Red

There's a pretty incredible book on the shelves, that is aimed at children, but which I think we all can relate to. On a quick read through, you just might think it is about gender identification, but not necessarily. It's about finding our true selves, and that can mean a number of different things. The book is called Red, and it is written and illustrated by Michael Hall.

Book reviews here these days? Not usually, but this is too good to ignore. I hear this author is pretty good each time out, so I am going to check out his other books too including It's an Orange Aardvark! and My Heart is Like A Zoo. I'm not saying Michael Hall is changing the world, but there certainly are many ways to do that, and children's books is as good a place as any!

The basic story in Red, I must confess is a pretty simple and straight-forward one, but it brought tears to my eyes. I can highly recommend it!

National Latino AIDS Awareness Day

Today is National Latino AIDS Awareness Day, chosen to be October 15th back in 2003 because this is the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month. My Hispanic sisters and brothers are certainly impacted by AIDS (we ALL are), and so it is important to reach out and make sure that the message is being received.

Material in English and Spanish is being sent out into communities with large Latino populations and there is a blitz on social media. You even find bloggers like me saying something. Of course I say something a lot. AIDS awareness is something very important to me every single day, and I would again encourage all of my friends to help spread the word.

Two years ago, the rate of HIV diagnosis among Latinos was nearly three times that of caucasians. According to the Centers for Disease Control, "An estimated 220,000 US Latinos are living with HIV, and 15% of Hispanics infected with the virus do not know." It is so important to get the word out!

There is an official website foe National Latino AIDS Awareness Day: http://www.nlaad.org/ - check it out. There are numerous resources there. Help spread the word. Also, get tested and urge others to also. Seek treatment when necessary. We can do this!

It keeps happening

I was awakened today with the distressing news of another campus shooting, this one much closer to home. In the wee hours this morning, at Northern Arizona University’s Flagstaff campus, a gun left one person dead and three others hospitalized after a student opened fire on the others. We don't have a lot of information yet, but I can already hear the water cooler conversations and the chat on social media. When are we going to do something about this?

When indeed. It keeps happening. It isn't just some never-in-your-lifetime event. The Columbine High School massacre‎, Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting‎, the Stockton schoolyard shooting, the shooting at Virginia Tech, the Umpqua Community College shootings which we just wrote about, and the list goes on and on. After each shooting there is sadness, there is outrage, there is deeply divided discussion about what to do, but in the end, no real changes are made, and tragically there are more shootings.

I don't have the answer. I really don't. I do know that we need to do something. This mass shootings on school campuses don't occur in other countries, so why here in the US? What are we doing wrong? Can we agree to come together and put an end to this loss of life? It keeps happening because we are doing anything about it, and while I don't have all the answers, I am absolutely certain that there is enough wisdom in our country to make a difference. I am sure we can end this. We just need to come together and do it.

She is NOT a costume

Those distasteful Caitlin Jenner costumes began appearing several months ago. That sort of thing happens every year. Some people don't even realize they are being offensive, but they are. She is NOT a costume. (I've actually seen a couple of different costumes and they are both offensive.  They make fun of her, rather that celebrate her). The same thing is true when you put on that China doll outfight or dress in blackface. Native American costumes are offensive as well.  If you are mocking a person or a race or a culture, it isn't a good thing. That should be obvious.

There are tons of wonderful dress up ideas that are fun and send a positive message. Dress as the old standbys - ghost, witch, cowboy, fireman. Dress as your favorite performer, but choose someone that has similar characteristics so that you are giving a tribute, instead of making fun of them. Masks can be helpful.

There is never a good time to wear blackface or yellowface. Doing a zombie of a recently deceased person is in poor taste. Dressing nicely as that person is a much better idea.

I can already anticipate that some of you will think I have gone in the wrong direction on this one. Usually I give suggestions for positive things to do, instead of urging you NOT to do something. Am I being way too sensitive? It’s not a political event or a formal gathering at work. It's only Halloween. Indeed. But is there really any time when you should NOT be sensitive to others? Is being rude and offensive ever good? I don't think so. Oh and don't even get me started on those misogynistic costumes.

