Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

It’s another day and another dollar is trying to be squeezed out of tax payers to make teachers across this Province feel better about their jobs. While the BCTF is looking for approval to strike, many people in the Province can’t help but wonder “When will this insanity end?”

We are bombarded by ads and rhetoric that suggest it is all in support of the students but so much of the discussion seems to be around wages, paid leave and benefits. In a previous post on this topic I looked deeply into just how many “benefits” teachers already get and that is over and above the increasing number of days off. I am unsupportive of their plight and I don’t believe most of what is being discussed addresses the needs within the school system. Such as:

Infrastructure: Aging buildings and portable classrooms have been talked about for years. It stands to reason that upgrades to and expansion of schools in the fast growing areas of our Province, would be a primary focus given both need and safety concerns for the students.

Classroom materials: Recently, I had a conversation with someone who mentioned that it was not uncommon for teachers to buy materials for their students because without their intervention those materials would not be available. Wouldn’t it be prudent to ensure that money be allocated to necessary learning materials for the students.

Special Needs Assistance: There is an increased need for Special Education Assistants within our classrooms, as we have more students that require specialized support across this Province. These professionals are needed to assist the teacher with the learning, behavioural or physical challenges that accompany some children. While the responsibility may lie with the teacher to develop a learning plan, in partnership with family/student, it is the assistant’s job to implement that plan on a day to day basis. However, not all teachers do that effectively and given my relationship with several people involved in this process I can tell you that there are teachers who do not properly value the role of S.E.A’s. These people are not glorified babysitters and if it appears that they are, it would only be due to an absence of involvement from teachers and school administrators. So, increasing the hiring of S.E.A’s and support services would be best for the students.

In all three of these examples I can not find one reason to support wage increases, benefit top ups or more days off. If it is really about the children than you tell me how increasing anyone’s wage will solve the real issues facing today’s schools? A strike will have an impact on what is already a school year rife with disruptions. No supervision, no report cards, no partnership between administrators and teachers has most certainly caused adverse effects. It is not the high functioning students that we need to worry about in this dispute, it is those who are falling through the cracks. There are many parents who most likely don’t even have a clue that their child is behind or failing.

The children and their parents don’t have options in all of this but teachers do. In fact, they have so many options for their future it is mind-blowing. I’m tired of listening to the complaints coming from people who are using “students” as pawns. I’m annoyed when I hear about their desire for a 15 % wage increase when most people are facing roll backs. It is hard to feel sympathetic towards a group that can put upwards of $900 a month into their pension when I can’t even afford to put $900 a year into mine. I’m saddened that many kids come out into the job market unable to spell, understand math or struggle to read.  Their lack of preparedness and learning challenges then become the responsibility of people like me, who provide support services to fill in the gaps. 

We all have tremendous responsibility. Though, I appreciate that teaching is a hard job, I can think of many others that are equally important to our development and health. Teachers are an essential service, and as such, should not ever be allowed to put the education and supervision of our children at risk.

If you are a woman looking to get into the film industry, creatively directing, producing or even writing, don’t expect that the red carpet is going to be laid out for you. The Celluloid Ceiling’s 2011 report has just come out and the data compiled by Dr. Martha M. Lauzen is again screaming “Not Welcome!” Dr. Lauzen, who conducts research on the roles of women in film and television, has provided statistical comparisons that are eye opening.

In this report it is clear that the film industry moves at a snails pace when it comes to the inclusion of women in behind-the-scenes roles. If you take the examples alone that 95% of the top 250 films of 2011 were directed by men or that 77% of those films had no female writers or 38% of films hired 0 – 1 woman in the roles considered, one can only conclude systematic exclusion is still very much alive. It isn’t that women are not enrolling in the cinematic arts programs, they are, or that there is a physical limitation preventing their participation or that women aren’t interested in film and television; that too is a myth.

