Mood Swings & Counting My Blessings

I have had such a wonderful Christmas break w my kids! They have been so sweet and well-behaved....but then i have experienced some great stress and anxiety over work. So I guess you could call these mood swings that are caused by external factors and NOT my hormones or messed up psyche! Much easier to cope w when you can identify the problem.

I am also feeling so very lucky and blessed for the wonderful life I have. I cannot believe how incredibly GREAT my life is--

• I HAVE an awesome husband & kids, awesome Mom & sissies & bro, awesome in-laws (that includes Chris' parents and my bils and sils), awesome cousins & aunts & uncles, awesome friends, awesome workmates, awesome neighbors, awesome church mates--THE PEOPLE in my life are very amazing, interesting and above all, are good to the core!
• My health is relatively good--altho, i could eat better and exercise more!
• My career is getting back on track--even if I am only part-time, I think I'm achieving some good progress in helping SRVS raise major gifts ===> www.srvs.org if you want to go make a gift, right now!
• I live in a terrific neighborhood w really nice people who look out for one another.
• My kids go to a great school and are doing really REALLY well!! Jack scores in the 90s on everything and Quinn is zooming past all that Kindergarten letters & numbers stuff like she's in 2nd grade w Jack!!
• Besides my career, I work with some terrific people who really care about SRVS' mission to support people w disabilities.
• I can explore just about anything i want via books and the Internet....it feeds my curious, life-long learning goal.
• I could go on and on and on....and may add more later, but I need to BOOKMARK this entry for those times when I'm in a negative spiral down and remember I have people to love, food to eat, a warm bed to sleep in and MUCH MUCH MUCH more than many others in our world have.

Praise God!

Peace be w you all....

....and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sagacity Search continues w some new lessons...

~*~*~* Christmas 2008 ~*~*~*
one of my all-time favorite pix of the 2 most beautiful kids in the world!

This post has some interesting tidbits and/or just STUFF i wanted to share.


Sometimes I wonder how I made it 42 years without knowing some of this stuff...but it's really COOOOL to keep finding new and interesting stuff to keep the old brain busy (and not thinking about stuff that makes me mad or sad).

In no particular order of preference or importance, let the list of learning/interesting begin....


A. CHRISTMAS Greetings:

Today's Commercial Appeal had 2 stories of other nations that are not as heavily Christian as the United States where the "Christmas Spirit" is influencing their winter holidays....thought it was interesting that as Americans are divided or debating on whether or not it's politically correct to say "Merry Christmas" these Buddhist and Muslim countries are anxious to show off their love of Christmas (even tho they are really just embracing the commercialism and gaudiness of it all). See links to read more if you wish:

It's Christmas gone wild in Ho-Ho-Ho Chi Minh City
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-adfg-vietnam-christmas-20101218,0,6180089.story

$11 million Christmas Tree in Dubai
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/abu-dhabi-hotel-apologises-for-overloading-11m-christmas-tree/story-e6frf7lf-1225973656176

B. FUN Christmas songs:

Forgot, wanted to add this video--b/c it's fun and happy:







C. GOOD QUOTE:

Loved this quote that reminded me of my mother-in-law this week:

"When you're curious, you find lots of interesting things to do."
~ Walt Disney

You can find more of my favorite quotes by going to the link at the top of this page (Quotes Sheila Likes) or by clicking here (on this whole sentence apparently--i don't understand some of these blogger tools, obviously!)





D. NEW READING/THINKING Material:

I learned of a new brilliant thinker and writer named Henri Nouwen.

Here's an email i sent to a few folks in my industry this week:

I just read the article "The Spirituality of Fund Raising".

Amy Moritz, Executive Director of the Center for Transforming Communities (http://www. centerfortransformingcommuniti es.org/) passed it along to me. I am joining the CTC board in January.

Also, here's some background on the author, Henri Nouwen. Imagine my reaction (after I read the article and wanted to know who this person was) to his last assignment before his death (highlighted below) as it relates to where i work now!

The internationally renowned priest and author, respected professor and beloved pastor Henri Nouwen (pronounced Henry Now-win) wrote over 40 books on the spiritual life. He corresponded regularly in English, Dutch, German, French and Spanish with hundreds of friends and reached out to thousands through his Eucharistic celebrations, lectures and retreats. Since his death in 1996, ever-increasing numbers of readers, writers, teachers and seekers have been guided by his literary legacy. Nouwen’s books have sold over 2 million copies and been published in over 22 languages.

Born in Nijkerk, Holland, on January 24, 1932, Nouwen felt called to the priesthood at a very young age. He was ordained in 1957 as a diocesan priest and studied psychology at the Catholic University of Nijmegen. In 1964 he moved to the United States to study at the Menninger Clinic. He went on to teach at the University of Notre Dame, and the Divinity Schools of Yale and Harvard. For several months during the 1970s, Nouwen lived and worked with the Trappist monks in the Abbey of the Genesee, and in the early 1980s he lived with the poor in Peru. In 1985 he was called to join L’Arche in Trosly, France, the first of over 100 communities founded by Jean Vanier where people with developmental disabilities live with assistants. A year later Nouwen came to make his home at L’Arche Daybreak near Toronto, Canada. He died suddenly on September 21st, 1996, in Holland and is buried in King City, Ontario.

Nouwen believed that what is most personal is most universal; he wrote, “By giving words to these intimate experiences I can make my life available to others.” His spirit lives on in the work of the Henri Nouwen Society, Henri Nouwen Stichting, the Henri Nouwen Trust, the Henri J. M. Nouwen Archives and Research Collection, and in all who live the spiritual values of communion, community and ministry, to which he dedicated his life.

E. Christmas Carols (parts 1 and 2):

Part 1: So Friday night Chris and I had a date night. We went to Cooper Young area and noticed Burke's Books was still open. So we browsed in there a bit before going to drink and eat. I found a really cool used book (in pretty good condition) of Christmas Carols published in the 1950s and it also gives a little history of each song. For those of you who don't know (most people don't, even my own husband of 12 years who lives w me and sees my stuff), I like to collect Christmas books.

