Journaling on estrip is free and easy. get started today

Last Visit 2021-11-03 21:00:02 |Start Date 2006-03-09 18:13:23 |Comments 2,382 |Entries 652 |Images 1,464 |Videos 87 |Mobl 104 |Theme |

07/23/06 06:19 - 68ºF - ID#25793

Housing update

We have had more communication with the land lady (for lack of a better word) . The house will not be demolished. Things are going good and I should have at least until November maybe even until next spring to stay. If I could stay until then my life would be so much easier. I'm excited still to see what History i can find on the house. If all goes well I'll be living on my own starting in September. That is such an exciting feeling.
print add/read comments

Permalink: Housing_update.html
Words: 85


07/23/06 01:57 - 64ºF - ID#25792

¡Ay Cuba cómo te extraño!

Aquí esta un poquito del sabor de Cuba. Disfruta.


El rio yumurí

Missing Image ;(


Las calles de la Habana
image
El pueblo de trinidad
image
El mirador
image
Un pajarito
image
La guagua se va
image
una Bucanero para tus espíritus
image
La costa
image
Un secreto
image
¡Que rica la sonrisa!
image
Una habitación por alquilar

Missing Image ;(


Los quapos
image
Las montañas

Missing Image ;(


Los marineros
image
Un buen amigo. Está en las puertas del Convento de Santa Clara
image

print addComment

Permalink: _Ay_Cuba_c_mo_te_extra_o_.html
Words: 129


07/22/06 11:25 - 65ºF - ID#25791

584 Elmwood

The other night I talked to a woman that (e:paul) has recorded ranting on Elmwood. See his post
Many of you may have seen this woman around the strip within the last year. Interestingly enough, she was on one of her rants directed at what you or I couldn't see. She was sitting on our curb front on Elmwood as often people do. I said hello, but there wasn't a response. Then I said "How are you?" The next part took me by surprise. We ended up having a very interesting dialogue. It seems she has another side to her and aparently you can pull her out of a rant just by saying hello. She shared with me some of her struggles, we exchanged names and I said goodbye. The conversation probably lasted 30 minutes or so. She didn't really stop talking after telling her I had to go in, so as she talked I gently and steadily shut the door.

On another note, this morning we got a call letting us know the Bishop who owns our house is ready to sell. A realtor will be here on Tuesday and they will decide whether to sell ASAP or next Spring. Of course this complicates my situation as Steve was planning on moving out in September and I was to continue living here. The price is right and I like living here. I'm probably not going to be able to afford living on my own and the other thing is who could I possibly live with?

The other thing I'm concerned about is that they will sell to some creep who just wants to tear the house down. Maybe on Monday I could get to the Historical Society to do some research on the house. It's possible I could convince the Bishop to screen potential buyers for their intentions. We don't need another house on Elmwood destroyed for greed's sake.


print addComment

Permalink: 584_Elmwood.html
Words: 332


07/21/06 12:05 - 72ºF - ID#25790

An open invite

I have decided to share with anyone interested my part in tomorrow's district meeting. The Soka Gakkai divides areas into smaller groups for meetings that gather monthly. Tomorrow at 7pm the Central Park District, which is my district, will meet. Anyone is welcome, you don't have to participate and you don't have to become a Buddhist. I just want to put it out there in case somebody did want to go. Hope you all don't think I'm on some mission to convert everyone. Really, this is what my life is about and that is what a journal is, our lives, our thoughts and our beliefs. My part of the meeting is below.



Why is it important to have a fighting spirit?

A life without obstacles or hardships may seem inviting. We all from time to time ask ourselves "Why does my life have to be so difficult?" Doesn't society teach us that a life without difficulties is a life of happiness? We all have seen the ads for Sandals Beach Resorts, or the various cruise lines selling package deals. Their message is simple. Happiness comes with a price. For X amount of dollars we will provide you X amount of days free of all worries. You will sit on a perfect beach and enjoy the crystal clear waters, pure white sand and unlimited Margaritas. It won't rain, there won't be a Tsunami and you will never see anyone without enough to eat. In fact, the people that are serving you are happy natives, they enjoy serving you and they don't mind that the best part of their island is reserved just for you. That's it a life free from worries, a life of happiness.

True and unshakeable happiness does not come from a life that is stagnant. Being happy isn't about waiting until our difficulties magically disappear, it comes about from the victory that we create for ourselves and others by overcoming the obstacles which are bound to appear in our lives. Not facing our difficulties leaves them only to fester and grow larger causing more and more unhappiness. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is the tool we use to give us the courage, strength and wisdom to overcome anything we wish. Faith only comes about after we see results. We must have a fighting spirit! President Ikeda says "If we give in to fear, obstacles and hindrances will only increase. If we are cowardly, the workings of negative and destructive forces will eat away at our lives. It is vital that our fighting spirit is fueled by strong faith-or confidence-in our practice of the Mystic Law so that we can break through ignorance and illusion and defeat obstacles and devilish functions.