Even as consumers, when it comes to moviegoers and box office sales, men and women are almost equal in most categories. As for attendance, according to the Motion Picture Association of America’s Theatrical Market Statistics 2010 report, in 2009 women purchased 55% of the movie tickets. By 2010 nearly one million women between the ages of 40 – 49 who previously were considered frequent moviegoers, scaled back their trips to the theaters. We can speculate on why that may be but certainly from the perspective of women’s interest in film, one million paying customers is not something any industry would like to lose. The Numbers – Movie Market Summary 1995 – 2012

It’s coming down to numbers but ultimately there is a larger issue that can’t be swept under the rug. Consistently, women are unable to secure employment despite having the credentials, desire and expertise.  Not every woman’s experience with discrimination will be the same, we can always find examples in any industry of women who say “I made it.” However, how many more are standing at the glass peering in with a camera, script or critical eye waiting to be allowed access? Given this latest study and report it would appear there are a hell of a lot of women’s names missing when the film credits roll.

It shouldn’t be an against- the-odds affair, the culture of hiring needs to evolve with the times.  When one gender is controlling the entrance into a field or the advancement of the other gender they are stifling their own growth. The lack of balance and diversity makes its way through the product to the consumer. In an industry where creativity is key you would also think that collaborative and visionary people from all walks of life would be encouraged to become part of the projects.

As consumers we are affected. The majority of programs and films are simply not being produced in a way that represents the efforts of women, no matter how you slice it. Women’s roles are being written, produced and directed by men which is hardly necessary with so many women waiting to be involved. We are allowing this to go on because we have been fed garbage excuses that help protect those in power from opening the doors to women and minorities. Film and television is supposedly designed to speak to, entertain and reach the masses, therefore, protectionism should not be welcome in this arena. It is time for the old white males to move away from the doors and allow talented women to work along side as equals. Maybe then more women who work behind-the-scenes will enjoy a moment of proudly positioning their Oscar on the mantle.

Postscript: Great video brought to you by Women in Hollywood

For Your Consideration: Women Directors Missing From the Oscars

As many music fans mourn the death of Whitney Houston, her family and friends gather to celebrate her life. Taken back to her roots and in her church she was remembered. Not as a singer belonging to the world but simply a girl who lived with both the power and vulnerability that comes with saying “Yes” to life.

Life is, as we all know, extremely complex. It holds more questions than answers and expects us to rise to the challenge. We are given amazing opportunities, most of which will fall to fear. Some, like Ms. Houston, possess great talent in their profession and face the fear head on. They are fueled by passion but immense pressure can surface and that can sometimes cause great pain. Often we are not truly prepared for what comes from our wishes or dreams. It can be intense and demanding and not at all what we thought it would be. The definition of happiness changes, love can become convoluted and it can be tough to make healthy decisions. When our world expands it is difficult to find familiarity in our surroundings, we drift aimlessly looking for a recognizable face or just somewhere to land.

The fact is, we don’t know Whitney Houston at all. We don’t need to know the dirty details of her death nor stand in judgement of her life because we have seen this time and time again. What has transpired is not unique and if we were honest many aspects of her experiences (as much as we know them to be) would most likely mirror our own.

We have all stood in front of the mirror and asked ourselves “Why?” We have been in the company of people who did more harm than good. We have traveled down a road that was dark in which we saw no light through the trees. We held on during the roller coaster of emotions and tried desperately to not repeat our mistakes. We strove toward supposed great things only to find they were not as magnificent up close. We reached goals, basked in self satisfaction and gave thanks where it was deserved. We have wanted to pull the blanket over our heads and found ways to dull our senses. We have risen up from the ground and put the pieces of our delicate life back together. We have prayed even when we didn’t believe and knelt down to hang our heads in shame. We all have recognized we were nothing as an individual but powerful as a partner or a community. We saw many examples that money will not buy us happiness; with homes full of things that were meaningless in the end. We’ve been surprised that in what we thought were our poorest times, we were drowning in the richness of love from those that mattered.

I greatly appreciated the voice of Whitney Houston but I will not profess to be a fan. I think it is always disingenuous to pretend that one was, as the hype climbs around a celebrities passing. What I have taken away from all the energy and talk that surrounds this person is that ultimately we are living in concert with each other. It is a masterful work in progress in which we all play our part and each of us are hanging on every note.

It was September 2010 when a girl was raped while attending a rave in Pitt Meadows, British Columbia. As if that was not disturbing and tragic enough, almost immediately after the attack, images appeared on Facebook. A group of young males who witnessed the rape decided rather than assist they would film.

