A Commentary on Comments and Life

"Self Portrait Behind The Camera 2014"
Courtesy of Photoartdb Consulting. Copyright 2014.
All Rights Reserved.

Comments are interesting snapshots of people and their inner thoughts.  Some remarks are made or written quickly without much fact checking or self-edification at first; others are longer in coming out of the mouth or pen with painstaking research, reconsideration and editing by trusted sources.  Over thinking things has often been a personal problem of mine.  Keeps me awake at night sometimes.

Cameras, typewriters and other visual mediums like film or video have always helped me express my feelings better than face-to-face confrontations.  My brother is a better debater today than me, despite it being me that won the scholarship to my first year of college at Missouri Southern State University by winning a Statewide competition in speech and debate communications.  It is my firm belief though that a person should be upfront with their comments:  honest and forthright, yet courteous and respectful of the other person's right to think differently.  "Agreeing to disagree" has always appealed to me in debates, arguments or social situations.  Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, even if it's wrong from my own point of view or past experience.  Who am I to judge?  Our minister at the Lamar United Methodist Church recently delivered a great sermon on Judgment this summer using passages from the Book of James, which got me to revisit those verses so long ago read and put aside.  Always good when a thought leads you back to your Bible to further learn more.

Even if you know that your audience will not be receptive to what you have to say, one should always open the door to a new relationship by putting all their cards out on the table and sharing what's on their mind or bothering them. If you spit the words out, maybe a dialog will ensue where both of you will learn something, gain new information to consider and walk away a more informed individual.  Change of mind and locale can be refreshing and a good thing.  Some of my best education has been gained in traveling to different countries and seeing different cultures' ways of handling things.

Recently, this blog received two Anonymous comments about "checking my facts."  Well, I chose not to post those comments because if a person can't be upfront about who they are in their personal remarks, then it's not fair to those who are upfront about what they think and are not afraid to standby it by revealing their names.  Those people who sign their name to their comments will always get posted on this blog.  Apologies now to "Anonymous," whoever you are, but it did instigate this one-time commentary about comments for the future.  Anonymous commentators remind me of the KGB, Nazi SS or other clandestine organizations committed to dark purposes.  They are there, but don't want you to know they're there.  They hide behind a cloak of anonymity because maybe what they are doing is not totally right, possibly harmful or something that should be hidden done in the interest of protecting some dark force or government.  Usually the Anonymous commentators in the world are fearful of confrontation because they haven't checked their facts.

After leaving the corporate whirlwind back East for a quieter life in the Southwest, a retirement late-life career transition into the nonprofit world in my new home state was initiated by taking courses in a nonprofit management certification program at Arizona State University.  My intention was to work in part-time fund development for a small arts school that was gaining national recognition with their programs and build a small house upon two acres in a rural community outside of Sedona.  It was my decision to be less front and center on my stance on issues and other things, because who really cares what my opinion is any way?  It was my desire to become a little more "Anonymous" while working to support state or community nonprofits behind the scenes and help people thrive in the world around them.  Some good prior volunteer activities had provided personal inner fulfillment in Connecticut when my corporate schedule allowed the time to help out my community plus my corporation encouraged their employees to volunteer.  So decided it would be great to work in supporting the "Triple-A's"  - as I called them - once retired to help further the Mission of the worthy organizations involved in these causes:  The Arts, Animals and Abuse (all kinds - domestic, drug, etc).

Even when doing college and community theatre in my younger years, my favorite place was sitting in a light or sound booth running the technical parts of the production - making the actors and actresses front and center look magical or like ethereal beings as they spouted Shakespeare, Noel Coward, Henrik Ibsen or Moliere on stage.  A tech booth seat is the best one in the house.  These skills even helped a working college student make some money while running lights or sound for a few concerts that came to the schools attended like Jackson Brown, Rolling Stones and other bands.  Started college on a speech and drama scholarship in Missouri, so it was necessary to do my time on stage as well in those early days.  My Mother told my Father that he must attend every performance at The Barn Theatre that I was in to show their support.  She loved theatre, cultural events and the arts of all kinds.  My Dad agreed, but did not love the theatre as much as he did football or baseball, but he did play guitar and violin so music was always a part of our upbringing.  Poor Dad.  As part of my scholarship requirements, it was necessary for me to audition for a certain number of performances every semester.  During my freshman year, I was featured in every single production at Missouri Southern State University in either a supporting or lead role.  My family came to every single theatrical production that year.  That's how supportive our family is of one another and, if we say it, we usually do it unless there is some good reason preventing us from following through on the commitment.

