I just put "Rajah and the Big Blue Ball" to bed. It is the first in the series of six children's books under contract to PM Moon Publishers, Limited.
It is not a big book or a complicated book, but it was originally written for one of my favorite group of children, in my favorite classroom.
As I look through the media kit from my publisher, I could not help but to think back to my wonderful students.
Community
The community is on the lower west side of Cleveland, Ohio, seven miles from downtown, on the north border of the District. The neighborhood is one of the oldest in Cleveland, founded in 1809, and is considered run-down. The mean monthly income is $800.00, and a full 85% of all residents receive some sort of financial assistance. The racial/ethnic make-up mirrors that of the school itself. The community routinely votes Democratic (when they vote since the average voter turn out is about 20%), and the current elected state representatives are Democrats.
The District
It is the largest district within Ohio. Located in the northeast section of Ohio, it is on the shores of Lake Erie, but separated east and west by the Cuyahoga River. The east side of the Cleveland District is 75% black, 10% white, 10% Hispanic, and 5% other. The west side of the District is comprised of 65% white, 20% Hispanic, 10% African-American, 3% children of mixed parentage, and 2% other. The socioeconomic conditions within the district range from poverty level to professional parents with college degrees. 45% of the total families in the District own their homes.
The average number of children per family in the district was four.
Ths School
The classroom was a model school for the District. Although the school first opened its doors eighty-four years ago (in 1924), it was the first year that this school had been K-8. As such, most of the 65 teachers were new to the school. I was new to the school.
Located in the middle of what is still considered a particularly dangerous inner-city neighborhood of a large metropolitan city, all of our students were considered disadvantaged. The families in our school were at or slightly above poverty level.
Most of the children come from single parent families, or were living with foster or adoptive families, but many have extensive support systems through a lattice of extended family within the same household, or within walking distance of the school.
There is little home ownership in this neighborhood (>1%), different from the district at large, and most of the families were renters of single family or duplex homes. The parents showed a true interest in their children's education, unlike the concerns expressed by teachers at other schools. This was evident by the high rate of parent participation in school activities, report card pick up, and teacher conferences. In addition to which, a full 63% of the parents were they, themselves, involved in some sort of educational pursuit. The racial/ethnicity mix of the school differed from other parts of the district in that the community was 11% African- American, 45% white, 35% Hispanic, 7% children of mixed ethnic background, and 3% other. The average number of children per household was six.
There were 21 students in my classroom. The students gender division was 12 girls and nine boys. The youngest student in this second grade classroom was still seven, and her birthday was in June. The oldest student was already 10 years old, and took medication for ADHD. There was one other student who also received medication for ADHD.
There were no discipline problems even though two children were under psychiatric care. One student had seizures, and one student had severe asthma.
Of the 21 students, two were African-American, one was Asian Indian, five students were Hispanic, one was of mixed black/white ethnicity, and the remaining 13 students were white.
It was for these children that I wrote "Rajah and the Big Blue Ball". It was from their "Tell Me a Story" time that this book evolved.
So why am I writing about all of this? This teacher had students who live well below the poverty line, and many of them were not living with parents. In addition some of my students did not have English as their primary language. And yet, one of the unifying and comforting times for all the students was our story time.
Some students in the classroom were the subject of custody battles by their parents, and another student watched as one of his cousins was shot in the head by a drive-by shooter. The child was so traumatized by the sight of blood and neural material splattered all over him, that he did not speak for six months. But when he did, he asked me to tell him a story.
And the story I told was "Rajah and the Big Blue Ball".
Dr. Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Sunday, September 28, 2008
An Open Letter to Barack Obama
Dear Mr. Obama.
Although I have not decided whether to vote for you or for Hilary, I do like the idea of change. So, for real change to our American economy, let's bail out the taxpayer.
Let's begin with student loans. Forgiving student loans for anyone making less than $200,000 per year in combined family income could put up to two thousand dollars per month into the pocket of the consumer. The middle class needs some help. My generation still bought into going to school and paying our bills. Personally, I wouldn't even have student loans if I had not had to go back to school under the No Child Left Behind law. I already had a master AND a doctorate. I did not owe any student loans, until NCLB. I was forced to incur debt to meet all the stipulations of the law. So please, lets forgive some, if not all, of this debt.
