This and that

I saw this on the web and thought it was nice. I gave a bunch of copies at the Gay Pride Festival in West Hollywood yesterday.

On line I became a "co-signer" of President Obama's health plan. Here is the certificate.

Relay for Life

Saturday I participated in the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Society in Eagle Rock High School. It was quite a day. I joined in with the Survivors for the first lap around the track (walking of course, no one was running) and kept on going. I ended up doing 30 laps for the day for about 7 1/2 miles. In all it was about a 12 hour day but a very full one. For many laps I was joined by a little girl wearing a Survivor t shirt like mine, except her t shirt came down to her ankles. It was very moving to see her going around and around the track sometimes with someone and sometimes alone and holding her little bead lanyard as she walk. She probably had more beads than me.

When I was getting tired I saw a man with two artificial legs walking the track and I got my second wind. I started at about 9 am and I was going to leave at around 7:30 pm when I met a friend of mine who was just arriving to play in the next band. I stayed until 9 and his band was great.

I wasn't nearly as sore the next day as I thought I would be. Maybe it is my walking half an hour every day.

Update on things

This has been an eventful year so far. The City budget has a huge shortfall and they wanted to close my department, which is the only department serving the some 700,000 persons in the city living with disabilities. Fortunately, we were able to keep from being dismantled and will go on at least for the rest of this fiscal year and next.

So, I am working on a number of things - the Third Annual Disability Art Exhibit in City Hall, a disability art exhibit at Los Angeles International Airport, and an all-day event to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. I guess I was so active in keeping the department intact that my energy level continues to be high.

More than once I have wondered if my surviving cancer meant that I was supposed to be doing the work I am doing - trying to do what I can to make life easier and more meaningful for persons with disabilities. I think that sometimes God puts in this life to do just one small thing, and maybe this is my one small thing.

Still cancer free

Thursday, Jan. 14 my oncologist said I am still cancer free. This is exactly 2 years after the surgery. What a great way to start off the year.

Humor for a rainy day

A bent-over old lady walking with a cane hobbled into a doctor's office. Within minutes, she came out but miraculously she was standing up straight as could be. A man in the waiting room who had been watching her said with amazement, "My goodness, what did the doctor do to you?"
The old lady replied, " He gave me a longer cane."

***************

A guy was driving along when a policeman stopped him. He rolled down his window and asked, "Is there any problem officer?'
"No problem as all," the cop answered, " I just observed your safe driving and am pleased to award you with a $5,000 Safe Driving Award. Congratulations. what are you going to do with the money?"
The driver thought for a moment and said, "Well, I guess I'll go and get that driver's licence."
The lady sitting next to him in the passenger seat said "Oh, don't pay attention to him. He is a smarty pants when he's drunk and stoned."
The guy in the back seat said "I told you we wouldn't get far in a stolen car."
At that moment there was a knock from the trunk and a muffled voice said, "Are we over the border yet?"

Two hunters

Having shot a moose, two hunters began dragging it by the tail to their pick up. On the way they were stopped by a game warden. "Let me see your hunting licenses boys," he said. When he saw that everything was in order he asked if he could give them some advice.

"Sure," the hunters said.

"Well boys, I think you would find it a lot easier to drag that moose by the horns and not by the tail."

"OK and thanks", said the hunters.

After about five minutes one hunter said to the other, "Boy, dragging by the horns is sure a lot easier, eh?"

"Yes, you are right," said the other hunter, " but have you noticed that we are getting further away from the truck?"

Happy Halloween

I decided to go back to my old afro.

SHERIDAN