Vee's Chic Look

Vee's Chic Look by vanejohn featuring juicy couture bags

Hurricane Katrina, 5 Years Later
In recognition of the upcoming5-year ann anniversary of one of the most, if not the most horrific natural events in history, and as a tribute to those who suffered emotionally and/or physically, I'd like to share the following poems:


LEST WE FORGET


Spike gave the world another birds eye view,
a reminder
Of the devastation and destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina

He offered a fitting tribute to the lives lost, many unnecessarily

As our government put on blinders and pretended not to see

As men, women and children, old and young alike

Begged, screamed and cried and pleaded for help 

Some from atop rooftops, atop bridges, while some floated in infested waters

Waters that continued rising, rising, rising up to the sky

Hurricane Katrina may be partly to blame for some of the destruction and lives lost

But a huge burden rests on the shoulders of the government of this free land in the US of A

Spike's documentary serves as a poignant reminder

That not much has changed for those who survived this horrific event

And while there are many who say they're tired of hearing about Hurricane Katrina and its victims

That it was almost a year ago and those people need to move on, get over it

Let this serve as a reminder that
There are still entire communities that resemble war-ravaged countries

There are still countless don't anyplace to live and are waiting on FEMA trailers to call home

There are still countless who are waiting on schools to enroll their children in

There are still countless who are waiting for their ruined homes to be torn down and the debris taken away

There are still bodies being recovered under this debris

There are still over one hundred people who have not been found

There are hundreds of bodies that have yet to be identified in makeshift morgues

So in union with the countless individuals who are still going through it

I beg you to stand in support of these people
Help give them a voice in hopes of giving them some closure

Help give them courage to go on in spite of having lost everything they've ever owned

And prayerfully your voice, your help will make their voices, their cries louder

So that our government WILL be held accountable

To help the people of New Orleans and the Gulf region

Get back a sense of normalcy, a sense of belonging 

Because while nothing will be the same for the victims ever again

With your voice and your help, we can continue to give them hope

For if there is no hope, there surely can be no future.
God help them,
God help us all.

A TRIBUTE TO NEW ORLEANS

New Orleans, pronounced N’Awlins, also known by many as The Big Easy
Endless adult entertainment twenty-four/seven/three hundred sixty-five
Wide-eyed wonder and gleeful amazement for first-timers visitors.

Only party-goers roam the streets of Bourbon in the French Quarter
Revelling in the wicked waters that flow from the fountain taps
Lazily, haphazardly visitors stumble from one bar to another
Each forward step taken clumsier than the ones before
As the sounds of Blues and Cajun serenade the night
Never a dull moment in the city that never sleeps
Specially at Mardi Gras, the grand party of all.

Hurricanes Katrina and Rita attempted to wash you from the face of the earth
Blowing away and pouring tons of its own waters from the rivers and lakes
As men, women and children people were desperate for higher grounds
While many homes have literally been uprooted, torn from foundations
But through it all the spirit of New Orleanians won’t let them quit
For you can take the people out of this great city of New Orleans
But you can’t take the spirit of New Orleans out of the people
Just give them time, time to regroup, reenergize, rebuild
And New Orleans will once again emerge and Jazz
Fest, Essence Fest, Mardi Gras, Bayou Classic,
Sugar Bowl, Super Bowl, Jambalaya, Gumbo,
Crawfish, Red Beans and Rice, Coffee and
Beignets, they’ll all be back and better
Than before with the same resilience
And wonder that the Crescent City
Is infamous for the world over.
Laissez les bons temps rouler.

A TRIBUTE TO HURRICANE KATRINA


Hurricane Katrina announced its arrival
Unleashing its wrath
Raging uncontrollably
Randomly, yet
Indiscriminately
Catapulting catastrophe
And annihilating anything as it swirled and twirled
Nervously from town to town crossing state lines
Erratically about.

Killing aimlessly
Adults and children alike with its
Take no prisoner attitude
Rambunctiously
Indigently leaving empty spaces of
Nothingness where there was once familiarity on
August 29th, the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Five.

A Message To My Brothers That Are Free and On Lock Down in Jail/Prison

Last weekend I visited my nephew in a Federal Prison Camp. I was a first-time visitor to a prison site, although I worked in law enforcement as a 911 Dispatch Supervisor for thirty years. While I admit I was astounded at seeing the comforts and freedoms afforded those sentenced to this camp, in the back of my mind a little voice kept reminding me it was still a prison, albeit a minimum security prison.

There were many other young men, in addition to many males who fell in the category of senior citizen, like my twenty-something year old nephew. The prison was a three-hour drive for me so my sister, my brother-in-law and my grand-nephew spent several hours visiting, chatting and playing cards with my nephew.

My nephew graciously introduced us to some of his 'new' friends there. After each left our table, my nephew said, "That's a good guy." It seems that there were many 'good guys' in there, and in many ways many probable are 'good guys', but that doesn't take away from the fact that all of these 'good guys' are doing time in federal prison for various reasons.

We weren't the only visitors at the camp that day. There were many wives/girlfriends, children/grandchildren visiting also. My newphew has three young children of his own ranging in ages from 9 months - 7 years old, although none of them accompanied us on this visit. Looking around at all of the young children that were visiting their love ones doing time, I thought about my nephew's young children, and all the other young children that these men have fathered and left behind while they are doing time for crimes they've committed, and the ones that proclaim they're doing time but they're innocent.

These young children are fatherless for whatever time these young men are on lock down. I wonder who's going to step in and fulfill these father's shoes during their absence? Although I know my nephew's children have their grandfathers and uncles that will fill in for my nephew, I wonder about the children who don't have anyone to step in for the absent fathers. What will happen to them? Who will be their role model? The Streets? The fast dollar? The corner nickel and dime drug dealer?

To the absent fathers, I ask, "Have you thought about the consequences of your actions? For those that were fortunate enough to be sentenced to this camp with all of its luxuries I wonder, "Is the sentence harsh enough that you wouldn't want to return to such a place?"

As I listened to my nephew describe all the freedoms they have at this prison camp, the little voice kept echoing, it's still prison and the one freedom that's most important in all of this was missing from his description, and that is, he is a prisoner for the next several years and he does not have the freedom to leave, to return to his family and be the father that his young children need. And to me, that was the saddest part of this entire visit. These children are the innocent ones in all of this. They've surely been sentenced to doing time for crimes they didn't commit.

My December 2008 Newsletter


Vanessa A. Johnson Speaks


Greetings and Happy Holidays to you and your family. Let me begin by saying this is my first newsletter. Woohoo!

