Illiteracy in Trump's America

As we all know, the Third Monday of January is the day we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Over the past several years, the holiday is marked as a Day of Service when we, as Americans, go out and do our part to make a difference in the lives of others in some form or fashion.  This year I decided to start early by using my skills and expertise to give back to the Durham Literacy Center.  The DLC is a place where people go to study and prepare for their high school equivalency exam.  They are drop-outs for one reason or another.  Because of my journalism/communications background, the Program Director thought I would be a good tutor for someone studying to pass the Language Arts portion of the test.

On January 11, 2018, I became an "official" volunteer with my first student.  Initially, I was supposed to be paired up with a young woman--but she didn't show up on time and this young man was already there so he and I were assigned to each other.  To be honest, when I first saw him I immediately thought of the notion that he was probably a supporter of Donald Trump.  He just looked the part. I thought I would be uncomfortable at first but, as I've said many times, I never meet a stranger so I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  I was also thinking he needed MY help so whatever thoughts he might have had about working with an African-American he needed to put them aside in order to accomplish his goal for the two and a half hour session.

I started out by correcting him when I asked him a question and he said "It don't matter."  I responded, "The correct sentence is "It doesn't matter."  Not sure how well that went over but he didn't challenge me on it.  Then he broke the ice by commenting on the LeBron James jersey I was wearing.  My husband knows full well that a way to my heart is talking about sports so I was more than willing to engage in a lively discussion about whether or not LeBron would be leaving Cleveland after the season and why the Cavs have so much talent but they still "suck." (His words not mine).  During the conversation I learned he was a big Carolina Panthers fan and he predicted it would be the Patriots vs. the Eagles in this year's Super Bowl.

Once we got down to business, I discovered this young white male who, on the surface, has more "privilege" than I ever will, is truly illiterate.  He couldn't pronounce some words that are a normal part of my vocabulary---like diligent, avid, pacify, consensus, mediate.  And if you can't pronounce the word, you certainly aren't going to know the meaning of it.  So we spent the time matching vocabulary words to their meanings and including them in sentences.

The sad thing is this student is among approximately 32 million Americans who can't read, according to the U.S. Dept. of Education and National Institute of Literacy.

Here are some other statistics:  

1 in 4 children in America grow up without learning how to read.

Students who don't read proficiently by the 3rd grade are 4 times more likely to drop out of school.

Just over 59 percent of voters who supported Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump suffer from moderate to severe illiteracy.  (Source:  Real News Now)

I don't know what this young man's personal story is, nor do I know if he did, indeed, vote for Trump.  But I do know he is illiterate and fits the profile of a Trumpster.

How ironic that the fate of his language arts success would lie in the hands of this well-educated black woman.  God is working through both of us for His greater good.

Survey says Christmas is about the Experience not the Gifts

If there's a survey out somewhere, you can believe I'll find it and share it----like this one on what Americans say they want for Christmas.

E-X-P-E-R-I-E-N-C-E!  Yes, according to a report released by IfOnly, an overwhelming 81 percent of respondents said they preferred an "experience" over any other type of gift.  

Okay, so the next question is, what kind of experience?  

39 percent said go on a helicopter tour
32 percent said go on a private tour of a museum
27 percent said pet a panda at the zoo

But get this:  36 percent of those who took the survey said they would rather spend the holiday with a wild animal than with their in-laws.  

75 percent of Millennials said they would do anything in exchange for an incredible experience while nearly half of those surveyed said they would give up an hour of sleep for the entire holiday season to have an incredible experience instead of receiving a gift certificate.

And for those of you who have been complaining about lack of intimacy in the bedroom with your significant other......47 percent said they would be more likely to have sex if they received an experience instead of a material gift.  So I guess my question here is:  "Would that experience include whips, chains and handcuffs?"  LOL!


This survey was conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of IfOnly, which refers to itself as the "marketplace for unique experiences...aims to deepen human connection by creating life-changing memories."

There's a Survey for Thanksgiving

Another survey has come out and this one is just in time for Thanksgiving.  Delta Dental has come out with its Third Annual Thanksgiving pie survey.

The number one pie enjoyed by families across America is pumpkin once again.  Thirty-six percent of those surveyed favored it over pecan pie, which came in a distant second at 17 percent. 

In other survey results,pumpkin pie is enjoyed most in the West and least in the South.  That's not a surprising statistic because Southerners love their sweet potato pies loaded with lots and lots of sugar.  A dentist's dream.

Apple pie came in third with 14 percent, followed by sweet potato at 10 percent, chocolate 9 percent, lemon meringue 4 percent, blueberry and cherry tied at 3 percent and strawberry at 2 percent.

Of course, while this survey may or may not be relevant, Delta Dental's message is that whatever pie you eat this holiday season that you "remember to take the time to brush and floss away the sugary remnants."

Good advice.

Beverly

While doing some Fall cleaning, I came across a poem that had been written exclusively for me by a talented, creative writer named Vanessa Vendola.  She and I met during one of the many networking events I've attended over the years. 

I am sharing what she wrote with you here because it was only today (6 years later) that I realized how true and powerful her words were in describing ME.  And the fact that I am still that woman!

Beverly

Her innovative energy

In her directive manner

Focused on each matter

Intense enthusiasm

Translating in the pool of

Passionate personality

Traveling in spheres of

Creative developments

Her controversy leaping.

Surrounding your logic

Wake up, relate or debate

A woman of high rated

Broadcasting power

Generating in a tower of 

Powerful Communicative Talents

By Vanessa Vendola May 2011

18 Years

During a recent trip to my doctor's office for my annual health check-up, I got news I'm not sure I thought I would ever hear.  "You can stop taking your carvedilol."  I'd been taking this medication for congestive heart failure.

