The chief condition on which, life, health and vigor depend on, is action. It is by action that an organism develops its faculties, increases its energy, and attains the fulfillment of its destiny.
Colin Powell

The conventional wisdom is that when push comes to shove black voters generally end up overwhelmingly supporting Democratic candidates.

I was just outside Greensboro this week at the Oriental Shrine Club, when former Charlotte Mayor Republican Pat McCrory  kicked off his campaign for Governor of North Carolina.

I could count on my fingers, the number of black Republicans cheering his announcement.

Before the program began, I walked around the room, and starting talking with some of them.

A young man told me that he was conservative, and that he supported several issues on McCrory’s political platform especially in the area of education and jobs.

He lamented that so many college students are graduating and struggling to find jobs with salaries they consider acceptable.  He agreed with McCrory that too many of them are forced to move back home with their parents.

I spoke with a young black woman who considered herself an Independent voter, but supported the former Mayor and his core principles.

The black conservatives I spoke with wished that more people of color would lose the fear of standing up for what they believe.  To me, they appeared to quite comfortable in the skin they’re in.

I have to confess that I am from a family of conservatives.  My dad is still a registered Republican.  He does cross party lines to vote on certain issues and certain candidates outside the party. My mom as well– only in recent years, she changed her party affiliation to Democrat.

Black conservative on Monday gathered on Capitol Hill to among other things dispel the “myths” surrounding  the group.

Two of the leading myths:  Black conservatives are exceptional and quite different from most blacks; and that an overwhelming majority of black voters are liberal-minded opponents of conservative causes.

Mr. McCrory will have some work to do to convince conservative black voters that he’s their guy.  I am no longer working in local television news, so I’d be willing to help him communicate his message to voters who might not be familiar with his political points of view.

I am a registered Independent, and actually shun political labels.  I know this for sure: I believe in being true to the foundations of the U.S Constitution and common sense.  I believe in equal opportunities for all people, though that doesn’t always mean equal results.

My dad was a successful small business owner, and he served in the military.  He made his own way in the world and he taught his children – all four of us–to rely on ourselves and to be true to who we are.

There is no shame around being black and conservative.  So, if you are, then don’t whisper. Own it.

Some icons paved the way…from Harriet Tubman, to Colin Powell, to Lynn Swann.

I have got work to do!

2 years ago, I put myself intp the Triangle Girls on the Run 5K and fun run Fundraiser, and I completed the race.  I ran by myself listening to pulsing, pumping music on my iPod.  Got the mission accomplished.

This spring, I’ve asked the race promoters to partner me with a girl who needs some “coaching” to complete the course.

That means I’ve got to be in great running shape!  That crutch I’ve always used in races (music) will have to stay at home.

True, there will be a lot of excitement and beautiful scenery around the course this year.  The race is going to run around the Tobacco Trail.

Just the images of girls, girls, girls are pretty motivating.

I love this organization so much… for all that it represents.  The mission statement says it all for me:

The Girls on the Run® mission is to educate and prepare girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.

I once served on its Board of Directors, and years ago, I was a running buddy:

YEARS.  I said  I took this on, years ago.

The 5k isn’t until April.  I’ve got some time to bang the body back into race mode.

I’m thinking of putting that couch to 5k tutorial back in my i-pod and get to stepping!

I’ve been on fire about my Zumba Dance Classes.  Running?  Not so much.

Game on!  This is a priority. Well, a priority behind finding a full-time job!

I would hate to disappoint a young racer, who is counting on me to help her cross the finish line like a champion.

Time to shape up!  Check back will you on my progress. Hold my feet to the fire, if you’re reading or seeing that I’m slipping up.

Find out more about this amazing organization and join the fun by clicking this link:

http://www.gotrtriangle.org/

PAM’S MUSINGS

Image: Salvatore Vuono: Freedigitalphotos.net

 

On Sunday I watched George Clooney’s film The Descendants.  It is a comedy drama about a Hawaiian land baraon who tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident.