There was much discussion in the family when I made the retirement decision to take an early package due to the company's move to the manufacturing headquarters down South from the current Manhattan location.  My sister-in-law and I already had made plans that year before the company announced the move to start visiting states where I might want to retire.  The first place was Arizona because my plan was to escape winter snows and wanted to see The Grand Canyon.  Living in Connecticut had made the allure of a white blanket of snow not as appealing in old age.  We even had our mothers on board to join us for a while, but then they both decided they didn't want to fly or go due to other things related to old age and other fears of travel that come when you've been in one place for a little too long.  So, my sis-in-law and I went on our own to see what was unique and wonderful about Arizona.  The Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona really captured my fancy.

Over a decade working with an international Fortune 100 company had taken a toll on me in the health department as well as relationship category with family and others close to my heart.  In my mid-30's, it was necessary for me to have surgery due to a change in a breast tumor found in a routine mammogram.  This change instigated the doctor's decision to take it out, even though prior tests showed it to be benign. Many prayers and thanks go up to the Spirit in the Sky that the tumor was found to be benign once removed, but the time leading up to its removal was scary for those close to me.  And my then-husband and still friend who was an internal medicine doctor at Yale University Medical Center nearly came into the operating room with me because he was so worried.  The surgeon said to him, "Doctor if you suit up you can come in and assist me if you like." And his response was "Well I will but I don't want you to wait on doing this for her."  He is a good man and still is.  We still have special feelings for each other today, though he is now in Cairo trying to help his family struggle through the challenges happening there politically and medically.  He is a good doctor and has a great heart for his family.

Then some years later, my physician discovered that I had celiac's disease, an autoimmune disease that makes gluten impossible to digest without some pretty unpleasant side effects and detrimental effects on internal organs.  As I tell well meaning friends who want to invite me over for a meal, "No wheat, no oats, no barley and no rye or I die."  My doctor in Arizona told me that I needed to view those four things as "death" since the advanced symptoms of the condition cause you to become unable to gain weight and get deathly ill.  If untreated or misdiagnosed, people who have the disease can die from it.  The only treatment is a gluten-free diet, which is harder than you'd think to do around here.  The condition also makes me sensitive to preservatives and non-organic foods.  GMO Labeling is something that I would like to see instituted everywhere like it is in more progressive countries because it is important and essential to others like me who struggle with celiac's disease and other food-related allergies.  My personal eating needs and others in my family with other autoimmune conditions requiring a mostly organic, clean diet to deal with their own individual conditions are sometimes difficult to adhere to when farmers' markets are not up and running.  As my brother astutely points out, we have a country of origin label on the clothing we were and care instructions for that clothing.  Isn't what we eat more important and essential to our lives that what we wear?

In 2003, an early retirement within the next 5-to-7 years made sense to slow things down and started looking at places that it would be nice to live a quiet life into old age.  On my list were:  Arkansas (close to home and beautiful green lush land), Missouri (possibly but maybe Northern Missouri or even SW Missouri where the whole family was like Joplin or Springfield where I attended colleges), Arizona, Montana, New Mexico and even parts of Texas because truly loved the lake country of Austin when I went to UT-Austin or even Mexico where I have travelled often since college for vacations into the coastal areas, as well as the mountains. The people I've known there are gentle, courteous and friendly to Americans who show respect for their culture and country.  My experiences with people living South of the Border have always been positive ones, as have those interactions with the common people of other lands outside the boundaries of the USA.  Most human beings want the same things no matter what country they are living in:  Peace, Freedom from Persecution, Safety for Their Family, A Decent Living Wage, Food, Water and Shelter.  Standards on some of these things differ from country to country, but these ideals remain common to all of mankind around the world. 

