Kurt Brindley's Blog, page 77

Two Marines walked into a bar…

…and the Sailor ducked.

Ba dum bump!

#militaryhumor

Okay, just a couple of quick announcements while I’ve got your attention.

I am overwhelmed with happiness and joy now that it is Spring, and because of all the wonderful submissions we’ve received to the Relating to Humans Women’s Issues feature in celebration of Women’s History Month. We still have a week or so to go for #WHM2016 and I am still posting to the blog all submissions received to the feature.

If you’re not sure what all this Relating to Humans stuff is all about. I attempt to explain it all here.

All RTH submissions received prior to 2016 have been moved to the RTH Archives. There is a lot of compelling reading to be found there so check it out if you have a chance.

Aurelius, Zeno, and I are vibing to some Nine Inch Nails Ghost I-IV right now, in case you were wondering.

Da Bro’s vibing some NIN… and their space heater.

Anyway… With just about all RTH past submissions now archived, that means there is a lot of white space for you to post your work.

We all know that the early bird gets the best spot where all the book worms like to hang out, if you know what I mean… So submit early and submit often, but only submit one article or piece at a time per feature. If you want to submit something new to a feature that you already have something submitted to, let me know and I’ll archive the old so you can share with us the new.

From now through the summer months, I plan/hope to be heavily involved with the raising of funds and then the production of my short film LEAVE out in Los Angeles. Fingers crossed.

Consequently, I am not going to have as much time to spend writing stuff here for you to read, hence the awkward necessity of this awkwardness. Consequently, I am going to be looking to your submissions to the various RTH features to pull from and post to the blog. Consequently, I am going to need you all to post a lot of compelling and awareness-raising stuff up there for me to pull from. Consequently, I am going to be adding even more features for you to submit your work to.

Can you dig it?

I’m thinking new features such as: “Health Issues,” (notice how I put that comma before the closing quotes? strange how we do it that way here in ‘Merica (prounounced: mur/e/ka) when our good friends across The Pond would put them outside the closing quotes… isn’t life wonderful with all its little peculiarities like that? though, in actuality, since I’ve now added this interesting – at least to me – parenthetical aside, I guess the comma really should go after the closing parenthesis… oh well. my blog my (broken) rules.), “Criminal Justice Issues,” and although I’m a bit hesitant about this one because I’m not totally convinced it fits comfortably with the other features but we’ll see how it goes… “Relationship Issues.”

I am going to ask/require that all human-related creative submissions, such as poetry as the primary example, be submitted only to its designated creative artsy-type feature. In other words, please submit your poems, photography, flash fiction, etc. only to its specific feature. In other words, all poems submitted to the “Women’s Issues” feature will be moved to the “Poetry” feature. To me it will be more interesting to read poetry or any other pieces submitted to the artsy-fartsy type features that cover many diverse, human-related topics in one feature. In other words, I hope I didn’t confuse you as much as I just confused myself.

April is “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” so, unfortunately, there may be opportunities to speak to that very unfortunate and sadly big issue.

Let’s start identifying “Trigger Warnings” where applicable, please. I think for a place like this those are a crucial necessity.

So… that’s about it. Please start submitting away and I will move all the submissions that move me to the blog so they can move all of us into a broader, more compassionate understanding of all that’s going on in and all around this pretty yet petulant planet of ours that we all can and do and must relate to because like it or not we are all humans and we are ultimately all related.

All** cool?

Yeah…

One last thing!

Have you considered donating a buck* or two to help me get my short film off the ground? If you do, I will help you promote your book, your project, or a cause your most passionate about. You can learn how here.

And if you’re a Newsletter Love subscriber, I’ll promote your work to our dedicated, and growing, newsletter group, as well.

Right on?

Write. On!

And remember…

Friends don’t let friends drive drunk, vote for Trump… or stumble headfirst into bars.

For pain will surely ensue if they do.

*Paypal accepts just about all major global denominations.

