“Off The Wall” (OTW) is my ongoing Thursday Series about life, cultures, and random stuff that preoccupies my mind. (NOTE: today is Thursday on Wednesday… I’ll be out of pocket for much of tomorrow morning, so publishing early, as per the muse.)

meta, mega meta, and nina, emo’s emu’s and empaths…

I know, I know. Enough with the meta. Enough with blathering on about That Other Place and all that.  I’m not actually going to get deep into the GOS meta.mud here. At least, not right outta the gate. lol. Let’s have a little Nina:

What I have churning in my head, in response to all the meta, is more…. a stepping back. A looking inward. And an effort to try to look at The Big Picture.  Keep perspective. Gain perspectives.

There are struggles and then there are struggles.

OTW = Off The Wall, is my Thursday semi-regular series in which I try to talk about culture, anthro, or whatever else happens to be bouncing around in my head. h/t this week to Ria who got me goin’ on this one! ~LL

The field of Anthropology basically has four sub-fields or disciplines: Archeology, Physical APY, Cultural APY, and Linguistics. As an under-grad majoring in Cultural, I was required to take a basic course in each sub-field. Much to my relief, I was excused from having to take Statistics or any other mathy stuff. Don’t tell anybody this, but that’s half the reason I chose it. heh.

It was a long time ago, and I’m terrible at remembering all this, but I’m often amazed at the things that stand out, the things I do recall. There are few things I can think of that might bore me more than bones, skulls, and arrowheads. Sorry, but especially at the ripe young age of 19, I really could’ve cared less.

My Prof for Archeology, the class I dreaded the most, turned to be the inimitable Charles H. Fairbanks. Thank you God.

Just having a lot of mixed feelings… about everything.

You…?

So…its not just us who think this way. Well, you guys know that but sometimes I don’t.

This piece is an absolute MUST READ by Jeremy Rifkin.

Today, we are on the cusp of another historic convergence of energy and communication–a third industrial revolution–that could extend empathic sensibility to the biosphere itself and all of life on Earth. The distributed Internet revolution is coming together with distributed renewable energies, making possible a sustainable, post-carbon economy that is both globally connected and locally managed.

UPDATED with LIVE video at the Miami Herald.  Habla espanol?

UPDATE 2: 6:45 PM ET… Gloria speaking now, both Spanish and English. Nice speech re freedom….

“we are here to honor the ladies in white who have walked peacefuly for the last 7 years to defend freedom…  white is the color of hope, of peace,…. Freedom belongs to every human being…. gracias…”

Her English not exactly same as the Spanish but my Spanish isnt that good…lol.

MSNBC just had a brief report on this News.

Gloria Estefan Leads Damas March Today

A march in support of Cuban peace activist group Las Damas de Blanco happens tonight at 6 p.m. in Calle Ocho, Miami Florida.

At 6 p.m., Gloria Estefan will lead a group of peaceful protestors in a march to support Las Damas de Blanco (Ladies in White), a group of wives and mothers whose relatives are in prison for opposing Fidel Castro’s government.

After the march, which will begin at Beacom Blvd. between 7th and 8th Streets and go from 22nd to 27th Avenues, Estefan is expected to thank participants, read a poem and sing the Cuban and U.S. national anthems.

Anyone participating is aked to where white and walk in silence. Shirts, which will be replicas of the ones used in Cuba by the Damas de Blanco, will also be made.

Who…?

Well, when I started this series, I promised little more than that I’d share whatever was rolling around my brain at the time. I make good on my promises whenever possible! ha! I’ve got something else on a back burner, but when I saw this U.S. News item  pop up in my newsy yahoo spot, I decided to share. Because… my response is basically: w.t.f.

Assessing Your Middle-Class Status

Despite the so-called recovery, many families continue to struggle, with income and other living standards slipping below thresholds that typically represent middle-class quality of life. We’ve assembled a variety of metrics to help determine whether you’re getting ahead, holding steady, or slipping further than most.  more>>>

It’s a quick read, you can just go look at it. Well, I don’t know about you, but… the champagne ain’t exactly flowin’ at my house.

I’ve been lucky or blessed maybe. My encounters with death or loss have been extremely few and far between. I lost my parents … pretty much the way it should be… to old age, well into my own adulthood. Blessed be.

When I was young, I hated it when people would accuse me of leading a “sheltered life” but, truth is, I did.  Pretty much. As a result I was rather ill equipped to deal with a lot of life’s little slings and arrows. But… you live and learn. “Tomorrow’s another day” my Mom would always say.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and senior staff, react in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, as the House passes the health care reform bill, March 21, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)



This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

so where’s today’s Open Thread??? Allow me…

“Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.”

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