who helped me recently, out of the goodness and kindness of their hearts, expecting nothing in return.

To Susie Sharp of the New Rockford Public Library, who is an incredible supporter of Little Madhouse on the Prairie!

To George Angus of tumblemoose.com, for sharing his wisdom and straight-forward thinking with me.

And to Dennis Curcio of coolitics.com, for giving me a great piece of advice, and a wonderful quote.

My deepest appreciation to you all!

Thank you, Stephen Colbert, for sharing your intelligence and comedic genius.

I admire your courage as you spoke on Capitol Hill today, and I am glad you made them all squirm over the “elephant in the room.”

Watch Stephen in Action

To the Congressmen and Congresswomen who did not appreciate his humor, I think what he was really trying to say is maybe our lives would be more joyful if we didn’t take ourselves so seriously.

The guests today on the Oprah Winfrey Show were educational philanthropist Bill Gates, filmmaker Davis Guggenheim and Washington DC Chancellor of Schools Michelle Rhee.   The topic was the broken public school system in America. 

Guggenheim has directed a new documentary, coming out this Friday, titled Waiting for Superman.  It addresses how our school system has digressed in the last few decades, how we got to where we are, and some suggestions for ways we can fix it.  It looks like something that all of us need to see.  

I am sure there will be a backlash from the teacher unions, as they are one of the organizations the speakers would like to see changed.  For all my teacher friends out there, this show and the film are not directed at those of you who are doing a great job teaching our children.   The discussion is about  the ineffective teachers who are protected by the union’s tenure rules.  As Ms. Lee said, “we can not begin to change things until we start to talk about the problem.”  So, that said, maybe the show didn’t get everything “spot on,” but they certainly started to talk about the ”elephant in the room.”

If you can, watch this Oprah show episode, and check out the movie “Waiting for Superman.”  It is in select theaters this weekend and opens around the country later this month.