There is a status people are putting up on Facebook saying shame on Americans for helping the people of Haiti because there are people who need help in the US. I must respond to this!

Wow, Americans are being shamed because they donated to help a country DEVISTATED by a natural disaster. Where 100s of thousands are STILL buried in the rubble.  There ARE millions of Americans that live on or below the poverty line, however there are many people who not only donate $, but also volunteer to help correct that horrible situation.  What keeps our people in poverty is the government and politicians who are in special interest's pockets and the constituents who put them there.  We live in a country with the mentality of instant gratification - "fix/change it NOW". The politicians who are actually trying to fix things aren't given enough time to put programs into place or those programs aren't given enough time to truly work. 

 I wholeheartedly agree that more can be done at home to help Americans who need it, but the way to do it is NOT to chastise those who so graciously gave to help these people, many of whom live in poverty just as those in America do.  I work for an agency that's sole purpose is to help those in poverty get out of it.  I, myself know the taste of government cheese, free lunch and grew up knowing the difference between a food stamp and real money. We all already give money to help end poverty in this country...it's called taxes, the problem is we don't allow our government to spend it on the programs that are needed to fight the problem.  When the government wants to do something like say, oh a PUBLIC OPTION for healthcare, they are shot down by the people because it's just too 'socialist'.  Never mind the fact that one bad accident can put a family in such a state of poverty that they can never escape it.  People don't go into poverty because they had plasic surgery or any other kind that is 'elective', the medical bills and expenses are for needed care. 

People should give money or volunteer time to help those less fortunate because it's the right thing to do.  Many people feel better about donating to those who've been in a disaster in another country because the don't have to take the responsibilty for helping make an actual long-term change, such as is needed to end poverty here in America.  Don't shame people for doing what's right, shame people for being greedy or turning a blind eye as to what REALLY puts people in poverty.

A new calendar year is upon us and aside from remembering to date our checks correctly, what does the change have in store for us?  Whatever we can cause to change, which is anything we want! Tonight, if you were lucky enough to have clear skies beneath which you could look upon a Blue Moon (and even if yours was overcast like mine), fill your hearts with hope, happiness and a healthy outlook!  Blessings to all and may all the changes that are brought forth be the kind that make things better for you!

For greed and wanting by some.  I don't know about you, but I've noticed that this younger generation, or 'millenials' as the marketers like to call them seem to have a sense of entitlement.  Even when they are raised otherwise.  I've seen it with my own son who is a scant 9 yrs old.  It seems he expects things to be bought for him even though I make him earn an allowance by doing chores (which is just a tragedy seeing as how all his friends say they don't have them), and when those chores are not done correctly, allowance is docked.  We have him save up his money and allow him to spend on what he wants, leaving him without enough for something he might want down the line.  Even so, there have been quite a few times he is very expectant for items he wants.

But I feel hope this week.  We have been short on money, like many in this economy, however I can always arrange my paydays at this time of year to fit in with some gift buying.  I only have my one son and he has only asked for about 5 things this year.  Well I made the black friday trek to get a good deal on a few things.  I spent my allotted amount set aside and did my grocery shopping, used some of the deals to take him out for some much needed jeans and let him pick out a new fleece (they were only $6!).  A few days later we needed to go back to the store for a few things.  He had $2 to spend on some Hot Wheels and had mentioned ice cream.  I told him that I would allow him one of the $1 treats when it was time to leave.  As we made our way through the store with me keeping track of what I was spending on kitty litter, milk, soap, etc; my son stops and says he doesn't want ice cream after all, he knows I've spent money on him earlier and he doesn't NEED an ice cream.  He hasn't asked for anything just because since then. He's helping out without being asked. He's showing that's he is becoming a responsible person and gives me hope that we can effect change on the way societal norms are decided upon and come about by effecting the way our children think and perceive the world around them.  I am now more hopeful for our future and what I see as way to change things for the better.

That Merdith Baxter is gay?  Is it really that life altering for anyone?  Will it cause some 30 something living in the closet to come out because Alex P Keaton's mom likes the ladies and admits to it.  Maybe, I guess.  I just don't see it having that much impact on society or the world at large.  Especially not more of an impact than our president's decision on Afganistan, yet it was higher up on the headline list at Yahoo...what a crazy world we live in.  I cannot wait until the day that a celebrity or anyone for that matter saying they are gay is not a big deal.  Because it's not.  Or at least it shouldn't be.  It should be just as much the norm as a hetero being hetero.  And it definately shouldn't be newsworthy.  There are so many more things that are newsworthy out there that get pushed to the wayside.  We have a local radio station DJ that begins his show every day with the total number of deaths in Iraq of our troops, something that isn't news in the papers or news websites anymore.  He then goes on to expel just what is 'news' for the day. 

Well that spends me for now.  Got a sick boy to take care of and my next to last night of class for the semester!  Woot.