Next, what could 700 billion dollars do for the taxpayer? If you put the money directly into our hands, you would not need to bail out the financial institutions. People could pay off all their loans and debt. No one would have to lose their home. Banks would not lose their money from the sub-prime lending mistakes they made, as well as their lavish lifestyle and bonuses. I would certainly replace my 16 year old car with a newer model. I might take in a movie from time-to-time, or actually go to a restaurant with a friend, for dinner, once in a while.
If I take a look at all services I have eliminated from my budget, and the ways that I have cut back, I am convinced that $55,000 in tax-free bail-out money per taxpayer would turn the economy completely around. Let's take a look.
1) I stopped having my nails done. I never had all the fancy artificial tips because my nails grow rather long on their own, but I enjoyed having a manicure twice a month. I paid $40 per month, plus gratuity for the privilege.
2) I stopped having my hair professionally done. $200 per month, is what it cost, because my hair is so long. That doesn't even include the coloring, that I need even more frequently, as the birthdays whosh by.
3) I stopped my summer projects on my house. Each summer I have made a major repair or renovation to the house, or some special summer fix-up project. It was one of the first expenses to go. I have trimmed this down to necessary repairs, only. And, I rarely use an outside contractor, but, instead I keep the money in the family by hiring my son-in-law or my grandson.
4) No more take-out or pizza. Every two weeks I would treat us to something special on Friday Night. Relinquishing this pleasure saved a quick $100 per month.
5) I knocked down my religious contributions by $5.00 per week. This is the one cut about which I feel guilty. But it helps with the gasoline expense for my car. It buys an additional gallon.
6) My clothing allowance of $1200 per year has been cut to the replacement of stockings and underware. I don't mean the beautiful fancy lingerie, but instead I am sticking to basics. I haven't bought a new pair of shoes this year, and I am wondering if my work shoes will make it through the winter.
7) Although I work for the largest school district in our state, I do not currently have any health care. It is a long story, and one for a separate blog, but I cannot afford the more than $550 per month that I would have to pay.
8) My personal physician is less than thrilled with my attention to check-ups. Avoiding check-ups saves me about $120.00 per month in the short-run. We will not discuss what may happen in the long-run if I should need hospitalization. I do, however, need to augument my life insurance, even more.
9) The same issue is reflected in my cut back of dental care to once per year, and the reduction of my vision check-ups to once every two years. Although this might be acceptable in an healthy young adult, I am past sixty and it may have a negative impact in the future.
10) I still have my dogs and my cats. I have changed their brand of food which has saved me about $13 per week per dog, and $7.00 for both cat. The dogs function as absolutely wonderful guard dogs and companions. The cats just sleep a lot, but I love them just the same.
By my calculations, I supported 13 separate industries, excluding the banking industry, the mortgage industry, the heating industry, the telecomunications industry, and the electric lighting industry. I have not been able to significantly reduce any of these fixed expenses.
And, although I have cut back my household expenses by more than $24,000, I, like most middle class American's, find ourselves struggling to meet the rising cost. I am swiming against a strong current of spiraling prices. So, please Barack Obama, if you are voted in to office, please remember your promise for change. Bail-out the American people, for real change. We need help.
Mosetta Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph. D.
Dear Mr. Obama.
Although I have not decided whether to vote for you or for Hilary, I do like the idea of change. So, for real change to our American economy, let's bail out the taxpayer.
Let's begin with student loans. Forgiving student loans for anyone making less than $200,000 per year in combined family income could put up to two thousand dollars per month into the pocket of the consumer. The middle class needs some help. My generation still bought into going to school and paying our bills. Personally, I wouldn't even have student loans if I had not had to go back to school under the No Child Left Behind law. I already had a master AND a doctorate. I did not owe any student loans, until NCLB. I was forced to incur debt to meet all the stipulations of the law. So please, lets forgive some, if not all, of this debt.
