Out On The Stoop is my exploration about things to know, talk about or experience these amazing times. The Stoop mantra is Think, think, it ain't illegal yet.
In keeping with KwanzaChananakSolisticMass of Festivus I share with you this memory from long ago with four guys, a candle and a tree.
May all of us continue to find joy and wonder in unexpected places. Spanish Text:
Riu, riu, chiu... La guarda ribera Dios guarde el lobo De nuestra cordera. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
El lobo rabioso la quiso morder, Mas Dios poderoso la supo defender; Quisole hazer que no pudiesse pecar, Ni aun original esta Virgen no tuviera. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
Este qu'es nascido es el gran monarca, Cristo patriarca de carne vestido; Hanos redimido con se hazer chiquito, Aunqu'era infinito, finito se hizera. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
Muchas profecias lo han profetizado, Y aun en nuestros dias lo hemos alcancado. A Dios humanado vemos en el suelo Y al hombre nel cielo porqu'er le quisiera. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
English Text:
Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu (nightingale's sounds) The river bank protects it, As God kept the wolf from our lamb. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
The rabid wolf tried to bite her, But God Almighty knew how to defend her, He wished to create her impervious to sin, Nor was this maid to embody original sin. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
The newborn child is the mightiest monarch, Christ patriarchal invested with flesh. He made himself small and so redeemed us: He who was infinite became finite. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
Many prophecies told of his coming, And now in our days have we seen them fulfilled. God became man, on earth we behold him, And see man in heaven because he so willed. Refrain: Riu, riu, chiu...
Ali Shafeya Al-Moussawi was a videoblogger/journalist Alive From Baghdad. He was 23 years old at the time of his death. He was murdered in his home with 31 bullets to his body. Alive from Baghdad produces video and news produced by Iraqis to show what the conditions are in their country from their point of view. They are documenting what has happened to their country.
You didn't hear about Ali's death from CNN and your M$M news spent way too much time talking about the pregnancy of a teenage actress.
Please know that for every mention of a goofy YouTube video by M$M know that there are talented writers, photographers and videographers who are using the tools of blogging and new media to tell the truths of their world. Being open to telling this truth can have a terrible price.
To contribute to the on-going work of journalist of Alive from Baghdad please visit the website and make a contribution.
A good friend of mine knows that I like books but don't care for the holidays. So she splits the difference and buys me books knowing I'm not going to kick up too much of a fuss about having one more book in my home.
Anyway, in the box was a bag for recycling cell phones to help the troops call home. Cool. It is real simple. If you got a new phone and don't want to the old one send it to these folks, they will do the good karma thing and fix it so that soldiers stationed in harm's way can call home.
Doesn't really matter how you feel about the war. If you got a spare cell phone and you don't want to contribute to the growing pile of waste then visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com So do it to help someone not feel so alone or do it to help the planet.
Forgive me for my sins. It is has been a while since my last post. I am slowly (by choice) ramping up to speed. Life is a balance until you do something stupid and then it get all out of balance and you have to clean up the mess. This is my confession. Er. This is my testimony.
For the record, I'm not Catholic. Or Baptist. I could hang with the Atheists except I do believe in a higher power. Ok, I am a second class heathen when it suits me. In other words, I am unaffiliated and proud of it.
It started as I looked into the refrigerator. There was food. I bought it but hadn't finished it from two or three weeks back. The voices of my frugal grandmothers were whispering in my ear "You aren't going to throw that out are you?"
Memories of lack played ring around the rosy. Eating oatmeal 24/7. Bean, beans and nothing but beans. I look at a wrapped bowl of Tomato sauce with meat.
I took a taste. Seemed ok. I smelled. It smelled ok. I heated it up. I scorched the pan to make sure it was good and hot.
No. That is not the truth. I was on the computer and forgot it was on the stove and when I smelled I burned another pan I raced into the kitchen to saved what I could.
I ate it. It was good. Until 10:35 that night. I will spare you the details but this was an "on the hour" type lesson. Ralphing my way into the special education version of "I shouldn't have done it, I'm sooo stupid, Never, ever again..." Recycle, repeat.
But in the mist of one of my porcelain ascensions I heard a voice say "Stop with the internal battery, Be kind to yourself!" Kinda hard to do as you are hugging the throne of limited expectations.
But I did manage to substitute "OM" and a deep breath for a monkey mind gone mad. There was a lot of OMing in-between the Ralphing.
So here is the thing I want to share with you. Toss out the old food in the fridge! It is ok. Next time you will do better and plan what you need. But I'm telling you - send it to the land fill.
Oh, one other thing. I did not ask Spirit to take away the food poisoning.
I asked that it comes full force and let me experience what I needed to learn and process. It is my way of understanding Acceptance. After hour five I had to accept my path to hurl was set and I need not fight it anymore. It made hours six, seven and eight easier to deal with.
This is a spiritual as I can get on this day. Take it or leave it. I'm not as evolved as I wanna be so I know I'm going to do a few more return trips on the planet before I get the hang of it. But what I do know I'm hugging on to for dear life.
I gotta post this one. I have my final this Saturday but there have been rumbling on certain blogs as to the validity of storytelling and methods and processes.
Anna Deavere Smith is an Actor. She also carries on the tradition of our ancestors in telling the tales of others as we participate in the resonance of being human.
This is a performance given at the 2005 TED Convention. For more information visit http://www.ted.com
