I went to about a dozen elementary schools from Kindergarten through 8th grade, though I skipped a full year. Many of them in and around Chicago, primarily the south side, but also in Big Rapids Michigan and Hollywood, Florida. We were not a military family, nor were either of my parents climbing any kind of corporate ladder, but we moved around even more than most of those kinds of families. We moved mostly because the rent and or utility bills were due. Sometimes we moved because the landlord found out really how many kids or dogs or adults we had in the house. Funny we usuall ...continued...

Recently I spent the day with one of my granddaughters. She’ll be a senior in high school next year. We spoke of many things, but one stands out in my memory. She told me of accompanying a friend to a Planned Parenthood facility. Her friend’s mother instructed her to go there to get a pregnancy test. I’ll let you hear the conversation we had. “Mandy’s * mother was out of town so Mandy asked me to go with her.” “Why didn’t she get a pregnancy test at the drugstore?” My granddaughter shrugged. “Her mom wanted her to make sure t ...continued...

Next Chapter Kansas City exists to provide individuals age 50+ opportunities for learning, employment and meaningful community engagement on a volunteer or paid basis as they discover the next chapter of their lives. Next Chapter Kansas City provides you a community of like-minded individuals who are also at a crossroad and seeking opportunities to use their time and skills for the benefit of their neighbors, the whole community, or for tackling global issues. Next Chapter can connect you to resources, volunteer opportunities, learning circles and networking opportunities. For more in ...continued...

As dad reversed mom came flying down wit a bag of snacks for the road. She gave it to me; we said our goodbyes and the journey began. A journey started with fear uncertainty and indecision How rude of me I didn’t introduce myself I’m Yasmin recently turned eighteen and right now on my way to my probable school of higher lea ...continued...

1.) I would like to become more culturally competent in every aspect of my life, not only including race but people who are different from me.   2.) I would like to learn/study more about the cultures and backgrounds of potential future clients. Then I would like to retake the cultural competence quiz and obtain a better score.   3.) I would like to be able to create plans that would include plans the exhibit cultural competence in my current and/or future profession.    ...continued...

Preface This family story was written by my late wife Sharla Kay about my Grandma Hattie who lived in the Southern Ozark hill country in the community of Flat Rock located 12 miles east of Summersville, Missouri. Grandma Hattie raised 13 children, twelve girls and one boy, who provided her with 42 grandchildren. A highlight of her grandchildren's visit to Grandma’s house was listening to her relate hill country stories and sing a country ditty about “Ring Down the Bottom of a Kinbow.” <p ...continued...

THIS IS MY LIFE STORY <p ...continued...

The big blow out! Mom entered my room, I can only imagine after grilling my sibling about her weight, spending habits and other things. She was on the war path and it just so happened that I was the nect victim. I heard a knock which lead to her helping herself into my room as though she owned it. To be honest, she pays the mortgage so every room in this house belongs to her. Immediately she went into the amount of pop cans that were all over my bedroom, and the garbage bag which she assumed was filled with crumpled up chip bags and empty pop cans. She wanted to prove that I wasnt as ...continued...

Two similarities I found between the CLAS standards, and the standards for Information Technology in the health field are to provide respectful and effective services to people of other cultures, as well as delivering accurate, accessible, and actionable health information that is targeted or tailored. It was hard to find documentation on the cultural standards of Information Security, which is what I eventually plan to go into, so I chose Heathcare Information Technology, which was a bit easier to find information on. Both the CLAS and the IT standards hold tightly to the idea of raising cult ...continued...

Our story Our family is a small and new family, whom has been thru a lot. Mother: Kelly, Son: Tony, and Father: Val. Family's Past history. Kelly and Val meet years ago. And moved onto a Tiny boat together 50sq ft trimaran. As time went on they lived on a number of small boats trying to find something that fit them. Presented with a job offer and good life in HI they moved onto a 75' yatch, that was well equipped for the trip to HI. Then Kelly got pregnant, when she was about 6 months along during the move, About 150 miles out to sea the frame of the boat started to brake due to poor ...continued...

There is a Latin phrase in the Catholic church, according to Don's neighbor Bill, that means "Protestants, get off the lawn". We learned this at Cactus Jack's bar and grill last night. JC is fascinated with the hundred thousand ant trail now processing across our Palm Desert patio. So far she has tormented them with cinnamon and just now announced that they don't like vinegar. The chemistry experiment goes on. The last great ant expedition was New Year's Day, 2012. I tripped on the the trash can handle and fell on my right shoulder and back ...continued...

THE MAGNIFICIENT MENTOR The notice in the church bulletin read, “Anyone interested in writing, meet in room 312 on Tuesday night. Bring some writing to share.” My heart skipped a beat. I had prayed about how I might start to write about the experience our family had been through with our daughter and her spinal cord tumor. And now, here was an answer. I had written poetry f ...continued...

I think what I find quite amazing is that I can remember as far back as being no older than 2 to 3 years old. Some memories were good and some not so much. I was actually a pretty happy child, never really got into much trouble, unlike my older brother and my little sister. I can remember that the one word we did not say, was the word" shut up" to one another, if you did well you can pretty twell imagine what would happen. I had to find out the hard way one morning, let's just say yuck! I told my brother to shut up because he had said something to me that made me mad, unfor ...continued...

I always think about my past, and what my past brought me that woud trap me up inside, surround and remind me of fear, disappointments, and hopelessness. Once it would help me with struggles so many things I done. Like the song said to me, “There’s always tomorrow..,” but the past was monopolizing my present today. So what do I do with all that baggage inside of me? How did I sort it all out? I know that my troubles and lack of resolution with my past affects important relationships. The peopl ...continued...

The catfish in my photo weighed over (100) pounds and was at least 40 years old. (I didn¹t catch it but I know who did and they let me borrow the big fish for this picture.) When you¹re having a bad day think of this big Blue Cat¹s degree of dullness. Day after day searching for food hoping not to find a hook attached, only able to see an inch or so in front of your face and about all to look forward too would be periodic mating. I¹m not even sure how much fun that would be considering you couldn¹t see the stranger you¹re hooking up with and ...continued...