Next, what could 700 billion dollars do for the taxpayer? If you put the money directly into our hands, you would not need to bail out the financial institutions. People could pay off all their loans and debt. No one would have to lose their home. Banks would not lose their money from the sub-prime lending mistakes they made, as well as their lavish lifestyle and bonuses. I would certainly replace my 16 year old car with a newer model. I might take in a movie from time-to-time, or actually go to a restaurant with a friend, for dinner, once in a while.
If I take a look at all services I have eliminated from my budget, and the ways that I have cut back, I am convinced that $55,000 in tax-free bail-out money per taxpayer would turn the economy completely around. Let's take a look.
1) I stopped having my nails done. I never had all the fancy artificial tips because my nails grow rather long on their own, but I enjoyed having a manicure twice a month. I paid $40 per month, plus gratuity for the privilege.
2) I stopped having my hair professionally done. $200 per month, is what it cost, because my hair is so long. That doesn't even include the coloring, that I need even more frequently, as the birthdays whosh by.
3) I stopped my summer projects on my house. Each summer I have made a major repair or renovation to the house, or some special summer fix-up project. It was one of the first expenses to go. I have trimmed this down to necessary repairs, only. And, I rarely use an outside contractor, but, instead I keep the money in the family by hiring my son-in-law or my grandson.
4) No more take-out or pizza. Every two weeks I would treat us to something special on Friday Night. Relinquishing this pleasure saved a quick $100 per month.
5) I knocked down my religious contributions by $5.00 per week. This is the one cut about which I feel guilty. But it helps with the gasoline expense for my car. It buys an additional gallon.
6) My clothing allowance of $1200 per year has been cut to the replacement of stockings and underware. I don't mean the beautiful fancy lingerie, but instead I am sticking to basics. I haven't bought a new pair of shoes this year, and I am wondering if my work shoes will make it through the winter.
7) Although I work for the largest school district in our state, I do not currently have any health care. It is a long story, and one for a separate blog, but I cannot afford the more than $550 per month that I would have to pay.
8) My personal physician is less than thrilled with my attention to check-ups. Avoiding check-ups saves me about $120.00 per month in the short-run. We will not discuss what may happen in the long-run if I should need hospitalization. I do, however, need to augument my life insurance, even more.
9) The same issue is reflected in my cut back of dental care to once per year, and the reduction of my vision check-ups to once every two years. Although this might be acceptable in an healthy young adult, I am past sixty and it may have a negative impact in the future.
10) I still have my dogs and my cats. I have changed their brand of food which has saved me about $13 per week per dog, and $7.00 for both cat. The dogs function as absolutely wonderful guard dogs and companions. The cats just sleep a lot, but I love them just the same.
By my calculations, I supported 13 separate industries, excluding the banking industry, the mortgage industry, the heating industry, the telecomunications industry, and the electric lighting industry. I have not been able to significantly reduce any of these fixed expenses.
And, although I have cut back my household expenses by more than $24,000, I, like most middle class American's, find ourselves struggling to meet the rising cost. I am swiming against a strong current of spiraling prices. So, please Barack Obama, if you are voted in to office, please remember your promise for change. Bail-out the American people, for real change. We need help.
Mosetta Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph. D.
Sunday, July 20, 2008
In My Opinion...Insurance...Bah!
Some days seem more difficult that others when I try to deal with businesses.
I think that part of this problem is that this thing that I call ethics is now spouting either a completely different definition, or an reorganized interpretation.
Why is it so difficult to use insurance?
If you research it, you ask questions, and then you buy it, why is it that the company suddenly becomes non-responsive when you are trying to use the insurance.
Whether it is automotive insurance, credit card insurance, or insurance on your household, the companies cannot seem to get it right.
1) Someone backed into my car in the parking lot of a mall. Since I wasn't in the car, and did not see who did it, and the culprit did not leave me his/her insurance information, I had to submit the claim to my personal insurance company.
First the insurance company told me that I could take it where I wished. So, I drove the car around the corner to this guy who did body work. He was certified and had been in business about thirty years (30) in the same location. The insurance company said he cost too much. So, they told me to get three estimates. I did, and they still felt that the cost was too much.
