Pier to nowhere

The N.C. General Assembly is still in negotiations as they attempt to set a budget for the new fiscal year which began July 1. Lawmakers are wrangling over how to generate more than $1 billion in new tax monies to make up a shortfall of more than $4.6 billion in the budget.

Legislators have reached a stalemate because they can't agree on what to include in the package of tax increases. The Senate would prefer to lower the state sales tax and tax more services. The House wants to increase the sales tax, enact a sales tax on things such as warranties, repairs, amusements/movie tickets, and raise income taxes on individuals who make more than $200,000 per year.

Governor Beverly Purdue has proposed that the state sales tax be raised by a penny for the next 13 months. She also supports tax increases on such items as cigarettes and alcohol. Even with all these suggestions, ideas and plans, the state has yet to come to an agreement on the budget. We are two weeks into the new fiscal year and still without a final budget plan.

The N.C. budget crises has forced millions of dollars in cuts to public schools, health and human services, and public safety. As one example, the Wake County school system has implemented a hiring freeze on middle and high school teachers and elementary teacher assistants due to uncertainty over the state budget woes. At the year round middle school my son attends, students from another track were added to several of his classes due to two teaching positions being eliminated. Less teachers in the system will lead to more students in each class for teachers who are already poorly paid for one of the most important jobs in our state.

I wonder why legislators don't consider eliminating some of their own pet projects and wasteful spending instead of sacrificing vital services to the people of N.C. Case in point: A new pier is being built near Nags Head and just happens to be in the district of Senate leader Marc Basnight. The News and Observer recently reported that the "pier is essentially an aquarium on piling, with live animal exhibits, a 16,000-square-foot pier house and wind turbines generating electricity."

With supposedly no money to spare, the state is spending $25 million of taxpayer money on the construction of the pier. Though reported that no money from this year's budget will be used to build the pier, it still seems a slap in the face to teachers who may lose their jobs and individuals/families who will not receive vital health services. Why not take that money and make up for some of the shortfall in the budget or appropriate it to more important things than a fishing pier?

Over the last few weeks, the General Assembly has failed in budget negotiations, but I'm guessing that once a budget is approved, the good old boys will head down to the pier to nowhere and do some fishing. Too bad there won't be any school children joining them there due to a shortage of teachers who plan and supervise educational field trips.

And one more question: What is all the money from the state "education" lottery being spent on?

United breaks guitars

On June 16, I posted a blog entry about having missed a Continental Airline flight to London and the horrible treatment received from their "customer service" employees. I have since written a two page letter of complaint to the CEO of Continental Airlines but seriously doubt that I will receive a response from him. I'm thinking I should take a different approach.

Dave Carroll has given me an idea. This singer/songwriter/guitarist has written a song about his experience with United Airlines. Dave and other passengers witnessed the baggage handlers at the Chicago O'Hare airport throwing his guitar around like a football and causing some major damage to it. Dave got the run around from multiple United "customer service" employees when he complained and sought an explanation. He was later told that he would not be compensated for the damage the guitar sustained.

Dave has now written a song and produced a video slamming the airlines. This video has received over two million hits on YouTube. Dave has vowed to write at least two more songs about his experience with United. It may take that many songs to get the attention of the folks in "customer service."

Perhaps I need to get out my guitar and the video camera.

What's the right thing to do?

I get a telephone call about once a month from a woman (who will remain anonymous for this blog). She spent most of the first eighteen years of life at an orphanage. We met while I was working there as a child care counselor. I've known her for over 25 years. She called a few days ago to tell me what she described as a "funny story."

She told me she went to a grocery story one day in May to buy some groceries. She put a bag of green grapes in her shopping cart. As she made her way up and down the aisles, she ate some of the grapes. When she had eaten all she wanted, she put the remainder of the grapes on a shelf in the middle of the grocery store. She proceeded to pay for the few items she had in her cart and then approached the exit door.

The assistant manager stopped her from leaving the store and asked her to follow him to the office. He told the store manager that he had witnessed her stealing grapes. My friend insisted she never intended to steal the grapes. The manager thought otherwise and called the police. She was arrested and cited for stealing.

