Happy Birthday, John-Brooks~~ He was 19 on November 20.  I hope he continues to grow into being a good MAN... 

These thoughts courtesy of Terry Bertha White on facebook...

 Boys play house. Men build homes!!! Boys shack up. Men get married!!! Boys make babies. Men raise children!!! A boy won't raise his own children. A man will raise his and someone else's!!! Boys invent excuses for failure. Men produce strategies for success!!! Boys look for somebody to take care of them. Men look for someone to take care of!!! Boys seek popularity. Men demand respect and know how to give it!!! 

 

 

Hey blog buddies... here is a series of really funny (and very true) observations about the Badger state.  thank you Julia

Wisconsin, according to Jeff Foxworthy: If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you may live in Wisconsin. If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't even work there, you may live in Wisconsin. If you've worn shorts and a jacket at the same time, you may live in Wisconsin.... If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a............... wrong ...number, you may live in Wisconsin. If "vacation" means going anywhere North of Milwaukee for the weekend, you may live in Wisconsin. If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Wisconsin. If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Wisconsin. If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you may live in Wisconsin. If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Wisconsin. If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both doors unlocked, you may live in Wisconsin. If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Wisconsin. If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Wisconsin. If the speed limit on the highway is 70 mph -you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Wisconsin. If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Wisconsin. If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Wisconsin. If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Wisconsin. If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Wisconsin. If you actually understand these jokes, repost this so all of your Wisconsin friends and others can see, you definitely do live - or have lived - in Wisconsin.

Remember, winter builds character and we have plenty of characters in Wisconsin!!

 

11-11-11
Veteran's Day, 2011.
I salute all the men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces and the thousands who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Their service should never be forgotten.

But, every Veteran's Day, I remember my father. He was always a patriot. He said he did not consider himself an African American, but simply an American. However, he was born at the wrong time, or the right time depending on your philosophical point of view.

John Joseph Williams was born in 1906, and so was too young to enlist for World War I and when World War II came around... he was too old. He was in the "between the wars" generation. But, he always wanted to join the military and support his country. He knew history and he was well aware of the treatment Black Americans recieved at home and oversees and fought for all of his adult life for equally and respect.  But he never got to do what he thought was the right thing to do... fight FOR his country.

So, for my Daddy and all of those who stayed behind and supported the troops before, during and all the years after the battles, here is my salute on Veteran's Day.

The last questions are the answers.

For too long, education has been run by folks who believe only THEY know the way to teach. That old insult, "those who can't do - teach" should be turned around to "those who HAVE DONE - teach". We need to get the thousands of out-of-work "experts" in all fields into our schools. The teaching should come from the bankers and business executives and administrative assistants and marketers and other professions who can share priceless experience and knowledge with our children and their teachers.

Kids learn by example and we have too few examples of  the many occupations and intelligences ( did I just make up a word there?) adults possess that are not being demonstrated.

Teachers have a critical role in "educating" our children.  But "education" can come from many different sources.  Education is sharing what you know with others and opening the door for them to learn more on their own.

Don't just 'move the chair'... open the front door and let education, in.

1. April 12th, 2011 at 1:59 pm Joanne Williams Says: So, I’m reading Richard Longabaugh’s blog here on the “Finding Work Initiative” website and I think to myself… am I following his steps? Hmmm, let me see ( and share my thoughts with you).
   Right now I’m taking advantage of a wonderful opportunity here at MPTV… working for the JOBS program, telling stories about people who have been or are still looking for work. But in the first few weeks of my being a “free agent looking for a new team”, I had to step back and take quite a few deep breaths.
   Telling the family that I was looking for a new job was not as hard as telling former colleagues and co- workers. More on that in future blogs… stay tuned.
   Richard suggests joining a support or networking group. Sounds like that would get the word out that I am “in the market”. So, I keep my facebook page updated, use Twitter regularly and check my Linkedin account every day. I have also continued to attend the meetings of the board and organizations that I am part of in Milwaukee.
   Modify my lifestyle? OK, that’s easier said than done. You have to look at eveything you pay for… from the mortgage to the groceries and decide: what do I NEED, what do I WANT and what can I live WITHOUT. I have not figured all that out yet, but time is tight with the funds available and I better get out the calculator and do some figuring in the next few days.
   This may take longer than it did when I last looked for a job?! Oh boy, that is scary! Of course, the last time I had to show someone my resume, Jimmy Carter was president.
   Richard says we should “consider the state of your emotional, physical and spiritual health”. I guess still playing tennis and sort of learning to swim would qualify. Right? the spiritual side is hard to define. Maybe Richard will have some insights in his next blog.
   Do you think I am on the right track?