When I first blogged about this story Internet – Its Role in Victimization the sympathy for the young woman and her family was mixed with pure disgust that social media could be used in such a way. It was completely frustrating to know that despite the efforts of family and police, the swift reach of the Internet took away any hope of protecting her from further humiliation. So, here we sit February 2012 hearing the sentence of one of the teens who posted the sexual assault on Facebook. Originally charged with production and distribution of child pornography he plead guilty to a lesser charge and received 12 months probation for distributing obscene material. He must also write an essay on the Harmful Impact of Social Media; a pros and cons account of its use.

Is that enough? There is so much more to the acts he participated in that would not even be remotely acknowledged in such an essay. He failed to protect a human being from rape. Even if he felt that his own safety was at risk, or most likely his reputation would be tainted, nothing prevented him from removing himself from the scene and dialing 911 for help. The necessities of preserving her life and safety meant nothing. Instead this boy filmed and distributed the crime. Social media was the tool used to distribute something so perverse but subsequent to that is his detachment from that experience. His lack of respect and empathy really needs to be addressed.

However, it wasn’t only just his desensitization to her suffering. The entertainment factor depicted in the abuse and rape was played out that night in front of at least 12 other young men. They too were immune from impact and their collective code of silence speaks volumes to just how deep this case goes. As we go further down the rabbit hole, we see social media’s role > which is partnered with the Internet > which in itself has become a playground for pornographers. In an age when access to pornography and graphic images of the torture, rape and abuse of girls and women abound (even on mainstream TV) looking at an attack against a woman in real life, for some men, becomes nothing more than harmless amusement. A spectacle that one knows they shouldn’t be watching but can’t take their eyes away from.

If any essays were to be written, it may have been prudent to explore the harmful affects of pornography on our society with an additional sentence that dealt with the realities of rape and abuse against women and children. How about, sensitivity training and mandatory counselling to find out how he got to the point where he could be so far removed from feeling anything towards this girl. Countless images are downloaded every day that depict women and children in various situations of degradation. With Facebook and YouTube, acts of violence can be captured and preserved for the world to see. The young woman in this story lives with the fact that the crime against her, her image, remains out there in cyberspace. The social aspect of this media was and is being obscenely misused.

When this boy completes his essay I believe it should be placed up on a police Facebook page so that we as a society can judge whether he understood the full impact of his actions. Meanwhile,  two other males are about to face trial and sentencing in relation to this case. Colton Ashton McMorris is charge with sexual assault and is awaiting trial along with Dennis John Allen Warrington who is charged with making and distributing child pornography. All the others, who chose not to cooperate with the investigation remain at large. Hiding like cowards and most likely still believing that what transpired was “her fault”, not theirs.

Judy Cullins – Guest Blogger, offers this post to Esteem Rising Readers. Enjoy!

One question I ask emerging authors is, “Who is your primary audience (target market)?” They often say, “Everyone needs my message.” They have an idea and just start writing. They don’t think ahead with a marketing point of view, so sadly their books and their services don’t sell well. My answer is, “I know you have something to say, but before you outline those chapters or write one, take some time to make your message strategic.” You can brand yourself in your book and chapter titles, so your primary audience knows you’ll write what they need and want to know. Anyway, how will you contact everyone?

Knowing your target audience is the first step to your business success. People read your book because they want answers for their specific questions. They have concerns and want solutions. When they see general copy, they get turned off and leave. This is a “kiss of death” because, if they don’t finish reading those chapters, they won’t recommend your book. There goes your 24/7 sales team!

Why not take this first step to making your book a business? If you do, you will be pleased with generating more book sales and increasing your business credibility and visibility. If you don’t write for a target audience, your buckshot message will not be effective, and take so much more marketing and promotion time.

When you write your book’s pre-marketing plan that includes writing out your book’s benefits and your specific audience, you tailor your book’s chapters for that audience. They will be happy, engaged, readers who are getting specific information they came for instead of general information they are not interested in. So many new authors think their story will capture attention. Remember, your readers don’t care about you. They want answers. Instead of writing a one size fits all longer book, divide and conquer. Write a series of shorter books, each one written for the audience who really wants it.