**Yes, you’re right. I did use an awful lot of “alls” in this post for some reason.

 

 

Filed under: Human Relations Tagged: authors, books, criminal justice, human relations, humor, Indie Authors, poetry, Relating to Humans, sexual assault, sexual assault awareness, submissions, Women's History Month, women's issues, writing

HEROES FOR A MODERN GIRL | A Relating to Humans Women’s Issues Feature

HEROES FOR A MODERN GIRL

by Pamela Schloesser Canepa

The poet Maya Angelou

shared wise words that moved me so.

Songbird Nina Simone

Did not fear walking alone.

Nikki Giovanni

Laid the truth on me.

Mom bravely raised me alone,

in the warmest, loving home.

Simone deBouvaire taught me

women are not property.

Toni Morrison’s Pilate

was free like a wild lilac.

And I thank them all

for helping me stand tall.

Men’s rules, commandments, and laws

once confined us, we felt lost.

But there was no stopping

rebels like Janis Joplin.

I benefit from their stand,

and I’m fed by my own hand.

I thank them all

For helping me stand tall.

 

pamelascanepa.wordpress.com

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

 

 

Filed under: Human Relations Tagged: empowerment, feminism, human relation, Janis Joplin, Maya Angelou, Nikki Giovanni, Nina Simone, poetry, Relating to Humans, Simone deBouvaire, Toni Morrison, Women's History Month, women's issues, writing

#COMBAT #READY #SAILORS

WORLD WAR I

WORLD WAR II

TODAY

All historical recruitment posters are courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

All others are official Navy photos. Click on an image to learn more about it and to download high resolution copies.

 

 

Filed under: Military Tagged: diversity, equality, female aviators, female officers, female sailors, feminism, historical photographs, human relations, US Navy, women issues, Women's History Month, World War I, World War II

xIRATE X VBLOG: EPISODE ONE

AKA TMI TIME WITH KURT
AKA ONE MORE WAY FOR KURT TO ANNOY YOU…

AND YOU TO IGNORE HIM

#yesitiswaytoolong

#yesitiswaytooawkward

#yesitcontainsbadwords

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

 

 

Filed under: Promotional Tagged: acting, actors, Colin Bates, fundraisers, independent films, IRATE VBLOG, LEAVE: A Short Film, screenplays, screenwriting, scripts, short films, Treestamp, video blogs, writing

IRATE VBLOG: EPISODE ONE

AKA TMI TIME WITH KURT
AKA ONE MORE WAY FOR KURT TO ANNOY YOU…

AND YOU TO IGNORE HIM

#yesitiswaytoolong

#yesitiswaytooawkward

#yesitcontainsbadwords

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

 

 

Filed under: Promotional Tagged: acting, actors, Colin Bates, fundraisers, independent films, IRATE VBLOG, LEAVE: A Short Film, screenplays, screenwriting, scripts, short films, Treestamp, video blogs, writing

WILL YOU…

DONATE TO SUPPORT MY WOMEN’S ISSUES SHORT FILM AND PROMOTE YOUR WORK?

AND WILL YOU…

SUBMIT YOUR HUMAN-RELATED WORK TO THESE HUMAN-RELATED FEATURES?

Moral Issues
Religious Issues
Philosophical Issues
Mental Health Issues
Race Issues
Women’s Issues
LGBT Issues
Political Issues
Flash Fiction
Poetry
Photography
Music
Film
Art

PLEASE.

 

#independentartistssupportingindependentartists

 

 

Filed under: Human Relations Tagged: authors, films, human relations, independent artists, independent films, Indie Authors, Relating to Humans, screenplays, screenwriting, short films, submissions, writing

DESPITE IT ALL, BECAUSE OF IT ALL | A Relating to Humans Women’s Issues Feature

DESPITE IT ALL, BECAUSE OF IT ALL

by lorieb

I grew up in a large family, the youngest girl and second youngest of six children, with two sisters and three brothers. Despite that, or perhaps because of that, I have always wanted to have a large family myself. My husband on the other hand, grew up with just one sister, so he was more skeptical of the prospect of a large family. Of course a large family today is probably only equivalent to half the size of a large family back then.