Years of education, career and different team building exercises have involved getting my personality tested and analyzed to figure out how I could work most effective in a team environment.  If you know about personality testing, my Myers-Briggs type is an INTJ.  Here's a definition so you gain a little more insight to how this writer operates in life.  Have taken the test numerous times always with the same result.  The only difference is that in my old age, my results are shifting more to the "P" (Perception) stage and away from the "J" (Judging) category.  Learn more and click here for more info on Wikipedia:  Definition of an INTJ  

There's also the Colors method of assessing personality and my personality color is Green.  Analytical, quick, multi-tasker, fun-loving types who like the behind-scenes role of making things happen quickly and choosing to lead with their emotions or dreams.  A good quote on this personality type comes from Dr. Carol Ritberger, PhD, who wrote a great book in 2000 called What Color Is Your Personality:  "Greens live in a world of hopes, dreams, and emotions where the intangibles of life are the most important.  Their rich imaginations thrive when using their creative abilities -- their minds work quickly, bouncing from one thought to another."  Well, she nailed this blogger alright down to a tee.  If you want to check out the book and find out about yourself, here's a link to the page:  Amazon - "What Color Is Your Personality? Red, Orange, Yellow, Green"

It was fortunate that my efforts and involvement in leadership programs helped me find ways to try and adapt my personality to others with very different "colors."  And to help me "edit" my own comments about things during collaboration in creating something new and different for my community.  For that experience, I will be eternally grateful to people that encouraged that involvement especially those who engaged my help with several other founding members in launching an educational nonprofit aimed at building community leaders.  Watching this organization grow and prosper from afar in the past few years has given me great satisfaction and am still good friends with the other five individuals involved in creating it.  We are known as the Founders, which is a very lofty term but each of us were different people with unique approaches who were not afraid to roll up our sleeves together and get in the trenches to make things happen for something we believed in.  Even though we had different styles, we collaborated well and had a mutual commitment to the Vision:  "Inspiring Individuals To Action." Am so impressed with how the graduates of this program initiated in 2006 has become an important part of the Verde Valley community leaders' education and development.  For more information, please check out their website and, if you know someone in North Central Arizona specifically the Verde Valley (Cottonwood, Cornville, Sedona, Clarkdale and Jerome) who would benefit from the experience, there's probably still time for them to enroll in an upcoming session or find out more about the two-year trek.  Please click here to learn more:  Verde Valley Leadership Program  My belief in that Vision still extends into every action taken in my own life related to education and community service.  We must inspire individuals to action about things they believe in achieving, either in comments, written or spoken or our democracy will come to an end.  Hopefully, the Anonymous commenter now understands why only comments made by those who are strong enough to step into the spotlight on stage and speak their lines without judgment or consequence will be posted on this Blog in the future.  After all, Freedom of Speech is one of my favorite things that our democracy has granted to every single citizen in this country.  

Thanks for reading my thoughts and tolerating my outlook.  But you must stand up and face people; not hide behind being "Anonymous."  My future postings will deal more with the experiences of living next door to a Factory Farm and less about this commentary or my personal stuff, which gets more interesting every day that God allows me on this good, green Earth while it's still green.  Believe I'll leave the computer now and go give the dogs and me a break with a short walk before the rain comes and the wind shifts again carrying the scent of my unwanted neighbor back this way.  Blessed is the rain in August.  Blessed are the Meek for They shall truly inherit the Earth.  This blog post was about who I am.  Now, who are you?  Tell me your story because I'm genuinely interested to hear it.

"Summer Hay Bales 2013"
Photo courtesy of Photoartdb Consulting.
Copyright 2013.  All Rights Reserved.

Author's Note:  Comments are solely by this individual writing the blog and no other company, nonprofit or other organization has approved or endorsed them. They are my personal opinion and no one else is responsible for my actions. Anonymous comments are no longer accepted. Stand up for your opinion.  Being open is the first step to a productive interaction.  Thanks for your thoughtful kind responses.  Keep anger out of it.  Please keep language clean and our farmlands green. :)  Thanks!