April 17, 2008
Anti-Bullying Speaker in Town - Gabe & Izzy
Today there was an anti-bullying speaker at my son's school. I wasn't there, so I don't know what she said, but she made a big impression on him, so I wanted to share the information here as yet another stop bullying resource.
Gabe and Izzy: http://gabeandizzy.com/
Gabe and Izzy are a woman and her dog who both share the same degenerative neuromuscular disease - Friedreich’s ataxia. Gabe is a local Michigan woman but speaks against bullying at schools across the country.
In her presentation she mentioned this song, which really got to my son (who is now memorizing it):
Mark Wills: Don't Laugh at Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3_JvChXL7o
Peter, Paul and Mary: Don't Laugh at Me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbBWsscli_4
Those lead to some other resources on this topic that might be interest.
Teaching difference and acceptance in school activities and projects:
Apple Learning Interchange: Don't Laugh at Me: http://edcommunity.apple.com/ali/story.php?itemID=189
Learning is Messy: http://www.learningismessy.com/PublicService.htm
Flickr: Stop Bullying: http://flickr.com/groups/stopbullying/pool/
Operation Respect: http://www.dontlaugh.org/
Operation Respect CT: http://www.operationrespectct.org/index.html
"This is a multi-media curriculum, which concentrates on recognizing intolerance, increasing acceptance and enhancing sensitivity to students' emotional needs."
Posted by pfa at 07:21 PM | Comments (0)
March 25, 2008
I Love "The Church of 80% Sincerity"
My copy of David Roche's book, "The Church of 80% Sincerity", arrived from Amazon. I started reading it, and could not put it down. I soaked it up. I stuffed it full of little shreds of paper to mark my favorite spots. I underlined. I waved it at people and told them they had to read it. I shoved it into people's hands and offered to lend it. I twittered about it, and obviously I am blogging about it.
This is a wonderful book.
What I have done here, is pull out just a very few of my favorite lines from the book, to let the book speak for itself. I tried very hard to restrain myself, and reserved some of my favorites so that you can discover more wonderful jewels of wit and wisdom when you read the book. This is just a tiny bit of flavor to tantalize you. Please, GO, read this book.
QUOTATIONS & EXCERPTS
'Miracles Not Accepted Here', p. 19
Many time one run, even one successful swing of the bat, would have been sufficient to convince me of the reality of miracles. Apparently, neither normality nor homeruns were possible in my life. Most hideous of all, it seemed God wore a Yankee uniform.
'Random Acts of Cruelty', p. 44
Because that place of fear is where predators and manipulators of all sorts -- sexual, financial, religious, political, warmongering -- come to feed. And that is where cruelty is born -- in fear of not being acceptable, worthy, valued and loved.
'Random Acts of Cruelty', p. 44
I know now that when people turn away, they're not turning away from my face, but from themselves, from their own fears. When they meet me in the light of day, all their fears are pushed onto me in a millisecond. And that's my job, to carry the weight of that fear for them, to carry it so we can all pretend we are normal, if just for a little bit.
'The Priciple of Delayed Understanding', p. 51
Don't worry about not knowing the answer immediately. Don't confuse yourself with Google. For that matter, remember that Google does not know the right answer either; it just spits out information quickly.
'The Basic Motivating Factor', p. 61
Psychologists tell us that the number one fear of all Americans is the fear of public speaking. The fear of death is number 6. (Which is probably why capital punishment does not work too well.)
'The Basic Motivating Factor', p. 68
And there was God. Not God up in the sky, no bearded old alcoholic bipolar man with a rigid smile on his face and a club behind his back. Only community, the feeling of mutual supprt and being in it togehter and the first great glimpse of what my life could be.
'Life as the Mirror', p. 79
My face is an elaborately disguised gift from God. Oh, not a gift I was ecstatic about receiving. Did I open this gift and say, "Ah ... ah! How did you know this is what I wanted, God?" No, it wa smore like, "You shouldn't have."
'Prayer', p. 91
Prayer is not a planned thing. Prayer emerges of its own accord. You are not supposed to play. You are supposed to get out of the way of the prayer that prays itself.
'Prayer', p. 93
God is not fooled by teeth whitener or Botox.
'The Laying On of Hands', p. 99
There are five ways people give and receive love: spending quality time, offering service, giving compliments, giving gifts, and touching.
'The Laying On of Hands', p. 110
I was sitting in the Planetree Library at California Pacific Medical Center, studying anatomy. One of the librarians came up to me as I bent over my books. She said, "I thought you might be interested in this," and set in front of me a booklet entitled The Let's Face It Resource Guide for People With Facial Difference. She quickly walked away. I was angry and embarassed. I brought the booklet home and showed it to Marlena. I told her, "I want nothing to do with this."
[NOTE: David did contact Let's Face It and became a friend of Betsy's. In case you couldn't guess the outcome. :) ]
'Unconditional Love Has Its Conditions', p. 116
The true composition of love: 20 percent feelings, 80 percent action.
'Unconditional Love Has Its Conditions', p. 125
Dr. Christopher Dowd, who performed sclerotherpy on my throat and soft palate and tongue. Before the procedure he talked with me for almost two hours in his office.