I heard that some are calling the film which was released in November 2011, propaganda for President Obama.

I know that Clooney supports the President’s agenda, and seems to genuinely like him.  At the Venice film festival Clooney had this to say when he was asked about his own political aspirations:

“Look, there’s a guy in office who is smarter than anybody you know, and nicer, and he’s having an almost impossible time governing.” George Clooney

So, as I watched the film, that point of view about propaganda was sort of playing in the background.

To me, the message in The Descendants was this:  being there for your family should be a priority.

The film was shot on location in Hawaii.. where the President was born (Honolulu), and where he vacations with his family.

It showed a contemporary Hawaii and not the glitzy beaches and hula dancers many come to imagine about the state.

To me, the movie was simply one man’s journey through a family crisis.

I have wondered if having Clooney as the star was some sort of signal to the critics… given the actor’s political views… whether the film director shot certain sequences in fairly orderly neighborhoods to purposely show Hawaii from the view of working class families.  President Obama’s political opponents fume that he is living the rich and famous lifestyle.  There is a certain “humanness” and vulnerability around the father figure (Clooney) The movie shows the trials and triumphs of his relationship with his 2 daughters… of course the President has 2 daughters.  Is this part of the propaganda that is being alleged?

At the end of The Descendants, most movie goers I imagine leave with positive impressions of Clooney, his family in the film.. and the Island.  I did.

Are we to consider this to be propaganda promoted to convince us to feel good about the President, his family, and the place of his birth?  It feels like a reach to me.

I am still pondering, but I just didn’t see The Descendants that way.  Thoughts?  I am totally interested.

film slate by Posterize

Looking for last minute gift ideas for that someone who has everything? Give them the gift of sponsoring a homeless pet. It’s not too late to have them arrive before Christmas!

I have read many many ads like this one as Christmas approaches… a gentle tug on people’s hearts to adopt a dog or a cat.

It reminds me of an unsettling conversation I had with a web editor at WRAL.COM.

It was some years ago, that I had this conversation.. when I produced and reported a weekly segment on the news called “Wednesday’s Child”.

You likely know these segments.  They’ve been produced around the country.

I presented light and uplifting profiles of abused and neglected children in foster care who are eligible for adoption… boys and girls looking for loving homes and forever families. They number in the hundreds in North Carolina.

I need to digress for just a second.  Looking back, I wonder why in the hell we titled it Wednesday’s Child. Like they don’t have enough to get over as it is! Why put yet another negative obstacle in their paths? I hate that title! Thursday would have been better than Wednesday!

MONDAY’S CHILD IS FAIR OF FACE
by Mother Goose

Monday’s child is fair of face,
Tuesday’s child is full of grace,
Wednesday’s child is full of woe,
Thursday’s child has far to go.
Friday’s child is loving and giving,
Saturday’s child works hard for a living,
But the child born on the Sabbath Day is fair and wise and good and gay.

Back then, to that conversation that unsettled me.

I was one of the main anchors at the station, and generally such a franchise story (As Wednesday’s Child was) from a key player, would figure prominently on the homepage.  My reports did not, which bothered me.

I approached a web editor. I wanted to know why everything under the sun was on that homepage.  Pet Adoptions were front and center.  Why not my weekly profiles of mostly black children who needed permanent homes?

It was explained to me that pet adoptions were getting far more hits on the website, than the faces of the Wednesday Child children.  So the decision was made to give the pets front page status.  One had to click, click and click some more to find the children.

I responded that was more of a reason to keep those children on the homepage!  It meant we needed to keep them in front of people’s faces. If one child was adopted in a few months time, then that was worth it.

Nothing changed. I lost that argument, and eventually the series itself was terminated.

I am not asking readers to adopt children in foster care.  It is a lot to take on and merits serious time and work.  I ask only that you keep them in your thoughts during this time of goodwill, dreams,  and love.

