We were meant to dream
its in our nature
To hope, to wonder if,
to pursue.
Our dreams give our lives meaning,
our reason to be,
and yet,
there is a price,
they are not given for free.
Often,
they require us
to risk all,
to leap
into the abyss of the unknown
to risk failure
or defeat.
Woe to those
who lack the courage,
so many empty lives we see.
But,
would we ourselves
be here now
if none had dared to cross the sea?
Would we exist
to dream at all,
if none had gone before,
if none had died,
if none had tried,
if none had tried again?
And so we ask,
the giver of our dreams,
the creating of us all,
to help us in our pursuit,
to give us what we need,
to protect us,
and give us the wisdom and courage
to learn
through our inevitable failures,
to never accept defeat,
to follow the dreams,
the will, the dreams
of our maker
through and of ourselves,
wherever
they might take us.
a collision of The Arts
a feast for the Imagination
Literature at an altitude
simply unheard of
I ask that you hold on before visiting this post. Wait until you have 3 minutes and forty-five seconds of uninterrupted moments. If you live in a country (or city) full of strife, comprehend that if we do not try to make things better, they can only get worse, And if you live in a peaceful region, and there is hate in your heart, ask yourself why and then ponder the thought, When the War Came to Ghana {and Syria and Laos and Bosnia and….} it had already planted the seed on where it was going to next. When The War Came To Ghana is heartbreaking and breathtaking and inspiring, all at once.
This was recorded a while back and has been featured on many online magazines. It made the readers’ pick of favourite poems of 2012 on oneghanaonevoice.com. Enjoy :
Dear thepublicblogger, why did you follow my blog?
Dear thepublicblogger: First I want to thank you for following my blog. I could be cynical and say maybe you just did it, so that I would follow yours, but hopefully that is not the case. I am one to always believe the best about people first so I’m going to remain optimistic (although, I am glad to follow yours, because I am enjoying it quite a bit). – cynical optimist
Dear cynical optimist: I do not think you are being cynical in the least by inquiring the reasons for my joining your community. Cynicism would come into play if you did not ask. ‘Following’ is a common term used throughout social media, but here, we are neighbors. The cynic would be partially correct, but, in this case, a real cynic would not have obtained a season pass. The cynic would have judged my performance at the door, and never read a single post. Several neighbors and visitors alike have inquired as to why I would follow them, and one very talented blogger, The Curse of Future Tom (2013 mid-season nominee Best Comedy Post/Blog) even wrote a hilarious piece (I hope he was being funny) ‘There’s Some Kind of Blogsphere in Here‘ wondering if I was up to something by following him. A very valid question and you are not alone in being a curious mind.
With a population of 65,000,000, if WordPress were a country, it would be the 22nd largest in the world, wedged right between the United Kingdom (63,700,000) and France (65,700,000). It is a fascinating, international community, that enables all to build a platform to showcase their talents and/or to have a voice. I enjoy my trips around the WordPress world. The sites, sounds, stories, rants and raves I encounter from my desktop our priceless.
It is my vision that The Neighborhood become an international destination for entertainment, for discussion, for discovery, for intrigue and most importantly, for peace. Developing, designing and building the type of all-inclusive atmosphere, takes planning, promoting, imagination, intensity and sincerity. But all of those things become moot, without people to share in this journey, that unveils itself a little each day.
I learn of new communities, by visiting my neighbors’ communities. WordPress is brilliant in its simplicity of meeting new friends. Simply ‘Liking’ a post or ‘commenting’ on a platform, or ‘following’ another blogger, your Gravatar or Hovercard serves as your ‘I was here signature’ linking back, from wherever you are, to your blog, making meeting new friends as easy as a ‘touch or click’. Freshly Pressed is an in-house promotional device, if you will, where ever changing categories of blogs and posts, appear, running the gamut from ‘Drawing’ to ‘Inspiration’ from ‘Startups’ to ‘Blogging’ with hundreds of stops in between. And the prominence of WordPress bloggers can be felt throughout the world wide web, as it is not uncommon to read a headline at another online community or media source, clicking the link to follow the story, and finding it has led you to a WordPress blog.