The insurance adjuster wanted me to drive forty miles away to a place that she selected. And I did. I reminded her that I have car rental as part of my contract, and I would need a car. But, even though I have car rental as part of my contract, there was no car waiting for me. So, of course I had to drive 40 miles back home.
The adjuster came out to the house, again, to look at the car. This time she cut me a check for one third of what everyone was telling me that the repair would cost. And, to make matters even worse, she made out the check in the name of the company that I wanted to go to in the first place. Needless to say, I never cashed the check, AND I changed my insurance company after ten years of doing business with them. Of course, during the ten years, I never had a claim.
2) I have credit card insurance on my credit cards. If I am sick, laid off, or out of work, the insurance portion is suppose to pay the bill. It is suppose to pay if I die, too. Don't count on it.
I have been trying for the past three (3) months to get a form from the people I pay each month so that I can utilize the insurance that I purchased. I started out being very professional in my request. I used the proper salutations. I signed each letter with a flourish. It doesn't work.
I have sent them letter after letter, to no avail. I have created these wonderful form letters that help to reduce my frustration without resorting to the use of pejoratives. I did talk to a live person, once, and she told me to look up the insurance company on the Internet! I would probably to that, but I don't know the name of the insurance company.
Someone said it is suppose to be on my bill, but I pay over the Internet.
Besides, I don't pay the insurance company, I pay the credit card company. Why should I have to do all this work.
My next step is the the Attorney General of Ohio. If that doesn't work, then maybe I need to try the Attorney General of the United States of America.
3) We always have spring storms in Ohio. That is the norm. Every few years a storm will tear up someones roof. That is not surprising. But, what I learned this year is that I have a new insurance company. I didn't remember this. My agent said that my insurance company decided to leave the state of Ohio, because we were costing them too much money paying out claims. Okay, I can live with that, except that I am now in some sort of "plan" underwritten by the state of Ohio.
In my opinion these people are either idiots or some sort of sham company.
The obligatory early spring storm hit. Half the houses on my street lost pieces of their roof. Their insurance companies paid for new front parts, back parts, or side parts of the roofs' for my neighbors. Not my insurance company. They wanted to pay for ten (10) shingles. Now, of course I had submitted the three required estimates. Each construction/roof repair company said that we needed to replace the full front section, but would my insurance company agree? Noooo! Not my insurance company. What did they say? All I needed was ten (10) shingles.
So, I had the ten shingle replaced. The house looks terrible. It has lost some of its curb appeal.
And, with the first bad rain, we had some leakage, just like the three construction companies said would happen.
I hate insurance companies with a passion!
Dr. Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak
I think that part of this problem is that this thing that I call ethics is now spouting either a completely different definition, or an reorganized interpretation.
Why is it so difficult to use insurance?
If you research it, you ask questions, and then you buy it, why is it that the company suddenly becomes non-responsive when you are trying to use the insurance.
Whether it is automotive insurance, credit card insurance, or insurance on your household, the companies cannot seem to get it right.
1) Someone backed into my car in the parking lot of a mall. Since I wasn't in the car, and did not see who did it, and the culprit did not leave me his/her insurance information, I had to submit the claim to my personal insurance company.
First the insurance company told me that I could take it where I wished. So, I drove the car around the corner to this guy who did body work. He was certified and had been in business about thirty years (30) in the same location. The insurance company said he cost too much. So, they told me to get three estimates. I did, and they still felt that the cost was too much.
The insurance adjuster wanted me to drive forty miles away to a place that she selected. And I did. I reminded her that I have car rental as part of my contract, and I would need a car. But, even though I have car rental as part of my contract, there was no car waiting for me. So, of course I had to drive 40 miles back home.
The adjuster came out to the house, again, to look at the car. This time she cut me a check for one third of what everyone was telling me that the repair would cost. And, to make matters even worse, she made out the check in the name of the company that I wanted to go to in the first place. Needless to say, I never cashed the check, AND I changed my insurance company after ten years of doing business with them. Of course, during the ten years, I never had a claim.