'Pitiless', p. 131
Children, however, don't waste too much time on pity. Once they get over any shyness, they get right to the point:
"You are smiling too much."
"What happened to your mouth?"
"What happened to your chin?"
"Where did your chin go?"
What is that stuff on the side of your face?"
"Why is your eye too big?"
"Does your face hurt?"
'Pitiless', p. 134
People do stare. People do ask what happened to my face. Sometimes I'm grouchy. I feel like saying: "You've heard of a bad hair day. Well, I am having a bad face day."
'Pitiless', p. 137
I squatted down in front of Derek. "Derek, were you wondering what happened to my face?" He nodded. "Well, you know that everyone looks different. And this is just the way I look. My face doesn't hurt. I look different, but I am just a regular person. My name is David."
Posted by pfa at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)
I Love "The Church of 80% Sincerity"
My copy of David Roche's book, "The Church of 80% Sincerity", arrived from Amazon. I started reading it, and could not put it down. I soaked it up. I stuffed it full of little shreds of paper to mark my favorite spots. I underlined. I waved it at people and told them they had to read it. I shoved it into people's hands and offered to lend it. I twittered about it, and obviously I am blogging about it.
This is a wonderful book.
What I have done here, is pull out just a very few of my favorite lines from the book, to let the book speak for itself. I tried very hard to restrain myself, and reserved some of my favorites so that you can discover more wonderful jewels of wit and wisdom when you read the book. This is just a tiny bit of flavor to tantalize you. Please, GO, read this book.
QUOTATIONS & EXCERPTS
'Miracles Not Accepted Here', p. 19
Many time one run, even one successful swing of the bat, would have been sufficient to convince me of the reality of miracles. Apparently, neither normality nor homeruns were possible in my life. Most hideous of all, it seemed God wore a Yankee uniform.
'Random Acts of Cruelty', p. 44
Because that place of fear is where predators and manipulators of all sorts -- sexual, financial, religious, political, warmongering -- come to feed. And that is where cruelty is born -- in fear of not being acceptable, worthy, valued and loved.
'Random Acts of Cruelty', p. 44
I know now that when people turn away, they're not turning away from my face, but from themselves, from their own fears. When they meet me in the light of day, all their fears are pushed onto me in a millisecond. And that's my job, to carry the weight of that fear for them, to carry it so we can all pretend we are normal, if just for a little bit.
'The Priciple of Delayed Understanding', p. 51
Don't worry about not knowing the answer immediately. Don't confuse yourself with Google. For that matter, remember that Google does not know the right answer either; it just spits out information quickly.
'The Basic Motivating Factor', p. 61
Psychologists tell us that the number one fear of all Americans is the fear of public speaking. The fear of death is number 6. (Which is probably why capital punishment does not work too well.)
'The Basic Motivating Factor', p. 68
And there was God. Not God up in the sky, no bearded old alcoholic bipolar man with a rigid smile on his face and a club behind his back. Only community, the feeling of mutual supprt and being in it togehter and the first great glimpse of what my life could be.
'Life as the Mirror', p. 79
My face is an elaborately disguised gift from God. Oh, not a gift I was ecstatic about receiving. Did I open this gift and say, "Ah ... ah! How did you know this is what I wanted, God?" No, it wa smore like, "You shouldn't have."
'Prayer', p. 91
Prayer is not a planned thing. Prayer emerges of its own accord. You are not supposed to play. You are supposed to get out of the way of the prayer that prays itself.
'Prayer', p. 93
God is not fooled by teeth whitener or Botox.
'The Laying On of Hands', p. 99
There are five ways people give and receive love: spending quality time, offering service, giving compliments, giving gifts, and touching.
'The Laying On of Hands', p. 110
I was sitting in the Planetree Library at California Pacific Medical Center, studying anatomy. One of the librarians came up to me as I bent over my books. She said, "I thought you might be interested in this," and set in front of me a booklet entitled The Let's Face It Resource Guide for People With Facial Difference. She quickly walked away. I was angry and embarassed. I brought the booklet home and showed it to Marlena. I told her, "I want nothing to do with this."
[NOTE: David did contact Let's Face It and became a friend of Betsy's. In case you couldn't guess the outcome. :) ]
'Unconditional Love Has Its Conditions', p. 116
The true composition of love: 20 percent feelings, 80 percent action.
'Unconditional Love Has Its Conditions', p. 125
Dr. Christopher Dowd, who performed sclerotherpy on my throat and soft palate and tongue. Before the procedure he talked with me for almost two hours in his office.
'Pitiless', p. 131
Children, however, don't waste too much time on pity. Once they get over any shyness, they get right to the point:
"You are smiling too much."
"What happened to your mouth?"
"What happened to your chin?"
"Where did your chin go?"
What is that stuff on the side of your face?"
"Why is your eye too big?"
"Does your face hurt?"
'Pitiless', p. 134
People do stare. People do ask what happened to my face. Sometimes I'm grouchy. I feel like saying: "You've heard of a bad hair day. Well, I am having a bad face day."
'Pitiless', p. 137
I squatted down in front of Derek. "Derek, were you wondering what happened to my face?" He nodded. "Well, you know that everyone looks different. And this is just the way I look. My face doesn't hurt. I look different, but I am just a regular person. My name is David."
Posted by pfa at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)