Read the rest of this entry »

My niece, Callie, is a child who has experienced a lot in her first years of life. As a result there are many resources involved in her care. Her mother, Rhonda, managed to coordinate  two fundraisers in their community this past year in support of one of those resources – Variety – the children’s charity. Friends, family, school and anonymous donors managed to raise over $8000! That is awesome! Due to that effort they were invited to be on The Variety Show of Hearts Telethon . This annual telethon brings together thousands of volunteers who work tirelessly to present a show that features talented performers from around the world and the stories of special needs children who have benefited by their programs and services. 

First let me say, that even getting to this event is a challenge. After accepting the invitation from Variety to attend, many people became involved. It is not as easy as “let’s pack up and go.” Her school creatively designed a cheque banner with the amount displayed. Husband took time off work, (which they can ill afford) to drive them to the show, neighbours agreed to look after their dog, Grandma opened up her home for all to gather the night before, my sister organized everything Callie would need to be away from home and ready for her moment in the spotlight. It was disappointing to see that after all that preparation the moment was brief for all the kids and their parents who participated in coin drives. (camera didn’t even capture all of them, including my sister) However, a flash of our beautiful girl was seen, it was an experience to remember and hopefully viewers were moved to donate. If these children can do it anyone can!

The importance of children’s charities in our society is huge. Many families struggle to provide all the necessary care that comes with special needs children. Even if you are fortunate to have a child that does not require specialized support, you still are aware of how much it takes to raise a child. Imagine for a moment all that you do currently for your children. Now, compound that by round the clock care, multiple hospital visits, purchasing adaptive equipment, adjusting your home for adaptive equipment, therapy costs and travel expenses to get to appointments. You familiarize and educate yourself about all that care, plus medications, interview various practitioners, participate in all school meetings related to your child’s education, document everything and become an advocate on your child’s behalf. Countless hours are spent on immediate needs and considering future requirements as they move toward adulthood.

I have seen first hand what my sister has to do everyday since her precious daughter was born. There is little time for herself; all waking hours are spent wrapped up in Callie’s world. So many things that my sister and her husband dreamed for their life and for the life of their child was replaced with a new reality. There is no miraculous cures, only small victories. All of us wade into this unknown with hope, frustration, energy, helplessness, joy, confusion, tears and smiles. There isn’t one person who is close to parents of children with special needs that doesn’t become affected in some way or another.

When these children come into the world it really does take a village to raise them. So, I encourage you to see what you can do to support. Do you know a mother or a family in your community who has a child with special needs? I would ask that you make an honest effort to reach out to that family through friendship. It can be a very lonely road, especially for mothers. They wanted the same things for their child that you want for yours. Challenge yourself to find ways to get to know these neighbours, try to find a way to make life easier, share your skills or just engage in conversation. They are busy, often running on low sleep and high expectations but if you can be there when these parents need help, have your children be a part of their child’s celebrations or even just call to say “Hi”,you are giving a most valuable gift. 

Callie has made her contribution back to one organization that gives so deeply and she, through her mothers vision, continues to find a way to connect with her community. Hopefully this post will help inspire others to do the same in what ever form that takes.

(Check out my blogroll and to Rhonda’s blog Lets Be Wheelistic)

Why do I feel like its Monday all over again?

This was a drag myself out of bed day. I swear if I didn’t feel so guilty about not doing some form of work I would have rolled over after looking at the alarm clock and buried myself under the covers. I considered it, but then I went through a mental list of all the reasons why that would be a bad idea and coaxed myself down the stairs for tea and cereal. Then I proceeded to my home office to see if there was anything of significance that should be handled immediately. Thankfully there was not. I’m not entirely sure my brain would be primed for any more thinking; as I had already used precious power feeding myself.

The next step was to shower. The problem I have with showering on days of laziness is that somehow I have difficulty extricating myself from the darn thing. Hair  is washed, body scrubbed and then I stand there dreaming until I finally wake up and say to myself “You could stay in here all day, get out!” Really…I do have to say that to myself. The water sends me into some sort of trance and it doesn’t help that we have a large hot water tank otherwise I would leave as soon as the cold hits.

