A Play on Words

As a journalist and author, I LOVE expressing myself with words. I came across this "Punography" and thought it would be a cool thing to share with my followers. If you want to see it up close just click on the graphic. So what do you think? Which pun is your favorite?

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

My husband and I became part of a growing trend in America back in 2006. We were grandparents taking on the role of primary caregivers for our grandson.

My daughter got pregnant as a teenager but still had ambitions of going to college. After careful thought and prayer, we agreed to raise him in her absence. We were among nearly 6 million grandparents who have grandchildren living with them.

Here are more numbers from the Census Bureau about grandparent caregivers:

4-out-of-10 grandparents are responsible for the youngsters basic care.

5.8 million, the number of grandparents who live with one or more of their grandchildren under 18 years old.

4 percent, the percentage of people age 30 and older who live with grandchildren. The rate is 8 percent among blacks and Hispanics.

2.5 million, the number of grandparents responsible for most of the basic needs, such as clothing, food and shelter, of one or more grandchildren with which they live.

21 percent, the percentage of preschoolers who are cared for primarily by their grandparents while their mother is employed or in school.

So how can grandparents impact their grandchildren's early education?

Help give them a healthy start: Make sure your grandchildren start off every day with a healthy breakfast and a good night’s rest. Immunizations help children stay healthy and prevent many diseases that might keep them out of school.

Empower your grandchildren early: Talk to them regularly, beginning when they are infants. Read books together every day, and spend time singing, dancing, and playing together.

Help your grandchildren feel safe by providing a home with consistent rules and love. When these basic needs are met, children will be more ready to concentrate on reading, writing, and arithmetic when they get to school.

Limit TV Time: Pay attention to what your grandchildren watch on TV. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no television for children under 2. For preschoolers, keep television watching to a minimum,and choose a few good-quality shows for children. If your grandchildren are watching TV, watch with them and talk about what they are watching

Talk positively about school: Let your grandchildren know that being old enough to go to school is exciting.
Take them to visit their new school before the first day. Talking positively can help children be enthusiastic about
school and learning.

Also, pick a daycare that emphasizes a school-type setting and ALWAYS find time to volunteer.

My Grandson Spends Another Fatherless Year because of Lamar Bass

On December 26, 2005, my grandson's father was shot to death at the age of 16. People initially wanted to label it as a gang-related murder but because I was a journalist working on the story, I REFUSED to allow police to label it that way before they did a complete investigation.

One year later, the suspect was convicted, at the age of 17, and sentenced to life in prison. You can read more about the story as reported by WRAL NEWS Here's what the suspect has been up to since he was incarcerated:

Infraction Type
12/11/2014 PROFANE LANGUAGE
12/11/2014 ATTEMPT CLASS A OFFENSE
11/29/2014 DISOBEY ORDER
11/16/2014 DISOBEY ORDER
11/12/2014 DISOBEY ORDER
11/12/2014 ASSAULT STAFF/THROWING LIQUIDS
11/12/2014 ASSAULT STAFF W/WEAPON
09/11/2014 DISOBEY ORDER
07/21/2014 THREATEN TO HARM/INJURE STAFF
07/17/2014 PROFANE LANGUAGE
07/17/2014 THREATEN TO HARM/INJURE STAFF
07/17/2014 ASSAULT STAFF/THROWING LIQUIDS
07/17/2014 DISOBEY ORDER
07/17/2014 PROFANE LANGUAGE
04/13/2014 NO THREAT CONTRABAND
04/13/2014 POSS AUDIO/VIDEO/IMAGE DEVICE
12/12/2013 DISOBEY ORDER
12/12/2013 SEXUAL ACT
06/12/2012 FLOOD CELL
06/12/2012 SET A FIRE
06/11/2012 ASSAULT STAFF/THROWING LIQUIDS
05/16/2012 DISOBEY ORDER
05/16/2012 ASSLT STAFF W/UNLIKELY INJ
03/21/2012 DISOBEY ORDER
03/21/2012 SEXUAL ACT
03/06/2012 DISOBEY ORDER
03/06/2012 SEXUAL ACT
03/03/2012 SEXUAL ACT
03/01/2012 SEXUAL ACT
02/22/2012 DISOBEY ORDER
02/22/2012 SEXUAL ACT
02/08/2012 DISOBEY ORDER
02/08/2012 SEXUAL ACT
01/27/2012 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
01/19/2012 PROVOKE ASSAULT
01/19/2012 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
12/07/2011 DISOBEY ORDER
12/07/2011 PROFANE LANGUAGE
12/07/2011 LOCK TAMPERING
12/04/2011 UNAUTHORIZED LOCATION
10/09/2011 DISOBEY ORDER
08/19/2011 DISOBEY ORDER
08/12/2011 SEXUAL ACT
05/02/2011 MISUSE/UNAUTH-USE PHONE/MAIL
05/02/2011 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
08/05/2010 MISUSE/UNAUTH-USE PHONE/MAIL
08/05/2010 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
04/20/2010 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
04/10/2010 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
08/13/2009 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
08/13/2009 ASSAULT PERSON W/WEAPON
04/22/2009 HIGH RISK ACT
04/11/2009 DISOBEY ORDER
04/11/2009 PROFANE LANGUAGE
02/01/2009 SEXUAL ACT
09/07/2008 PROFANE LANGUAGE
08/08/2008 SEXUAL ACT
04/12/2008 MISUSE/UNAUTH-USE PHONE/MAIL
11/08/2007 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
08/15/2007 INVOLVEMENT W/GANG OR STG
07/25/2007 DISOBEY ORDER
05/30/2007 UNAUTHORIZED LOCATION
05/30/2007 FIGHTING
05/06/2007 DISOBEY ORDER

A LOST CAUSE!!!!!

Playing Hooky with My Grandson

When you were growing up did you ever play hooky from school? I did once or twice that I can recall. Last week I decided to play hooky from work. I called it a "Mental Health Day." Lord knows, when you work in 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 160+ hours a month, you need to take a break even when you aren't really sick. I chose to call out because my eight-year-old grandson had the day off and I just felt like hanging out with him.

Since he spent the night before at my house, I thought for sure he would take advantage of a sleep-in day but noooooooooooo! He had to wake up BEFORE 8am with a growling stomach. That meant I had to get up and make breakfast. That's what grandmas do.

I planned a fun afternoon that included lunch and a movie out of town. So what would we see? I wanted to see the movie with Melissa McCarthy and Bill Murray but my grandson was convinced that I wanted to see Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Never mind that he just saw the movie two days before, he was so sure I really would want to see that movie. So guess what? We went to see it and began the 20 minute trip from Durham to Morrisville. We didn't get there in time for the 12:15 showing so we bought tickets for the 2:30 showing and just hung out in the plaza area.

Since we weren't really hungry yet, we decided to pass the time away by throwing coins in the water fountain in front of the theater and by playing tag around this Christmas tree centered in the middle of the plaza.

After working up a hunger, we ate at Bad Daddy's which was right next door to the movie theater. And then it was showtime. We discovered we were the ONLY ones in the theater for the movie and that was pretty cool! And yes, my grandson was right. I really did like that movie.

It was a great mental health day for me and I was refreshed and revitalized to return to work the next day.

Just Call Me Mama Bev

"God can use you anywhere." That's what my good friend Cynthia keeps reminding me since I returned to the workforce last year. Sometimes I do believe she's right. But then there are other times when I question if God is actually using me there to bless others or trying to make me see the error of my past ways.

On the job, some of the young people call me "Mama Bev." Obviously they recognize that I am older and yes, I wear being a "boomer" "old school" proudly on my chest. At the same time, however, I am nurturing as I listen to them share their stories. In the year since I've been working, I have adopted dozens of new children---young people not much older than my own daughter---who have felt comfortable coming to me to share their joys, sorrows and drama. And trust me, they all have plenty of DRAMA!

I have seen the face of domestic violence in a young co-worker's eyes and have prayed with and for her. I've kept secrets of infidelity and even blushed at some of the stuff these young people tell me. I acknowledge their pain and struggles but also give them a "you need to get back up after you fall down" speech.