Cyberspace, where billions have established homes, is made up of hundreds of micro communities. Many people establish residence at one location and maintain ties to several more. WordPress is my home location, but with so many friends, family members, and early supporters at Facebook, I maintain smaller accommodations there, as well as SoundCloud, Twitter and GooglePlus, which are still relatively new communities to me. I try to demonstrate respect by contributing to the atmosphere at each location, in a give and take. I fall short, but my intentions are good. Many times, I am outfoxed by the number of hours in a day. But at WordPress, my home base, my online resident location, being a good neighbor does not just solve fair, it is the very foundation, in which The Neighborhood is built.
I have visited, read, listened to and commented on thousands of posts from thousands of WordPress bloggers. I cross share works from different communities, and during the blogger awards season, dedicate myself to finding, visiting and reviewing hundreds of new blogs, as well as, blogs that I have bookmarked. In an effort to expand the consideration pool for the 2014 Thepublicblogger Awards, judging criteria was established, including opening up the process to bloggers outside of WordPress, and international judging panels, and a popular vote via online poll, were installed. Utilizing this platform, the neighborhood has supported causes such as stopping bullying (BULLY) and supporting homeless Veterans and those suffering from ptsd (The Hypocrisy of War), and I am proud to do so, and humbled that my voice can be heard.
Why do I follow you? And you? And you? at WordPress, at Twitter and SoundCloud? Why do I find ‘Friends’ at Facebook and Goodreads? Why do I make ‘Connections’ at LinkedIn, add ‘Acquaintances’ at GooglePlus, feed to Bloglovin and Tumblr and post at Reddit?
As a marketer, (the cynic will say I told you so) following is a tool used in promotions and attracting new visitors, as well as, introducing thepublicblogger.com to potential new neighbors and friends, Similar to most (if not all) performance artists, I revel in producing a sold-out show. As an author, blogger & writer, It allows me to introduce readers to my novels, series and other works I post. As a volunteer promoter, it provides a larger audience for the incredible talent I discover and share within a post. As a purveyor of peace, it brings the world together in a discussion of civility and respect. And as a visionary, I can see The Neighborhood as a destination, bustling with visitors, bursting with neighbors, teeming with life. But the number of followers is a false indicator for reaching set goals, and while a tool, it serves no purpose if the production falls below par and respect for community takes a nosedive. Smoke and mirrors may serve as an initial attraction, but it is beauty, and heart, and soul, and sharing, and caring, and believing, and understanding, and honesty and integrity and creativity and doubt and prayer and you that enables The Neighborhood to grow.
As of August 20, 2013, The Neighborhood has a population of 18,218 {updated: April 24, 2016: 84,678} and I am honored and proud to welcome everyone one of you. But there are so many you out there, that we have yet to meet.
Knowing that even through the struggles, life is a gift and our life matters, and each one of us can make a contribution, no matter our stature and despite our imperfections. – Kendall F. Person, Violence
On a typical trip around social media I came across a video on Facebook, shared by one of our resident artist, Nafiys Walters of Philadelphia. With so many wonderful (and not so wonderful) music and videos, that are shared, I am certain I miss more than I hear. But I did watch this one and I am glad I did, for I met an ordinary man attempting to accomplish the .extraordinary. Michael OG Law hails from the City of Brotherly Love. We have only had a brief chat, so his history I am still learning, but there is something about his passion that connected on a very humanitarian level.
