Educational Excellence

If you didn’t enjoy this past weekend, you have a chance to enjoy the one coming!!! “You don’t say!” So, I hope that each of you enjoyed yourself and have perhaps, even, been getting in the Holiday Spirit. Hanukkah started this past Saturday at sundown and there are a few more “religious” days to come. While Kwanzaa is not religious, which is the African American celebration for community and spiritual health and growth, it has become recognized and celebrated more and more each year. Growing up as a kid, Christmas was the celebration held in my parents household. After my first and only child was born, we did have some Christmases together with her mother until our lives took different directions. Not so many fond memories of Christmas for my only real attempt at a family, which ended after four seemingly short years.

A quick correction of the e-mail I sent out Friday involves the actual date of the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade is December 15th, 2012. The web page for this event has a “countdown” mechanism that moves by the second before the parade itself is scheduled to be launched on the waterways of “The Naples of the USA” – Fort Lauderdale. I was at the beach this past Saturday and had a chance to look at the wind and ocean erosion suffered at the northern most part of “The Strip”/A-1-A and noticed the police presence, 24 hours a day, as well as the single lane traffic in each direction coupled with high barriers between the sidewalk and “sea wall”, which was lifted up and trashed by the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy on its way up North.

It was sad to hear that two professional football players in America’s NFL team known as the Dallas Cowboys were involved in a vehicle accident late last week. One of players, the passenger, lost his life in the accident, and, the driver who was apparently good friends with the deceased is charged with vehicular manslaughter, as it appears he was driving drunk. Now, here I tell you again that I ain’t no saint but “drunk driving” is NOT something I look forward to and avoid it at ALL COSTS … trust me, I do … Peace be still! The sadder thing is that this event comes on the heels of the other NFL football player’s suicide in front of his coach after killing the mother of his baby in front of his mother!!! And this is the holiday season, y’all. I remember when I was teaching at White Plains High School back in the 80’s and we had human relations workshops with a specialist and the kids. We were always told to look out to observe the behavior of friends or family members who seemed distraught during the holidays. It happens, some of us “fall out” with Christmas and stuff and we go into an emotional tailspin, so to speak. Be on the look out, okay?!

Now, apparently, the Art Basel 2012 Festival held in Miami, Fl this past weekend was not only spectacular, it was considered a success! The weather was fantastic and everybody who is associated with the international art world was invited to hang out. Amongst the patrons this year of the event, according to the local radio station here in South Florida called “Power 96”, Beyonce and Jay Z were spotted early yesterday (Sunday) evening after purchasing what was estimated at over a million dollars of artwork at Art Basel. Sounds like a “win win” situation for all.

Have a great week and “love thy neighbor” …

Peace,