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Thanksgiving; Time with Family. No Thanks

copyright © 2009 Betsy L. Angert.  BeThink.org As Americans ponder the Thanksgiving Day holiday expectations are high. Young children look forward to all the activities loved ones plan. School age individuals are told tales of the Pilgrims and the Indians that befriended early settlers.  Most imagine that on this November day, people come together peaceably.  That, for the little ones is a welcome thought.  Too often, tension exists in the parent child relationship.  Some say angst increases as the offspring age.  Whilst many wish to believe the strain occurs over time, as a child becomes more autonomous, indeed, recent research shows early interactions give rise to the relationship that will be. Toddlers and tots rarely have opportunities to quietly, calmly, and genuinely converse with parents or the caregivers they are fond of.   Hence, lads and lasses feel a sense of loss.  By the teen years, the thought of another Thanksgiving celebration with relatives evokes an almost automatic response, "No thanks."

Boys Will Be Boys; Write, Reclaim Their Voices

Jacques Derrida - Fear of Writing

© copyright 2007 Betsy L. Angert

I have not read the book; thus, any recommendation would be based on very little knowledge. Nevertheless, upon seeing the title and a short review of the text, the book, Boy Writers, Reclaiming Their Voices, I was reminded of an important topic; boys have been denied their right to be heard. As men, they do not speak freely. As I looked at the title, I pondered what I think is a serious problem. I was intrigued by the prospect of promoting a method of teaching that honors and motivates boys to speak, to share their voice in the writing.

Couples, Communication and Caring ©

In a nation where forty plus, fifty, or sixty percent of marriages end in divorce, [depending who whose statistics you trust] the topic of companionship and connections is a must. In a country where many are separated, where children are left alone, and families are not intact, the quality of relationships is a necessary consideration. This week, the New York Times addressed this concern in two articles, Marriage Is Not Built on Surprises and Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying. I, as many do, have an active interest in this matter.

Yesterday, I spoke with an acquaintance. She seems to be happy in her current relationship; she says she is. I remember when her beau was a source of great stress. Jess was involved in his work and Lisa wanted him to be concerned with her. She tried and tried to change what was. Lisa turned to other men; Jess was upset. Still, transformation was slow in coming. The relationship came and went, repeatedly. Now the two are one, or are they?

Cowboy and the Lawman. Secretary-General Kofi A. Annan in the Bush ©

Please View the Video of the Annan Farewell Speech. Please Pardon the Prologue, the Obligatory Commercial.
Annan Condemns U.S. Aggression.

Perhaps what we have had in the last six years was a standoff. The cowboy confronted the peace officer. The lawman refused to blink; however, the cowboy took the bull by the horns and ran off with the international interests.

The peace officer is a practical man. He acknowledges that we must work as one; we are all part of a broader community. This legal wrangler is a quiet, serious, sober, and loving man.

The "Western wonder" rides by the seat of his pants.

The public servant is posed; he tells no lies. On occasion, he may miss a step. He may not be fully aware of his son's doings; after all, he is human. This serene official wants to believe the best of everyone. He is willing to be wrong and apologize.

On the other hand, the cow handler is a cocky dude. He is folksy. He prefers simple pleasures, plain talking, and he ponders little. Deep reflection is not his strong point. He knows exactly what he wants and how to get it. When this fellow says, Osama Bin Laden is our enemy; he is as Hitler, you can be sure this is his contention. The cowboy will do everything in his power to convince you that he is correct; he is "right!" When this riding-high-in-the-saddle scoundrel slings his mud, when he states Saddam Hussein is among those on the "axis of evil" you better believe he means it.

School Shooting Safeguards. Arm Educators? ©

In the last few weeks, school shootings have dominated the news. The frequency of these seems to be increasing. People throughout the nation are panicking; what are we to do? President Bush spoke of this situation in his Saturday, October 7, 2006, radio address. He proclaimed, “We will bring together teachers, parents, students, administrators, law enforcement officials, and other experts to discuss the best ways to keep violence out of our schools.” Conferences have been called. The problem has been discussed for years.

President Clinton convened such a forum in 1999. Educators, policy-makers, law enforcement officials, and adolescent-development specialists came to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study on May 21, 2002. Each group was equally intent on investigating the causes and effects of Lethal School Violence. In the symposiums, experts sought solutions. Everyone wanted [and wants] to protect our progeny.

Isolation. Insulation. The Go-Go Garage Society and Its Islands ©

Days ago I was scanning My Left Wing and saw a diary that drew me in, “I Look at All the Lonely People.” The author, Eugene, stated “I've never been one to have many close friends . . . I am very, very choosy with who I care to spend my time with, who I open up to.” I thought, “Me too!” I have been very selective all of my life and it has served me well. Eugene’s words peeked my curiosity; thus, I continued.

As his article expanded, I discovered that he was discussing a recently released study, “Social Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades.” This report revealed people in America no longer have the close ties they once did. A quarter of the population has no one they confide in. Most persons are fortunate to have one close friend, perhaps two. Intimacies within families are not what they once were, or at least they are not as they were once believed to be. People in America feel alone and isolated. Interesting; now, I am among the “norm” and yet, simultaneously, still far from it.