Over the next few months, we will follow Mr. Law and his 7 year old son, as they have embarked on a journey across America on the Fighting Hate With Love Tour. He believes people operate much like a computer and that troubled young men have been infected with a virus that exposes danger and shuns love. The Fight Hate With LoveTour is on a mission to rid our troubled neighborhoods of the violence, correcting natures balance with God’s love and new mental hardware in the process. Armed with a 25 foot banner, a makeshift portable jail cell – that is literally being built along the way – support of his loving wife and Chief Executive of the Foundation, Gwen back in Philadelphia, and an ironclad or foolish ambition or calling or destiny he is determined to fulfill. The hopes of thousands of young men, who have no idea he is dedicating his life to them, may depend on it.
banner and mock cell
Mr. Law, his son and a supporter at last check were leaving Brooklyn on their way to Queens. The entire trip is being funded through the kindness of strangers who meet them on the streets and are proud to contribute to this extraordinary odyssey of peace. The funds pay for food, gas, completion of the mobile jail cell and some technology to help communicate better. Currently, we are in touch only by phone. As we learn more about Mr. Law, The Neighborhood will assist them in raising funds, but for now, we will deliver periodic updates, that we hope and pray are full of success, safety and good cheer (although we would like to get Mr. Law a smartphone or tablet now, so that we may video conference with him on the trail). But if you are in Queens and you would like to view first hand this historic caravan of change via ‘reprogramming with love and words, please send an email to thepublicblogger@zoho.com and/or watch for periodic updates in the sidebar.
Good luck Michael OG Law Ta’Bon. The Neighborhood is rooting for you and we are here if you need us.
The Neighborhood supports Leaf Society in Namakkal, India, Don’t Shoot in Philadelphia, The Arts everywhere and while there is a strong need to seek sponsors, we will start our campaign to raise funds for Season Four soon. Does not open until February 2015, but it is mind-blowing. How do we know…..because it has not been invented yet.
The meaning of life then becomes an accumulative endeavor, where each piece builds, supports and enriches the earth. But with equal force, the missing threads – the contributions we hold back – are what tear humankind apart. – The Meaning of Life
Moonlight Symphony by Aenea-Jones
There has been beautiful, there has been young, there has been rich and there has been combinations of all of the above, but funny is something almost unheard of. Funny is suppose to take the pain away. Funny brightens the mood and according to medical professionals laughter produced from funny raises our pain threshold, reduces stress and enhances immunity by boosting our levels of antibodies. Funny is not suppose to be sad. It is no wonder that the death of comedic genius Robin Williams has sent shockwaves around the world. He was funny and he was very sad, confirming that depression must be fought off with everything we have.
Post traumatic stress syndrome, post mortem depression, manic depressive, bi-polar {Here!} induced by alcohol or drugs, repressed memory come to life, and even a broken heart can bring us down. With so many ways to make the sun not shine, how do we not greet each new day with a smile? Why do we sit back and look for a fight, take an offense when none was meant, and through our verbal aggression rain down on our brothers and sisters day? Perhaps that is depression too acting out in a different way.
***********
With so many movies to choose from and an equal amount of outstanding performances, Dead Poets Society resonates most deeply with me. We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute, we read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. Yes, it was an outstanding drama and yes, it was a brilliant cast, that flipped the script on what would be considered entertainment, but more so, it is my favorite Robin Williams film because it helped me to understand the depth, the talent and the imagination of acting, for it was night and day from how we met him; as the high-voltage, over-the-top alien from Ork in Mork and Mindy. I was only days from graduating from the University, when Dead Poets Society debuted. Robin Williams was transforming as an English teacher, that not only made his students believe they could do anything, he made those of us in the audience believe too. Oh Captain My Captain.
Robin Williams was funny and he was sad. I thank him for making me laugh even when depression overwhelmed him, and his addiction deceived him, and when his politics came out of him, and no doubt when he wanted to cry, but he never stopped making us laugh.
Depression is tricky and it is confusing but it can be managed and it can be defeated. If there had still existed shame about depression, it died the day it took funny away. Reach out for help, and may you and your families, have a funny day.
this is... The Neighborhood 
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