LITERARY NEWS

Woohoo! I'm writing again. Now, you may be wondering why the celebration. It's a celebration for me because my writing muse has been on an extended vacation. Writer's block, you ask? Nope, I just haven't felt like writing. The characters from my novels in progress have been speaking inside my head, but I've been ignoring them. But, no more! I'm putting my fingers to the keyboard, and I'm plucking away. This newsletter is evidence of that.

What I’m Reading
The Official Study Guide for the Louisiana Notary Examination

My Top 5 Favorite Reads of ‘08
1. Sweet Georgia Brown by Cheryl Robinson
2. Passin’ by Karen Q. Miller
3. An Eye For A Deadly Eye by John A. Wooden
4. In Bed With Her Boss by Brenda Jackson
5. Her Little Black Book by Brenda Jackson

*****
Local Happenings

LET IT SNOW!
In the words of Boys II Men, “Let it snow, let it snow...” It snowed here in Ama, Louisiana on Thursday, December 12th. What's the big deal? Well, if you are familiar with this part of the US (the deep south) we don't see snow too often. As a matter of fact, the last time we had snow here was on December 25, 2004. We got about 1-2 inches, while some other areas saw up to eight inches. And it was beautiful while it lasted, all 3 hours of it.

INSPIRATION

While this may be a happy and joyous time for many, there are many who find themselves sad, depressed, and lonely during this holiday season. For them I offer some words of encouragement, as well as some suggestions on how to handle grief during this holiday season, which are taken from my article, Grief Happens.

Grief, according to Webster's dictionary is defined as deep mental anguish, as that arising from bereavement; 2. A source of deep mental anguish; 3. Annoyance or frustration: Example: Trying to follow their directions was nothing but grief; 4. Trouble or difficulty: Example: the grief of trying to meet a deadline. *

Grief is our response to that loss or change. Everyone reacts to things differently, and it is the same with grief. There are many factors that will determine our reaction to grief; factors such as our personality, age, the relationship we had with our deceased loved one(s), our culture, and our spiritual beliefs and upbringing.

There are five steps to the grief process, Disbelief, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. Everyone may not experience all the steps of the grief process, just as everyone doesn’t experience them in the same order.

There is no right way or wrong way to grieve, and misconceptions about a right or wrong way in the grief process can make the bereaved person question their feelings in relation to the deceased or their sanity if their grief doesn’t happen in neat orderly fashions as society dictates or it doesn’t happen in a timely manner, or we don’t accept the loss when others think we should. I can’t count the many times I’ve heard people say, “Oh you should be over your grief by now.”

Understanding what grief can be like; finding ways to safely express those emotions, and coming up with coping strategies can help the bereaved person endure the pain of their loss or the change in their environment.

Grief includes a wide range of emotions that include, but are not limited to: anger, anxiety, change in worldview, confusion, depression, despair, drop in self-esteem, fear of going insane, feeling unable to cope, guilt and remorse, helplessness, hopelessness, loneliness, questioning your value and belief system, relief, shock and disbelief.

Losing a loved one or being faced with a change in your normal environment can be life-shattering events that affect you emotionally, physically and spiritually. So it is important that you try to look after yourself in order to help you move along in the grief process, and not become stagnant in one or more of the steps of the grief process.

Some suggestions that might help you progress through grief are:

•Diet and exercise – grief’s impact on the body can cause symptoms including sleeplessness, anxiety, restlessness that can affect your internal system as well. Taking care of you by paying attention to diet and getting regular exercise can help to alleviate many, if not all of these problems.

•Relaxation - schedule some time every day to wind down, using whichever methods that work for you, i.e., meditation, taking long baths, playing sports, reading, doing hobbies such as cooking/baking, doing puzzles, surfing the internet or listening to music.

•Avoid chemical stimulants - try to avoid turning to drugs such as cigarettes, alcohol or antidepressants to help you manage your grief. They won't ease your pain. They can cause other health problems and in some cases can assist in prolonging your grief.

•Be realistic - try to be kind and gentle to yourself. Accept that you need to grieve in the ways that feel natural to you. Don't judge or criticize yourself for not coping as well as you think you should or how others think you should.

Some coping strategies to help you through grief include:

•Crying - Some people feel that crying isn't appropriate or else they're afraid that once they start crying, the tears won't stop. If you feel the need to cry, do it. Crying is our normal human response to many of life’s heartaches. However, if there are no tears, it does not mean that there is no grief. As I’ve said before, everyone grieves differently. Crying is cleansing and good for the soul.

•Spend time alone - schedule time alone every day to focus on your feelings and express them in whichever way feels natural to you. For example, you may choose to study the word of God and praying, or write a diary or journal. Computers can simplify the journaling process for you, as there are many uses with them. Computers come loaded with writing programs already installed on them, i.e., Word, Word Perfect, and if you have access to the Internet, there’s the world of Blogging.

A Blog, short for weblog, is defined as a personal or noncommercial web site that uses a dated log format (usually with the most recent addition at the top of the page) and may contains links to other web sites along with commentary about those sites.**

There are many free online sites that provide the place and space for you to create an online. Some are:
•MyDearDiary.com
•OpenDiary.com
•Deardiary.net
•My-Diary.org
•Livejournal.com
•www.thoughts.com
•Your computer should have some type of Microsoft software already installed on your computer, i.e., Word, Word Perfect, Notes, etc. Using this alternative, no one can view your journal unless you want them to do so.

The following website is also a good resource for finding online diaries and journals: http://dir.yahoo.com/Social_Science/Communications/Writing/Journals_and_Diaries/Online_Journals_and_Diaries/. Or you can simply Google the words, online journal or online diaries, for additional options that may be best suited for your needs.

Other forms of coping strategies are:

•Spending time with your family - schedule time to grieve as a family if possible. This time could include talking about the deceased, crying together and sharing your feelings together.

•Pampering yourself - include activities in your daily or weekly schedule that you enjoy, i.e., a massage, a spa treatment, getting manicures and/or pedicures, or hair done.

•Developing a Support system (if you don’t already have one) - actively seek out support from others. This could include friends, co-workers, doctors, community health centers, bereavement support groups or professional counselors. Talking is helpful in just about every situation life presents. Talking can keep those involved from feeling isolated. The right words spoken from the right person at the right time can make all the difference in the world to the bereaved. Don't be ashamed to discuss your feelings that may arise from any situation that may cause you grief.