My ultimate goal was to have my children before the age of 30, so I could be a young mother and grandmother. After three-and-a-half years of marriage, I stopped using birth control so we could start a family. It didn’t take long for me to get pregnant, but it took determination and perseverance throughout nine pregnancies within the next ten years to successfully create our family.

I decided to write a book about my efforts to have children for many reasons; the most important one being that it was very therapeutic for me to jot down details of each of my pregnancies, successful or not, to keep them all sorted in my mind. Reading about them now, each one borne complete through words becoming sentences, and sentences becoming paragraphs and pages, is the most therapeutic of all. Of course it is easier to move on when things have ended on a positive note, and my family is complete.

My advice to others is simple:

Talk about your fears, disappointments and struggles to anyone who will listen. This can be a professional councilor or a friend or family member. On the flip side, listen to anyone that is trying to lean on you for support throughout their struggles. I remember a co-worker thanking me for “breaking the ice” as she called it, upon my return to work after a stillbirth. My co-workers were all very concerning and caring, but no one knew what to say or how to act, so when I started the conversation they were very grateful. It is always better to acknowledge someone’s pain rather than ignore or avoid it.

Do not wait too long to start your family. As my story shows you, things do not always go as planned. If you are in a healthy, financially stable relationship, and both of you want to have children, don’t procrastinate. That’s why humans have a nine-month gestation; it gives you time to get used to the idea of a baby in the family.

Work hard for what you believe in and want out of life. Do not let others tell you that you cannot do something that you believe you can. Do not believe that you cannot do something until you have tried your best to do it.

Do not take anything you have for granted, especially your health, but also your intelligence, athletic abilities, and anything else that makes you different from others.

Last, but not least, when you are feeling down, take a moment to realize that there is always someone worse off than you in any given situation. Think of the good and positive things in your life, (I do not mean materialistic things) and be sure to surround yourself with positive people that really care about you. Delete the negative things and people from your life. Make a written list of these things, referring to it often and adding to the list as you work through your struggles.

I can write this story now with humor, candor, wisdom and hindsight, all things I did not have much of when I was first starting out on my path to motherhood. Hopefully, this will provide inspiration and comfort to others that have or are going through the frustration and heartbreak of losing a child during pregnancy.

 

lorieb.com

 

Submit your awareness-raising human related-work to the Relating to Humans feature.

 

 

Filed under: Human Relations Tagged: childbirth, children, family, marriage, maternity issues, miscarriage, motherhood, pregnacy, pregnancy issues, submissions, therapy, Women's History Month, women's issues, writing

Should He Stay Or Should He Go?

Wikimedia Commons

Last year it was announced that the US Treasury Department was planning to remodel the ten-dollar bill by replacing its current male model, Alexander Hamilton, with a female model.

That was before the Broadway musical “Hamilton” became a huge success… and the play’s creator and star and Presidential First Rapper, Lin-Manuel Miranda, had subsequently become an advocate and lobbyist for keeping the Founding Father and “Good Ol’ Boys” OG on the bill.

Miranda met recently with the US Treasury Secretary and it seems that his lobbying effort on behalf of his musical muse has paid off.

I talked to @USTreasury about this on Monday. Sec. Lew told me "you're going to be very happy." #wegetthejobdone https://t.co/ZkLFuSmz8M

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) March 16, 2016

 

So, in the somewhat spirit of the United Nation’s #HeforShe campaign, should Hamilton stay or should he go and be replaced by a female historical hero?

Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father of the United States, chief staff aide to General George Washington, one of the most influential interpreters and promoters of the U.S. Constitution, the founder of the nation’s financial system, the founder of the Federalist Party, the world’s first voter-based political party, the Father of the United States Coast Guard, and the founder of The New York Post. As the first Secretary of the Treasury, Hamilton was the primary author of the economic policies of the George Washington administration. (Wikipedia)

 

Take Our Poll

 

If would be great if you could expand on your response in the comment section.

For instance: Who should the female model be? If not Hamilton, then which bill’s male model should go? If you no longer use hard currency, are you, as Kurt is, looking forward to the permanent chip implant?

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

 

 

Filed under: Human Relations Tagged: Alexander Hamilton, Broadway, equality, feminism, gender issues, human relations, Lin-Manuel Miranda, lobbyists, money, musicals, polls, woman's issues, women, women's rights

So here’s my conundrum… update #1

Never could it have been anywhere even close to being within the realm of my boundless imagination prior to the commencement of the Republican Party’s primary season, which has come to be known affectionately as REPUBLICAN HATEFEST 2016 ~ Making America Great Again Through It’s Bigotry & Violence, that I would ever entertain the thought that Ted Cruz could be a moderate alternative to any other candidate.

Yet, here I am thinking just that.

Unbelievable.

Not that I am endorsing Cruz or even considering voting for him — I would vote for a dirty dish towel before voting for either him or that bigoted billionaire buffoon who is beating him handily in the race.

I’m just making the observation how utterly unbelievable and scary the Republican front-runners are.

I really hope John Kasich, the governor of my birth state, can get it together and pull out an upset at the Republican Convention. I continue to hold him in high regard compared to all other possibilities that either party has to offer at this point.

Although, I do take very seriously Trump de Drumpf’s hardly veiled threat that there may be riots if he isn’t anointed as the Republican nominee.

And so do others…

 

 

This is a recent facebook post of mine address specifically to my friends…

So here’s the deal from now until November, provided I can last on facebook that long because it already is really hard for me to bear all the vitriolic political bs streaming around…

If I regard you as a friend, a real friend and not just a fb friend, and it appears to me that you are a ‪#‎Trump‬ supporter – just him, not any of the other candidates for president – then I will be dogged in my commitment to overwhelming you with reason and compassion each time you post anything that comes close to regarding Trump’s candidacy in a positive way.

Because I simply cannot believe that someone with all their faculties in place can actually be a supporter of his intolerant, violent political platform… and I refuse to believe someone who I know and whose friendship I value could support such a thing.

Friends do not let friends drive drunk… or support Trump.

 

#optrump

#hackthedrumpf

#intervention

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

 

 

Filed under: Politics Tagged: Anonymous, bigotry, conundrums, Donald Trump, hackers, hate, John Kasich, politicians, politics, Republican Party, technology, Ted Cruz, violence, voting

I Am Of Ireland by William Butler Yeats

#happystpatricksday

 

‘I am of Ireland,

And the Holy Land of Ireland,

And time runs on,’ cried she.

‘Come out of charity,

Come dance with me in Ireland.’

One man, one man alone

In that outlandish gear,

One solitary man

Of all that rambled there

Had turned his stately head.

That is a long way off,

And time runs on,’ he said,

‘And the night grows rough.’

‘I am of Ireland,

And the Holy Land of Ireland,

And time runs on,’ cried she.

‘Come out of charity

And dance with me in Ireland.’

‘The fiddlers are all thumbs,

Or the fiddle-string accursed,

The drums and the kettledrums

And the trumpets all are burst,

And the trombone,’ cried he,

‘The trumpet and trombone,’

And cocked a malicious eye,

‘But time runs on, runs on.’

I am of Ireland,

And the Holy Land of Ireland,

And time runs on,’ cried she.

“Come out of charity

And dance with me in Ireland.’

 

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?

 

 

Filed under: Poetry Tagged: authors, classic literature, holidays, Holy Land, Ireland, Irish Poets, literature, Luck o' the Irish, poetry, poets, St. Patrick's Day, William Butler Yeats, writing