2) I have credit card insurance on my credit cards. If I am sick, laid off, or out of work, the insurance portion is suppose to pay the bill. It is suppose to pay if I die, too. Don't count on it.
I have been trying for the past three (3) months to get a form from the people I pay each month so that I can utilize the insurance that I purchased. I started out being very professional in my request. I used the proper salutations. I signed each letter with a flourish. It doesn't work.
I have sent them letter after letter, to no avail. I have created these wonderful form letters that help to reduce my frustration without resorting to the use of pejoratives. I did talk to a live person, once, and she told me to look up the insurance company on the Internet! I would probably to that, but I don't know the name of the insurance company.
Someone said it is suppose to be on my bill, but I pay over the Internet.
Besides, I don't pay the insurance company, I pay the credit card company. Why should I have to do all this work.
My next step is the the Attorney General of Ohio. If that doesn't work, then maybe I need to try the Attorney General of the United States of America.
3) We always have spring storms in Ohio. That is the norm. Every few years a storm will tear up someones roof. That is not surprising. But, what I learned this year is that I have a new insurance company. I didn't remember this. My agent said that my insurance company decided to leave the state of Ohio, because we were costing them too much money paying out claims. Okay, I can live with that, except that I am now in some sort of "plan" underwritten by the state of Ohio.
In my opinion these people are either idiots or some sort of sham company.
The obligatory early spring storm hit. Half the houses on my street lost pieces of their roof. Their insurance companies paid for new front parts, back parts, or side parts of the roofs' for my neighbors. Not my insurance company. They wanted to pay for ten (10) shingles. Now, of course I had submitted the three required estimates. Each construction/roof repair company said that we needed to replace the full front section, but would my insurance company agree? Noooo! Not my insurance company. What did they say? All I needed was ten (10) shingles.
So, I had the ten shingle replaced. The house looks terrible. It has lost some of its curb appeal.
And, with the first bad rain, we had some leakage, just like the three construction companies said would happen.
I hate insurance companies with a passion!
Dr. Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Teaching Is The Flip Side of My Writing
A teacher affects eternity;
(S) he can never tell, where [her] his influence stops"
(Henry Brooks Adams, 1838-1918 )
The foundation of this writer's philosophy of teaching is predicated on one simple belief, which is that all children can learn. When I write for my audience it is another way of imparting information and affecting a child's life.
From this concept springs all other aspects pertaining to this philosophy. A secondary theorem is that all learning springs from a desire to develop understanding of the world, and it is the responsibility of the teacher to nurture this desire within her/his charges. As a writer I create a world where children can reach out and test the limits of their imagination in safety.
Good teaching is primarily based on the premise that every student can learn, show concern for one another, and choose to act responsibly in the classroom.
The purpose of teaching is to provide a positive environment where all students can learn and the purpose of my writing is to construct a positive universe for the children who read my books.
Self-control, respect, cooperation and individual responsibility are the foundation of teaching, and as such, is one of the most important factors for the transfer of learning and future academic success. Students develop abilities and incorporate knowledge through their interactions with texts, other people, and their own critical reflections and insights. My writing is designed to mirror those reflections and insights.
This growing cognition and these attributes are necessarily mitigated according to the students’ background, values, needs, and desires.
To teach is to inspire, to motivate, to protect, and to serve the new generation. It is a commitment to the improvement of life and to the human condition. To teach is to accept the difficulty of the job, knowing that one can never be fully prepared for the experience. (When experienced teachers were asked if their college methods courses truly prepared them for what they are actually teaching today, virtually all said "no".)
The role of teacher is closely related to the theories and views of Dr. Albert Ellis, but also incorporates the work of Dr. William Glasser, Dr. Carl Rogers, and Dr. Thomas Gordon. As such, the teaching method employed is one of teaching by example. Thus the teacher's role is one of demonstrating appropriate behavior, providing strategies for the students to solve their problems, and pointing out to students when their behavior is inappropriate. Therefore, it then becomes the responsibility of the teacher to develop rational-emotive therapeutic interventions that combine the cognitive, behavioral, and emotive components to teach students that they can effectively combat their own uncomfortable feelings and develop discipline and self-control.