In addition to interacting with a support system physically, there are online groups that offer support as well. Some online support groups are:
•http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Grief_Group
•http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/grief_support
•http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/LIVING_WITH_GRIEF
•http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheBereavementJourney
•http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/healingheartshaven

There are hundreds, if not thousands more groups like these. If you have Internet access, you can perform a search using key words such as grief, grief groups, or grief support to find one that’s suitable for you.

•Create a memorial – If may like to write letters to your loved one, plant a memorial tree, put together a special photo album, or commemorate their life in whichever ways feel meaningful to you and your family. Again, the Internet can be a nice source for creating an online web site or displaying and sharing photos with others. If you have Internet connections, your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may provide capabilities for doing this. Some free Websites that allow you to create memorial sites for your loved ones are:
www.last-memories.com
www.memory-of.com
www.christianmemorials.com
www.gonetoosoon.org
www.muchloved.com
www.sympathytree.com

•Seek Professional help - see your family physician for help and referral if you feel out of control and regardless of what you do, you can’t progress through one or more of the steps of the grief process.

Remember, healing is the end result of the steps of grief. By healing, I mean coming to terms and accepting the loss. While many, if not all of the emotions associated with grief seem to come and go, it is important to feel them and accept them. There is no quick fix or magic pill that will suddenly make these feelings and emotions disappear overnight, or in days, weeks or even months, especially with loss through death, but grief can be short-lived for some things that cause you grief.

With the passage of time, patience, and compassion from yourself and others, you will eventually be able to find your center again. You will feel restored and you will be able to adapt to your new ‘normal’. Also remember that time does heal all wounds. The End.

*****

WHAT'S BAKING :)

Here are some of my favorite cookie recipes that I make and share with family and friends during the holidays. Instead of buying some gifts, these make perfect gifts

WHISKEY/RUM BALLS

1 Large Package vanilla wafers
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup pecans
1 1/2 tsp cocoa
2 Tbsp white Karo syrup
1/4 cup whiskey or rum

Grind pecans and vanilla wafers. Mix all ingredients and roll into balls the size of a small marble and then roll in powdered sugar. Place balls in an airtight container. For added zest, lightly sprinkle a little more rum or whiskey on top of balls before closing. Enjoy!

MINIATURE PECAN PIES
CRUST: 3/4 stick butter, 3 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, 1 cup flour. Combine ingredients and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Pecan Mix: 1/2 stick butter, 1 egg, 1 cup pecans, 1 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 cup Karo syrup and 1 tsp vanilla. Remove crust from refrigerator and roll into individual small balls. Press into small muffin pans. Add amount of desired pecan mix. Bake at 325 degree for 30 minutes.

ROCK COOKIES
3 1/2 cup flour, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 2 sticks butter, 3 eggs (beaten), 1 tsp baking soda (dissolved in 2 tsp water) 2 cups pecans (chopped and floured).

Mix together. Mixture will be thick. Drop by teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes. Makes 8 dozens.

As you can see, I love baking, and I love short recipes when I do so. I also love collecting recipes, and now I'm in the process of writing down some of my family's recipes that I may eventually put together in a cookbook. So if there's something you're craving for and need a recipe for it, nine times out of ten, I'll have it in my collection or my head. Hit me up at vjohns1@bellsouth.net. I'd be happy to share it with you.

*****

Next month I'll share an excerpt of one of my novels that I'm rewriting. In addition, I'll share my experience regarding my trip to Washington, D.C. for the inauguration festivities. That's right, my daughter, Alexis and I will be trekking to our nation's capitol.

This is my first newsletter and I know it won't be the last one. But for now, I'd like to take this time to wish you and yours a very safe and happy holiday season. Most importantly, let us all remember the REASON for the SEASON. In closing, I'd like to share a poem titled, Not Even Hurricane Katrina Could Cancel Christmas in New Orleans, taken from my poetry collection (unpublished) titled, Creole Talking, Ramblings of A Creole Country Girl:

Not Even Hurricane Katrina could Cancel Christmas in New Orleans

Since that faithful day in the year of our Lord 2005, on Monday, August Twenty-ninth,
When a girl named Katrina, so life-like, spewed it’s fury, oh my what a sight,
As it blew in over several of the South’s Gulf States,
Claiming lives, destroying property and changing everyone’s fate.

Many people were left homeless and scattered about,
With only the clothes on their backs, that left little doubt,
About their present situations, their futures, with the holidays looming,
Many residents were left near their breaking points, fuming.

Homes that weren’t destroyed sported blue plastic paper that covered damaged roofs,
Public Officials warned, ‘no fireworks’ to keep those blue roofs from going poof,
That didn’t make it easy for St. Nick to maneuver through the darkened city,
For you see, many areas still have no electricity, a quiet eerie, what a shame and a pity.

The people of this great city didn’t let Katrina dampen their holiday spirit,
They strung lights, and other Christmas decorations determined to overcome it,
As gumbos simmered, stuffing prepared as their butterballs were basting,
“Ain’t got time for this foolishness,” they said, “time’s a wasting.”

St. Nick managed to bring a smile to many faces,
Temporarily replacing the despair in the hearts of all races,
And Christmas went on with very few hitches,
Didn’t cause much fanfare, despite all the obvious glitches.

Hopefully soon the ghost of Hurricane Katrina will be a distant memory,
And Christmas Future will present a completely different and festive story.

THAT'S All FOLKS! See you in '09

Love & Peace,
Vanessa A. Johnson
www.vanessaajohnson.com
http://vanessaspeaks.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/vanessaajohnson

VeeJay's Thoughts

VeeJay's Thoughts

Today is December 11, 2008, and it snowed here in Louisiana. Now, if you're familiar with the south, you know it is not often it snows down here. As a matter of fact, the last time we saw snow in southern Louisiana was December 25, 2004.
As I stood in the doorway and watched the beautiful white fluffy powder cascade gently from the sky, I felt a bit of melancholy, a bit of sadness too. While the snow itself was beautiful, it felt dark and dreary, damp at the same time. Maybe it was the dampness that clouded my mood. I also remembered that the Christmas holiday is fast approaching, and I remembered that although this may be a happy time for many, it is also a sad and depressing time for many. Some may blame it on the economy, while others may have other hardships that they're facing, i.e., the loss of a loved one, relationship issues, loneliness, etc.
Whatever it is that has you in the mental state you're in (sadness, depression, loneliness) I'd like to share this piece I wrote a few years ago to accompany my book, When Death Comes a Knockin' (a self-help, inspirational book about loss and grief, ISBN: 1-4116-2470-X) titled Dealing With Loss Through the Holidays.
Dealing With Loss through the Holidays

With the holidays approaching and the memories of my departed love ones never far from my thoughts, I reflect back to that first holiday season immediately following the losses of my mother and son, and remember how I dreaded the holidays as they neared.