Maybe you could make a small donation, or make a phone call to find out how you can contribute, short of actually taking a child into your home.

Call NC KIDS at 1-877-NCKIDS (1-877-625-4371) or contact your local County Department of Social Services.

“Good Health is the most important thing. More than success.  More than money.. more than power.”

That’s a line from the movie The Godfather Part II. It’s always stuck with me…. Likely a  little whisper or nudge to pay more attention to my own health.  I am thinking about it now!

The thing I’m musing about today is Heart Disease.  My 55 year old  brother suffers from heart disease..

He is in the hospital now after surgery and it’s a wake up call to me.

If you are a person of color, then it should be for you as well.  We are especially affected.

According to the Office of Minority Health, we are 1.5 times more likely to become obese than whites.

The agency also found that black women have the highest rates of being overweight or obese versus other groups in the U.S.; about four out of five black women are overweight or obese.

I’ve resolved from this day forward to do better when it comes to taking better care of my heart.

Up close and personal,  I’ve seen what can happen if you don’t.

Nothing major and drastic…I mean, I’m not doing bad right now.  I just know that I can do better.

I  am going to be reasonable.. and follow the old saying that , “ A journey of a hundred miles starts with one small step.

I believe Good Health is Wealth and like that mobster Rothman in the Godfather said…. “It’s the most important thing.”

Solutions are simple:  Proper diet, Proper rest, Proper exercise, Proper Mental attitude.

So let’s hear it for good health… our most valuable asset.  Harold’s got the message. Me, too!

I type that with a smile, but it is indeed a serious situation for us all.   I learned about the North Carolina National Guard and job prospects at a social Tuesday night in Raleigh.

It was held at the Guard’s impressive new headquarters in Raleigh, off Reedy Creek Road.     Major General Greg Lusk was the featured speaker. The general spoke before a crowd that consisted mostly of members and guests of the North Carolina Defense Business Association.   The general told us that the 12,000 citizen soldiers in North Carolina will be busy for some time.

They are among other things, helping to move equipment out of Iraq into Kuwait.  I expected that, but here is something I did not know.  The Guard is positioned in Moldova and Botswana– yes, that’s right!  They are carrying out missions helping to maintain stable democracies.

Soon, the guard members will go back to being what they were created to be: a part time force.   Many of these men and women will be returning to the civilian workforce.  General Lusk told us they return with skills that most human resources experts consider essential to the workplace.

Some of those skills include attention to detail, decision-making in stressful situations, and the ability to work in a team.   I looked around the room as General Lusk laid out the challenges facing the North Carolina National Guard.

I saw many of the business owners nodding… agreeing.   It looked to me like they were motivated to hire guardsmen and women.

Many own and manage businesses that fit their unique skill set.   Kudos!  It makes sense to me too.  The North Carolina National Guard is a well trained work force.  They’ve already demonstrated they can deliver on much higher missions.   Like they say:  “Always Ready!  Always There!”

She’s a 24 year old Dynamo… Kelli Cheatham!

But she got her license to teach  Zumba Fitness in January 2011.

Kelli’s energy electrifies the room.

I’ve been putting myself in her classes since August and I can tell you
this because I know it:  Kelli is a beast!  Everybody leaves her studio hot and
sweaty.  Better, than that, we all leave feeling happy.

You can tell she loves it…. and the people who are facing her in the
mirror… following her wild and sexy choreography.

Kelli smiles and laughs throughout the hour long party, as she calls
it.

Keli says women have come up to her and said that SHE is the only reason
they work out, and that that is what has her so fired up about teaching.

By the way, a few men do take her classes as well.

The folks at the Knightdale Dance Center hand out tickets before every
class, and they’ve actually had to turn people away because the room was too
full.  One night, some people who were turned away didn’t leave. No!

They actually stood outside the studio .. dancing on the sidewalk.. doing
the Zumba routines.

