It's 1908 in Ponce de Leon, FL....

Principal's outing of gay student roils Fla. town

updated 5:57 a.m. PT, Thurs., Aug. 21, 2008

PONCE DE LEON, Fla. - When a high school senior told her principal that students were taunting her for being a lesbian, he told her homosexuality is wrong, outed her to her parents and ordered her to stay away from children.

He suspended some of her friends who expressed their outrage by wearing gay pride T-shirts and buttons at Ponce de Leon High School, according to court records. And he asked dozens of students whether they were gay or associated with gay students.

The American Civil Liberties Union successfully sued the district on behalf of a girl who protested against Principal David Davis, and a federal judge reprimanded Davis for conducting a "witch hunt" against gays. Davis was demoted, and school employees must now go through sensitivity training.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26316235/

My real friends that really know me would know that this pisses me off. I've always been straight, but I'm also a supporter of my gay friends. If one of my dear cousins would have come out to me before he died, I would have embraced him exactly as he was, even if I would've been the only family member to support him. Honestly, one of the things I regret not doing in college is joining a campus group called "Straight but not Narrow", but I didn't know how supportive I was of my gay friends at that time. Honestly, I wholeheartedly believe that gay people are born that way. If I encounter a person that has a different opinion of homosexuality, we can express our opposing POVs, agree to disagree, and move on with our lives. It's not like the outcome of our discussion will instantly change the sexual orientation of all gay and bi-sexual people at that moment - that if that's what they wanted anyway.

So, in 2008, someone being gay should no longer be such a big deal considering that gay marriage is legal in two states. Hell, it even impresses me how much some Americans love El.len DeGen.eres regardless of the fact that she's an out lesbian. Even when I taught 9th grade a few years ago, I was impressed that most of the kids who knew they had gay classmates did not seem to be affected by the sight of rainbow colored jewelry. These kids were not perfect, but they represented the idea of judging based on character pretty well.

But the above article reeks of a backwoods town that thinks it's 1908 instead of 2008 and probably has no interest in progressing with the rest of America. It's as if the young student watched encouraging and insightful daytime talkshows like "The Ty.ra B.anks Show" and listened to the lessons on compassion, acceptance, and diversity. This generation of kids are taught that bullying is punishable and should not be tolerated. Instead of internalizing the issues and just accepting the taunts as a regular part of childhood, these young people are supposed to find a trusted adult (teacher, counselor, or administrator) in their lives to help them. This poor student really trusted their principal to help them out because that is what s/he has learned is the right thing to do.

Instead, this trusting child has to be bullied and subjected to tomfoolery perpetuated by an adult that has Masters and/or Doctoral degrees that probably includes "Leadership". Maybe "Decision Making" classes and assessments should become a part of becoming an administrator. The saddest part is that the former principal probably thought he was really doing a good thing in the interest of the children and the community.

This is just some hot mess in 2008. So the moral of the story is we can possibly elect America's first black president in 2008, but we cannot accept the idea of young people who know that they are gay. *sighhhhhhhh*

1-2-3-4-FIVE-6-7-8-9-10-11-twel-el-el-el-el-el-ELVE!

Do you ever sit at your job wondering what the hell did you do wrong to be in the position that you're in? You want to prepare youreself to do better and start planning in your head or on a hot pink Pos.t-it the steps to take to get to your dream career. Then, you realize it's not as simple as fining a new job tomorrow but more like earning another degree or getting professional training for what you want. Your heart drops a bit.

Then, you go to your "Happy Place" and something from childhood brings a smile back to your face. For me, one of the happiest places is the 60 seconds of counting from one to twelve with the pinball machine on Sesame Street.

When I was a kid, I just knew I could teleport myself into that loopy well lit pinball machine world and just stand around. Then, when the ball wouldn't be on the ramps, I could ride my bike and pop wheelies all over the ramps. I might even sneak in some time to check out the special bonus area associated with each number. Yessssss.... I'd even end the night in that funky nightlife with the duckies and buildings at the end of the segment.

