Tropical Island

Last winter, I sought refuge from the cold, snowy weather by going to Germany’s magnificent Tropical Island. Tropical Island is an indoor beach that was created in an old hangar on the outskirts of Berlin. It has lush green gardens, restaurants, entertainment, overnight camping, large sauna area, sand, and a nice, blue skyline beach. Everyone must admit it is a great get-a-way to forget about the snow unless you are not comfortable with your body. Paradise island is not a nudist beach, but it is enjoyable to nudist, as I discovered.
On the way to the beach, I told my son that we could actually spend time in the sauna. It had been several months since we had sat in one and was looking forward to relaxing in the heat. When we arrived, the admissions clerk asked if we wanted tickets to the beach area only or the beach area and sauna. Being excited about the sauna, I declared we wanted both. We paid for our tickets and headed straight for the sauna.
As we walked around the sauna area, my son and I commented on how nice everything looked. There were plush, green plants everywhere. You could tell a great deal of attention had been given to the design of the area. Everything was very clean and the walkways were decoratively arranged; which gives credence to the saying, “You see what you want to see.”
My husband asked, “Did you see that old man?” My mistake was to ask where. He nodded in the direction he wanted us to look. It was at that moment that all the naked bodies came into view. How did we walk so far into the sauna area without noticing? Naked bodies were everywhere, kids, adults, young, old, smooth, wrinkled, firm, flabby; any type of body you wanted to see suddenly could be found. We were the only ones with suits on. But I had a simple solution we would just turn around and go back the way we came.
We reversed our tracks and started down the sidewalk. Unfortunate for us, the farther we walked the deeper into the sauna area we were, or so I thought. It seemed as if it took us forever to find our way out of the area. After that experience, I was finished, enjoying the remainder of the facility was out of the question. You could have taken me home that very moment. So, as much as I hate the snow, I haven’t found enough hatred, this winter, to take me back to Tropical Island YET.

The New 40

This morning as I slugged through the snow getting to work; it occurred to me that although I feel great and am trying to look good, I really am looking forward to retirement. Then, just as suddenly, it occurred to me, the new 40 may not be to my advantage. What if your congressional representatives decide since we feel great, we look great, we need to work an extra ten years. In other words, everyone will have to work until their plastic surgery needs plastic surgery. And here I was thinking my teeth whitening, varicose vein removal, tummy tuck, Botox injections, face, butt and breast lift meant I could prance around on the beach in my new spanx bathing suit and pretend to be 40 again. I never thought I would need them to work another ten years. Dang looking young and vibrant!

Vanity Fair and the Future of America

Many people are in an uproar over the photo in the latest edition of Vanity Fair presenting the future faces of Hollywood. Instead of being angry with Vanity Fair and missing the important, invisible message included in the photo itself, everyone should redirect their anger. Vanity Fair did what Kennedy stated in the sixties. The difference in the two is Kennedy used war as the indicator for racism. He stated that war was for poor whites and Black people. Vanity Fair is telling America that if you don’t wake up, this is the direction in which America will revert. Let us replace the word Hollywood with decent jobs, decent education, decent housing, decent schools, etc., and the message is telling you that if you don’t get your education and economic house in order, you will be left on the sideline as one of the invisible people. There will be two categories of people, the haves and the have- not, much like in third world countries. For those of you who have had the privilege of visiting a third world country, you have recognized much of the decline in American standards for many years, even during the economic boom. As for Vanity Fair, don’t be mad at the message, be mad at the messenger and do your part to effect forward, progressive change in America.
For those of you who do not understand what I stated in the paragraph above, let me make it a little clearer. Historically Black Colleges and Universities are constantly pressured to close their doors or unite into one larger university. These universities have educated many students who could not otherwise afford an education; the majority (60 – 80%) of which are on financial aid. Without the HBCUs, approximately 30% of their entire population will attend college; the 20% whose parents pay their tuition and the 10% other universities might accept on scholarships. No education, no training (most U.S. companies do not have the on-the-job training programs anymore) equals what type of job? Desperate times will force you back into maid, nanny, cook, gardener, etc. type positions. When I list these positions, I am referring to people as employees, not as business owners. In a desperate situation, you will do these jobs for minimum and/or below minimum wages. The truest way to equality is through economic and educational affluence.
Wake-up people!!! The Republicans and conservative Democrats’ new slogan is, No hand up, just an empty hand out.

Removing Haiti's Children

The situation with the missionaries in Haiti leaves me with mixed emotions. One part of me has sympathy for the ordeal that the missionaries are going through. You want to give the missionaries the benefit of the doubt and believe they really do have good intentions. But there is a very large part of me that rejoice in the fact that the Haitians stepped in and took control of the situation.
Regardless of your intentions, you cannot circumvent the law, especially when it comes to children. Many places have laws in effect to prevent people from rushing in and removing children in cases of disaster. These laws were established for the protection of children in situations such as this. If the missionaries are allowed to walk away with the children, you open the door to child molesters, child slavery, and child trafficking.
People in desperate situations will do desperate things in hope that their children will have a better life, which is why child slavery is so prevalent in Haiti. Parents often give their child to strangers with the promise of a better education and better future; but in reality, for many this is an empty promise. Once the child leaves home, that child is left to the mercy of the strangers, regardless of their true intent.
If anyone wants to help the children in Haiti, they should do it in Haiti or send contributions to the country. Haiti is in such disrepair, that the jobs created in the rebuilding process should leave Haitians in a better position than before the earthquake. Why the rush to separate kids from their parents? Help the family unit if you are serious about helping. Americans would have been outraged if organizations had rushed into New Orleans to separate children from their parents. Should we feel any different about the Haitians? We should not wish upon other children what we are not willing to do to our own.