Part 2: So it was VERY interesting and seredipidous (sp?) that TODAY at church, Rev. Cynthia gave us the origins of a Christmas song written way back in the 1600s by a French priest who was a missionary to the Huron Indians in Canada.

It's "Twas in the Moon of Wintertime" by Jean de Brebeuf (#257 in "Singing the Living Tradition" UUA, 1993) and also known as the Huron Carol.....see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huron_Carol

It's quite lovely, the song's original Huron title is "Jesous Ahatonhia" ("Jesus, he is born").

F. WONDERFUL WORLD OF LEADERSHIP:

This past Monday I lead a group of the most wonderful, caring little Kindergarten Daisy's as we hosted a Christmas party for young adults with disabilities (one of SRVS' over 85 homes---www.srvs.org---where I work!).

We made ornaments and cards for each resident, sang songs, passed out cookies and gave goodie bags to each of the staffers in that home.

That was truly the Christmas Spirit and gave me a wonderful, happy GLOW!

life lessons

wrote this down on an INDEX CARD (of all things...) a few weeks back:

There are a number of experiences/milestones in life that just help you learn to be a better person--(just found one, i realized that I am a much better typist when I'm typing from my head, my thoughts than trying to type something that has already been written down and trying to use the damn "home row" that they tried to teach me in h.s.--my only "D" in all of h.s.!!!-damnit)

Okay, gonna start over:
There are a number of experiences/milestons in life that just help you learn to be a better person and/or more open-minded, more relaxed, more laid back, less stressed. If you haven't hit these milestones or experiences-- such as things like the death of a parent or a very good friend--then you just aren't on the same playing field as the rest of us who have experienced these things. And, quite frankly, you are too self-centered to take the time to get over yourself and attempt to empathize with the rest of us.

that's the end of what i wrote and I think I wanted to expand on that thought, but i don't really feel like it at the moment. It is quite judgemental, but I honestly believe it is true....

For people w disabilities and their families: this is why i do what I do

Listen to Scott's story about 5 minutes into "This American Life"....it is the heart-breaking reality for parents of children with developmental disabilities in our country.....1,700 alone on waiting lists here in Shelby County!!

Also, here's what I sent to Oprah (who would only accept 2000 characters typed--i spaced it out a bit so it wouldn't be too difficult to read here):

I have been a professional fundraiser for nearly 20 years--playing a key role in raising nearly $20 million for worthy causes. I live to RAISE money so that I can help make this a better world. Currently I work for the largest agency in Tennessee that supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and their caregivers. I am very concerned about the future of care for people with intellectual disabilities in our country.

Nearly 9.3 million people (approx. 3% of the population) in the US have an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD). According to the ARC, “of the 2.8 million with a developmental disability living with a family caregiver, 716,212 individuals are being cared for by someone over 60-years-old.” ARC says there are nearly 300,000 people with intellectual disabilities currently on waiting lists that average 8-10 years in length.

In Memphis, TN there are nearly 1,700 people with IDD on our waiting list and my agency urgently wants to serve this need but we must raise funds to accomplish this. While our private fundraising efforts have been modestly successful, and hopefully will alleviate the waiting list of 600 people in the next year; advocates for people w IDD do not have the money and clout to persuade their legislators to adequately plan for the future of thousands of people w IDD in our country.

While autism has been highlighted recently; there are many others who require specialized care and are dependent upon their families or caregivers for their entire lives. This will become a costly burden on our society as the baby boomers become unable to care for their adult children with IDD.

This is truly part of the health care crisis that has been overlooked-especially considering that these adults with disabilities will have no place to turn when their elderly parents are unable to care for them at home.

i take friendship seriously...

...that's just how i roll.

life really is good, but sometimes you wish for better

things bugging me right now:

1. Worried that the values of "keeping up with the Jones" and "avoiding my child's temper tantrum at ANY cost" are taking over as more important in our society than the old fashioned values of "teaching respect, caring, doing unto others as you would have done unto you, loving one another as I have loved you, etc.". Where are we headed when families care more about their personal happiness than the rest of the world's? Why are people so self-absorbed and self-centered?

And I know it's not everyone, just seems like this "bunch" is taking over the majority of societal norms when bullying is spiraling out of control in our schools and more and more children WHINE way too long past the age of THREE!!!!

2. Worried that the older generation thinks my generation is a bunch of lazy do-nothings who may be smart, but are too lazy to work as hard as the older generation did. Worried they think their quality of life will decline based upon their perception that my generation "expects" or feels entitled to having a strong family life and being home to raise our kids. There may be a little truth in the "laziness" perception b/c I see it in the workforce where people do NOT give 100% and expect to advance or to be rewarded....but this idea that we are lazy b/c we just want a healthier family life is kind of out-dated thinking.

More on some of these thoughts later. I need to get ready for church but just wanted to get these things off my mind for now.

Lastly, on a positive note....I'm feeling MUCH better than the near possible heart attack I thought I was having on Friday morning (chest pains and disorientation). I was extremely crabby and irritable on Friday. I thought it was stress finally coming home to "roost" but it was only my monthly friend Flo announcing her arrival...thank god I wasn't having a nervous breakdown, but GEESH sometimes it really stinks to have to deal with the emotional roller-coaster of hormones!! I'm pretty sure this is why men and women fight b/c there's no way a man can understand the affect that hormones have on the psyche of a woman. It's a good thing Chris was out of town...bad thing my kids had a low-tolerance mommy for about 24 hours!

Happy Sunday -- the SUN is out again for another glorious Autumn day!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PEACE!!

am i being called or harassed?

In a sense, this is a continuation of my entry a few weeks ago "A Strong Sense of Urgency to Make Things Better"....


Seems like more and more I find myself wanting to yell "FUCKEDY FUCK" b/c I get some more bad news! Sometimes I think I am being harassed by some being out there...is it God? is it the Devil? is it the Universe? is it an alien?


I've learned that I often just go STRAIGHT to denial and busy myself w something to get my mind off all the bad news that directly and indirectly affects me. Today I cleaned a bit more than usual, played w the kids a bit more than usual and made HOMEMADE lasagna!! Now i'm sitting here and thinking i should just go to bed and let sleep be my "diversion" tonight, but i'm not sure i can really turn off my brain....I might go veg out in front of the tv....who knows, i'm really in a strange moment....