On the day of her court appearance, she told me she took a handful of pills before arriving at the courthouse. When the judge called her to the bench, the drugs had taken full effect. She insisted that the judge send her to jail for eating a few grapes and told him she would appreciate going to jail because in her words, she would get "three hots and a cot."

She didn't get her wish. The judge actually dismissed the case due to the pettiness of the crime. Thinking she was free, my friend made her way to the exit, only to be stopped by two men. They told her she still needed to pay $396 in court costs before she could leave. She used almost all of her monthly disability check to pay the fees and told me she couldn't remember if the men who took her money were court employees or not.

After telling me this story, my friend indicated she was angry at the assistant manager of the store. She said, "It was just a small bag of grapes and I didn't even eat all of them." I told her it was stealing and she experienced the consequences of her actions. She insisted that she had done nothing wrong.

This story also relates to an experience my own family had recently. Tony, Samuel, and I, along with several friends, attended a local theater show in downtown Raleigh. While walking from the car, I noticed a small, black leather change purse on the sidewalk. Upon picking it up and opening it, we discovered several rolls of money but no owner identification.

I told Samuel that we needed to go inside and deliver the purse to "lost and found." We actually gave it to an usher who then turned the purse over to a police officer. I don't know if the owner of the purse ever was discovered, but I hope so. I also hope that my son learned something from our experience that night, unlike that of my friend who stole the grapes.

Children learn by what they see and what they hear. I believe they learn best from what they see us do than from what we say. What they observe has a profound influence on their ethical choices. I hope Samuel will become a fair, honest and respectful person, one who will make good and right choices. I hope that he will always be accountable for his behavior and choose to do the right thing, no matter what.

Our words and actions tell others something about our character. Being honest, respectful, fair, and choosing to do the right thing is a good way to live each day. It's much better than the alternative of "three hots and a cot."

Red, White and Blue

Happy 4th of July to all of you from my red, white and blue patio that Tony constructed while I was in Europe. The patriotic color scheme was not intentional. I noticed today that it matched the holiday and seemed appropriate for a blog post. Hope you are having a relaxing weekend.

Can you DEW it?

During the last four weeks, I've felt as though I've been walking through an out-of-season Lenten experience. The days have provided various opportunities for giving up, turning around, cleaning out, and throwing away some unhealthy habits.

As noted in a previous blog entry, I gave up drinking my beloved diet mountain dew during a recent trip to Europe. Tomorrow (July 1) will mark four weeks since I've popped open a cold can of soda each morning. I haven't checked the grocery store sale fliers for bargains on 12-packs of sodas. I haven't cheated and drank one when no one was present to hold me accountable. I think I've succeeded in giving up what was once a very unhealthy habit.

In addition to giving up all soft drinks, I've also taken up some other good habits. I'm now caffeine-free. I'm drinking water with lemon and either decaf hot or iced tea. As a result of being dew-less and caffeine-free, I feel better. I'm not sluggish or tired in the afternoons. When I go to bed at night, I sleep longer and wake feeling rested. I'm also spending less money at the grocery store each week. My guess is that I'm saving anywhere from 15-20 dollars a week on 12-packs of drinks.

I've decided to use a portion of the savings to pay for a membership at the Rex Wellness Center. My goal is to lose weight, adopt a healthy eating plan, tone up my muscles and get myself in shape. I'm determined to take off the pounds, take up some healthier eating habits, get rid of some flab, and become a person with a good measure of discipline.

The heart of summertime is upon us, but for me, I feel like I'm walking through the season of Lent - a time for change, renewal and growth. I didn't have to travel to Europe to give up a habit or to take up a new one. You don't have to do that either. You can start today, right where you are.

What might you give up, take up, throw away or turn from in your daily life? The journey to a new you is just one decision and one step away. I know you can DEW it!

Beautiful Ireland

It didn't take long for me to fall in love with Ireland, even though I only saw a small portion of the country. The southwest area is dotted with the ruins of castles and abbeys. Sheep and cows graze in lush meadows. Stone walls border the sides of many of the narrow and curvy roads. Towering mountains, rolling farmland, and beautiful coastal scenery made for some breathtaking moments and abundant photo opportunities.