Adam Lambert

Whenever I heard Adam Lambert’s name mentioned or see him on TV, I often wondered why people have such a fascination with him. He is a very good singer and performer; but there have been many other singers that equal or exceed his abilities. (Not saying that to take anything away from Adam, he deserves his recognition.) Today, I saw him on Oprah and actually stopped to watch a few minutes of his performance. It was then that I realized what the fascination that has everyone attractive to this talented young man. It’s only partly because Adam defies the norm; you don’t see him as a man nor woman. When you look at Adam, you actually see Adam, the charismatic person. He has Halle Berry charisma; we should all be so lucky.

ROBERTSON BLAMES HAITIANS

Pat Robertson has not been kind or truly sympathetic toward the plight of the Haitians. Instead, in their sever time of need he stands to throw the first stone, accusations. Robertson serves as an excellent example of why more and more people are turning away from the church. They are not turning away from their beliefs or religion; they are simply turning away from the church. When the leaders of churches continue to react as Pat Robertson, it makes people reevaluate the need to attend church services. They can watch services at home, read their bibles at home, and have bible study among friends. Anyone can learn to read and quote verses from the bible. If you don’t believe this is true, get into a religious debate with an intoxicated person and see how much he or she knows about the bible. Your true nature shows itself when those around you are in need. A true Christian will be there in good times and bad. It makes you wonder, who does Pat Robertson truly worship? And as his followers, who do you worship? I would love to think that Pat Robertson’s comments were strictly racist. If that was so, his callous attitude would only extend to people of color. But for the Pat Robertson of the world, if he could not attack a person of color, he would simply turn on someone else because he speaks from his true nature.

Moving Forward to Go Backwards

A Texas school board has agreed to adjust its grooming policy for a 4-year-old boy whose long, flowing hair has him in school-suspension. Preschooler, Taylor Pugh, has been under in-school suspension since November at Floyd Elementary School in Balch Springs near Dallas. The Mesquite school board decided Taylor could wear his hair braided but keep it no longer than his ears.
I, like Taylor’s Mom, placed my child in private school for many years. The school he attended at the eighth grade level had a similar policy. My son had his hair cut short to his head with the exception of a long rat tail that went down his back. The policy did not allow him to place the tail down the back of his shirt or to keep it braided. The only solution the school would accept was to cut the tail. We complied because my son wanted to attend the school. Within a few months, we realized the school was not a good fit for my son. I say that to say this: Sometimes conformity is not the answer.
Restricting the color of the hair to natural colors, even when using dye, is one thing; restricting the length you are entitled to grow your hair is another. The children in public and private schools are not in a military camp and should be allowed to wear their hair as pleased as long as the hair is neat, clean and does not block the view of other students. Students with high hairdos should be given the option to sit in the rear of the classroom or to change the hair style. The reason for this is that every child should be given the same opportunity to receive an equal education. This includes vision of the teacher, fellow students and the black/whiteboard. When to cut the hair should remain the option between parent and child. Requiring kids to cut their hair to attend school is a throwback from the early years of integration when Black students were required to cut their Afros.
The length or style of the hair does not determine if the child is a good person, intelligent, or has the potential to be a good citizen. Look at the Ted Bundys in the world. They are your clean cut, average to exceptional guys that by appearances anyone would trust. Having their hair cut short during their early years did not may them respectful of their fellow man, kind, or trustworthy. Instead, it helped to hide their true nature. For this reason, schools need to stop being superficial in their acceptance policy as a means of keeping specific people out.

Two Women Diseases that Affect men

Men should be aware of the following two diseases and research on the internet to learn more about each. The first is breast cancer. For this, men should do the breast exam just as the women do. Hold the hand up in a right angle (to your side as if signaling a turn when on the bicycle). Start under the armpit and work your way down to and around your nipple to check for small lumps. (Your can find video’s online to demonstrate how to do this; it is the same method used for women.) If a lump is detected, you should see your doctor. If you detect the lump because of pain, you have had it for quite some time and may be in a serious stage. The signs to look for are lumps, discharge from the nipples and/or an inverted nipple. For those of you who do not understand what an inverted nipple is, it is when the nipple begins to look as if it is being sucked inward.
The second disease is Lupus. Don’t assume that since you didn’t have it as a child you will not develop it. If you are born with the gene, it can be triggered at in time in life. Common symptoms of Lupus include hair loss, fatigue, fever, headaches, anemia, swelling in the legs hands and feet, a butterfly shaped rash across the face, painful and/or swollen joints, ulcers in the nose or mouth, etc. A good source of information on the subject can be found at Lupus.org.
Keep fit, stay healthy and when time allows, watch the Dr. Oz show. His advice is good for both men and women. If you can’t watch him on TV, you can follow along online at doctoroz.com.

Changing of the Guard

We elect our politicians according to our beliefs and political affiliations. Occasionally, we vote across party lines to elect politicians when we feel the politicians will benefit our cause beyond expectations of our party affiliate candidate. If politicians are voted in by the citizens according to the desired statements above, should not politicians be forced to resign if the politicians decide they want to change their affiliation? For example, if a politician is elected as a democrat and decides to change party affiliation, the politician should resign and allow the people to select a candidate they can trust to fulfill the desires for which that politician was elected. Democrats and Republicans vote across party lines on a regular basis; what is the purpose of changing party affiliations unless you joined the party simply to become an elected official. If I went to work and told my boss that I was changing my job description to suit my needs, I would be out of a job within two weeks. Two weeks if the contract requires two week notice, the end of the day if it doesn’t. Why should politicians be any different? If a Republican decides to become a Democrat, the politician should do it at the end of his elected term and run for office as a Democrat, or vice versa. I, for one, am sick of watching politician flip flop between parties.