If you are not a practicing Buddhist, you can still see the law of cause and effect that govern the planet, just as if you are not a scientist you can still understand the law of gravity. The stronger our efforts to change that which makes us unhappy, the more good fortune we are going to receive in our lives and the lives of those around us. A fighting spirit does not take the attitude that what we do now isn't important, that we can just sit back and leave our problems for future generations to solve. A fighting spirit does not stop fighting ever! It is easy to think that our lives are insignificant, that the world's problems are not within our control, but the fighting spirit realizes that the responsibility is ours. A fighting spirit works to encourage others, who will in turn encourage others and so forth. This is the goal of the SGI, we call it Kosen-rufu. This is the goal. A time of peace brought about by enough people understanding the mystic law of cause and effect. When enough people have the understanding that the affect of violence is more violence, only then will we have peace. Many people consider peace naïve romanticism, but when we strive to have a fighting spirit, we strive to change that which seems impossible.



For those of you who may have noticed my lack of a fighting spirit these days all I can say is....I know. I'm working on it!

Send me a post it with your number if you want to attend.





print addComment

Permalink: An_open_invite.html
Words: 717


07/19/06 08:04 - 83ºF - ID#25789

Hummer Monsters and Girly Men

Hummer Ad

Anti Hummer Ad


I wanted to find the commercial I saw on TV today for Hummers, but I couldn't find it. Here is a bloggers recollection of the ad.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Hummer: Restore Your Manhood

Marketing gurus tell us that people buy for emotional reasons, then find facts to support their decision.

I saw a great commercial on TV last night which can clearly show you how to market to people's emotions. The scene opens with two men at a checkout counter in a supermarket. The first man is buying "good for you" food, like tofu. He looks uncomfortable and embarassed as the clerk continually tries to price-scan the tofu and it won't pick up the price. He glances to the second man, then down at what the second man is buying: He-Man food, like pork ribs for his barbeque.

Obviously, the first man has had enough of being a wimp! He leaves the supermarket, goes directly to a Hummer dealership, and buys one of the huge trucks.

As the ad closes, the tagline reads, "Restore Your Manhood."

Can a truck really, really make you feel more like a man??? I guess so, according to Hummer.

Hummer is in a difficult position right now, with gasoline prices rising. It will be fascinating to watch how they play on people's emotions to "spin" the story of Hummer, desperately trying to sell more of the gas-guzzling vehicles.

For all you small business owners out there, take some time to watch TV commercials, and for each one, ask yourself, "What emotion, what promise, are they really selling?" It gives you something to do while you watching all those annoying ads. After all, advertisers spend millions of dollars to produce those ads; you might as well learn marketing theory from them, eh?

posted by Karyn Greenstreet @ 8:25 AM



So looks like I'm a little short on manhood. I have no Hummer and I don't eat animals any more. OK, fine! I accidently ate some bacon the other day, but i didn't know it was in the broccoli salad.

I don't know what you "chicks" think, but this Burger King Ad is really offensive to me.

print add/read comments

Permalink: Hummer_Monsters_and_Girly_Men.html
Words: 404


07/19/06 06:52 - 86ºF - ID#25788

Today's Headlines

Much of nation sizzling in heat wave

Britain endures hottest-ever July day

U.S. swelters under deadly heat wave

Just Short Of All-Time Record Heat

Beryl Heading Toward Unsuspecting New England

image

Severe Drought in Northern Plains to Have Nationwide Economic Impact

Flood Threat Looms!

On the Subcontinent; Tropical Storm Kaemi

Cities devise ways to beat the heat

Heat Wave Misery Continues

Heat wave fries Central Canada

Californians Suffer Under Statewide Heat Wave

Phoenix Heat Wave Claims 13 Lives
Most Victims Homeless; City Officials Ask For Ice, Water Donations

Heat wave scorches East for one more day
Some relief for Midwest, West, but Southeast still broiling

Europe's Heat Wave Breaks Records

A Hot Year So Far for the USA and for the Globe

Temperature Set to Hit 100 Degrees - and Global Warming is to Blame
print addComment

Permalink: Today_s_Headlines.html
Words: 135


07/18/06 10:35 - 73ºF - ID#25787

SGI Youth Festival Photos

It begins with a DJ battle.
image
Young Hip Hop Dancers
image
Sporting the SGI Colors
image

image

Old Skool battles New Skool
image

image

image

image

They Unite.
image
African Dance
image
Brazilian Capoeira
image

image


image

image

image
Asian Dance
image

A tired Buffalo audience
image
Sax Player
image
He's not shooting a hoop, he's getting the audience to clap to the beat.
image

image


image

image

image

image


image
What were we singing again?
image

image

See previous post for story.
print add/read comments

Permalink: SGI_Youth_Festival_Photos.html
Words: 135


07/17/06 07:49 - 86ºF - ID#25786

It all begins with me!