Rising about 700 feet out of the sea, the Cliffs of Moher are truly magnificent. Formed of layers of black shale and sandstone, the cliffs extend about 5 miles along Ireland's west coast. I shall never forget climbing the path and turning to see this beautiful site for the first time. Simply breathtaking.






Janice and I left the Cliffs of Moher and headed to the "rocky land," known as The Burren. It is a desolate place and made primarily of limestone pavements, many of which look like puzzle pieces when viewed from above. Despite the desolation, many flowers grow out of the crevices and add color to the landscape.



A little farther down the road, this barren land is home to the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a portal tomb dating back to 2500-2000 BC.







The day we explored the Ring of Kerry was rainy and very hazy. However, this site at an overlook along the road reminded Janice of a scene that might be used for a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle.







A horse named Billy and his driver Dan made the trap cart ride through the Gap of Dunloe a highlight of the trip for me. Sunshine and blue skies just seemed an
extra bonus as we took in the magnificent beauty of the mountains, lakes and meadows.













We visited Blarney Castle, home to the legendary Blarney Stone. Those willing to kiss the stone are believed to receive the gift of gab or the ability to speak eloquently. I chose to forego lying on my back and being suspended upside down to put my lips on the germ-laden stone. I prefer silence over gabbing any day.




A visit to Ross castle provided the opportunity for me to get this picture of boats that is perhaps my favorite of the 600 photos I took during the trip!







We traveled to the town of Cashel to see the Rock of Cashel, which was the seat of the Kings of Munster for over 700 years. Dating back to 1100, the ruin consists of a round tower, Cormac's Chapel, a cathedral and the hall of the Vicar's Choral. Beautiful Celtic crosses are abundant in the graveyard.





It is believed that St. Patrick visited Cashel in the 5th century with the intention of converting the king to Christianity. A replica of St. Patrick's cross is found on the grounds and the original (pictured here) is housed in the museum on site.


Ireland was a most welcoming place to visit. The breathtaking scenery, the rich history and traditions, and the warmth and kindness of the people we met all served to help me fall in love with the country. I hope to return there again some day. There is more to see, more to photograph and perhaps next time, I'll kiss the Blarney Stone.

Window boxes, painted doors and diet mountain dew

I was intrigued by the window boxes filled with colorful flowers and the painted doors that are abundant in London and Ireland. The doors of businesses and homes are painted in vibrant primary colors. Large wooden doors on churches beckon one to enter the sanctuary where stained glass windows depict the gospel story. A stroll down the street, a visit to a church, castle or a stay in a B & B provided many opportunities to capture images of some of the beautiful windows, flowers and doors.

While I enjoyed taking pictures of the windows and doors, I also walked through one door during the 12 day trip that I never intended to even open. On June 3, the day we departed for this trip, I drank a diet mountain dew on the way to the airport, knowing it would be my last one until I returned back home. Diet mountain dew is not available in London or Ireland, so each morning while there, I drank hot tea at breakfast and water the rest of the time (except for one diet coke I purchased in London).

Halfway through the trip, I realized that I could do without the diet mountain dew. It was a habit and my addiction. Over many years, I had become a chain drinker. A can of soda was the first thing I drank each morning and a can was on the bedside table each night as I fell asleep. Each Wednesday morning, I checked the three local grocery store fliers to determine which store had the best deal on 12 pack cartons of my drink of choice. I would then go buy 4-6 cartons to get me through another week.

I'm happy to report that as of today, I am still diet mountain dew-less. Tony and Samuel brought a can of soda with them when they picked me up at the airport, knowing I would be craving one by the time I arrived home. I refused to drink it. I'm that determined to rid myself of this unhealthy habit. I hope that by walking through this door, I will experience renewed health and wholeness.

Doors can serve to close us off and isolate us, but doors can also be a wonderful invitation and opportunity for new ventures, growth and renewal. Opening a door can be a spiritual experience, much like entering a church or sacred place. The door I opened and the habit I abandoned has led to a physical and spiritual cleansing. It has also added a measure of discipline that I've lacked for years and that's a habit I'm happy to welcome into my life.

So what are you waiting for? Open a door. You never know what you'll find on the other side.