Next I shall enter into my major reflective mode and attempt to buck up my extra reserves of strength.....so I added a good new quote to my Quotes page. It's the last one at the bottom from Theodore Roosevelt.


And its weird b/c nothing is directly harming me....but it hurts my heart when I see people suffer. I don't want anyone to be sad or be afflicted w some dreaded illness or any other number of seemingly unneccessary and uncontrollable obstacles that are thrown into their lives.

URGHHHHH....FF (shortened version of what I said in the beginning....guess i'll keep it there, don't want to offend anyone, but i try to be pretty honest here and maybe honesty is what will help someone out there????)!


I actually have TONS of strength and courage, but I don't know how to give it or teach it to those who need it more than i do....and that's what is so painful and difficult for me.


OKAY, this blogging is truly helpful b/c i kept reflecting and working on this post and here's what I have concluded:

Maybe i need to encourage people to be more spiritual and reflective and to help them on a path to "enlightenment" ---whatever path might work for them, like my Search for Sagacity? Maybe i am being "called" to help by sharing my journey?

I'm a genius in my own mind! forgot who first said that =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PEACE

What a Wonderful Life

I am sooo darn lucky, blessed, fortunate...pick a word that best fits your frame of reference.

Among the many other great things about my life, Chris (the MOST FABULOUS HUSBAND/DADDY IN THE WORLD!) has taken BOTH the kids on the scout campout today (overnight in Tishomigo State Park in Mississippi) and I have the entire day & night to myself and tomorrow morning too!! Is he just so terrific, or what!?!?! Be jealous ladies, oh yes, be VEWRY jealous b/c HE's MINE--ALL MINE!!!

all for now...i'm feeling very emotional lately...think it's all this raging discourse in our country that is breeding really ill feelings....as well as,

the closer to home stuff like my cousin having surgery this week to catch the stage 1 pancreatic cancer (he's only 50!),

AND Quinn having her VCU on Monday that will be the last (of 3) to determine whether or not her urinary reflux has healed or if we will need to have surgery,

AND the stress of trying to raise money in this economy,

AND....well, there's other stuff but no sense in spiralling down when this was supposed to be a HAPPY POST!

Really on balance, the scales tip toward positive more than negative (because I'm leaning hard on the positive side) in my life.....

Advice to Myself

Here are the things I tell myself constantly...i call it advice to myself. It's that little tape recording that is running in my head all the time.

It is not original thinking (some of it is paraphrased from well known quotes), but it is what I truly believe and try to live each day. I WROTE it in the car on the way to work yesterday -- i know, I KNOW THAT WAS MUCH MORE DANGEROUS THAN TEXTING!


Advice to Myself:

Choose to do something to make the world a little better.

Let your actions speak for themselves.

Be Brave & Bold.

Don't give a "HOOT" about what others think --- they don't know JACK!

Your best beauty secret is CONFIDENCE---rock it no matter what you are wearing.

Thank God for your EXCELLENT, AWESOME, WONDERFUL, EXTREMELY FORTUNATE life.

Choose Your Battles Wisely (thanks Audra for teaching this and reminding me).

Honesty is the BEST policy--always do the RIGHT thing.

Music can lift your mood.

Think Positive, Good Thoughts.

Seek out and embrace all opportunities to learn.

Don't make decisions or judgements based upon opinions or feelings -- get the facts and do some research FIRST!

Give your love freely and don't expect anything in return.


new addition, today from Rabbi Micah Greenstein (who I was soooo lucky to get to hear again today!!!):

Admire those who are kind, generous, honest and brave NOT those who are wealthy, smart and famous.

iPad post

I'm in bed posting to my blog on the iPad. This is sooooooo cool

STRONG sense of urgency to make things better

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Grandin

people with autism seem to feel and sense things so intensely that it disables their ability to react in a "normal" way in many situations. I just finished watching the HBO movie, Temple Grandin (A TRUE STORY) and realized that I feel things very intensely but not at the level that someone w autism must feel. AND BOY, HOW....i feel things so deeply it makes me angry and makes me cry, but i'm able to function "normally" according to society's norms. Just can't imagine how disabling it may be to someone w autism.

They said over and over again...."Different but not less"...I LOVE THIS EXPRESSION! Temple went on to achieve her DOCTORATE and she has done research to revolutionize the way that cattle are treated before the slaughter in a very humane way.....her unique way of looking at the world, made a huge difference in the cattle industry's practices!!! She didn't let any CLOSED DOOR stop her in her mission to do the right thing.

Also, love something else I heard this week from Manny Ohonme (founder of Samaritan's Feet--http://www.samaritansfeet.org/)...he said to "Dream BIG" and that BIG stands for Believe In God. I had never heard that before and BOY, HOW....that is a strong and powerful statement.

Why am I saying "BOY, HOW..." so much tonight??? Don't have a clue....just know that I am very affected by watching this movie about Temple Grandin. She is truly an amazing person who didn't let ANYTHING stop her....neither did Manny (YOU REALLY MUST GO TO HIS WEBSITE and read his story). You must also try to see this movie on HBO about Temple Grandin!!

So tired of people w excuses, b/c there are people w disabilities (like Temple's autism) and people who are born into abject poverty in a 3rd world nation (like Manny) and they RISE WAY THE HECK ABOVE it all and are INCREDIBLY INSPIRATIONAL, life-changing people who are making a BIG difference in our world!!!!

Okay, gotta go for now....still very emotional after watching Temple....

I've LEARNED so much this week and I am so lucky to be given the opportunity to learn and turn my experience into something productive in this world. I hope & pray I can keep this energy flowing and put it into action in my daily life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PEACE

Quest for Sagacity and the NEW word of the Day: Eudaimonia

He Looks Like He's On Some Type of QUEST....right!??!?
Trying to understand kids is certainly part of my Quest for Sagacity!