 

There's still plenty of time to plan a fun outfit.  What I'm suggesting is that you take a few minutes to think about others and how your look will effect them.  Halloween is supposed to be fun.  Let's keep it that way! 

pink

Pink. We are going to be seeing a lot of pink in October. This is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a yearly campaign to increase awareness of breast cancer and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, support, and cure of the disease. You will see public service announcements, magazine articles, fundraisers, and just a whole lot of attention given to the important health issue. Oh and because male breast cancer is generally overlooked, the third week of October has become "Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week."

I urge you to be aware. I've had too many friends stricken with breast cancer. A very dear women I knew battled it for three years, before passing away from the disease earlier this year. Awareness included having facts and being knowledgeable about your own body. Feel a lump? Get yourself checked! Have a pain or uncomfortable feeling that doesn't go away? Get yourself checked! Does breast cancer run in your family? Get yourself checked!

There are numerous online places for information. The American Cancer Society is always my go-to source for any cancers. They are a good trusted organization. Click HERE for their website.  Remember that your own doctor and your county health department are always good information sources.

 

How about the fundraisers?  Again, there are a number of them.  You might want to do something that has personal significance, such as donating to an organization that cared for a friend or family member with breast cancer.  Look in your local papers for events near you too.  You'll find some more ways to get involved HERE.

 

One more thing:  wear pink.  A pink shirt, the pink folded ribbon, a pink scarf around your neck - these all can help getting people thinking about breast cancer, and help raise awareness.

quiet, serene, and peaceful no more

The quiet, serene, peaceful campus that was Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, is quiet, serene, and peaceful no more. That beautiful tranquil setting was shaken to its core yesterday with another tragedy. Ten people were killed and seven injured in a shooting there, and according to Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin. the 26-year-old gunman, is included among the ten fatalities.

How many school shooting have there been this year? How many have there been in my lifetime? When is this going to end?  Today people are angry and people are sad, but in a few days, they will seem to forget all about this, until it happens again. That's been the pattern anyway. We never seem to really act. It's not happening like this in other countries. Why is it happening here, and why won't we make it stop?

Now some people will quote the Second Amendment to the US Constitution which says we have a "right to keep and bear arms."  It does not however give us a right to go to school campuses and randomly shoot anyone in our path. Oh and does "arms" refer to full-auto machine guns, modern rifles, grenades, rockets, and handguns? How could that possibly have been the intent, since those "arms" had not yet been invented?

In so many parts of our country now, it is perfectly legal for someone to openly carry a gun on the street or in public places like stores and restaurants. Is this necessary? Time was, if you saw a person enter a business with a gun, you could be pretty sure he was up to no good. How can we tell now, before it is too late? I recently saw an elderly man on a motorized scooter paying for his groceries in the supermarket. His hand was shaking as he counted out his money. On his lap was a handgun. I'm no expert, but with the amount of shaking he was doing, I doubt if he would be a very good aim. That gun could cause some real harm.

Ban guns? Well, I'm not saying that. The argument will come back that criminals will find ways to get them anyway. Do something. Yes, I AM saying that. We MUST do something and we must come together and come up with some answers soon. We can't afford even one more shooting.

are you ready for October?

Where I live, the weather gets a lot cooler this time of year, but there are plenty of chance to warm up in October. Think of the hot apple cider, the cocoa, and how about a nice bowl of jook? We have to wait all the way until the end of the month for Halloween, but the costumes and the parties will take some planning time!

Of course there is a lot more to the tenth month of the year. This is Down syndrome Awareness Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and Breast Cancer Awareness month. It's also National Bullying Prevention Month, Breastfeeding Awareness Month, National Pharmacy Month, Polish American Heritage Month, Pastor Appreciation Month, and Vegetarian Awareness Month. That's only a very small part of it too. There are tons of opportunities to get involved in things during October, and make a difference!

A bunch of food gets promoted this month. Today for example is National Homemade Cookies Day and tomorrow is National Fried Scallops Day. This Sunday is both National Taco Day and National Vodka Day. Now there's a combination! October 8th is National Fluffernutter Day! If you don't know what a fluffernutter is, look it up, and thank me later.

Oh and remember the movie Back to the Future Part II? Marty McFly (the Michael J Fox Character) travels to the future and arrives on October 21, 2015. Expect a lot a events on that day geared to the movie.

 

Have fun.  Do some great things.  Make a difference.  May this October be a great one for you!