This week I had a young lady confide in me that she was pregnant. Now the mothering part of me thought she was about a month ago and I asked her point black but she denied it. I asked her if she and her boyfriend were happy about it. She told me they weren't ready for a baby financially and she didn't know what to do. And then she popped the question: "Miss Bev, will you take my baby and raise it as your own? I know you would be a great mom because you are so nurturing." WHAT?! Now you know I didn't hear that coming! Initially I thought she was joking until I saw the tears swell up in her eyes.

All kinds of random thoughts immediately went through my head.

Why ask me?
I'm almost 60 years old!
Why not ask her own mother?
What would Nate think?
I love the way newborn babies smell


I told her I had finished raising my child but I would do what I could to support her.

Sometimes being Mama Bev is a tough job.

My Customer Service Experience at Jared

My husband and I have been customers of Jared Jewelers for more than 10 years and during that time we've spent close to $20,000. Now that may not be a lot in comparison to others but, nonetheless, our hard earned dollars have gone there.

Today I went to Jared to find a birthday gift for my daughter. I walked into the store. No one greeted me. Then I walked over to the jewelry repair center. I figured since I was in the store I might as well have my platinum engagement and wedding rings cleaned. An employee walked over but said nothing. I finally spoke up and said, "I know you see me standing here." She said she did but she was assisting another customer. My response to that was, "You may be helping another customer but that shouldn't stop you from greeting me." She immediately went to find someone to assist me.

A woman, identified as Amy, came over. She had just finished wiping her nose. I wasn't about to shake her hand and I didn't want to give her my rings to be cleaned. I told her what I wanted. She said she would help me. She asked me was it time for my rings to be inspected. I told her I wasn't sure. I expected her to ask for my name and go look it up in their records. She did not. As a courtesy service, Jared does an annual inspection of your jewelry to make sure the diamond is set correctly, among other things. That courtesy was not extended to me. STRIKE ONE.

I gave Amy my rings reluctantly. I thought she would give them to someone else to be cleaned while she assisted me. Instead she left and came back in less than a minute claiming she had cleaned them personally. There were definitely NOT cleaned because her hands were not clean. STRIKE TWO.

After paying for my daughter's gift, I asked to speak to the manager. Mark Swink came over. I told him I thought my good customer service experience was lacking at Jared and he should know about it. After listening to me for about three minutes, he thanked me and shook my hand but never apologized for my bad experience. I expected him to at least acknowledge my feelings. STRIKE THREE.

Now at this point of the story, it would be easy to throw out the race card and say I didn't get good customer service because I was black in a store surrounded by a sea of white customers. I don't know for sure if that was the case but I am inclined to believe that. Or perhaps it was because I left with one small bag and spent less than $200. But whatever the case, Jared has now joined Kroger on my BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE list.

So what do you think? Do whites get better customer service than blacks or are there other factors that could come into play?

Nelson Mandela Inspired the Baby Boomer Generation

When Nelson Mandela was imprisoned in 1978 I was a junior at Ohio University. As a young,politically conscious activist, I joined many college students across the country in demanding that our universities divest from South Africa. We wanted our institutions to cease investing in companies that traded or had operations in South Africa. We were outraged at what was going on in South Africa with apartheid. The way blacks were being treated there was reminiscent of the way our own parents and grandparents had been treated here under the so-called "Jim Crow" laws.

Protests were held at many universities. As a result of these organized "divestment campaigns", the boards of trustees of several universities voted to divest completely from South Africa and companies with major South African interests. Hampshire College was the first in the nation to divest from apartheid South Africa. They were joined by the University of Massachusetts, Tufts University, Smith College, the University of Wisconsin, Ohio University, Amherst College and Antioch College. But the straw that broke the camel's back, so to speak, was when the University of California authorized the withdrawal of three billion dollars worth of investments from the apartheid state. Nelson Mandela stated his belief that the University of California's massive divestment was particularly significant in abolishing white-minority rule in South Africa.

Today as I reflect on the life of Nelson Mandela, I am reminded that one person can truly make a difference and inspire an entire generation.