So I officially started My "Quest for Sagacity" in March 2009...strangely enough, about 3 weeks before my dad died. See the exciting beginning of the saga of my sagacity search at:

http://sheilasjumpinoff.blogspot.com/2009/03/sharing-serendipity-and-sagacity.html

I've posted other items about my QUEST and if you are interested, then put "sagacity" into the little search button up there to the right in "Search Sheila's Blog".

So today, reading my new favorite toilet book, "50 philosophy ieas you really need to know" by Ben Dupre, I found a new word that I am very excited about....

Eudaimonia

Loosely, it's a Greek word that is translated often as "happiness" but it's really deeper and more complex than that. As Dupre says "....eudaimonia is actually broader and more dynamic than this, best captured by the idea of 'flourishing' or 'enjoying a good (successful, fortunate) life'."

WOW! Isn't that the most incredibly interesting thing you have heard in a long time?? Well, maybe you already knew this beautiful word, eudaimonia, but to me it was "light bulb going off in my head" and "fireworks" all at once!

The section of the philosophy book i found this in was titled "Virtue Ethics". The whole section was amazing and interesting and very helpful on my Search for Sagacity! I'm sure I must've learned some of this information back in the Business Ethics class in college that I sleep-walked thru, so maybe my brain knows a little about Virtue Ethics, but now it is saying "MORE, MORE, please!"

I'm not really good at describing all that I think I'm learning today about Virtue Ethics, so I want to quote some more from Dupre:

"The Greeks often talk about four cardinal virtues-courage, justice, temperance (self-mastery) and intelligence (practical wisdom) -- but a pivotal doctrine for both Plato and Aristotle is the so-called 'unity of the virtues.' Founded in part on the observation that a good person must recognize how to respond sensitively to the sometimes conflicting demands of different virtues, they conclude that the virtues are like different facets of a single jewel, so that it is not in fact possible to possess one virtue without having them all."

WOW! It is really crystallizing in my brain some of the Buddhist and UU studies I have been working on. Whereas, (my humble attempt to explain what I think is true): basically we are good people and we have an innate ability or disposition to be good, but we can also practice being good to get better at being good and doing the right, good thing in most circumstance because we apply the knowledge we have acquired.

There is also a good distinction between morality and ethics in this book. It says that morality focuses on principles of duty and rules of conduct and ethics gives priority to a person's disposition and ability to apply practical wisdom.

just scratching the surface w this new word, eudaimonia...gotta get back to researching it and figuring it all out!

SAGACITY, i'm heading your way, it may take the rest of my life, but this journey sure is interesting!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~peace

Summary of Summer Thus Far....2 WEEKS LEFT!

4 armed Mama getting ready for "Hairspray" Benefit for SRVS (we raised over $5K that day!!!)

Such a busy summer so far...only TWO weeks left til the kids start back to school! And my little Quinn will be going to FULL-TIME Kindergarten and they will now be attending the SAME SCHOOL on the SAME SCHEDULE riding the SAME BUS TOGETHER!!!

OUR last big HURRAH will be a Ferguson Family Gathering at the cabin in Wisconsin. Chris's sister & BIL w their two boys from Texas; Chris's brother & SIL w their two boys from New York, along w Chris' parents (they live there in the summer) will all be there w us for a great time!!!

So here's a little pictorial summary of our summer so far.

Contents include: Visitors, Celebrations, and Outings

VISITORS:

First Visitor: Baby Mourning Dove in our Front Gutter (early June)


Next Visitors: The Moores from Houston, TX (July 5)


Most Recent Visitor: Baby Bewick's Wren in the smoke stack of our smoker (last week, mid-July)

CELEBRATIONS:

FIRST PARTY: Memorial Day @ Taylors

4th of July Party @ Richerts


My 42nd Birthday-June 24


Me & My Bday Bud (Mac was born on my 40th Bday)!


Quinn's 5th Birthday (new outfit from Cheney's)


Dining Room Set up for Quinn's Fancy Fifth Birthday Party!

OUTINGS:


COMEC's Pirate Day @ The Pink Palace (early June)


Georgia Aquarium w Aunt Katie (and Grandma, not pictured) in early June


Memphis Zoo (first time on this ride - Jack did NOT like it, but Q sure did!!)-mid-June


World of Coke w Grandma & Aunt Katie

Redbirds Game late June



Rock N Romp at Mud Island-late June


Wolf River Discovery Day -- Mid-July


Jack at Cub Scout Camp - last week (mid-July)

identity theft

There's A TON to be said about being anonymous and not having everyone in your business (somehow I thought I wanted more people in my business and knowing ALL about me when I started this blog and got so involved on Facebook)--BUT I AM A NEW WOMAN NOW -- you may have to actually subscribe or ask my permission to read this blog from now on (as if you really care)!!

You see.....last week my hotmail and facebook accounts were high-jacked and this person was impersonating me and trying to get my friends to give money.

It was so annoying all the forms and back & forth I had to go thru VIA EMAIL (b/c of course they don't want you calling them to complain...who really wants to talk to a REAL LIVE PERSON THESE DAYS!?!?!) to get these accounts disabled or BACK to me as the rightful owner. Hotmail is not resolved and I will no longer be one of their customers. Facebook was actually VERY easy to work with and they got it settled fairly quickly. But I also had to go around and change my password on LOTS of various accounts (like Netflix and amazon.com) so this scammer didn't try to take over those accounts and STEAL real stuff from me!

I am now super paranoid about what ppl know about me and this blog is probably not such a smart idea if someone can steal my identity....but here's where being a not-so-popular blogger comes in handy, b/c nobody is reading this to want to steal my identity....right?!?!? or at least that's what I want to believe....

OH, big advice, DON'T USE YOUR BEST FRIEND'S NAME AS YOUR PASSWORD ON EVERY SITE YOU ARE A MEMBER -- don't use your graduation year, don't use your birth year, don't use your spouse's name, don't use your high school or college, don't use ANY friend on FB's name, hmmmm...i'm sure I have many more DON'T USE advice! of course, you all knew this, but I was wearing my rose-colored glasses and thought nobody would have a need to hack into my accounts, or nobody would be that MEAN! Well, trick me once, shame on you, trick me twice and shame on me!!

