January 14, 2010
-
Life is a Song Worth Singing...
The Daily News1 So...Teddy Pendergrass walks into a bar...
2 One of the sweetest voices in history.
3 Ah, so it goes, so it goes.
4 In the midst of everything, greatness fades, and then disappears.
5 So long, old friend. Heaven has gained yet another great one.
6 Huge sighs.7 Moving on, Part the First: The earthquake in Haiti really hit me yesterday, partially because I'm always sort of affected by such things, and partially because of the overwhelming amount of people it has struck. Almost 3 million people need assistance right now, so it is on a much larger scale than anything we've seen in recent years.
8 I realize that we can't help everyone, nor focus on every cause there is, but these stories really got to me, perhaps because I was one of the last people to hear about it.
9 Anyway, I've spent a career encouraging people to give to various causes, and I just thought I'd step it up on this one. Yesterday morning I posted some info on Facebook. It isn't always easy to find places to contribute early in a disaster, as many stories are just breaking and we often receive conflicting reports.
10 Ironically, early is when they need to get hospitals on the water, nurses and doctors on the ground, communications, and information on the air. It is pretty convoluted, but getting anything out there early is essential. My Facebook has some early stuff, and the easiest way to help right now is to donate money.
11 While I saw this yesterday morning, I picked a coupla websites that were moving pretty swiftly and providing good links. Thankfully me old friend and confidante Sheryll Marmito Silva commented with some great links, perhaps the best of which is this: Simply send a $10 donation by texting "Haiti" to 90999. The donation will appear on your next phone bill. Easy.
12 My feeling from listening to the reports is that they need money, and that the devastation is beyond any "normal" disaster.
13 I put this out there quite often during disasters because a lot of people read the DN, and if each could simply communicate simple ways of helping to a lot of others, then we've all shared in helping make the world a bit better, and in helping people who are experiencing things we can't even begin to fathom.
14 So I usually just put it out there. I don't criticize those who don't respond, nor do I make judgments. I simply like to get word out in a concise means, and to provide simple ways each of us can contribute.
15 Thanks, if you've never contributed before, try this once. Donate more than $10 if you can stretch it. Heck, donate a hundred if you have it! You spend that on impulse buys and parties. People do need the help, so this is just a means of getting people who normally don't go the extra step to go the extra step.
16 Thanks.
17 Moving on, Part the Second: Whoops. Nothing like grading deadlines to bring on the classic insomnia that hits every six weeks. Grading papers and data entering can get pretty tedious on the old cranium. Yesterday I had a nice long afternoon, and was able to grade three complete classes AND spend an hour at the gym. Nice, but once it hits around 7 p.m. I am ready to conk out, which I did.
18 Moving on, Part the Third: So yesterday I had to take a break from all this grading and walk to the English office with our Department Co-Chair, Nicole Hermatz. The sky cleared, and the sun came down on us as we broke away from the finals, the grading, and the indoors. The sweetness of the sky smiled down on us. The air felt great as we mosied along.
19 On the way to the English office, I looked ahead, and thought I saw Ringo Starr walking towards me.
20 Turns out it was me old friend and confidant Ken Ponticelli, lookin' fer trouble.
21 Ha!
22 He looked like a castaway from a Beatles' movie, or perhaps a stowaway from one of the Pirates' movies. Your choice.
23 Ah, it gave me a hearty laugh, and we spent some well-earned time together talkin' it along about everything and nothing, and hoisting a few laughs along the way.
24 I brought him over to The Cathedral, my name for my room at the Chill-on-the Hill and we were able to catch up a bit.
25 Is there anything nicer than when a best friend shows up and says hello? It was utterly GREAT to see the guy, so we'll probably be getting ourselves into some malicious mischief sometime in the next few weeks.
26 Welp, it's moving on 1:30 a.m. I already have at least four hours of sleep done, so I think it would be good for me to bow out right now, and wish you all a grand day. This week moved pretty swiftly, so enjoy the nice weather before we get drenched.
27 We certainly could use some rain, but I did so enjoy the sun and the nice weather yesterday. Brought smiles and laughs, two things that work well with lasting friendships.
28 Contact a good ol' friend today. It'll make your day. Donate to the Haitian disaster relief. It's easy, and you'll feel great.
29 Y'all have a grand day, make someone's day, and it'll be the best day of the year.
30 Find it in your heart.
31 Peace.
~H~
Recent Comments