Your words are so powerful. I'm sending this to my friends and writing to my state representative and senator. Thank you for continuing to voice your views and work towards a better system for everybody!
Aunt Darlene just sent me the website for your Blog. This is GREAT!!! What I see posted are what you wrote in December. Have you written anything since then? Maybe the posting is just a bit behind. What you wrote about your situation and your upbringing struck me as open and honest, and I didn't sense any blame--just compassion. It is true that your parents loved you, but they had to deal with what life dealt them, as we all do. Anyway, great to be able to read your posting and to connect in this way.
I so miss hearing from you, but Aunt Darlene does keep me posted on how you are doing. Yes, I know you have your ups and downs--don't we all, but I am also very sure that God is with you and continues to keep you growing more and more into the beautiful man you are! I am so glad we are able to meet and get to know each other on a personal level. Imagine me in China and you in California, and now we can connect not just heart to heart and soul to soul, but via BtB. GREAT!!!
Yes, I too wonder who the next pope will be. I think Benedict was truly courageous to resign. He has set a precedence for future popes. On Thursday we will have a prayer service for Pope Benedict in our cathedral in Macau. Our Deaf Catholic group plans to attend. We don't have a large group--maybe just a dozen or so, but they are faithful and good people. And in God's eyes numbers aren't important. What matters is the heart. That is why I love communicating with you--you have a beautiful loving heart. You have opened that up to me and Aunt Darlene and we indeed value the gift of your friendship.
Well, my friend, I've jabbered too long, so I'll just send this and hope you can let Aunt Darlene know if you get it.
Love and hugs to you and prayers for special blessings during this season of Lent. Sister Arlene
I'm so glad to hear you've been allowed to receive what I've sent thus far & will now continue sending the course materials. In so many of the subjects I've taken I have noticed the perspective of the prisoner missing completely from the picture which to me has always seemed to be a gaping hole in the shared knowledge of criminology. I have a great deal of respect for your intelligence, opinions and perspectives Jeremy, and I'm excited about the depth you can add to my studies through your unique insights, as we share our learning journey together.
I will mail the next weeks materials today. Take care my friend! :)
Your asking for help with another blog in combination with mentioning that some of your posts weren´t published sounds to me as if you´re blaming "Between the bars" for it.
Did you verify that it was BTB´s fault that your racoon etc. weren´t published - or if maybe some of your mail to BTB simply got lost? After all, for example a racoon isn´t a problematical matter to publish, is it?
Your Daily Journal is online until January 31 now (24.02.13). And your entries about needing blog help and being yourself are online.
I'm so tired tonight after finishing my 4th 12 hour shift for the week but I can't commit to sleep until I leave you a comment here.
When I first came to BTB what I was hoping to find was some sunshine in the darkness. I wanted to find everyday people who smiled and laughed and cried just as I do. I knew the uplifting moments would be mixed with pain and heartache, defeat and misery but it was traces of the positive side of human existence that I'd mostly hoped to find here.
Reading this post tonight has lifted my heart and soul! Your words paint the same picture in my mind as does a flower seed finding a place to bloom in the crack of a pavement. Love is many, many things, I even perhaps agree with your mental illness analogy :) Thank you for showing me love can blossom and etch out an existence absolutely anywhere!
You are such a giving & loving man and after all you've endured, and continue to, I hope you take the power of such positive emotions and use them to build your inner strength. Thank you so much for sharing, you warm my heart my friend!
To answer your questions specifically, where I live had continuous torrential rain for 2 days & 2 nights. It came off a weather system that was an ex tropical cyclone. We didn't suffer much damage here in north eastern Australia but as the water flowed down stream and the weather system with it, it got out of control in some areas and there are now plans to relocate some suburbs to higher ground (where many homes were washed away completely), in case of future flooding.
My brother lives in one of the heavily flooded areas but built his house on a hill (he was the smart little piggy :) he is also an electrician, so his business benifits from these events... I guess thats one of the benifits of natural disasters... The work they generate. Not to mention timely reminders to us all that what we hold dear can all be taken from us in an instant, I think we come out of these events realising how lucky we really are and what truly matters. My mother is also at the Gold Coast (surfers paradise) and you may have seen some footage of ocean foam there. There was a car completely emerged in the foam & drove out, to the surprise of those nearby :)
In short... My family and friends all fared well this time. For some though it is the 2nd or 3rd event they've suffered in as many years and its the lasting psychological effects on the survivors (specifically the children) that interest & concern me.