My mother died in August and my son in September of 1994, so the first holiday without them was Thanksgiving. Prior to 1994, as a family tradition, we spend every Thanksgiving holiday, matter of fact now that I think about it, every holiday at my mother’s house. Because of that, I had no idea of what we would do now that she was gone.

As the holiday drew nearer I began to experience feelings of panic, of insecurity and fear, feelings that seemed to intensity daily. I began to wonder if I would be able to endure the pain of facing the holidays without my love ones as I was certain the pain I felt from those losses would surely increase because my love one(s) were not here to share the holiday with.

The feelings of fear, pain and insecurity began to interfere with my daily thinking process and before long I was not able to focus on one thing for any length of time. This meant that some things either went undone, they weren’t done correctly, or if they were, it took longer for me to complete them.

When Thanksgiving Day finally arrived, I opened my eyes and realized that all of the fears and insecurities that I’d experienced had already reached their peak. I discovered that I was no more fearful or felt any more pain than I’d felt the days, weeks and months preceding the holiday. I realized that all of these feelings were because of my anticipation of facing the holidays without my love ones.

I realized that everyday, whether it was a holiday or not, the pain was no more or no less than what it had already been since losing my loved one(s) holiday. I also realized I’d been living every day without my love ones since their deaths and since I had already survived those days, weeks and months, I knew I would survive Thanksgiving too.

With that realization, the feelings of fear and insecurity didn’t overcome me as the Christmas holiday neared and so too I survived Christmas as well. I’m certainly not saying that I wasn’t sad or I didn’t miss my love ones. I assure you I did. But the anticipation of the holiday didn’t add to the pain of my losses. The pain’s was already there and to some degree, I believe it will always be there.

After surviving my first holiday season without my love ones, I haven’t experienced the type of fear or anxiety over an approaching holiday, birthday, or other special day that I shared with my love ones. I have accepted the fact that my loved ones aren’t with us physically. But it doesn’t mean they can’t be with us spiritually.

I’ve learned that once I accepted that fact I can now face anything that life throws my way. But I did not get to this process of acceptance overnight. It took months of attending Grief counseling in a group setting where I learned the process of grief, and prayer.

I’ve learned to rely on my faith in God. I realize that with God’s help, I could make it through anything, to include the loss of my parents, a child and other special people that impacted my life.

Through my faith in God and in my quest for understanding His word, I feel that God was not responsible for the death of my love ones as God is the giver of life. In John 10:10, He states, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,” so He is the one who could help me to get through the loss of my loved ones.

I credit my faith in God for being where I am today in the grief process. I truly believe I wouldn’t have been able to accept (the final stage in the grief process) the loss of my loved ones .

When I am weak and feel that the pain is too much to bear when I think of my loved ones not being here, I turn to God and ask Him for strength and courage to make it through any moment of weakness or sadness.

It is only with the passage of time that will lessen the pain associated with the loss of a love one. There’s so much truth to the saying, “Time heals all wounds.”

If you have suffered the loss of a loved one and a holiday or other special day is approaching and you feel you cannot cope, I urge you to seek some type of grief counseling. Talking with others who have gone through or are going through what you going through can help you make it through the this most difficult time.

Eventually you will be able to face any day, even the holidays knowing that your loved ones are not very far from you. Once you do, you will be able to accept what has happened. You’ll eventually realize that as long as you live with the love of your loved one(s) in your heart, they will always be with you and will live through you.

Another Star Athlete Bites The Dust

On every news station today, the opening story was, Marion Jones Admits To Using Steroids. This comes on the heels of the Michael Vick case, whereas Vick eventually pleaded guilty of financing a dog-fighting ring. I say eventually, because like Jones, Vick too vehemently denied the allegations via a press conference with the world as his audience, as did Jones back in 2004. We can't forget the continual accusations against home-run king, Barry Bonds either.

I suppose one might be asking, what's my point? Well I'll tell you. My point is I am so sick and tired of African American athletes making a fool of themselves, while squandering the opportunities of a lifetime, in Vick's case, quarterback in the NFL, and Jones' case, gold medalists. Why is this bugging me? It's bugging the hell out of me because I know of so many young people who would practically give their right arm to have the opportunities these individuals have had.

I'd bet some money and say that neither Vick nor Jones needed these enhancements, as they had God-given talent. So, why would they risk everything they worked for, dreamed of, by using these enhancements in the first place as in Jones and Bond's case, or participate in illegal activities in Vick's case? Didn't they realize, or didn't anyone tell them that they would be under the world's bigger microscope just because of the color of their skin? Didn't anyone ever tell them that they had to be twice as good as the next athlete? I'd venture to say someone did, but that didn't mean using enhancements in their bodies to make them better. That just meant that they had to work harder to get to and remain at the top of their games.

Steroid use had been the topic of many conversations on the sports channels lately, particularly when it became evident that Bonds was set to break Babe Ruth's record, and lo and behold when he did break it he just had to have had help in doing so. But according to many sports analysts, steroid use is very prevalent in sports, yet I don't see them hounding the white athletes (anyone remember the Farve prescription drug abuse case?) as ferocious as they're pursuing Bonds, and obviously Jones too because of her confession.

Now, like Vick, Jones is facing the possibility of spending some time in jail because of her participation in, and then lying about the illegal activity. Jones will be stripped of her gold and bronze medals won in the Olympics, while the Atlanta Falcons organization is demanding over twenty million dollars Vick received from them. And you can bet, they're lying in wait for Bonds to admit he used steroids also so they can strip him of his home-run title.

It's often said that everything happens for a reason. Maybe one of the reasons behind these public embarrassments will be that it will remind future athletes that they will be scrutinized under the world's microscope and that they'd better rely on their God-given talent to fulfill their dreams, and not steroid enhancements, or participate in other illegal activities that will take them down faster than they can say their names because sadly, they will be surely judged more harshly. (Can somebody say THE JENA SIX!) So yes, in 2007, we (African Americans) have to be twice as good, twice as smart as our white counterparts because the world is staring at us through their microscopic sunglasses daring us to rely on just our God-given talents.

Love & Peace,
VeeJay

A One-Person Retirement Party

Well, officially it's been two and a half months since my retirement from my job. I've taken on a remodeling job in my master bathroom and bedroom. That's completed. I've cleaned closets, made room for Christmas decorations that's been sitting in boxes and plastic containers in the corner of my dining room. I ask, "What's next," as I scan my surroundings.