I can’t figure out how I got so far into this week without feeling inspired to do anything. I knew I was really off my game when I ate a cookie with raisins in it…sorry dear hubby,I know it was yours but I couldn’t resist. This is shocking in itself because I have hated raisins since I was a child. (Raisin trauma, lunch box incident, I won’t go into details) There I was, staring out at a rainy day, with a mug of hot water in one hand and my least favourite cookie in the other. Crazy! In a moment of clarity I realized the ridiculousness of the situation but by then the cookie was almost all gone.

My exercise regiment for the day consisted of hauling the vacuum cleaner up and down the stairs. I had to do something. Cleaning seemed productive but I have to say the novelty of doing manual labour quickly wore off. So, here I sit back at the computer trying to reflect on one of the strangest days yet. The only highlight was when I made a call to a dear friend to share how “blah” I was feeling. She was so understanding and helpful…of course…she was in bed with her laptop. Funny how that goes.

After surviving a brutal attack which resulted in contusions and a brain injury, Charles Dixon entered the courtroom one more time, (as he thought) hoping Lady Justice would reach out and recognize his suffering. The sentencing of Del Louie was about to take place when his counsel decided to implore the judge to consider Mr. Louie’s aboriginal status and fetal alcohol syndrome before coming to any final decision.

Instead of jail time, Mr. Louie has the potential to be released into the community (or home) with conditions; known as conditional sentencing. Due to the overwhelming representation of aboriginal people in jails within Canada, courts are trying to find alternative paths towards accountability and rehabilitation. However, using aboriginal status as a get out of jail card is not sitting well with victims and many in the general public. Mr. Dixon heard an apology from Louie but he is not happy about the prospect of seeing his attacker remain outside of jail.  Can you blame him?

Dixon and his family have had their lives turned upside down while battling through recovery from injuries, dealing with a medical condition and loss of income.  His circumstances are not being respectfully considered. Something seems wrong when a delay occurs and a plea for compassion surfaces in order to lessen the harm to the offender. I subscribe to what is fast becoming a myth that “If you do the crime, you do the time.” I can move towards leniency only when all parties agree that it is in the best interest of EVERYONE involved. However, I’m not sympathetic to the “I’m an Aboriginal” defence.

The over representation of our aboriginal people in jails is truly unfortunate and so is the high rates of substance abuse that has devastated communities and families for generations. It would be my dream to see the aboriginal people rise above the challenges, move past the historic trauma and forward to healthier living, work opportunities and education. (We could all use that) Prevention, treatment and opportunity would bring prosperity in its most holistic sense. However, sending a message to anyone that special status in our country provides you with an opportunity to not go to prison, sets up a whole host of other problems.

Countless victims feel cheated from justice not because of misrepresentation of facts but purely base on racial and cultural accommodations. This can fuel resentment towards the aboriginal community for such special provisions and conversely, have blame and anger directed upon non aboriginals who don’t subscribe to alternative sentencing. Does the general public ever really know the success rate of these conditional sentences and alternative cultural therapies that have been incorporated into judgements? Even if they are successful is it OK to make such arrangements irrespective of the impact on victims? How do we ever reach common ground on anything when it is always about dividing citizens up into two very distinct camps?

We should be under one law and it should not be too hard to recognize that when a person like Mr. Louie beats up a man he must face the judge and have his future be based on his criminal act, not his race. We have many sad cases out there of people who were raised under extreme and difficult circumstances but not all of those individuals make the same choices to hurt, maim or kill other human beings. Individuals struggling with mental health issues and substance abuse will always make up a considerable portion of our offenders. There are valuable programs through the aboriginal community and elsewhere that people can tap into; caring practitioners trying to help others find support. If our jails were better equipped to deal with some of the problems people like Mr. Louie face, then we wouldn’t be having this discussion. But, because we can’t save them all or others drop the ball, society and in particular victims are forced to listen to how we can help the poor offender.

I hope Mr. Louie is remorseful and I do hope he gets extra assistance to manage anger, life and F.A.S but I also think he needs time in jail. It’s called accountability. Mr. Dixon survived and he deserves to be the person we most care about in all of this. 

