Happy Friday, All!
T.G.I.F.! … and say it again, as many times as you like … until you feel great! I woke up this morning feeling particularly grateful and well, so … I want to pass it on to anyone who might need a little jump start this morning! I’ve got pretty much all I need, though I’ve got more bills than money to pay them! Yet, I don’t let that stop me from having a smile on my face and keeping that basic simple prayer I love – thank you – in my heart. How are you all today? How has your week been? Aren’t you glad it’s Friday?!
We saw one of three debates here in the USA and worldwide between Gov. Mitt Romney and Pres. Barack Obama. You may remember that I likened it to a big sporting event with people taking sides and some jeering and others cheering for their favorite person. I come from a more theatrical background, so to speak, as I played the Tin Man in our elementary school – Rochambeau, named after the French General Rochambeau who aided the US in the Revolutionary War – when we presented “The Wizard of Oz”. Some years later, I even played the understudy for “Stack” in the old school black play called “Stagga Lee”. So this seemed more like a theatrical production rather than a debate. People, including experts, looked at body language, expressions on people’s faces, even the postures and shapes of the lips, analyzing smirks of disapproval as words were exchanged and the moderator attempted to control the debate between two men who obviously felt “superior” to him!
Yesterday, I left work a bit early to attend a pre-trial hearing, since I decided to represent myself, for that bogus “speeding” ticket I had gotten at the end of August just a half block from home at 3AM in the morning. Some of you may remember it, and, I got feedback from some of you as well. While there were differences of opinion as to what actually happened to ME, I think most of us agreed that these types of tickets serve to make money for the City rather than prevent or punish for any real crime. Now, again, this ain’t my first rodeo, so to speak, so I am well aware of circumstances when I am being harassed or “profiled”, and this was exactly that. When I was called and approached the hearing officer, he looked at the paper work which included my driving record and offered me to make a change of plea to “no contest”, no points and no driving school and court costs of $240, OR stick with my “not guilty” plea which I had submitted last month and await a trial date and bring any witnesses I had. I had had my experiences in the past with law enforcement officials vs. “little ole me”, and, one more mature (older) black woman who was called before me set the stage for my decision when she said, “I don’t have any witnesses and it was just the officers and me, so … no contest is my plea”. She was all calm and stuff, and I admired her demeanor even more. So … she and I just “eased on down the road”, you dig?!
Have a great day and a wonderful weekend. Remember, ” … don’t carry nothing that might be a load, so you can ease on down, ease on down the road!”
John I. Cook, Director
Educational Excellence 