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"Happy Valley"?
Denial is the defense mechanisms of choice of our generation. So many people sit back and watch problems surround “others,” waiting to address an issue until it is obviously out of hand. I believe I can safely assume that everyone knows someone whose struggling with a deprecating habit or thought process of one form or another, whether it’s an addiction, a mentality, or a prejudice. I am currently residing in Utah, a state where the popular trend is to brush many critical issues under the table until affected directly. I am sure there are many communities, not just Utah, which project promises of perfection that its residents cannot live up to.
Utah is the leading abuser of prescription drugs in the country; this statistic is often unacknowledged because it contradicts the image as well as many of the values that the state tries to embed within its culture. We are also one of the national leaders of Meth use and production. I’m sure most readers of this article are aware that the LDS (Mormon) religion is very prominent in Utah, and because of its strong presence many victims of drug abuse and addiction feel they must endure their addictions incognito, unaware of where to turn for help without being judged.
A few weeks ago I was sent an e-mail invite to view the premier of a documentary entitled “Happy Valley” on March 26th. This documentary gives a voice to an expanding addiction and drug abuse problems that the majority of the culture denies. The film won the grand prize at the 2007 Breckenridge Film Festival in Colorado, competing against many films from around the country. The movie identifies and intensely interviews many Utahans who have been affected by drug-induced tragedies, and follows their steps to recovery. Ron Williams, the director, gives the audience an honest and raw portrayal of how lives are altered and lost due to denial and unawareness of this globally growing phenomenon.
The film is soon to be released nationally, aiming to draw attention to the drug epidemic plaguing our populace. My goal in writing about this is not to necessarily to inspire everyone to see this documentary, but to encourage communication, support, and outreach to those who may be struggling with a self-deprecating habit of any kind. Often, I find myself so absorbed with general topics of concern (ex. Literacy, Planned Parenthood, etc.) I sometimes neglect to remind those who surround me on a local level (friends and family) that I am available to help pacify their problems as well. So please, lets all try to reach out on a local level and remind our friends that we are there to hear and help appease their problems.
Dated April 1st - Greenwich Village, NY
232 years ago, a group of people just like you and me got together and decided to start a country based on he idea that the thought and dreams of each and every one of us mattered.
The world’s gotten a lot bigger since then, so big that I think a lot of people have begun to feel very small. I think a lot of people have come to believe that they DON’T matter, that their opinions don’t matter, that their votes don’t matter, and that their hopes and dreams were just some childish things they had to give up on the way to adulthood.
This year Counting Crows, with the help of eBay, is expanding our Community Outreach Program and establishing the GreyBird Foundation to try and remind each and every one of you that this just isn’t true.
We founded our Community Outreach Program over 10 years ago We found issues that we cared about and then we went out on a local level and found people in each and every town we visited who were dedicating their time to doing something about those issues. We found that in every town, your friends and your neighbors and the people living down the block from you had decided to do something to help out THEIR friends and THEIR neighbors and the people living down the block from them. And so we talked to our promoters and we got them booths at all our gigs and we talked to you about them from the stage both because we wanted you to know that there was something YOU could do to help, but also because we wanted you to know, in some cases, that if you needed help, there were people there to help YOU.
On a National Level we’ve been piecing together a network of organizations so that we can run a nationwide food drive at every concert. We want you to be able to bring a can to any concert and make sure it ends up on the table of someone who needs it to feed themselves. We also bought the tools to set up voter registration on our website. Come to CountingCrows.com and click on the flag and it will help you to register to vote anywhere in these United States. You think your vote doesn’t matter? You think you don’t matter? Well, it does… because you do. And there isn’t anything else that makes this country what it is or will make it what it can be except me and you and our decision to be a part of it.
And I really don’t care who or what you vote for. If you show up on Election Day and you cast your ballot against every single thing in this world that I believe in…then you and I are still on the same side. Because we showed up. America isn’t about winning or losing elections. America is about showing up. In fact, when we lose an election and still all manage to live together, we prove the concepts and the compacts that our country was founded on:
This is a democracy. We live here TOGETHER, we make our decisions TOGETHER, and then we all live with them TOGETHER.
On an international level, The GreyBird Foundation is teaming up with Kids For Tomorrow. You can visit their website at KidsForTomorrow.org. They help fund and build schools for kids in Africa. At the moment, they’re helping to operate several schools in Nairobi, Kenya. The idea isn’t to solve all the problems all at once. It’s just to try and give them a few extra years. At the moment, they maybe get to stay until they’re 7 or 8 years old. We’d like to try and keep them in school until they’re 11 or 12. It’s not enough. We know that but we just wanna try and give them a chance. They’re just little kids, after all. They deserve a chance.
