It's Official

Thanksgiving is now behind us and Christmas is just around the corner...
So here is a little something to put you in the mood. Enjoy!

Elephant Sanctuary

One of the Blogs that I follow Bailey's Buddy posted something about an elephant sanctuary in Tennessee. That same day I saw a new article showing that the woman who founded the sanctuary had been fired and efforts were being made to stop the relationship that had formed between the woman, the elephant and the dog. Yes, that's right...the dog. Watch this (hopefully BEFORE you have seen the news)


Now, here's the news

For some reason the video that I posted earlier cannot be viewed.

Oklahoma Execution

Yesterday was probably one of the most interesting days of my life. It isn't often one can say that. Of course, it didn't "just happen", it was the result of a series of events, but it was a result that I didn't see coming.

Several weeks ago while attending a meditation class, the Buddhist monk who was leading the class mentioned that he would need a ride to Oklahoma to attend the execution of a prisoner on death row. It happened to be during the week on a day that I was available, so I volunteered. My intent was to help the monk so he could help the man die in a compassionate way. As the day drew closer I had to submit identification information to the people at the prison, this was so I could enter the grounds. I was told that I would not be allowed to witness the process. Good enough, I was just there to help the monk.

So, in the morning I was surprised to receive a call from the monk, saying we should leave earlier than we had originally planned because of administrative issues. So leave early we did. Along the way the monk was telling me that he was informed that he would probably not be able to see the prisoner nor attend the execution. He was disturbed because he had to miss several classes that he teaches at the University of Arkansas in order to do this. We both felt as if we were going through an unnecessary sacrifice; not being able provide the compassion either of us had envisioned. We got to Mcalester at two in the afternoon; the execution was to take place at six. It seemed like a lot of extra time for paperwork, but I was happy to oblige. We killed a little time by having some snacks and a coffee at the local Denney's.

We arrived at the Maximum Security state prison at 2:45, after being approved by the guard at the gate, we parked and entered the building. Walking up the stairs I began to feel very uncomfortable. Our ID's were taken at the front desk and we waited for further instruction. It came quickly. We were in the wrong building. I was glad to leave this one but wasn't all that anxious to get to the next. So we followed the signs and went to the building with the name they gave us...wrong again. The third stop proved to be successful. It was an old converted hospital that was being used by the prison system. Our ID's were taken again and they led us both to a waiting area. Gee, it looks like I will be attending. I pulled out a puzzle and tried to busy myself but found I wasn't able to concentrate on it. Then the Warden came in the room and informed me that if I had asked earlier, they could have made space for me. But now it is too late and I will have to leave. I knew I wasn't going to attend the process, but I thought there would be a place they would let me sit. Well, there was: my car. A little stunned, I asked where the local library was, got directions and headed out. The monk, however, would be attending the execution.

I drove around town for a while and cleared my head, found the library and proceeded to enjoy six magazines that I am too cheap to subscribe to. That worked very nicely. I lost myself in Oprah, Traveler Magazine and a new one for me Discover (had a fabulous article about poker) and others that escape my memory right now. I was surprised when I checked my watch and found it to be 5:20. The whole thing would be over in less than an hour.

People started coming out of the prison at 6:17. Most were dressed very formally in business suits and women in dresses and business suits. I did not expect to find dignity here. The Monk was among these folks and I watched as he went to each person at their car and spoke with them, shook their hand and was obviously being supportive. He got in the car at 6:25. I asked him if he was alright. He was. I waited for him to say anything about the experience.

He said he had come to visit with the prisoner back in early October to teach him about love, tolerance and compassion towards those people who want him dead. The prisoner was a converted Buddhist and accepted the teachings; meditated on them during his remaining days and said that he was ready to die today. The monk then lead a chanting prayer for a good rebirth and that he should become a disciple of Matuya Buddha.

All of the monks and the prisoner joined in chanting the mantra of compassion, "om mani padme hum" during the execution. There was a microphone placed above the prisoners head and he continued to chant until the life passed out of him.

Our mission was accomplished and the day ended on a good note. Not only was the prisoner able to attain true compassion and die peacefully, but his family was also touched by the compassion and love demonstrated in the end.

It wasn't until I got home did I find out from a news article that the prisoner was charged with the murder of a fisherman in a failed robbery attempt. The accused still maintained his innocence, saying his wife committed the murder.

Note: (there is a saying that all men on death row are innocent)

Youth Group Looking for Nonwhite Mentors

That was the title of a news article in today's paper. I thought, wow, that sounds an awful lot like a group that I was working with several years ago when I was on the "light side" of my fifties. I had recently become widowed and thought I might do myself and some younger folks some good if I signed up for becoming a mentor. The plan was to go through a six week training course with a bunch of like-minded people...men (young and old) women (young and old) and both of all colors and backgrounds.