My story of having congestive heart failure began 18 years ago around 2:30 in the morning.  I was lying in bed trying to sleep but I was having trouble breathing.  I was gasping for air.  I leaned over to my husband (ex) and told him how I was feeling and asked him to take me to the hospital.  He didn't move so I drove myself to the ER and ended up being admitted, where I stayed for 10 days.  Not only did I have to worry about getting better but I also had to be concerned about my 10-year-old daughter's welfare since she was now in the sole custody of her father, who was absent from the family more times than he was present.

Little did I know at the time just how sick I was.  I was already being treated for hyperthyroidism but this felt much worse.  When my primary doctor came in to see me, she immediately called in a cardiologist to run some tests.  The cardiologist confirmed congestive heart failure as the diagnosis and I had to stay in the hospital until they could get my heart rate down (it was beating over 140 beats a minute).  My heart, I was told, was very weak and the hyperthyroidism exacerbated my overall condition.

I had a hard time dealing with that diagnosis at first because I was in my 40's and I certainly didn't want to be on anybody's death bed.  I also had difficulty coming to grips with the reality that I had to take the same medication that really old, sick people needed to stay alive.  All of these thoughts, coupled with the fact that I hate taking pills, became an excuse for skipping dosages.  I figured if I missed a pill or two once or twice a week it was no big deal.  Of course, an Echocardiogram ordered by my cardiologist revealed my heart had weakened even further, which forced me to confess I wasn't taking the medication as directed.

So much happened over those 18 years.  I was on the brink of death a few times, while trying to keep my job and raise a child. During that time I got a divorce, which took some of the pressure and stress out of my life but I was still very sick physically, emotionally and spiritually.  It was a struggle just to breathe. A woman from my church, who had also been diagnosed with congestive heart failure shortly after me, ended up having to carry around an oxygen tank to help her breathe.  She passed away around 2010. I went into a state of depression but I knew I couldn't stay there long because I had a child to raise so I kept trying to push myself and follow the doctor's orders.

Initially, I didn't want anyone to know my struggles because "publicly" I've always been known to be a strong woman. I started praying and going to church more.  As my prayer life became impactful, God told me I would be a testimony for someone one day.  Did I believe it then?  Not really because I was still trying to understand why God would allow this to happen to me---especially since I was someone who exercised vigorously ever since I was a teenager.

During those 18 years I found myself slowly getting better with the help of the Cardio-Rehab program at Duke.  I met people who were struggling just like me.  We encouraged each other, while understanding the seriousness of what we were going through.  The program forced me to start exercising again and I discovered I was getting better.  I started writing and became a best selling author.  I re-married and welcomed a grandson into my life.  All of this gave me hope and a will to keep moving forward.

When I see my cardiologist these days, she likes to remind me how sick I was and how far I've come.  I knew I turned a major corner when I was able to climb to the top of a mountain during a trip to the Blue Ridge Parkway last year.  Now I'm not going to lie and say it was a breeze. I stopped to rest about 10 times As a matter of fact, my husband climbed all the way to the top by himself and then came back down to get me so we could walk together.  But I did it and I have the pictures to prove it!

Hearing my doctor tell me I can stop taking my heart medication is a blessing.  It is God's promise:  "By His stripes, we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) This has been 18 years in the making.  God has a plan and a purpose for my life and this is part of it.

My story is not over yet.  18 years ago it could've been----but God is Good and I am a LIVING witness of His Grace!

 

This Survey Stinks for Baby Boomers

The majority of baby boomers do not wash their underwear enough!  That's what an online survey by Mulberry Cleaners revealed recently.  The results were published in Reader's Digest.

I have to admit I was very surprised to read the results, which indicated 16 percent of middle-aged folks reported NEVER washing their underwear.  Now, 16 percent may not sound like a large number but that's still 16 percent too many, in comparison to 85 percent of millennials who said they toss their undergarments in the laundry after one or two wears.  Only 10.3 percent of millennial women said they never washed theirs, which might make sense if these young women had parents who were enablers and never taught them to do much of anything, especially how to wash clothes.

When it comes to washing bed sheets, 43 percent of women said they wash them every week, compared to seven percent of men who said they had washed their sheets only once in six months.  But even worse than that is the fact that 12 percent of the men surveyed said they couldn't even remember the last time they washed their bedding.  Let's hope, for their sake, they were in a drunken stupor when they took the survey.

About 1000 people participated.

As far as the dirty underwear goes, my question is, why wear any at all if you're not going to wash them?

Millennials Set to Make a Big Splash for the Wine Industry

The demand for wine in the United States is expected to over a billion gallons by the year 2021, and millennials will be leading the way when it comes to purchases, according to a new report released by Freedonia Focus Reports.

Millennials seem to have an acquired taste for sparkling wines and, coupled with the fact that they are now considered to be the larges single generation, their taste buds will be catered to even more.

According to a USA Today report, Millennials drank 42 percent of all wines in 2015, more than any other generation.  That percentage equates to nearly 160 million cases of wine--an average of two cases per person.  And among the most frequent drinkers under 30, two-thirds are women.

According an article to Nancy Light, a spokesperson at the Wine Institute, Wine is much more a part of American culture today than it was two decades ago.  Millennials grew up around wine (thanks to their parents mostly) and they don't feeling intimidated when ordering or asking questions about it.

Baby boomers, meanwhile, are still drinking wine but, unlike Millennials, they are drinking more hard liquor, which is leading to greater problems of alcohol abuse.  As a matter of fact, boomers currently have the highest rate of alcohol abuse.