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January 2009 Archive

January 30, 2009

What's your secret?

Last week, I spent three days, 26 hours, and 15 minutes in leadership training. On the first day, the trainer asked each of us to write an anonymous secret on a Post-it and stick it on the wall.

Throughout each day (as an energizer), one of us was asked to pick a random Post-it off the wall, read it, and then select three of us who he or she believed could have written the secret. Once the three were chosen, the real person was asked to identify his or her self. [more]

January 29, 2009

Has Technology Become Human Behavior?

The things that are necessity. It is incredible how the times have changed.

We went from kerosene lamps, to gas lighting, to “clapping” lights on and off, to doing the same by simply walking into a room. [more]

January 28, 2009

My Daughter's Motivation

I attended a funeral the other day. Two Spanish women and a white woman stood next to the bereaving daughter. As I approached, I realized they were my daughter’s principal, guidance counselor, and teacher.

They welcomed me with high regard (this has been happening since my daughter was in kindergarten): “This is Porshai’s mother!” Porshai is a great student and a leader among her peers. “You’re doing an amazing job,” they said. [more]

January 27, 2009

Kidnapped!

I sat in my car this morning, parked at a meter, waiting to go into a Marriott Hotel for a breakfast meeting. I was an hour early. I replied to emails as I waited. [more]

January 26, 2009

Nanny 911!

"Stop, stop!" Porshai shouts, "Mommy, tell Danny to stop!"

"I didn’t do anything," he says.

"Get off my balloon before you pop it! Let go, let go! Mommy, tell Danny to let it go."

"I didn’t do anything," he pleads.

Their high-pitched voices are escalating, just as my headache is ever-increasing. "Sit back and be quiet," I insist.

"But Mommy, Mommy, she started it."

I turn around and give them the stare--the "Mommy’s mad" stare. They both begin to grin. Somebody please call Nanny 911. [more]

January 25, 2009

Hit and Run

A few weeks ago my family and I were driving up Blue Hill Avenue. We took a left turn onto a narrow street with cars parked on both sides of the street.

Suddenly, my husband screams, “Oh, NO!” I feel the car lift slightly--we drove over something. “What was that?” I asked. “A cat,” my husband said. My daughter and son, traumatized, turned to look out the rear window; the cat was making an effort, using its hind legs, to crawl towards the curb. [more]

January 21, 2009

“My heart aches, my heart aches….”

Today I began calling all my boys who remain free. I need to confirm their participation in our Villages Without Walls appreciation dinner on Saturday. Mitch’s phone transferred directly to voice mail, which usually means that his cell is turned off. So I called AJ.

AJ answered, “Yeah?” I went through my customary check-in: how are you doing today, did you go to school, did you stay for every class, etc. I asked AJ if he would be participating on Saturday and he said, “Who else?” He paused, then said, “Mitch is locked up.” [more]

January 20, 2009

The inauguration

Dudley Square was quiet. The everyday pan-handlers, drug dealers, and addicts weren't on their everyday corner, loitering in front of Dunkin' Donuts. One could hear the streets' silence; few cars passed.
January 16, 2009

Military Firearm

This photograph is of a 38 caliber semi-automatic handgun, a 380 semi-automatic handgun, a 357 handgun revolver, and an automatic Uzi-style machine pistol. [more]

January 15, 2009

Alzheimer's

More than 60 years of marriage, of being embraced by your husband, clasped in his arms just like-you-liked; but now you’re frightened by the touch of some strange man, by the feel of an unknown gentleman you spent a lifetime loved by. [more]

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