A Wreath for Emmet Till

Emmet Till would have been 71 years old this year.http://www.amazon.com/review/RIURKTQF23PVB?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0618397523&cdMSG=addedToThread&cdPage=&channel=detail-glance&newContentID=Mx2G20B0ZHVPMZU&newContentNum=1&nodeID=283155&store=books#CustomerDiscussionsNRPB

What Motivates Me

FREEDOM FROM FEAR

When, with God's help, we calmly accepted our lot, then we found we could live at peace with ourselves and show others who still suffered the same fears that they could get over them, too. We found that freedom from fear was more important than freedom from want.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 122

Bill W. wrote that "material values ruled my life for many years. I believed that all of my possessions would make me happy. I found out about a new way of living. As a result of learning to trust others, I began to believe in a power greater than myself. Having faith freed me from the bondage of self. As material gains were replaced by the gifts of the spirit, my life became manageable. I then chose to share my experiences."

     Lisa Fischer is appearing at the Carolina Theater on Tuesday.  The two time Grammy winner is on tour and heads to Charlotte from Durham.

     While she may be most famous for belting out "RAPE, MURDERRRR!" with the Stones on Gimme Shelter, she also loves ballads.  She says that they give her a chance to interact with the audience.  I think we can expect to hear some of those, along with plenty of rock n' roll.

   

Shivaree

I love this word.  It sounds happy!     Pertains to a marriage celebration.  Here is the dictionary definition.  Might want to check America Memory also.

Shivaree is the most common American regional form of charivari,a word of French origin meaning "a noisy mock serenade for newlyweds." In thepast, shivarees were given to married couples who were thought to bemismatched or to people whose conduct was considered scandalous. The Frenchterm probably derives from the Late Latin word meaning "headache," carībaria,which in turn is from Greek karēbariā, a compound of karē, "head," and barus,"heavy." English shivaree, most likely borrowed from French traders and settlersalong the Mississippi River, was well established in the United States by 1805.The word shivaree is especially common along and west of the Mississippi River.Its use thus forms a dialect boundary running north-south, dividing western usagefrom eastern. This is unusual in that most dialect boundaries run east-west,dividing the country into northern and southern dialect regions. Some regionalequivalents are belling, used in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, andMichigan; horning, from upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, and westernNew England; and serenade, a term used chiefly in the South Atlantic states.

Late Summer Rain (c)

Late Summer Rain

Winds shout overhead,

Whistling through wires, rattling the leaves

As an afternoon summer storm

Barely disturbs the birch trees.

They quickly bend up,

Even when boys swing them down.

The Education System in Finland

http://fillingmymap.com/2015/04/15/11-ways-finlands-education-system-shows-us-that-less-is-more/

Here's an excellent article about an American teacher's experience in Finland.  So many things are different about Finnish education.  For example, primary teachers must have a Master's and write a Master's thesis.  This gives people a lot of confidence and trust in teacher.

Furthermore, they have a shorter school day, no standardized tests hanging over their heads, and less structure.  The big pay-off is a well educated country.  

Baba Chuck

Baba Chuck

“To understanding the culture, study the dance.

 To understand the dance, study the culture.”     -- Chuck Davis

He recalls Malcolm X putting an arm around

 his shoulders and saying, “young brother,

everything’s going to be all right.”

Agoo!

Amee!

Attention!

I am listening!

We listen

and watch

and wait,

for dance to change the world.

Let the dancers bring world peace.

(Poet’s note:  Chuck Davis is the founder of the African American Dance Ensemble of Durham, North Carolina)