Because the GreyBird Foundation is a strictly non-partisan organization, we’re going to try and offer our services to any other bands out there who’d like our help. You tell us your issue and we’ll find you an organization in every town YOU visit. We’ll set it up with the promoter and we’ll get them out to your gig. You want to help register Americans to vote? We’ll buy the voter registration tools from the government and set ‘em up on your website to make it easier for your fans.
Already, we’re going to be working with Dashboard Confessional, Sugarland, and Augustana.
All these bands have joined with Counting Crows because, for all our difference (and there are plenty), we all agree on one thing: that wherever you are, this is your town, your, country, and your world. And nobody will ever be able to make as much of a difference in it as you can just by waking up and being a part of it. Get involved with the idea of being involved. You don’t have to change the world; you just need to be a part of it.
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Cheesin' on the word - Good
What "good" means to me?
The question perplexes me to no end! Odd since I only need to answer "What does good mean to me." I could be "sarcastic" Robin and say good means I keep my designer handbag addiction to one new... Prada, Valentino, YSL - take your pick... a month.
Or, you could think of good in the context of giving which to me would be the feeling you get when through your actions, you know you've made a difference or changed things for the betterment of others.
But, if I truly examine the word, good would mean being gracious, kind and benevolent. Through acting with good intentions, one not only makes others feel good, but an added benefit is feeing completeness and happiness yourself. For example, as a volunteer with Team In Training, I mentor new runners to help them be successful with fundraising and guide them through the marathon training. What a feeling of completeness we both will inherently get upon realizing the accomplishments of successfully fundraising and successfully completing an event! That's what's so great about a finish line!
Good to me means raising and donating money for worthy causes such as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society; good to me means volunteering in any variety of capacities, such as wrapping gifts in support of a toy drive; good to me means being a great listener and being supportive of friends, family, and colleagues... or canceling plans to help someone who is in need.
These are some of the things that I keep in mind and strive to do so I can experience good, which, in the end... luckily... helped me to define the word and answer that perplexing question. To being good!
What's "good!?
I believe good, particularly social good, involves pure intentions with your heart in the right place. It is easy to do something that is good but it should be an effort that encourages you to do more and get more people involved for the simple joy of drawing a smile across someone’s face and brightening up their life. Whether it is donating clothes, money or canned goods, participating in a marathon or helping someone cross the street, good can also be a collective effort involving many dedicated individuals working together to help or promote a cause. As a society we should take care of our own people and also reach out to others. I work with many wonderful charities and organizations to make sure everyone is taken care of, their needs understood and life enriched, but I also do “good” every chance I get. Good doesn’t only involve helping the less fortunate or those with disabilities. It can also be lending a hand to a friend in need or enriching children’s lives through the arts or by becoming a mentor. It’s the little things that matter most, so whether it is something you do when no one is watching or with a group, good can be achieved in just about any aspect of life.
"The Celebrity Apprentice" Gives Back
As the parent of a child with food allergies, I'm always happy to see someone spreading the word about the good work done by the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network. This week, NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice will feature a showdown between country music star Trace Adkins and vociferous Brit Piers Morgan for the title.
During the live 2-hour finale airing this Thursday, March 27 at 9pm Eastern, Trace will perform the song “You're Gonna Miss This” with his band. Immediately following his performance and for two weeks after, people can go to iTunes.com and download the song, with proceeds going to FAAN.
Additionally, NBC will be giving viewers a chance to lend a hand and support the charities attached to the show's finalists. Beginning Thursday, March 27th viewers will be able to donate to the two finalists' charities by a text message promotion.
Founded in 1991, FANN is largest charity in the U.S. dedicated to helping and advocating for the 12 million Americans with food allergy. Discovering FAAN was a God-send to my family when my daughter had a life-threatening reaction 4 years ago. I cannot imagine where we would be without them, both in terms of the education they provide and the advocacy that they take on. I'm especially glad to see someone like Trace Adkins put them in the spotlight.
Drinking the Daughtry Kool Aid
So, think for a second… What were you doing on May 10, 2006? This date may not sound significant at first, but if I said that this was the date that Chris Daughtry ended his American Idol “journey,” and they played some Daniel Powter – Had a Bad Day -- perhaps it jogs a memory of you sitting on the couch with your jaw on the floor, either speechless at what Seacrest announced or screaming at the TV in disbelief at America’s choice! Maybe you remember, like I do, having those text messages flowing in – “WT(bleep) happened on AI…”
I still think America made a mistake with him, however, this tale continues and its storyline has been nothing but roses since his untimely exit from the show. My man, Daughtry, released his freshman album later that year and what an ALBUM! Hit after hit that can still be heard on the airwaves… and non-stop in my car.