Summer's over and the kids are back in school. On several mornings on the drive back from bringing my daughter to school, I've called some friends thinking maybe we could do breakfast or something, only to realize or after being reminded that they were either already at work, or on their way to work.

It has finally dawned on me that I am not even fifty years young and yes, I'm retired. That's not the problem though. The real problem is that no one else in my friends circle is retired. Therefore, unless they're on vacation, or other type of leave from work, I'm left by my lonesome to eat breakfast, go shopping, visit the casino, whatever I'm in the mood to do.

If there's one thing I miss about the workforce, it's sharing morning coffee with coworkers and friends, people that I've done this routine with for many years. Now, don't get me wrong, they couldn't offer me double my salary to return back to the workforce. There's a saying, "You can't miss what you've never had." But, in a small and significant way, I do miss that interaction.

My coworkers and I would use that time to catch up on the happenings in our community, share tidbits of gossip from either in the community or work or just give updates on our kids, whether funny stories, their accomplishments, or lack thereof. While these could certainly be classified as 'little' things, that we've all taken for granted, it's on days like today I can say those little things have moved over to the category of being priceless.

In spite of my sometimes lonliness, I'll survive though. Those moments are certainly not enough to make me want to return back to the workplace. The moral of this story, enjoy what time you have with coworkers, especially those who are fortunate enough to fall in the 'friends' category. As with most things in life, everything must come to an end.

In Rememberance of all of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina which struck Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Region, I wrote this poem, which was in part inspired by Spike Lee's Documentary, When The Levees Broke...

LEST WE FORGET

Spike gave the world another birds eye view, a reminder
Of the devastation and destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina
He offered a fitting tribute to the lives lost, many unnecessarily
As our government put on blinders and pretended not to see
As men, women and children, old and young alike
Begged, screamed and cried and pleaded for help
Some from atop rooftops, atop bridges, while some floated in infested waters
Waters that continued rising, rising, rising up to the sky
Hurricane Katrina may be partly to blame for some of the destruction and lives lost
But a huge burden rests on the shoulders of the government of this free land in the US of A
Spike's documentary serves as a poignant reminder
That not much has changed for those who survived this horrific event
And while there are many who say they're tired of hearing about Hurricane Katrina and its victims
That it was almost a year ago and those people need to move on, get over it
Let this serve as a reminder that
There are still entire communities that resemble war-ravaged countries
There are still countless don't anyplace to live and are waiting on FEMA trailers to call home
There are still countless who are waiting on schools to enroll their children in
There are still countless who are waiting for their ruined homes to be torn down and the debris taken away
There are still bodies being recovered under this debris
There are still over one hundred people who have not been found
There are hundreds of bodies that have yet to be identified in makeshift morgues
So in union with the countless individuals who are still going through it
I beg you to stand in support of these people
Help give them a voice in hopes of giving them some closure
Help give them courage to go on in spite of having lost everything they've ever owned
And prayerfully your voice, your help will make their voices, their cries louder
So that our government WILL be held accountable
To help the people of New Orleans and the Gulf region
Get back a sense of normalcy, a sense of belonging
Because while nothing will be the same for the victims ever again
With your voice and your help, we can continue to give them hope
For if there is no hope, there surely can be no future.
God help them, God help us all.

Love & Peace,
VeeJay

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining.

On this day, 48 years ago, I was born.

Happy Birthday to me,

Happy Birthday to me,

Happy Birthday, Dear me

Happy Birthday, to me.

Love & Peace,

VeeJay

My Heroes - What Ever Happened To The Good Old Days

Yesterday, I visited a website, and on the website there was a question posed about heroes. The question asked was, Who were my heroe(s)? Not needing to give it any thought, I immediately answered the question and stated that I considered my parents to be my heroes.

My parents were products of the 1920s and 30s. Nether of my parents finished high school, but they both knew how to read and write. Needless to say, they struggled to make ends meet, but by the grace of God they did, for I cannot remember a time when we went without food or clothes on our backs. We had a roof over our heads, and it wasn't government subsidized. My dad and his friends built our home. No it wasn't much, with three bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room (that also had a bed in it), a den and a bathroom. Three bedroom, you might say is a lot, but my parents had 15 children, but only half was in the home at one time, as there's a huge age difference between the first 8 and the last 7.

But even without a high school education, my parents instilled morals and values in each one of us. It did me proud when the neighbors highlighted this fact to my parents, so I can only imagine how proud they were hearing it.

We surely didn't have a lot of money, so mom made good use of what little they had. She always said, if she had eggs, flour, potatoes, rice and sugar, then she could make a meal. Now mind you, this meal may have consisted of enough starch to make a dietician have spasms, but as my dad used to say, "A belly full is a belly full. Didn't matter what made it full."

No one in the neighborhood had better not catch you doing what you weren't suppose to be doing, or they'd whip your butt, and of course that meant you were in for another butt whipping when you got home. And to top it off, you usually had to go out and pick your own switch too. And you'd better have your butt inside when the street lights came on at dusk, if you knew what was good for you. Boy, I didn't know it then, but those sure were the good old days.

My parents also instilled work ethics in all of us. I began working at thirteen years old, and all throughout high school, I supplied my own needs, as well as help contribute to my siblings needs as well. There was no if, and, or buts about it. Nothing was given to you. Really, there was nothing to give, so you had to work if you wanted to have anything. And I've been working ever since.

Next year, on June 16, 2007, I will officially retire, with FULL benefits, from a job that I've held for the past 30 years. And I'll only be 48 years young. How's that for work ethics? I'm proud of this accomplishment, and I pray I've instilled the same work ethics in my children.

Both of my parents are now deceased, but I pray they're looking down on me and they're as proud of me as I am of them.

Love & Peace,
VeeJay

Synopsis for my upcoming book, Sacrifices In The Name of Love

I'm almost finished with rewriting my next book, Sacrifices In The Name of Love, so I thought I'd give you a brief synopsis here and see what you think.

As teenagers, how often do we heed the advice our parents give us? Better still, how often does their advice cause us to do just the opposite of what they tell us to do? Well, its no different for teenagers Trey Martin, a black guy, and Tessa Phillips, a white girl, who are neighbors in a small Louisiana town in, Sacrifices In The Name of Love.

Sacrifices In The Name of Love, is a coming of age story about two teenagers, Trey Martin and Tessa Phillips, who like most teenagers, gives into desire and partake in the pleasures of the forbidden fruit. But before long theyll realize there is a high price to pay for their pleasures, and will give truth to the saying, Whatevers done in the dark will come to light.