To be a teacher requires a large investment in time, energy, and money. It requires a deep commitment, a multitude of talents, and a full measure of patience. Anyone who directs the learning of others knows that it can be rewarding, but also constantly demanding. Teaching is the wisdom to be able to say the right thing at the right time so a child's self esteem and self-image is not dashed to bits in moments of confusion. Teaching is a natural outgrowth of a commitment to children, to life and to the search for truth. Teaching is an additional way to contribute to posterity. To teach is to put into reality the values, beliefs, and knowledge that are central to one's very being.
Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph.D.
(S) he can never tell, where [her] his influence stops"
(Henry Brooks Adams, 1838-1918 )
The foundation of this writer's philosophy of teaching is predicated on one simple belief, which is that all children can learn. When I write for my audience it is another way of imparting information and affecting a child's life.
From this concept springs all other aspects pertaining to this philosophy. A secondary theorem is that all learning springs from a desire to develop understanding of the world, and it is the responsibility of the teacher to nurture this desire within her/his charges. As a writer I create a world where children can reach out and test the limits of their imagination in safety.
Good teaching is primarily based on the premise that every student can learn, show concern for one another, and choose to act responsibly in the classroom.
The purpose of teaching is to provide a positive environment where all students can learn and the purpose of my writing is to construct a positive universe for the children who read my books.
Self-control, respect, cooperation and individual responsibility are the foundation of teaching, and as such, is one of the most important factors for the transfer of learning and future academic success. Students develop abilities and incorporate knowledge through their interactions with texts, other people, and their own critical reflections and insights. My writing is designed to mirror those reflections and insights.
This growing cognition and these attributes are necessarily mitigated according to the students’ background, values, needs, and desires.
To teach is to inspire, to motivate, to protect, and to serve the new generation. It is a commitment to the improvement of life and to the human condition. To teach is to accept the difficulty of the job, knowing that one can never be fully prepared for the experience. (When experienced teachers were asked if their college methods courses truly prepared them for what they are actually teaching today, virtually all said "no".)
The role of teacher is closely related to the theories and views of Dr. Albert Ellis, but also incorporates the work of Dr. William Glasser, Dr. Carl Rogers, and Dr. Thomas Gordon. As such, the teaching method employed is one of teaching by example. Thus the teacher's role is one of demonstrating appropriate behavior, providing strategies for the students to solve their problems, and pointing out to students when their behavior is inappropriate. Therefore, it then becomes the responsibility of the teacher to develop rational-emotive therapeutic interventions that combine the cognitive, behavioral, and emotive components to teach students that they can effectively combat their own uncomfortable feelings and develop discipline and self-control.
To be a teacher requires a large investment in time, energy, and money. It requires a deep commitment, a multitude of talents, and a full measure of patience. Anyone who directs the learning of others knows that it can be rewarding, but also constantly demanding. Teaching is the wisdom to be able to say the right thing at the right time so a child's self esteem and self-image is not dashed to bits in moments of confusion. Teaching is a natural outgrowth of a commitment to children, to life and to the search for truth. Teaching is an additional way to contribute to posterity. To teach is to put into reality the values, beliefs, and knowledge that are central to one's very being.
Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph.D.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
What Influences My Writing?
When I try to analyze my writing and those elements that are contributing factors, a number of life’s memories are obvious determinates.
First and foremost, I am a Baby Boomer. Although the US Government defines us as being born between 1946 and 1964, I think that the dates need to include those "pre-boomers" born or conceived at the onset of the USA entry into World War II. There are many baby boomers who were much more than a mere twinkle in their father's eye as the new soldiers said farewell to their new wives. So, for the purpose of this litany, a baby boomer is anyone born between 1942 and 1964.
Born in the 1940's means that I remember TV in its infancy. I remember sock hops and when Studebaker and Packard became one company, and the day the McDonald first opened in our city. We parked our car and walked up to the window to buy their ten cent hamburgers.