See we all just wanted to really help some young people by being there and caring when no one else would. So how hard could that be? Harder than you might think, I came to find out.

Anyway, I took the course and finished it; then waited patiently for my mentor assignment.

Then, we were all discovering that what the organization really wanted was black males to mentor for very long list of fatherless black boys. They weren't so much interested in females (old or young) black was okay though. I thought to myself, well, okay. Whatever they think they need they can wait for it; if it doesn't come, I'll be here to provide some mentoring if called upon.

After a while, they called me to mentor a 15 year old Caucasian girl. It seems her mother had severe personal problems and the child was living with her grandparents. The story was she needed someone to talk to and help her stay on the "high road". I thought, this should be duck soup for me. I had a lot of similarities when I was her age and really could relate to her situation. It was never my plan to share my history with her, but knowing that I had a personal history to draw from made it easy for me to willingly accept the challenge.

We met and had lunch. We talked and went for a ride. She shared some of her dreams and current wants (there seems no end to what a 15 year old can dream about!) Anyway, I thought we were making great progress. She was more relaxed each time we met; she shared more and more. She even told me some pretty scary stuff and she swore me to secrecy...of course, that's all part of the gig. It was getting to where some of the stuff had me scratching my head though...

Then about two months into the program, I got a call from the program director. I was not to see the child anymore. No there is no problem, no I did nothing wrong. No, the grandparents think I am a wonderful person. It's just that I was too old. Get it? I was too old!

I guess I WAS too old. I thought we were talking about a living caring human being extending themselves to someone who had NO ONE!!!! That was not the case...she had two someones...and what she was looking for was someone to encourage her belligerent behaviour...someone younger who knows how to live on the wild side and not be responsible for their own behaviour. Someone who perhaps could come with a couple of new ways to live on the edge.

Well, she was right that wasn't me.

As for the news article, I guess they want to stay in their own little world too. It is a shame. I thought love was blind to color and age but apparently not.

News Item

I just read that a fellow had his truck stolen from a WalMart parking lot.

The fellow said he pulled in at 7 PM, left the keys in the truck and entered the store. Thirty minutes later he came out and the truck was gone...GONE!!!!

The local police later found the truck some miles away..abandoned.

But, if you leave the keys in the vehicle..is it REALLY stealing or just an invitation?

AARGGHHH!!!

You won't find me ranting very often but some things just cannot be helped.

I read the paper this morning and saw that a fellow had included the following passage in his will:

When I die, I want my dog buried with me because no one can love him the way I do.

They euthanized the two year old Yorkie and buried it with its' owner.

There's no law against it BUT THERE SHOULD BE!!!

There will be no more of this activity for the little guy!



(the video stolen from here)

FBI's 10 Most Wanted

For most of my life I can remember seeing the list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's 10 most wanted list in the post office. Every time I would go for stamps or to send off a package, I'd while away the waiting time by looking at the grungy pictures and imagine the gross crimes that these people had committed. I'd also secretly shake a little at just the thought of running into any of these creeps. Maybe this added to my aversion of visiting the post office, I don't know. I do know that going to the post office was always up there on my own list of things I really hated to do. Yup, right there along with cleaning the bathroom bowl, defrosting the fridge, cleaning the oven and root canals.

Lately when I go to the post office I don't seem to have that downer depressed feeling that I used to get. I think the reason for that has been answered in this news article that I saw today. Post offices no longer want the Most Wanted. According to Richard Watkins, postal spokesman for the Mid-America district, "most of the nation's 34,000 post offices took the posters off the walls several years ago. We decided to take them down and keep them in binders behind the counter. People have to ask to see them."

Well, thank goodness for that. Now we can all breathe a little easier; we don't have to look at the worst criminals of present time when we buy our stamps. How very thoughtful of those folks at the post office. But wait...what's this?

Mr. Watkins goes on to say "the walls are prime product display space now. A retail standardization policy issued in 1999 and updated in 2005, has prettied up post offices, making them more uniform and attractive -- the better to move merchandise."

It is "the Wal-Marting of post offices across America" according to Ron Pry. The post office now-a-days is filled with vivid red signs and wildly colored envelopes, track lights beaming on posters of Frank Sinatra, Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse...Where will it end?

I guess if we want to see America's 10 Most Wanted we will have to go to the FBI website, ask to see the book at the post office or perhaps just search for them on the Internet. But if we want hard sell designer stamps....well, I can tell you where to go!