When Trey's family move next door to the Phillips, Tessa's father, Don, a self-professed racist, openly objects and spews racial threats and insults at the Martins, hoping to deter them from moving in and exposing the secret hes been harboring all his life, to no avail. Tessa is aware of her fathers racist beliefs, but they arent enough to keep her from desiring Trey. Tessas mother, Delores, idly stands by her husbands side, all the while harboring secrets of her own.

As Tessa's desires intensify with each passing day, Trey discovers her watching him, and so begins their afternoon trysts. Eventually they get more than they bargain for, and soon find themselves having to make the ultimate sacrifice, all in the name of love. Feeling trapped after her indiscretions are finally brought to light, Tessa hi-tails it out of town to a new life, fearing the repercussions of her actions from her father, thus leaving behind the love of her life, as well as the product of their love. Haunted by recurring dreams that shes needed back home, Tessa returns back to Louisiana after a four-year hiatus and discovers that the life she once knew is no more.

Tessa and Trey's journey will evoke all kinds of emotions from you, as you become familiar with them. They will take you on a roller coaster ride filled sexual escapades heavily laced with love, lust, lies, deceit, secrets, loss and sacrifices. It wont take long for either to realize that some sacrifice come with heartache and pain.

What lessons will they have to learn through the school of hard-knocks called life? Can they forgive each other, their transgressions? With all they endure, can there be a happily-ever-after for any of them?

Please hit me back and let me know what you think.

Love & Peace,
VeeJay

Happy Anniversary To Me!

Today is March 18th. Like me, this may be a special day for you, but for others you may be wondering what's the big deal. Well for me, the big deal is March 18th is my 29th year anniversary on my J-O-B! That means, I have 365 more days to go before I officially call it quits.

To say I'm heard a lot of things, seen a lot of shannigans, met a lot of people, (some good, some, well, you know, I could live a lifetime and be very happy if our paths never cross again) would be an understatement. As some of you may be aware, while others may not, I am a 9-1-1 Dispatch Supervisor for my local Police Department. And for now, I'll leave it at that. (Maybe one day you'll read about it all in a tell-all book :) Hell, in 29 years I'm sure I could write a few books)

And as I begin the stroll down the last leg of my professional journey, my mind seems to want to recall the many faces that I've crossed paths with as they roll across the screen of my mind. I'm rather excited about this journey though. For surely life will not end when this journey ends. No, life will be just beginning as I'll leave the J-O-B behind, but the many friendships that I've made along the way will be with me forever.

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-2 states, “To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under the heaven: A time to plant, and a time to harvest; a time to be born and a time to die.” As I march toward March 18, 2007, I know that this will be my season to move on, make room for the new. And I'll start a new journey, a journey that will be as rewarding and fulfilling as the one before it. So come along, walk that last leg of this journey with me.

Love & Peace,

VeeJay

HAPPY BIRTHDY TO OUR ANGEL,
JALEN MICHAEL JOHNSON
FEBRUARY 17, 1994 - SEPTEMBER 30, 1994

Gone But Never Forgotten

Our darling baby boy, our heart, our love,
Although you’ve ascended to a place up above,
Away from us, truly only God knows where
To a place, a space as surreal without any cares.

When we first found out you were to be.
Our hearts were overfilled with joy and glee.
From the start you struggled to survive,
You would not quit; early on you proved you had drive.

You arrived somewhat early, screaming and kicking,
Following a car accident, I thought would stop your heart from ticking.
But your heart proved to be as great as your will.
Premature and all, all our hearts filled with thrill.

Two months later, your breathing tube was removed,
And you proved you could breathe on your own to everyone’s amuse.
Two days after that you were released from the neonatal unit,
It actually was the original date, April sixteenth; you were due to be born on it.

You continued to grow, steadily progressing,
Until July twenty-eighth, your intestines needed rotating.
But you managed to fly through this surgery with a breeze,
You never uttered a grunt, whine or sneeze.

You proved to be our rock for what was to come,
For one month later, my world would start to come undone.
Momma died unexpectedly, from a massive heart attack it appeared,
And if you weren’t around to keep us busy, we surely would’ve fallen apart, I feared.

But little did we know what was lingering around the corner,
That death would come and claim you; you’d physically exist, as we knew any longer.
We will never forget that day, September thirtieth,
It would be a little over one month later that your life would be over with.

The day and the hour will be forever etched in our mind,
We were devastated and lost all track of time.
For not only did your life end, for in a sense ours did too,
For with you went a piece of us, that left us empty, sad and blue.

Although we have somehow managed to go on without you,
It hasn’t been easy, only with God’s help we have made it through.
And though you are not here on earth physically,
We feel your presence for your spirit lingers peacefully.

What gives us the courage to continue to go on,
Is knowing that God is true to his word and he’ll never leave us alone.
We know that we will see you, be with you again,
When life as we know it will abruptly come to an end.

So until then rest in peace our baby boy, our angel,
We know you’re watching over us guarding us through life’s toils and tangles.
And every day as we look up to the sky,
Wave to us, wait for us, for we’ll see you in the good ole bye and bye.

Happy 12th Birthday son. We Love you and miss you dearly!

Love,
Mom, Dad, Haven, Alexis and Jaylen.

Remembering A King - January 16, 1929 - April 4, 1968

Monday, January 16, 2006, marks the 77th birthday of one of our greatest Civil Rights leaders of the 20th century. Yet for all of the struggles Dr. King and others endured so that Blacks could partake in the same liberties as Whites, I wonder what Dr. King would think about the present state of this Union.


I can picture Dr. King shaking his head at the manner in which the leader of our great country was chosen. I can also picture Dr. King heavy laden with grief at this senseless war our brothers, son, daughters, fathers and mothers are dying in. A war that seems to not have an end in sight.


I imagine Dr. King's head hanging very low in shame about being an American, yet see so many Americans perish needlessly during the natural disaster of Hurricane Katrina. I wonder if Dr. King would have been able to stand how our government took its time in coming to the aid of these dying people with basic neccesities of food and water after being abandoned for days on end after Hurricane Katrina struck.


Would Dr. King be surprised to see that in 2006, racial discrimination is as prevelant, if not more prevelant than in the 1950s and 60s? Would he be shocked to see that Blacks are still targeted for racial profiling, although now its hidden under the guise of 'national security'? Would it be a surprise to Dr. King that much of the Black population in America is still living below poverty level? What would Dr. King say knowing that we have an African American woman holding one of the highest political offices in this free country who think Blacks have made tremendous stride in the fight for justice and equality?


My heart is burdened as I try to imagine Dr. King's reaction. I dedicate this poem to America to indicate my feelings on the state of this country, the great US of A!