FB and Hotmail were hacked

URGH...i'm trying go to all my stuff and change all my passwords so this jerk who highjacked my accounts doesn'tget anymore!

Thoughts on Citizenship on 4th of July

I am proud and happy and realize how very fortunate I am to be an American. I have several random thoughts on all this and i have captured some of it here.

Mainly, I am tired of people defending their own positions that make ONLY their lives better--the whole self-centeredness of SOOO many folks is about as UN-American as I can see (in my opinion). Why can't people be more open minded and listen to one another and come to a middle ground where the MOST people would be happy? I know I wear rose-colored glasses, but isn't this what our country was founded upon?

Excerpt from the Declaration of Independence (adopted July 4, 1776):

"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Last night (before reading Chris Peck's editorial in today's CA, see below for link), I wrote in my "Profesional Development Plan" (among other things):

"I feel most productive or happiest when I can find a solution for the greatest good."

I am so fortunate to be in a country that allows me to work toward this goal. I only wish that politicians shared this goal, and were not driven by their own ambition or the special interests who fund their campaigns. The power-grab of the FEW who are running our country is miserably failing the masses. All our country's many "crisis" continue to spiral out of control b/c of the self-interest of those in charge who are not truly representative of the people they were elected to "lead".

Now i'm going off on a tangent, but these politicians are going to continue to ruin our country if WE don't start voting and becoming more active citizens. I don't want to hear one more person complaining until we work harder to increase the miserable voter turnout in this country!!! Boy, i sound more and more like a Tea Partier, but i'm not really sure if increasing voter turnout is one of the Tea Party's platforms? I really feel we need to get back to basics (like being an informed voter, or better yet, JUST plain voting would be nice) before tackling the bigger issues like Immigration and Oil Dependency.

Here are a few things I posted as my status this weekend on FB:

We are so priviledged to be Americans--IMHO, too many take it for granted. Here's a good quote: I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln

The secret of happiness is freedom. The secret of freedom is courage. -Thucydides


And this is a great op-ed piece that was in our local paper, The Commercial Appeal, today by Chris Peck (one of the editors):

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/jul/04/inside-the-newsroom-we-need-to-rediscover/

The questions he asks in the piece are worth repeating here (he is referring to the text that local students will use in their Citizenship Course--Rushworth Kidder's ''How Good People Make Tough Choices.''):

"....But there is another option -- vigorous use of the tools of citizenship.

As Kidder explains it, and as the St. George's students will learn, the dilemmas of modern society need to be analyzed with the help of critical thinking skills.

Questions like these should be posed:
-- How does this issue affect an individual and how does it affect a community?
-- Are there short-term and long-term consequences of this choice?
-- Is this issue about justice, or mercy?
-- Is it about truly seeking the truth, or strongly showing loyalty to one side or the other?

Good citizenship then requires principled discussions about how to make a reasonable decision. A good citizen asks whether a particular choice produces the greatest good for the greatest number. A good citizen weighs whether a decision follows the Golden Rule of doing to others only what you would want done to you. A good citizen tries to anticipate whether others will follow a decision, or simply oppose it forever."

Peace be upon our nation and our people. God bless the USA.

CBU Reunion Weekend Info ** Oct 1-3, 2010

Morning of CBC Frosh Orientation ** Fall 1988 **

Front of Maurelian "Residence Hall" ** BEST PRANK EVER!!!

OH-and if i tagged you and you didn't go to CBU, my apologies....also, i'm getting tired of tagging, so pass along to other CBU alums, please....oh, i see i reached the "tag limit" (according to FB)

This is in the early stages and still being "tweaked" but here's a basic line-up for CBU's Alumni Weekend, Oct 1-3, 2010.

Also see the hotels that are lined up and the specials they are offering....if you are ready to make your travel plans, please do!!!

Friday October 1st

World of Beers 6:30

**Class of 1990** Special Get Together 9 PM ** All others invited, too!

Saturday October 2nd

CBU day of service 8:00-11:00am

Campus Tours 10:30-11:30 starting every 15 minutes (start in front of Cooper Wilson Science Center)

Lunch and Labs 11:00-12:30

Alumni Celebration Cocktail Reception 6:00 p.m.

Dinner 7:00 p.m.

I think the TKEs & WAMS are holding a special party after this dinner, as well as the ZTA's (whose party is at the Racquet Club, i think...).

Sunday Mass De La Salle Chapel 11:00 a.m.

Hotel Information:

Fogleman Executive Conference Center at University of Memphis

330 Innovation Dr. Memphis, TN. 38152

901-678-5410 $90.00/night

Holiday Inn Select

5795 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN. 38119

901-682-7881 $69/night

sleeping

so when i'm at home and chris is out of town i have a really hard time sleeping. i did just fine in Atlanta at mom's house and he wasn't there....i think the comfort of being in the house i grew up in is very soothing.

mom told me that she never sleeps on saturday nights anymore (that is the night dad died).

it is interesting how powerful your mind can be when you are stressed or really missing the one you love.

i'm being fairly productive tonight....did laundry and cleaned the kitchen....i'm drinking a bottle of wine too...hoping that it will just make me sleepy enough to go to sleep.

i really need to go to sleep and be sharp tomorrow at work. urgh....

slightly holding it together

i have this thing going on that i don't discuss here but it's about to drive me over the edge...pretty amazing to my loyal followers to think that i might be about to lose it any moment now....you know, since i'm so "with it" and "cool" and giving all this great positive vibe here on the blog....but there's a few layers of Sheila that are never revealed here (even tho it seems i'm letting it "all hang out").

just take a moment and pray for me to be more calm and patient....hopefully someday this will be resolved, but it's starting to feel like i may just need to take a chill pill and roll with it and accept it, even tho its WAY out of the norm.....