Thank you for your concern. You're a good friend! :)
Hi Anthony, thank you for your concern :) we have been doing it tough of late, but we seem to be well practiced in surviving and cleaning up after natural disasters. I believe what you're referring to were the extensive bush fires throughout New South Wales and Tasmania and a week later flooding throughout Queensland and into New South Wales... If It's not burnt out, its been washed away! ;)
The damage has been extensive but with well funded government departments, experienced and well resourced emergency services and our armed forces infrastructure has been replaced quickly. These things occurred on/around Australia Day (our national day) and some towns have just celebrated "Australia Day 2" as they were unable to celebrate on 26 January :) Social media also now plays a major part in saving lives as information is shared instantly via Facebook and text alert messages sent by government departments to those in effected areas.
RSS
Your words are so powerful. I'm sending this to my friends and writing to my state representative and senator. Thank you for continuing to voice your views and work towards a better system for everybody!
Susan
Aunt Darlene just sent me the website for your Blog. This is GREAT!!! What I see posted are what you wrote in December. Have you written anything since then? Maybe the posting is just a bit behind. What you wrote about your situation and your upbringing struck me as open and honest, and I didn't sense any blame--just compassion. It is true that your parents loved you, but they had to deal with what life dealt them, as we all do. Anyway, great to be able to read your posting and to connect in this way.
I so miss hearing from you, but Aunt Darlene does keep me posted on how you are doing. Yes, I know you have your ups and downs--don't we all, but I am also very sure that God is with you and continues to keep you growing more and more into the beautiful man you are! I am so glad we are able to meet and get to know each other on a personal level. Imagine me in China and you in California, and now we can connect not just heart to heart and soul to soul, but via BtB. GREAT!!!
Yes, I too wonder who the next pope will be. I think Benedict was truly courageous to resign. He has set a precedence for future popes. On Thursday we will have a prayer service for Pope Benedict in our cathedral in Macau. Our Deaf Catholic group plans to attend. We don't have a large group--maybe just a dozen or so, but they are faithful and good people. And in God's eyes numbers aren't important. What matters is the heart. That is why I love communicating with you--you have a beautiful loving heart. You have opened that up to me and Aunt Darlene and we indeed value the gift of your friendship.
Well, my friend, I've jabbered too long, so I'll just send this and hope you can let Aunt Darlene know if you get it.
Love and hugs to you and prayers for special blessings during this season of Lent.
Sister Arlene
I will mail the next weeks materials today. Take care my friend! :)
Did you verify that it was BTB´s fault that your racoon etc. weren´t published - or if maybe some of your mail to BTB simply got lost?
After all, for example a racoon isn´t a problematical matter to publish, is it?
Your Daily Journal is online until January 31 now (24.02.13).
And your entries about needing blog help and being yourself are online.
When I first came to BTB what I was hoping to find was some sunshine in the darkness. I wanted to find everyday people who smiled and laughed and cried just as I do. I knew the uplifting moments would be mixed with pain and heartache, defeat and misery but it was traces of the positive side of human existence that I'd mostly hoped to find here.
Reading this post tonight has lifted my heart and soul! Your words paint the same picture in my mind as does a flower seed finding a place to bloom in the crack of a pavement. Love is many, many things, I even perhaps agree with your mental illness analogy :) Thank you for showing me love can blossom and etch out an existence absolutely anywhere!
You are such a giving & loving man and after all you've endured, and continue to, I hope you take the power of such positive emotions and use them to build your inner strength. Thank you so much for sharing, you warm my heart my friend!
My brother lives in one of the heavily flooded areas but built his house on a hill (he was the smart little piggy :) he is also an electrician, so his business benifits from these events... I guess thats one of the benifits of natural disasters... The work they generate. Not to mention timely reminders to us all that what we hold dear can all be taken from us in an instant, I think we come out of these events realising how lucky we really are and what truly matters. My mother is also at the Gold Coast (surfers paradise) and you may have seen some footage of ocean foam there. There was a car completely emerged in the foam & drove out, to the surprise of those nearby :)
In short... My family and friends all fared well this time. For some though it is the 2nd or 3rd event they've suffered in as many years and its the lasting psychological effects on the survivors (specifically the children) that interest & concern me.
Thank you for your concern. You're a good friend! :)
The damage has been extensive but with well funded government departments, experienced and well resourced emergency services and our armed forces infrastructure has been replaced quickly. These things occurred on/around Australia Day (our national day) and some towns have just celebrated "Australia Day 2" as they were unable to celebrate on 26 January :) Social media also now plays a major part in saving lives as information is shared instantly via Facebook and text alert messages sent by government departments to those in effected areas.