AMERICA, AS SEEN THROUGH MY EYES


I pledge allegiance to myself,

Because I can’t depend on no one else.

In these divided States of America,

Things for us just aren’t getting any better.


Just look at the last presidential election,

America is declining, and there is no self reflection.

And to the Democracy for which it is suppose to stand,

It’s a high stakes game becoming harder to understand.


Look at the fighting and turmoil around the world,

Many divided nations under one God, all on the same soil.

A nation that’s suppose to be indivisible but 9-11 proved otherwise to us,

We’re a nation of many with plenty of unjust.


As far as our Liberties, what liberties I ask,

Ain’t none for us, although we’ve paid for it with the sweat off our backs.

Some say we’re not worthy it only applies to their race,

They’ve put themselves well ahead of the game at a steady pace.


Justice, well break it down slowly,

Just-us, they mean and hold us lowly.

Plenty of injustices, just look at the past several hundred years,

And the future looks no brighter, strengthening our fears.


If we, Black people don’t learn to pull together,

Learn to love and support one another.

Won’t be nothing left for us to pass on,

Only more injustices and less opportunity, as we moan.


Happy Birthday, Dr. King! Something tells me that if you were here today, this day would not be such a happy occasion for many reasons.

www.vanessaajohnson.com

Happy Birthday to Arcadia "Grace" Woods Alexander, My Mom

January 12, 1932 - August 28, 1994

Today is my mom's 74th birthday and instead of celebrating in the usual birthday way, I celebreated it by reflecting on some of the wisdom my mom passed on down to me and my siblings. It was a day of reflection because my mom is no longer here with us. She passed away suddenly on Sunday, August 28, 1994. So, here's to you mom:

1. My mom constantly told her girls, "NEVER, EVER let women friends hang in our homes. If you do, she said, before you know it they'll be in and you'll be out." I've seen it happen a time too many to know mom was on target with this advice.

2. Whenever she didn't like how we acted with her or my siblings, she'd say, "Y'all are gonna miss me when I'm gone. Y'all are gonna be searching for me in the daytime with a flashlight." Boy how right she was there. I think if I owned stock in a battery company, I'd be rich because my flashlight is contantly on, searching for her.

3. "Some secrets you take to your grave." Mom didn't believe in kissing and telling. She said, "If you're gonna be woman or man enough to do it, then be woman or man enough and keep your mouth shut." I've seen too many times when the truth got someone mamed for life or killed.

4. "If you're gonna do something, you don't need company to do it with. Your so-called friend will turn on you in a New York minute and will tell all your secrets in a hot second." I've often seen this unfold too many times as well.

5. I always smile at this one. Mom said, "Never let a man know everything you got (money). Always, always keep a stash for hard times. You never know when you need that stash to make a fresh start."

These are just a few of the wise things my mom passed down to me under the guise of 'advice'. I don't know about you, but I considered my mom to be a very wise woman then, as I still do today as she is still guiding me in the decisions I make. She may not be here physically, but she is ever so present in my heart and if I listen closely, I hear her speaking to me.

I think my mom would be proud of the accomplishments I've made, particularly with my writing. She'd be equally proud that I'll be passing down all of her wisdom to my soon-to-be 7-year-old daughter, Alexis.

Happy 74th Birthday momma. I miss you like crazy!

Your loving daughter, Vanessa

P. S. The above pic is of my dad, my mom and one of my brother's Dwight for his graduation.

Greetings,
As I sit here and ponder about Christmas, my heart somewhat heavy at missing my loved ones that have passed on to the next life, I am grateful for my family that is still here, for everything that I have and for all the wonderful people who have come into my life both physically and cyberally (is that a word?) for whatever reasons.

I am a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason, and while I may not know the reason I truly believe that God never makes mistakes so I have faith that whatever it is, it is for my best interest because God only wants the best for all of us.

So as we mingle with our family and friends and partake in all this holiday season has to offer, let us not focus on the things we do not have and let us not forget to be thankful for everything we have.

And above all, let us remember that JESUS is the REASON for the SEASON.

Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah to each and everyone of you.

Love & Peace,
VeeJay
www.vanessaajohnson.com

Dealing With Loss through the Holidays

With the holidays approaching and the memories of my departed love ones never far from my thoughts, I reflect back to that first holiday season immediately following the losses of my mother and son, and remember how I dreaded the holidays as they neared.
My mother died in August and my son in September of 1994, so the first holiday without them was Thanksgiving. Prior to 1994, as a family tradition, we spend every Thanksgiving holiday, matter of fact now that I think about it, every holiday at my mother’s house. Because of that, I had no idea of what we would do now that she was gone.
As the holiday drew nearer I began to experience feelings of panic, of insecurity and fear, feelings that seemed to intensity daily. I began to wonder if I would be able to endure the pain of facing the holidays without my love ones as I was certain the pain I felt from those losses would surely increase because my love one(s) were not here to share the holiday with.
The feelings of fear, pain and insecurity began to interfere with my daily thinking process and before long I was not able to focus on one thing for any length of time. This meant that some things either went undone, they weren’t done correctly, or if they were, it took longer for me to complete them.
When Thanksgiving Day finally arrived, I opened my eyes and realized that all of the fears and insecurities that I’d experienced had already reached their peak. I discovered that I was no more fearful or felt any more pain than I’d felt the days, weeks and months preceding the holiday. I realized that all of these feelings were because of my anticipation of facing the holidays without my love ones.
I realized that everyday, whether it was a holiday or not, the pain was no more or no less than what it had already been since losing my loved one(s) holiday. I also realized I’d been living every day without my love ones since their deaths and since I had already survived those days, weeks and months, I knew I would survive Thanksgiving too.
With that realization, the feelings of fear and insecurity didn’t overcome me as the Christmas holiday neared and so too I survived Christmas as well. I’m certainly not saying that I wasn’t sad or I didn’t miss my love ones. I assure you I did. But the anticipation of the holiday didn’t add to the pain of my losses. The pain’s was already there and to some degree, I believe it will always be there.
After surviving my first holiday season without my love ones, I haven’t experienced the type of fear or anxiety over an approaching holiday, birthday, or other special day that I shared with my love ones. I have accepted the fact that my loved ones aren’t with us physically. But it doesn’t mean they can’t be with us spiritually.
I’ve learned that once I accepted that fact I can now face anything that life throws my way. But I did not get to this process of acceptance overnight. It took months of attending Grief counseling in a group setting where I learned the process of grief, and prayer.
I’ve learned to rely on my faith in God. I realize that with God’s help, I could make it through anything, to include the loss of my parents, a child and other special people that impacted my life.
Through my faith in God and my quest for understanding His word, I feel that God was not responsible for the death of my love ones as God is the giver of life. In John 10:10, He states, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly,”so He is the one who could help me to get through the loss of my loved ones.
I credit my faith in God for being where I am today in the grief process. I truly believe I wouldn’t have been able to accept (the final stage in the grief process) the loss of my loved ones.
When I am weak and feel that the pain is too much to bear when I think of my loved ones not being here, I turn to God and ask Him for strength and courage to make it through any moment of weakness or sadness.
It is only with the passage of time that will lessen the pain associated with the loss of a love one. There’s so much truth to the saying, “Time heals all wounds.”
If you have suffered the loss of a loved one and a holiday or other special day is approaching and you feel you cannot cope, I urge you to seek some type of grief counseling. Talking with others who have gone through or are going through what you going through can help you make it through the this most difficult time.
Eventually you will be able to face any day, even the holidays knowing that your loved ones are not very far from you. Once you do, you will be able to accept what has happened. You’ll eventually realize that as long as you live with the love of your loved one(s) in your heart, they will always be with you and will live through you.