On Sunday I attended the Soka Gakkai International Youth Festival "It All Begins With Me!" Really, I did not want to get on a bus for 8 hours. Somehow I made myself get on to the bus and it turned out to be a great experience. On the bus, I connected with other youth members (Youth division is 35 and under). I'm not going to say that the trip wasn't agonizing at some points along the way, but I'm so glad that I got on that bus.

When we pulled up to Lincoln Center in NYC, there were other youth members there to greet us. They were so genuine in their care for us and clapped and congratulated us for our efforts to be there. Most of us from the Upstate Region began to rehearse to sing a song to the 3,000 plus youth in attendance. I chose not to along with my friends Mike, his mother, Samantha and Adam. We were free to walk around New York until the festival began.

It was as hot as all hell as we walked to Central Park and then to Times Square. For Mike and his mother, it was their first trip to see the city. Being a little naive, they followed a man selling something out of a burlap sack down a side street! He opens up the sack to reveal a bunch of overpriced knockoff bags. After five minutes of sales pitch we break away only to see the men stopped by the police only minutes later. Not sure if they were arrested or not, but I assume what they were doing wasn't exactly legal. There were several near traffic accidents as my friends stepped into busy streets without looking. It was crazy and I was definitely dehydrated by the time we walked back to Lincoln Center.

We get back, only to be told that we need to come back in another hour! GRRR. Since I was hungry, we decided to eat. After passing many expensive restaurants we happened along a Subway, the only thing within walking distance I could afford. My body soaked up a bottle of water, but still I was dehydrated.

It increasingly became hotter with every step we took. We got back to the center, this time to face crazy lines that wouldn't move. Finally, we get into auditorium and sat in the very front of the center! They had reserved us seats at the event knowing how far we had traveled to be there!

It turned out to be amazing, starting out with a DJ battle. Everyone that performed was a member of the SGI Youth Division. They had really young kids dancing to Busta Rhymes with Missy and Mary J! They were sooo good. The Young Woman's Division performed African and Asian dance and the Young Men's Division entertained us with drumming and gymnastics!

Afterwards, we walked some more, got some more food and got increasingly more hot and dirty! At 5pm we waited for our bus that was late. The Woman's Division provided us with watermelon, water, and complete chicken meals for our ride home. Finally, we get onto the scorching hot bus and head home. Sleeping was nearly impossible on the full bus. I taught my friend Shannon who is 14 some Spanish, which I suspect she is going to use on boys (She lives on the west side)! Her life is far from easy, but she is doing great. She avoids drugs, has loving parents and has some talent in poetry. My friend Mike who is 15 came out of the closet in the 8th grade! I so wish I were courageous enough at his age to do the same. We got back today at 2am.

I'll post some pics of the show later.

print addComment

Permalink: It_all_begins_with_me_.html
Words: 628


07/12/06 12:36 - 70ºF - ID#25785

The Niagara Continued

This is a continuation of my obsession with the Niagara.


Military Vehicles-ROTC Site
image
Water Front
image
Peace Bridge
image

image


image

image

image
Tonawanda Asphalts
image

I'm assuming these pipes are some type of effluent being discharged in the Niagara, but I can't confirm.
image

image
Original Erie Canal Site
image

image

Noco Testing Plant. Anyone have any iidea what is going on here?
image

image

image

Grand Island Bridge
image
United We Stand
image

print add/read comments

Permalink: The_Niagara_Continued.html
Words: 116


07/14/06 06:26 - 87ºF - ID#25784

Madam Senator

I'm publishing a letter that I intend to send to Senator Clinton as well as other government representatives. My desire is to inform everyone of one of the ways in which the budget crisis has affected our community, but also to see if there are any errors in my writing or style. Here is a chance to rip me to shreds!

Madam Senator,

It has come to my attention that funding cuts have affected the Erie County Department of Health and their STD testing clinics. This, I believe, is not only morally unacceptable, but also fiscally unwise for county and federal governments.

Access to the free testing clinic at the Rath Building in the City of Buffalo has become a nightmare. The clinic, now only open three days a week and with little staff to address the demand for this service, are missing many opportunities to identify positive individuals. Reducing HIV cases is dependent upon an informed citizenry. There are many people who are not being able to be seen upon entering the clinic. How many of those people return to get tested can never be known. Funding must be increased to this valuable public service that reduces the greater cost of treatment, by proactively preventing the spread of STDs.

Please address your attention to this matter and act appropriately. Thank you in advance for your efforts.

Sincerely,


Libertad

Thanks for your suggestions peepers!

print add/read comments

Permalink: Madam_Senator.html
Words: 234


Search

Chatter

New Site Wide Comments

joe said to joe
Never send a man to do a grandma's job...

sina said to sina
yes thank you!
Well, since 2018 I am living in France, I have finished my second master of science,...

paul said to sina
Nice to hear from you!! Hope everything is going great....

paul said to twisted
Hello from the east coast! It took me so long to see this, it might as well have arrived in a lette...