OH, AND TO ALL THOSE PPL OUT THERE WHO THINK I'M FALLING SHORT AS A PARENT BY ONLY LETTING MY KIDS START OUT W A "STARTER" PET OF A FISH CAN BITE ME!!! So sorry if i can barely take care of my kids and myself and my husband and home. I cannot add a dog or cat to the mix. i take it pretty seriously bringing another being into my home! Not to mention, the expense and love required for that additional "mouth"....just b/c my kids REALLY want something doesn't mean i need to give it to them! REALLY, if YOU give your kid everything they want, I am NOT REQUIRED TO FOLLOW THE CROWD...SHEESH, no wonder our society is "crumbling"!!!!

random stuff of interest to me at the moment

I am visiting my mom in Atlanta and everyone is asleep....i'm WIDE AWAKE and thinking, thinking, thinking...so here's some random stuff i'm thinking about and interested in.....cross-posted from FB (see way below)....but want to post here b/c not really sure if i can "search" FB when I'm thinking i want to recall something that I thought was interesting long ago.

VERY interesting to see how quickly things get re-posted (that BP thingee is sort of "viral" amongst my friends...hopefully the rich old lady donating her $$ will be of interest to others too!).

Kind of annoyed right now at the self-centeredness of many, many people in the world....it is so hard to explain to kids (who are naturally self-centered and grow out of it...at least that's what I learned in graduate school applying Piaget's philosophy of development) that you must care about the rest of the world.

Had a really interesting conversation this week w some peole at work who were discussing Unitarians (i wasn't directly in the conversation until I was COMPELLED to set them straight and jumped in). They were two Christians who were trying to explain to one another what they thought a(n) (what is the usuage here?!?!) Unitarian was. They came to the conclusion: Some UU's believe in Jesus and others believe in the Earth. That was IT! Such mis-information! Now granted, about 10 years ago I would not be able to "set them straight" (and not sure if i can really now)....but here was my response (in a nutshell): UU's believe that you should be good just because you are a human, not because someone or some religion or some GOD tells you to be." I told them that people at UU churches can be Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, atheist, pagan, etc....AND, Of course, I totally wimped out and didn't tell them that I attended the UU church and actually taught the 3rd-5th graders in Sunday school...but it was kind of a quick, jump into their conversation, jump out situation (AT LEAST THAT's what I'm telling myself for not going the extra mile to "DEFEND" UU).

Truly, if people really took the time to understand UU, they would probably be much more understanding and probably "convert" (or give it a try)!! But it's really not like UU's (at least the ones I know here in Memphis) to be all "marketing" and "evangelizing"!

Sheila Collins Ferguson Oh, I LOVE these kind of stories!

Frugal Millionaire Leaves Fortune to Home Town

abcnews.go.com

Sheila Collins Ferguson via Shanon Schmidt Taylor: thanks Shanon...needed a laugh on this situation....especially after trying really hard to explain all this to my 6 year old (who amazingly had a pretty good grasp of BP's stupidity) who was really upset about the turtles and other animals and birds who will DIE!

BP Spills Coffee

www.youtube.com

This is what happens when BP spills coffee. More comedy videos: http://www.UCBComedy.com/ Director: Peter Schultz & Brandon Bassham; Writers: Gavin Speiller, Eric Scott, Erik Tanouye, & John Frusciante; ...

Sheila Collins Ferguson on vacation...MUST NOT look at work email...NO, don't do it...STOP! (love talking to myself when everyone else is asleep in the house)

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Remove

Sheila Collins Ferguson come on, you want to help me get a street named for my little adorable sister, right!?!?!

I bet we can get LOTS of ppl to support a Street Named for Mo

Hollywood Ave between Central & Union in Memphis should be re-named for the one and only, beautiful, awesome Maureen Angela Collins...please join our effort.

one of those "getting to know me" surveys...

killing time while chris reads kids to sleep...here you go!

1. Do you like Blue Cheese dressing? Y
2. Have you ever smoked a cigarette? Y
3. Do you own a gun? N
4. What flavor Kool-Aid was your favorite? Orange
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? Y
7. Favorite Christmas Movie Nat'l Lampoons Christmas Vacation
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? coffee
9. Can you do push ups? Y
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? pearls
11. Favorite Hobby? blogging
12. Do you have A.D.D? no
13. Do you wear glasses/contacts? yes
14. Middle name? Ann, but use Collins
15 What are you thinking about now? ready for kids to be in bed
16. Name 2 or 3 drinks you regularly drink? coffee, diet Pepsi, wine
17. Current Worry? work drama
18. Current hate right now? dumb ppl
19. Favorite place to be? beach
20. What did you bring in the New Year? ??
21. Where would you like to go right now? beach
22. Name two people who will complete this. ???
23. Do you own slippers? Y
24. What color shirt are you wearing? pink
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? no
26. Can you whistle? Y
27. Where are you now? home
28. Would you be a pirate? o yeah
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? ??
30. Favorite Girl's Name? Quinn
31. Favorite boy's name? Jack
32. What's in your pocket right now? NOTHING
33. Last thing that made you laugh? some wierd thing on FB
34. What vehicle do you drive? mini-van
35. Worst injury you've ever had? infection after c-section
36. Do you love where you live? Y
37. How many TVs do you have in your home? 3

Cool Buddhist stuff

The more and more I read and research and study about Buddhism, the more and more I fall in love with it. See this really cool video of some Buddhist monks making a mandela:

http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/02/a-mandala-in-minutes/

I'm also continuing to read various books on Buddhism and the words always seem to be very meaningful or applicable to the kind of person I want to be....

FUN TO GIVE $$ AWAY!!!

I was so excited to be a board member of the Germantown Education Foundation and give thousands of dollars to Germantown Schools tonight at the Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting tonight! see me and others (starts around 12 mins) at: http://www.germantown-tn.gov/index.aspx?page=797 (see the May 24 2010 meeting).

could i possibly?

could i possibly give up TV and the Internet for a week? I'm not sure....well, i couldn't give up the Internet for work, but .... hmmm.... might be an interesting experiment?

probably couldn't give up email, but maybe FB? so many ppl contact me via FB nowadays...it's sort of like the "new" email....

i'm going to try it...not now, but maybe soon....

I took off the Rose Colored Glasses

Just in case you were ever wondering, I do get pessimistic and down about the world...actually quite more often than I'd like to admit!