In the company of women I feel stronger. There is just something about spending time with women that brings me back to both a healing and invigorating place. I don’t mean to sound as if I’m flying out there in la, la, land but women hold some incredible power and despite how much we talk about this power, I still don’t think we fully celebrate it. That strong, nurturing, knowledgeable, intuitive and creative force is something to admire and it may be now, more than ever, that we are dialing up the energy. 

Take into consideration the sheer numbers of women who now make up the blogosphere. This venue, in which we can share our expertise or gather women’s opinions on every topic under the sun, could not have been imagined twenty + years ago. Now, think back to the height of the feminist movement. As integral as the feminist movement was and is to securing person status and equal rights for women, we still to this day have not seen our sisters across the globe fully enjoy those freedoms. However, it would be difficult to find an area in the world in which women are not somehow connected (or about to be connected) to each other through blogging or social media. That movement to hear one another was so powerful and unstoppable; BlogHer’s own data and influence can speak to that.

We are driven to have a continuous path to each other in whatever form that takes; with the written word, through service, activity or friendship. If you have ever attended conferences or seminars put on by women and for women, you most likely have experienced that tribal feeling. It comes in through conversation and waives of inspiration; the kind of inspiration that is often difficult to experience in mixed company. I have sat at tables with women, listened to their stories and come away thinking “Wow! All that talent in one room!”

Our vision for what is required extends much further than our own personal needs. Marti Barletta wrote Marketing to Women – How to Increase Your Share of the World’s Largest Market  in which she says “Statistics overwhelm:  Women are responsible for 83% of consumer purchases.” We are the purchasing powerhouses that supply and build the home and business world. Women are often the butt of jokes regarding their spending but it is hardly a joke when we are “Earth’s largest economy.” Though, advertisers have been slow to pitch to women in the past, nobody can deny now who really makes the decisions and if companies really want to succeed they might want to recognize their true target audience.

It takes a lot of energy to keep our lives and the lives of others running at optimum strength. Sometimes, I wish I could bottle that energy for the times when we feel less confident; afraid to follow through to our potential. Times when we get in the way of ourselves even though we have all the support we need. I couldn’t charge for that bottle though, because it took far too long in the making for our concerns, opinions, intelligence and dreams to be held in high esteem. In the company of women I’m acutely aware of the facts… what we say matters and what we do, nurtures the world.

You would think the healthiest medicine is to be with the one you love. However, two seniors found out that after 60 years of marriage the thing that would come between them was Interior Health. IH is a health authority that was set up to serve communities in the interior of British Columbia. It provides many services which includes Seniors Care and boasts on its website “we’re working hard to provide a range of health care options that promote independence, choice and dignity.”

For Ken McKay and his wife Dusty that appears to be difficult to obtain. Instead, they found themselves separated when six months ago Dusty’s medical care needs exceeded his. The emotional toll this has taken on both of them was hard; tears welled up as I watched on Global BC news Elderly Okanagan Couple Appeal for Same Home. To hear what they were having to deal with was truly heartbreaking. Here is a man and woman who have survived through all the ups and downs that life brings, afforded so much time on this earth to spend together in love and marriage only to be ripped apart by a system whose roots are in health and care.

How is it healthy to remove from a person’s life their companion and confidante? How good can any care be when it places such pain, frustration, heartache and loneliness in two people’s lives? Where is the dignity when as we age other people make decisions for us that they would never wish upon themselves? At what point does our choice to live and die in the arms of the one we love become a logistical problem that must be handled by outside entities?

All too often seniors find themselves being dictated to and cast aside. We are a culture that houses our seniors more often in wait to die centers rather than creating strong at home care and independent living an affordable reality. It should not be so hard for this man and woman to receive the support necessary under one roof. We should embrace that option as a true sign of compassionate care till the end! To see this man break down in the way he did, apologize for his emotion and still try to fight to be united with his wife, is so admirable.

Sixty years of unity should not end as it has for others in the past because our health care authorities didn’t have the vision to provide a workable solution. Shame on the Interior Health and may everyone reading this realize we may one day find ourselves in a similar situation…who will speak for us? When we can’t take care of the people who need us most, it is not they that are weak, it is us.