Love & Peace,
Vanessa A. Johnson, Author
When Death Comes a Knockin', A Self-Help, Inspirational Book About Loss and Grief Available: www.lulu.com/vanessaajohnson. Author's Website: www.vanessaajohnson.com

Vanessa A. Johnson, Author and Now Speaker Too!

At my first booksigning in March of this year, I was approached by the Community Education Coordinator for my parish. I was asked if I'd be interested in leading a class on grief for the upcoming Fall Semester (a paid position). I agree, and the class was announced via their community booklet. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused those plans to be postponed at least until the Spring, according to the Coordinator.

A week or so following the hurricanes, I received a call from the Coordinator asking me to be the guest speaker at their Women's Club meeting on October 20th. I could make the speach on grief, the Coordinator said. Of course I agreed. I was told I could also sell my books afterwards.

As the date neared, I printed pages and pages of information on the subject of grief. I copied the table of contents from my book on loss and grief trying to prepare myself. And I prayed and prayed. As I said, this was to be my first public speech and I'll be the first to admit I was nervous as HELL.

On the morning of the event, I nervously repacked my book case, making sure I has enough books (the coordinator said to expect between 40-50 in attendance), and promotional materials (ink pens, magnets, brochures and business cards).

When the group convened for a 10-minute break, I said a quick prayer that I wouldn't have a brain freeze when I get up there, as I was due up immediately following the break. As the Coordinator introduced me, I again said a quick prayer to be able to pull this off. From years of being a certified instructor on my job for the past twenty or so years, I remembered a few things I'd learned in my years as a Supervisor on how to be an effective instuctor. 1) Don't just stand there and lecture to the students. 2)Include a funny story or two, to personalize the talk and 3) Involve your audience in the discussion. Doing these things make the time pass and help further the discussion.

I laid my papers on the poduim. I remember looking down at it right after I began speaking, and that was the last time I looked at it. I incorporated what I knew from my job and before I knew it, I had the group laughing, commenting and asking questions on the subject, some cried as they released pent up emotions both due to loss (death) and the stress of the hurricanes. Many heads nodded in agreement to what I was being discussed. I knew the subject of grief could be a hard topic of discussion, and I used current events (Hurricanes Katrina and Rita) and incorporated them into the discussion. All of the attendees were from my parish, so I knew firsthand of the stress/distress associated with the hurricanes and explained how grief isn't just associated with death.

Before I knew it, my talk was over and I was getting a standing ovation. When I sat down, I was immediately surrounded by many who wanted to purchase copies of my book and many who wanted to ask a question about the grief process or say individually how much they enjoyed the talk. The event was a huge success in my book. Not only was I paid for this speech (woohoo!), I was asked if I'd return at a later date and do another talk, to which I agreed. I was also approached by the president of the Women's Club about joinging the group, and by the president of the New Orleans Chapter of RWA about joining them. The Education Coordinator said again how she'd still like me to lead that class on grief and loss in the Spring for Adult Education. (Can you see me cheesing up in here!)

I guess if there are morals to this story, they are: 1) have faith in yourself, 2) know your subject matter, 3) rely on what else you know, and 4) know how to pray.

Here's talking to you.

Love & Peace,

VeeJay

Waiting With Baited Breath on Hurricane Rita


As many of you know, and for those of you who don't, I live right outside of New Orleans and the area has been hit by the most devastating natural disasters recorded in American History. If you're from Mars or Jupiter, then you might not know what I'm speaking of, but if you're anywhere in the Continental United States or other neighboring country, you know I'm speaking of Hurricane Katrina that struck on August 29, 2005.


Here we are three weeks later, and we are possibly faced with the impending threat of yet another Hurricane. Rita is her name. Most people who live inside Orleans Parish has not been allowed to return home yet to survey the damage and destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. Over the past few days, they were given a glimmer of hope of possibly returning only to hear Mayor Nagin annouce that the reentry plan has been cancelled and for those that did make it in to the West Bank of the River (Algiers) have been warned that they must make preparations to leave by Wednesday as we await Rita's passage over southern Florida and enter the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.


The latest newscast say that Rita should reach hurricane force winds tonight as Southern Florida once again gets pounded. And those of us that live along the southern coastline (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas) wait with baited breath as Rita decides her destructive path.


I have seen the pictures first hand, and heard some of the stories from inside sources that will never make the headlines of some of the happenings in and around the New Orleans area since Hurricane Katrina struck. Sad, just sickeningly sad and utterly unbelieveable I tell myself.

I, being an employee of law enforcement community, must stay behind and mann the fort, while my family once again gathers precious belongings and head for higher, safer grounds. This has been the 'norm' for me for the past 28 years. Many people have often asked me through the years, why I must stay. To them I say, "Somebody's gotta do it." I've been doing this so lone, it's almost second nature to me now although I admit, my heart aches as my family pulls out of the driveway.


Once they depart, it is not long before I suck it all up, and head for my 911 Center, which will become my temporary home until after nature unfolds its wrath. So once again, I sit, and wait and in between sitting and waiting, I pray. But I pray for this entire area, because as much as I pray the storm bypasses us, I know that someone will be in Rita's path, but for all that we've suffered here in southern Louisiana, I know that this area may not be able to withstand a mild thunderstorm, let alone a major hurricane.


I guess there's not much else we can do either way, except pray. I'll be praying for us but I asked each and everyone of you to pray for us all as well. God speed!