It further means that I remember the "real" Mickey Mouse Club, Walt Disney the man, and Rin Tin Tin. I still miss Rin Tin Tin.
I learned to hula-hoop (without the “shoop-shoop”noise), and my bike had coaster brakes with balloon tires. I went to the drive-in-theater with my family, and they charged per car, and not per person.
I also remember the "Police Action" in Korea, putting “black out” curtains up to the window, and "The Bay of Pigs” incident. Being born in the 1940’s afforded me the privilege to see Martin Luther King, Jr. when he came to Cleveland to speak, but I had to suffer through his assassination, the death of JFK, and Bobby Kennedy.
I saw The Greatest Show on Earth (1953) and Ben Hur(1959) as first run movies at our local theater. I listened to “Ballad of Davy Crockett”, and begged for a coon-skin cap. I watched the first broadcast of "The Wizard of Oz", on our huge floor model television with the tiny screen, on a grey, cold November evening. It was all in black and white.
I watched the advent of the computer and the Internet. I remember that only our University had a computer, and that it had its own two story building to contain the components. I even remember the announcement of the development of the personal computer.
I watched "The Many Loves of Dobbie Gillis" on TV along with the very first episode of "The Flintstones." I rushed home from my part-time evening job at the local library just to see it.
I was a Beatnik, before there were any Flower Children. My rebellion included (or was limited to) 1) wearing all black, all the time; 2) going to college (most women didn’t) to get an education that valued knowing all that was knowable, rather than finding a husband, and 3) cutting my hair without permission.
We watched "The Western" on TV, and yet we never threatened anyone with a gun or shot anyone. No one wanted to be the bad guy. You were only the bad guy when you lost.
Coming of age in those days meant turning 21 years old, and until then you obeyed your parents and teacher, and followed the rules. After 21, you still followed the rules, but your opinion counted, becaused you voted.
I wrote my school and college papers, along with my short stories on a manual typewriter, without white-out or correction tape. Boy, how I love my computer.
The flag under which I was born only had 48 stars. I remenber when two more states were added. I actually said the Pledge to our flag in school every day.
I grew up with a moral code of honor that is emphatic about right and wrong. I believe that integrity counts, that there are consequences for every action, the USA is still "One Nation Under God", and that God is as viable today as any time in human history.
Mahatma ("Great Soul") Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi said that the seven deadly sins are 1) wealth without work, 2) Pleasure without conscience, 3) Knowledge without character, 4) Commerce without morality, 5) Science without humanity, 6) Worship without sacrifice, and 7) Politics without principles.
I believe in these, and I infuse this into my life, and my writing.
Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph.D.
First and foremost, I am a Baby Boomer. Although the US Government defines us as being born between 1946 and 1964, I think that the dates need to include those "pre-boomers" born or conceived at the onset of the USA entry into World War II. There are many baby boomers who were much more than a mere twinkle in their father's eye as the new soldiers said farewell to their new wives. So, for the purpose of this litany, a baby boomer is anyone born between 1942 and 1964.
Born in the 1940's means that I remember TV in its infancy. I remember sock hops and when Studebaker and Packard became one company, and the day the McDonald first opened in our city. We parked our car and walked up to the window to buy their ten cent hamburgers.
It further means that I remember the "real" Mickey Mouse Club, Walt Disney the man, and Rin Tin Tin. I still miss Rin Tin Tin.
I learned to hula-hoop (without the “shoop-shoop”noise), and my bike had coaster brakes with balloon tires. I went to the drive-in-theater with my family, and they charged per car, and not per person.
I also remember the "Police Action" in Korea, putting “black out” curtains up to the window, and "The Bay of Pigs” incident. Being born in the 1940’s afforded me the privilege to see Martin Luther King, Jr. when he came to Cleveland to speak, but I had to suffer through his assassination, the death of JFK, and Bobby Kennedy.
I saw The Greatest Show on Earth (1953) and Ben Hur(1959) as first run movies at our local theater. I listened to “Ballad of Davy Crockett”, and begged for a coon-skin cap. I watched the first broadcast of "The Wizard of Oz", on our huge floor model television with the tiny screen, on a grey, cold November evening. It was all in black and white.