I am thrilled to see him perform live when he opens for Bon Jovi in a couple weeks. The best part is - I’m taking RG with me! I am such a fan, that yes, I admit it, I am also bidding on the Chris Daughtry auction to see him perform acoustically in Vega$ baby! It’s being held at the Beatles Revolution Lounge , and I understand that this is the first time this venue is allowing it to be used in a more “night club” format. How cool is that? Just wait, cause it gets better! I’m so glad to say that 100% of the proceeds that these tickets sales generate will support one of my favorite charities – the ONE Foundation.
And remember; don’t wear that ONE wristband after Labor Day!
It all started with a bag...
I really feel like I'm going to earn the designation of BAG LADY around these parts, but here I go...
I've never been one to fret about using reams and reams of paper and plastic bags when I go to the supermarket. I always felt that reusing them once or twice was justification enough to get them. Ignoring the pleas and helpful urgings of friends, I resisted purchasing those $.99 market canvas bags and went on using store provided paper and plastic.
Until the moment I met THE BAG.
Yes, it was at Trader Joe's, a place I have come to acknowledge as the home of all great inspiration. I was at the checkout when I looked up and saw it. The bag. The coolest bag ever.
I was struck with the sudden desire to start using reusable bags and the lust for a NEW COOL THING. Since it happened all at the same time, I was consumed, and had to give in. 4 bags, please.
Now, shopping takes on a different tone. I have COOL REUSABLE BAGS. I'm eschewing paper and plastic, and looking awesome at the same time. I can't say I always remember to put them back in my car, but when I do, it's a God-send. They allow me to put all my groceries in fewer bags, saving me trips between the car and the house, which when you have kids is worth it for that alone.
So that's all it took for me to go green in this one key area. I needed to find a bag that made it cool to reuse. No, I wasn't swayed by the $.02 (seriously) that my local market refunds you for using your own bag. I payed no mind to the others doing the same thing and scorning me for not. It was the cool bag. My friend had a similar experience with the "I'm Not a Plastic Bag" reusable bag where it became a status symbol and she HAD to have one.
Why don't more retailers think this way? Limited edition bags, bags with celebrity images on them, a more direct tie-in to an environmental group that would benefit from the sales of the bag - ideas like this would get even more people going green.
As for me, I'm going to the market tonight. Guaranteed, I'll be the coolest babe there, thanks to my TJ's baggage.
March Madness (or Even Do-Gooders Get Distracted)
A couple of weeks ago we installed a flat screen TV at GlobalGiving. Its purpose is to make it easy for everyone on the team (we are all in one big room) to see what is going on - volume of donations for today/yesterday, a ticker of who gave to what project in real time, photos of projects, etc.
Well, yesterday we figured out that the flat screen had a secondary purpose - we could watch some basketball on it too. While the streaming on CBSSports.com is really not that great, and the viewing window was only about 1/4 the size of our screen, it was kinda fun. Although there was a lot of pain over the Western Kentucky upset of Drake.
They say that the American economy suffers to the tune of a couple of billion dollars during March Madness. I've never seen any estimates of the impact on the non profit sector. Maybe we'll have to do a survey.
Go Hoyas!
TV Alert - Autism: The Musical
My BlogHer friend Susan, who authors the most excellent blog The Family Room, recently attended a screening of a new documentary called Autism: The Musical. She wrote about her experience on her BabyCenter blog and asked that people spread the word about this most excellent film.
According to the web site, it's the story of 5 autistic kids who come together to write and produce and perform a musical. It's very real, in that it shows the kids having good days and bad days, and tries to strip away the misconceptions that most of us have about kids on the autistic spectrum.
The movie premieres Tuesday March 25 on HBO. If you don't have HBO, they will be streaming it on their web site free of charge. Now that's a cool thing to do, if you ask me.
My daughter, age 8, aka Little IT, has been in an inclusion class at her elementary school. These kind of classes merge regular kids with kids who need more specialized attention. In retrospect, being in that class was much more of a wonderful experience for her than I could have possibly imagined. Early in the year, the teacher noted to me how compassionate she was when some of the inclusion kids were struggling with things in class. She would often volunteer to read with the kids or help out with math. She was even selected to be in a formal "mentoring" program, spending 2 recess periods per week playing with an incoming kindergartner with autism. I'm proud that she's that way, and hope she will continue to make the choice, whether consciously nor not, to show compassion to others.
I've let her teachers know about the movie and hope they will talk to the kids about watching it. Little IT and I certainly will be. From what Susan said, it looks like a winner.
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