It’s that addictive!

Kelli is on a crusade to reach as many people as she can.  She asserts
there is power in Zumba.  I can’t attest to that, but there is definitely power
in Kelli.

She will celebrate her one year anniversary as a Zumba Fitness Instructor
in a couple of months.

Yes, there will be a party.  A Zumba party!.  Keli is making plans to take
over the Knightdale Rec Gymnasium. Her goal is to get at least 100 party people
to show up Saturday afternoon on January 7, 2012 at 12:30.

I’m excited about what this new year will bring for Kelli.  I think all who
know her truly believe it’s going to be — to use one of Kelli’s favorite
words– AWESOME!

Kelli says you can find out more about her Zumba Party by emailing her at zumbawithKelli@gmail.com

This isn’t wild kingdom, though.

She is a Raleigh woman on fire about challenging the prison system for its
treatment of her son.

Her son Steven Greenoe is a former U.S. Marine.

Ms. Greenoe wants to know why her son is being held in this way… and claims that he has never been written up and has been a model inmate.

In March of this year, Greenoe plead guilty to taking guns out of the U.S. to the U.K. without license and without notifying the airline.

He actually faced 50 counts of international gun smuggling. Prosecutors dropped all but two in a plea deal.  He is currently awaiting a sentence.

His mother says that’s been delayed because the prosecution asked for and was granted a continuance.

Mary Greenoe wrote to me that she repeatedly asks for a reason– in writing– on why her son is being unfairly treated.  She says she has been told, “because they can”.

This evening, I had a conversation with Greenoe’s attorney Mark Edwards.  He did not want to comment about the case or the prison conditions of his client.  He says he doesn’t want to say anything that could weighed against Steven Greenoe.

Edwards did reveal that a sentencing date has been set for next month… around the week of December 12th.

He agreed to talk with me in full once this is over.

I don’t yet have satisfying answers for this “woman on fire”, but I’m determined to keep trying.

The man definitely marched to the beat of a different drummer.

No disputing that!

So far, it’s a good read.

I’m at the point where Jobs is mastering the mac… sparing no
feelings as he pushes his team to making the seemingly impossible
possible.

Most everyone around him is gulping the kool-aide, and following his
orders… his passion for perfection.

The part that’s really sticking with me is how the writer and even
Jobs himself attribute much of his thinking and actions to his
childhood.

He was adopted, and had serious “abandonment” issues that come out in
all kinds of ways.  He could be both caring and kind, then cutting and
cold.

It’s a thread that’s so far weaving its way through the book… this
feeling of not being wanted births a personality flaw that followed
Jobs all his life.

Has me looking back at my own childhood… the good and the bad.  Has
me self-analyzing if I am the woman I am because of the little girl I
was.

My family on the surface had all the trappings of a typical middle
class life.  My father worked hard and my mother did too, as a devoted
housewife.

They were strict, religious, and careful about “appearances”.  What’s
more, they kept secrets.

I won’t say we were a normal family.  I don’t believe there is such a
thing.  My folks totally loved us, and we got by.

My dad was not the kind of father who would outwardly show love all
the time.  Most men didn’t back then.  His role was strong provider
and disciplinarian. It surprised me how much I didn’t know about him
beyond the obvious.

My mom’s role was perfect wife and mother. She kept a spotless home.
She was a great cook.  She made sure that when we went out we were
impeccably groomed. Always.

It surprised me, though how much she loved sports back then..
especially baseball.

Here’s what I’m noticing.  I always knew that our childhoods shape us.

However, Steve Jobs has me pointing a laser at  big things and little
things that beset me growing up.

I have many things swirling around me now, and I am appreciating this
exercise of self discovery.

The Steve Jobs biography set it off.  Now, I’m on.. to some clarity.

How about
THAT?

I walked away from that man today.. shaking my head in disbelieve
and not understanding.

Thinking it over now..  I shake my head in
agreement.

Onward + Upward