Please allow me to take us all back to the best pinball machine EVER.



Pinball Number Count 7: World Tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uh4_ybNgEJg

Geor-gia!!! Bull-dawgs!!! better than South Carolina anyday

Exciting but nervewrecking. That's how you can chalk up my reaction to my Georgia Bulldawgs Preason #1 ranking in the Associated Press poll. I'm sure plenty of people didn't think this was coming, but it did. YESSSSSS!!!

But it's still nervewrecking because everyone that starts out #1 doesn't always end the season at #1 according to a recent blog in the AJC. Just ask the University of Southern California Trojans who started out #1 last year but finished the season at #3 (behind UGA). Only time will tell if my team can pull it out. Regardless of the outcome, I'll nation does as well.

The memory of UGA ending up head of USC in the end makes me laugh - even more than Michigan's loss to Division II Appalachian State (BWAHAHAHAHA!) - only because I have a colleague that played for them back in the day, and he razzes me every week. He's a truly devoted alum that always recognizes the true nature of his team's legacy (payola anyone?), and I respect him for that. In return, he knows UGA only has two national football titles (1942 and 1980), but we've always had talent in a rigorous conference. Who can't respect fans like the Bulldawg Nation?

But a comment in the AJC blog about a fellow SEC team was pure hilarity! SEC fans are absolutely loyal, but you gotta give South Carolina Gamecock fans credit for their ridiculous, almost illogical devotion to their team. One commenter on a recent AJC.com blog cracked me up with their breakdown of the losing tradition that encompasses Gamecock Gobbledygook. Some might find the comment disrespectful, but what's so disrespectful about hardcore football statistics documented in the annals of NCAA history? I'll keep laughing...just as long as my Dawgs handle business in Columbia on September 13. We haven't forgotten.

Oh yeah. Back to the laughs.

http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/ajc/uga/entries/2008/08/18/consensus_no_1.html#comment-114014403

It's not a "murse" damn it.

Thank God for the weekend. Honestly, it's the beginning of my real life outside of the weekly grind.

Today, I sat outside of a local coffee franchise that's not so ubiquitous like another place we all know. Just sitting at a table outside enjoying the weather and a dose of whipped cream floating above espresso, steamed milk, and three packets of Sp.lenda. While other latte loving ladies and gentleman enjoy their drinks and company, my eyes land on a guy on the sidewalk leaving the same franchise with a medium white paper cup full of his own customized caffeine goodness in one hand. The other hand holds a white plastic bag with office supplies from a nearby chain store that's not one of the large stores you can't live without. I think to myself, "Maybe he's got opened eyes like me that actually go against the grain of what's allegedly popular. He might not fall for the hype. Good for him!" Well, the white earbuds probably feeding Coldplay into his spirit from his pervasive i_Pod kinda killed that theory. Then again, what if he was jamming to "Scenario" by A Tribe Called Quest or even some classic Masta P???



I continued to enjoy and savor my own caffeine heaven in a paper cup while watching guy cross the busy four lane street. The only guy walking in this area right outside of a major university went calmly on his way, and he probably walked off to a residence to have enough paper for printing a huge assignment. That left me truly impressed that there were other people in Atlanta like me that didn't have to have a car for every single errand or event in their life. Maybe walking dude and I will save the planet together by inspiring our friends, loved ones, and even sworn enemies who cannot help admiring our commitment to think outside the bleak box of "the norm".

Unfortunately, one thing about dude slowly began to "grind my gears" (I love that line). My not-so-stuck in the matrix dude had a plastic shopping bag. Why was he just like my husband and probably other countless men that do not make effective use of a reusable shopping bag? They're honestly easier to carry since you can put it over your shoulder like a computer bag, a messenger bag, or... a shoulder bag. Why carry one, two, or even six merchandise-filled plastic bags with those flimsy handles that can hurt your fingers after about sixty seconds when you can put several items in one bag? I imagine that carrying those bags that can only hold a few cans or boxes at one time really suck if you are on foot.