I get so angry at people who flaunt their:
1. stupidity,
2. rudeness,
3. basic self-centeredness, and
4. disinterest in the opinions of anyone unlike themselves.

i found this quote today from one of my favorite "wry" comics:

“Just think of how stupid the average person is,

and then realize half of them are even stupider!”--George Carlin

As much as I try to be open-minded and not judge others, I have a SUPER tough time understanding the very low level of competence in many, MANY people in this world. Some of them claim to be "experts". However, the extent of their "expertise" is limited to what they learned when they were in college....and that knowledge might be sorely out-dated when you are talking about a 50 year old or even a 40 year old person....heck, i'd go as far to say a 30 year old might be out-dated if they haven't continued learning beyond college.

Our world is changing so quickly and if you don't continually update your skills, you are going to be left WAY behind...unless, of course, you can convince the "other half" (as Carlin refers to) that you know more than they do....

I know I could rant and rave longer on this....I only touched upon the "stupidity" portion of what I get angry about.

I shall write some more later, but for now, I'm going to slip my rose-colored glasses back on!!

Look at some of my other blog posts earlier this past month and you will get a taste of the "positive" Sheila.

On the Super-Power called "Positive/Creative Thinking"

I really think that compassion is essential when dealing w people who are so bitter and angry all the time. There must be some terrible reason for their negativity and inability to rise above their problems. I've been teaching my kids about their own "super power" to make any situation better by thinking of ways to make it fun, exciting, and interesting.


Disappointment occurs almost daily in the lives of little kids. They are disappointed that a party was cancelled by rain (like today), but they need to be taught that it's not the end of the world, that you can have your own "party" every day...you just need to be positive and creative. Today we made a list of 3 fun things we can do while we are cooped up in the house. I told them I hoped The Cat in the Hat didn't show up...


Just think of the disappointment that may have occured in someone's life who is always upset and thinks the world is working against them. They must've lost someone they truly love or have some awful health problem or have been harmed in some unimaginably horrible way. Use the kid's daily disappointment (oh how they wail sometimes) and multiply it by 1,000....that is how depressed and desolate that adult must be, and they may never recover.


We must be compassionate, (i looked it up, and it means "More vigorous than empathy, the feeling commonly gives rise to an active desire to alleviate another's suffering") kind, caring and understanding toward these people. We should not add to their misery by judging their inability to "move on". We can try to help them learn to use their "super power" to think more creatively and positively...or we can avoid them. Just don't kick them when they are down or bait them into useless arguments about why you think they are wrong to be so negative!

This is more a reminder to myself than advice to others. It is awful hard to be compassionate sometimes w people (who can be quite annoying when they aren't creative enough to find a way to make life a little better for themselves--and its often people who didn't really have something terrible happen who are the WORST negative ninnies around!). However, I truly think it's what we are called to do. It's definitely what Jesus or Buddha or any of the other great religious teachers would do.

Here's one of my favorite quotes that I think fits w this topic today:

"Don't find fault. Find a remedy." Henry Ford

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PLEASE Save Services for People with Developmental Disabilities in TN

Friends & Neighbors,

CRUCIAL funding for people with disabilities may be cut from the state budget. It is important to me and to the over 800 people we serve at SRVS daily.

Please take a second to contact your TN State Legislators (you can just cut & paste the message below and many of you have the same reps as me, but you can double check at: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/

THANKS for your help. Politicians love to hear from their constituents!

Sheila

----- Forwarded Message ----

To: rep.curry.todd@capitol.tn.gov; sen.reginald.tate@capitol.tn.gov
Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 5:59:52 AM

Subject: PLEASE Save Services for People with Developmental Disabilities in TN

ATTENTION TENNESSEE LAWMAKERS

The Senate General Welfare has recommended that the Division of Intellectual Disability Services (DIDS) include a 5.5 million dollar budget amendment to restore the residential rate reductions to the DIDS Community Services Budget which will be matched 2 to 1 with federal dollars.

That would mean $15 million back to community agencies helping people with disabilities. As of today, SRVS, a non-profit agency supporting over 800 families in Shelby County, is expecting a $1.4 million reduction.

The proposed "add-in" would mean less of a reduction for SRVS and other agencies supporting people with disabilities. DIDS has received a disproportionate funding reduction than other state agencies and divisions.

Please remedy this situation and make sure people with disabilities are funded. We need you to support this proposed budget amendment.

THANK YOU,
(add your own name & address--i removed so it isn't here for all to see)

Spring Photos

HEAD of the lamb cake...hope the kids are not scarred for life!

I am having a terrible time w FB tonight and cannot see my photos...altho, they must be there b/c a friend commented on one and when i clicked on the "notification" I could see the photo but when i went back to the photo album, i couldn't see the photos....it's messin w my head!




After Church on Easter Sunday



Easter Morning




Enjoying cupcakes @ Marcjana & Will's House ---THANKS for the fun!

Saving the World before 9 AM on a Saturday

A HUGE part of who I am: a person who is constantly looking for simple ways to improve the world a little bit everyday. Besides my professional job as a fundraiser working to advocate and enhance the lives of people w developmental disabilities, there are SOOOO many EASY, FREE ways for people to improve the world! You don't even have to leave the comfort of the desk chair in front of your p.c. There's a button ---->>> over there on the RIGHT column of my blog to donate FREE food everyday.

HERE ARE THREE MORE IDEAS:

Also, this morning, I read in the paper about Jack Daniels (my favorite whiskey) helping to plant trees (see link below). Well, this one ain't free but it sure is FUN!

Sheila Collins Ferguson My life is almost complete (got the family and good job), now I can drink my favorite whiskey AND save the planet! http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/31032010/34/biz-f-business-wire-jack-daniels-launches-tree-planting-effort-collectible-bottle.html

Jack Daniels Launches Tree-Planting Effort with Collectible Bottle - Yahoo! Canada Finance ca.news.finance.yahoo.com LYNCHBURG, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In honor of Earth Month this April and in continuation of environmental stewardship, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey is partnering with the non-profit organization American Forests to release a collectible bottle in conjunction with a tree-planting effort.

