Minding Your Own Business On Twitter

I know it has been said quite often but there are people who love Twitter and there are those who just are purely unmoved by the impact that Twitter has.  Much of that controversy depends I think on why you use Twitter and how you use it.  I think in the beginning it was exactly what it said it was which is social media…meaning people used it to connect and socialize.  Then came those who thought that they could harness the power of Twitter to make a killing with their businesses on it.  Although many are finding that Twitter does indeed bring them much needed spotlighting on their area of impact…many more were disappointed in their expectation that Twitter was going to BE the answer to their business success.

Twitter is not a place to be a wallflower.  You have to speak with others, comment on things that they say; break the ice with someone you may not be familiar with.  You are in charge of who you accept into your Twitter stream or conversation by who you follow and who you allow to follow you.  Choose wisely based on what you are trying to accomplish on Twitter.  In other words, choose people to interact with who interest you, don’t offend you and last but not least people who support your personal growth as a person, business owner or in an area of impact that you wish to be a part of.  Continue reading here: WriteWhereYouAre

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It’s Time For Dancing With The Stars!

        In less than an hour, Dancing With The Stars will premiere this years season opener.  It will be a three night premiere.  I can’t wait to see who starts out the season making a sparkling entrance and who will clearly make a splash.  All of this year’s participants are interesting and talented in their own field…so it will be another season of fun…watching them grow and learn. The celebrities are skilled in athletics, acting, comedy and so on…so it will be cool to see them using teamwork with their professional dance instructors to perform each week.  This first week, two yes i said two couple will leave the competition.

        Watch it with me and feel the tension and competition mount as relationships are formed and the competitors become a fraternity with one another.  It seems that each season has it’s own little close knit group. They have fun and challenge themselves and support other couples who they form friendships with.   I wonder if they ever have reunions together?  I think Mel B will be back on this season making cameo appearances.  It is fun to see things through the former competitor’s eyes!  Who are you rooting for and why?

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Nine Years of Impact That Changed The World…CCC

     Nine years is a relatively short amount of time to change lives, community, and environment.  Luckily, Franklin D. Roosevelt didn’t let that thought stop him when he created the Civilian Conservation Corps through his impactful New Deal which created over 59 agencies that worked to help America get out of the Depression Era.

      The Great Depression was a devastating period of time in America that impacted every facet of family life.  Food was in short supply, jobs were scarce, families were large and hope was wanning. 

       The year 1933 began to change that…the Depression had already dumped four years of hardship on families and the country.  Franklin D. Roosevelt became the President and promised the country a New Deal.  He created many agencies that would ultimately turn the country around…but those things took time. 

         When he created the Civilian Conservation Corps it was intended to take young men out of the city who were on the “help” line or what would today be called welfare.  The CCC did in fact help many young city men to leave the city life and got plenty of young men out of an environment of trouble.   When some of the young men/boys didn’t want to leave the city…boys from the country also went.  If the young men couldn’t work during this time, they were a drain on the family food supply; the CCC provided a solution to that by sending the young men to the camps…not only didn’t their families have to feed them…they could in turn, send home money helping to support their family at home. The requirements were such that the young men were supposed to be 18 years of age, collecting help or welfare benefits, and were willing to leave their families to go to the CCC camps.

         The work was hard.  The environment was sometimes empty lands that the “boys” had to clear and build their own shelters that would eventually become the camp barracks.  The discipline was tough because it had to be.  The camps often were blending boys from city life with boys from country life.  The times were tough…and many men and boys came without much clothing.  The camps provided uniforms to wear, food to eat, a place to stay, and a purpose for the young men and boys during a time when left to their own devices, many were prone to get into trouble.  The uniforms helped to instill pride in the work that they performed…for their families, their communities, and their country.

         The work that the CCC did was varied around the country…but, basically, they built roads, dams, installed telephone lines, paved roads, built state and national parks, built dams, constructed fire breaks to help control fire damage, planted forests and so much more.

          In return for the priviledge of being clothed in uniform and taking pride in the work that they were able to accomplish, the young men had to agree to the payment plan.  That payment included three meals a day, housing, clothing, and $30 dollars a month…the men were allowed to keep $5 dollars of that money and the rest was sent home to help their parents; or, if they were married with dependents, then they sent home the $25 to their spouse to help take care of their responsibilities.  Many of the young men had to not only leave their homes but some even had to go to camps out of their home states.

          This program, the CCC was wonderful at rebuilding a sense of pride in young men who did not want to take help from the government…it allowed them to feel as though they were once again restoring their families by the manual labor that they did.  At the same time, the CCC used the young men to construct projects that impacted the country in ways that; to this day, we are able to reap the rewards from.  The work ethic that the men exibited during this time was to set a standard for generations to learn from.  It was run with a military type environment…not quite a boot camp…but strong discipline and lots of physical labor.  Often, the men went on to join the armed forces and used the skills they learned through the CCC to help the military in other areas around the world. 

          Many of the parks and dams still exist and are enjoyed.  The CCC camps lasted 9 years; this year honored the celebration of its 75 anniversity.  The CCC put over 2.5 million young men and boys to work.  They planted over 200 million trees…my own grandfather was a part of that.  In the area where he worked…they planted pine trees that still stand to this day.  In the area where he worked…those trees were instrumental to helping to stop the progression of a 10 acre parcel of desert which turned into over 1000 acres before the trees were able to do their job.  That gave farming families a chance to regain their farm land which provided their families a place to live and plant their food supply.  

          All of the men who joined the CCC did work to be proud of.  They worked hard, they sacrificed time away from their families and they provided for other members of their families by doing so.  Many formed long lasting friendships with their co-workers and all had stories to tell when their time was done.   It is a legacy that should not be forgotten.  All of the work was important and should be honored. Many of the workers are gone now…some are living still and to them all…we owe a big thank you!   Do you know anyone who worked for the CCC?  How did it impact their life?  How does it affect the environment where you live today?  Should we organize something similar today to help our economy, our youth, and our country?  https://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2008/07/30/impact-action-team-makes-a-difference-in-the-world-through-boot-camp-training/

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A Respectful Tribute

       I read a wonderful tribute on a fellow blogger’s blog today.  It  was a respectful tribute regarding one ovarian cancer survivor’s feelings of the passing of another afflicted with cancer.  They were in the battle against the enemy cancer.  They had a rich relationship of love and support. 

        The respect and caring just comes through her words that define just what he meant to her.  He was friend, adopted grandfather as well as favored “uncle”.  No i don’t think they were related to each other biologically, but that doesn’t matter.

         They connected in a way that goes beyond surface; so, i know that with his passing she will grieve the loss, even knowing that he is no longer suffering pain or discomfort in the battle anymore.  Cancer might have taken his body; but, it didn’t claim his soul or his essense.  God will not allow the enemy that much power in the battle over his own children called by his name.

         So, I wish for her healing; and, joy in the remembering of their time together.  May the highs from the joy of knowing each other far outweigh the loss in his passing from this world.  It isn’t the end…it is the beginning of forever…they will know each other again in eternity; and they will be blessed from the knowing of one another.

         She is playing a song from Vince Gill on her blog in rememberance, it is a song called High on the Mountain. It speaks of a strong faith and the victory that comes to those at the end of the journey.  It is a song of encouragement and an acknowledgement of the struggles of life.

          Both of my parents have battled cancer…they have friends who have battled the disease right alongside of them.  These relationships are hard to define and the bond is stronger than diamonds.  They sparkle just as brightly too.  So, I pray that the comforter send her the strength she needs at this time of loss.  God bless  you Lady Ashley and those that you touch in your journey!

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