The benefits make complete sense and far outweigh the cons to me as a woman, but it's almost like a crime against manhood to ask a man to think about the environment and not take the plastic bags from the stores. Men must think that if they carry their groceries, power tools, deodorant, or sneakers in reusable bags, then they've just pimp-slapped their masculinity out of their bodies to lay on the asphalt like a used-up crumpled street walker with baggy eyes and a few gray hairs. The bags come in so many varieties of looks and colors and prices, so it's not like the bags can be mistaken for a lady's handbag just because it's on the shoulder. So it's not a "murse" damn it but just a shopping bag. Seriously. It grind my gears that men can be so consumed with what they perceive to be an attack on their image when it's not that serious.

As a black woman with reusable bags, I always feel like I'm truly in the minority because I try to use my bags all the time. I have seen one other black woman use the reusable shopping bags in my area, and that makes me proud. However, I'm quite likely in the minority for being worried about one guy with a plastic bag. I'm confident there are a lot of men that refuse to embrace the reusable bags. That's beyond disappointing for me, but if a great number of people learned to embrace all of these social networks on the 'net, then maybe there's hope for coffee-sipping guys to buy and use reusable shopping bags. My fingers are crossed.

Monday has already come and gone. The upside: my newest co-worker and I went to lunch together, and we enjoyed each other's company. We just dig each other. Maybe she and I detect a certain maturity in each other because we both prefer to get the job done and work completely under the radar. The downside: we had to return to the drudgery and torture called "work" one hour later. Brutal... Just gimme my check - er, direct deposit.

As the sands of time keep falling, here comes Tuesday. Besides the last 2 seconds of the video below, the fact remains that I completely relate to what's conveyed in the video below...even on Tuesday. Definitely Wednesday as well. The feeling doesn't begin to wane until Thursday. Oddly, I bet a bunch of people feel the exact same way about their method of making income.


http://www.youtube.com/v/npQC7v73TXg&hl=en&fs=1

Random Thoughts

The only constant is change, and I'm being consumed by it. My professional life and source of income is stuck dead in the middle of a crossroads. It's not cluttered because I have ideas on what I want to. I definitely want to avoid backtracking and deciding to stay where I am. Regression and restricting my gifts and talents tend to be pointless. So, developing and honing my natural gifts in writing is a very likely direction.

In keeping with the spirit, I have to write something. I penned my first real effort at a poem. The topic was patriotism, and so far, other members of my writing group seem to be blown away by my attempt. Nice. So no poetry today. Just some random expressions:

~ How'd I get so lucky to have a husband who likes to cook for me and doesn't mind cleaning at all? And he digs me exactly the way I am. Full-figured fluffiness and all. Never would have conceived of this in a million years.

~ "I Wanna Work For Diddy" is quickly becoming my new favorite reality show. The mantra of "Sleep is Forbidden" inspires one to be driven in theory, but for real.... I need about 6 hours of sleep. I don't have any sleep disorders, and I don't want them just because I thought achieving was more important than resting my body.

~ "From G's to Gents" isn't half as bad as I thought. I jumped on a recent ep where the guys had to show business savvy in front of I.rv G.ot.ti. The Atlanta dude outshined the other guys for real. But that T. Jones guy... He's not "slow", but he definitely posseses a quality about himself that screams "little boy in a grown man's body". I felt bad for him during the challenge because he high-tailed it down the very familiar path of self-sabotage when he was faced with a challenge.

~ I got a lil' excited when I saw gas for $3.74/gal this evening. About a nanosecond later, I remembered reading that oil prices are dropping about 10 - 15% while the price of fuel at the pump is dropping about 3%. Plus, it's still pretty close to $4/gal. This is some bull....

~ Pan.dora radio rocks. Why did I wait so long to jump on it?

~ I love LL Cool J for those hilarious MTV mini-spots, especially the "Misery"-inspired ones.