I watched the advent of the computer and the Internet. I remember that only our University had a computer, and that it had its own two story building to contain the components. I even remember the announcement of the development of the personal computer.
I watched "The Many Loves of Dobbie Gillis" on TV along with the very first episode of "The Flintstones." I rushed home from my part-time evening job at the local library just to see it.
I was a Beatnik, before there were any Flower Children. My rebellion included (or was limited to) 1) wearing all black, all the time; 2) going to college (most women didn’t) to get an education that valued knowing all that was knowable, rather than finding a husband, and 3) cutting my hair without permission.
We watched "The Western" on TV, and yet we never threatened anyone with a gun or shot anyone. No one wanted to be the bad guy. You were only the bad guy when you lost.
Coming of age in those days meant turning 21 years old, and until then you obeyed your parents and teacher, and followed the rules. After 21, you still followed the rules, but your opinion counted, becaused you voted.
I wrote my school and college papers, along with my short stories on a manual typewriter, without white-out or correction tape. Boy, how I love my computer.
The flag under which I was born only had 48 stars. I remenber when two more states were added. I actually said the Pledge to our flag in school every day.
I grew up with a moral code of honor that is emphatic about right and wrong. I believe that integrity counts, that there are consequences for every action, the USA is still "One Nation Under God", and that God is as viable today as any time in human history.
Mahatma ("Great Soul") Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi said that the seven deadly sins are 1) wealth without work, 2) Pleasure without conscience, 3) Knowledge without character, 4) Commerce without morality, 5) Science without humanity, 6) Worship without sacrifice, and 7) Politics without principles.
I believe in these, and I infuse this into my life, and my writing.
Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph.D.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
"The Wishing Flower" Challenge
Like most authors, writing is a labor of love. But writing "The Wishing Flower" was based on a set of belief first formulated as my mother read to me ever night.
When I wrote this fairytale, I wanted to share with others the feeling that I remembered of being special.
"The Wishing Flower" represents every child in the world. From the flower, the children see that you don't have to be perfect to be loved and valued
If , as the poster says, "Children learn what they live", then "The Wishing Flower" will help children to feel safe and develop the positive self-esteem that they need to survive the twenty-first century.
I work in an inner city school system. Many of the children do not even own a book of their own. Recently I learned that there are no libraries in the area in which I work. They have all been shut down! The kids tell me that they are afraid to walk to the library in a close-by community for fear that they will be attacked by gangs.
I may not be able to change that situation, but I can try to get my book into the hands of as many children as possible. I'll never get rich from this book because I keep buying them from the publisher and giving them away.
So what is my challenge? Invest in a child. Buy a book, or borrow it from the library, and read it to a child. Buy a class set of books, if you can afford it, and give them to an inner city neighborhood school.
I believe it is the little things that we do for children that can have the most impact. If we start early enough reinforcing our love, maybe we can curb some of the violence we see in young people.
What do you think?
Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph. D.
When I wrote this fairytale, I wanted to share with others the feeling that I remembered of being special.
"The Wishing Flower" represents every child in the world. From the flower, the children see that you don't have to be perfect to be loved and valued
If , as the poster says, "Children learn what they live", then "The Wishing Flower" will help children to feel safe and develop the positive self-esteem that they need to survive the twenty-first century.
I work in an inner city school system. Many of the children do not even own a book of their own. Recently I learned that there are no libraries in the area in which I work. They have all been shut down! The kids tell me that they are afraid to walk to the library in a close-by community for fear that they will be attacked by gangs.
I may not be able to change that situation, but I can try to get my book into the hands of as many children as possible. I'll never get rich from this book because I keep buying them from the publisher and giving them away.
So what is my challenge? Invest in a child. Buy a book, or borrow it from the library, and read it to a child. Buy a class set of books, if you can afford it, and give them to an inner city neighborhood school.
I believe it is the little things that we do for children that can have the most impact. If we start early enough reinforcing our love, maybe we can curb some of the violence we see in young people.
What do you think?
Mosetta M. Penick Phillips-Cermak, Ph. D.
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