DRM: You are too funny! Enjoy! 31 minutes ago ·

KVD: You make me smile Sheila. 28 minutes ago ·

Sheila Collins Ferguson
Glad to brighten your days ladies! :-)~16 minutes ago ·

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Another big company making it easy is PEPSI that decided to give money away instead of waste it on Super Bowl ads (see my rant on that-this is a link, just hit it)...so of course, I have to support their efforts. We hope to submit a SRVS project in May or June (see link below to go vote today!).

Sheila Collins Ferguson via Memphis Loves Kids: #16 as of now, please vote for other Memphis projects too (you get 10 votes EACH day in April). Put "Memphis" in the search field on the site to find the other projects!


Get our kids Moving! Build a skate park for inner-city Memphis youth Pepsi Refresh Everything www.refresheverything.com
Vote for the most refreshing ideas to win Pepsi Refresh Project grants for Health

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One more, to show your support for our brave soldiers!

Sheila Collins Ferguson every once in a while i send these cards to our brave soldiers...please join me...it's SOOO EASY!

http://www.letssaythanks.com/AllDesigns.aspx

HM: You're right, it is easy! I just sent one and will be sure to do it often. We can't thank these brave men and women enough for their sacrifices!

okay, it's for REAL this time, I HOPE!!!

Here's a link to my weight loss blog:

okay, it's for REAL this time, I HOPE!!!

Posted using ShareThis

Everyday Beauty

One of the most beautiful and touching things that I see every few weeks in the neighborhood where I work (a part of Memphis that people would say is the "hood"), is a daddy walking hand-in-hand w his child.

Two other beautiful things I saw the other morning while out on my morning walk/jog-a baby possum crossing the road and the way the sunlight was hitting the sprays of my neighbors sprinklers as the sun was rising, AND OH, the MOON was huge yesterday morning too!

Two beautiful things that happened to me today were conversations I had w complete strangers. The man, Harry, who picked me up at the auto body shop to drive me to Hertz for my rental car was very nice. He's retired military and then retired postal worker and now he works for Hertz. Found out he was a Catholic and we had a great little talk over the 10 min drive.

The other man (didn't catch his name) was the produce man at the Kroger in my work 'hood. Chris thinks it might've been unusual for them to see a white woman -- he was joking, of course! (actually everyone was really friendly in this Kroger). He asked me where I worked and when I told him SRVS, he said "oh yeah, that is wonderful that you help people...just like Danny Thomas founded St. Jude to help those kids. I know people with all 5 senses that aren't as smart as those people you help"....and on and on. Whereas many people would be annoyed w an old man rambling, I really enjoyed it!

Talking w complete strangers reminds me of the way my Dad would strike up conversations with anyone and everyone! I love carrying on that legacy of his!

Just love these simple moments that help you realize what a beautiful world it really is!

More on Courage....

Courage

Courage is the strength to stand up.When it’s easier to fall down and lose hold.

It is the conviction to explore new horizons.When it’s easier to believe what we’ve been told.

Courage is the desire to maintain our integrity.When it is easier to look the other way.

It is feeling happy and alive, and moving forward.When it’s easier to feel sorry for ourselves and stay.

Courage is the will to shape our world.When it’s easier to let someone else do it for us.

It is the recognition that none of us are perfect.When it’s easier to criticize.

Courage is the power to step forward and lead.When it’s easier to follow the crowd; their pleas resound.

It is the spirit that places you on top of the mountain.When it’s easier to never leave the ground.

The foundation of courage is solid.The rock that doesn’t roll.

Courage is the freedom.Of our mind, body, and soul!

~~ Author Unknown ~~

BRAVO = Build Relationships with Actions that Value Others

Not sure what I want to say about this, BRAVO (the title of this post)...i found it on a website regarding leadership training for elementary school principals. I think all people should use this "BRAVO" philosophy...whatever it is, i didn't really read the whole definition, but think i want to ponder it some more.

Tonight i've been working on a lesson plan for my 3rd-5th graders at Neshoba tomorrow at church. The topic is "Courage and Conviction". I've found some interesting stuff on it and am trying to make the lesson interesting and relevant to these kids.

Here are some notes from my plan to get the kids talking....there are some suggestions in the "canned" lesson plan to share stories of people w courage and to have the kids make lists of their convictions and then to make courage/conviction stones that they can decorate and keep to remind them of what they strongly believe in...not sure how much time i will have to accomplish all that.

Discussion questions:

Do you ever help other kids who are being picked on?

Do you avoid other kids who are doing something bad or illegal?

Do you try to find the owner of something valuable that you have found?

Do you ever feel uncomfortable around others who tell you that you aren’t on the “right path” b/c you don’t believe what THEIR church teaches/believes?

Have you ever had to stand up in front of a group of people and tell them something important or tell them to stop doing something wrong (i.e. being disrespectful, teasing someone or making fun of a person’s skin color or ideas)?

WHAT IS COURAGE?
Courage: the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

WHAT IS CONVICTION?
Conviction: a strong belief

What are some of your personal convictions?
(here are some of mine, but not sure if I will share w the kids....want to hear what they say first):

• I believe everyone has a right to be treated fairly.
  
• I believe that everyone should attempt to try to understand one another, rather than placing judgements and expectations on others.
  
• I believe that research and listening to various points of view with an open mind are critical to being truly educated, and thus being the best human/person you can be.
  
• I believe that there are people in this world who truly need the help of others to survive (i.e. people w developmental disabilities) and that I must do what I can to help.
  
• I believe that war is stupid and cowardly.
  
• I believe in God who is watching out for all of us, and I really don't have anything to worry about.
  
  

Why does it take courage to stand up for your convictions?

Because sometimes people will not agree with what you believe and will criticize you and make you feel bad or dumb for what you believe. Even if you are right (or doing what you believe is the right or the best or most ethical thing), they might not think what you believe is cool or popular. But if you have courage, even though you might be scared, you know you have to and WILL stand up for the RIGHT (correct or most ethical) way or thing.


Who is the most courageous person you know or have heard of? What did he/she do to make them courageous?

Examples of famous historical people who showed courage: Germans standing up to Hitler, Martin Luther King Jr, Ghandi, Mother Theresa, Neil Armstrong, Jesus, Rosa Parks