The Fire Within:
Sep 4
Environmental Wellness:
Sep 3
Good Afternoon Everyone, It is September, that means it will start cooling off a little and I can get back outside! Seems like a good time to improve on my environmental wellness. Some of these things I do and some I haven’t thought of. I’m going to start with “Stop your junk mail” I didn’t know I could do that! This will be the only posting for me this month as I will be in Anniston Al for 2 weeks of training.
Green Regards,
Michelle Smith-Wade
Director of Life Wellness
Back to the Basics Please, Inc.
michelle.smith@bttbp.org
Dimensions of Wellness: Environmental Wellness
It is important to lead a lifestyle that is respectful of our environment. This includes respecting nature and those species living in it. Also, respect for others living in our environment is just as necessary as respect for the physical environment itself. While today’s climate is one of increased environmental awareness, the average person may still be unconcerned or simply uninformed about what he or she can do to help the environment. You don’t have to be a member of an organization to help; an individual can help by simply leading an environmentally conscious life.
Spread the word about environmental wellness. Discuss with your friends the importance of leading a lifestyle that ensures the purity of our water, air and living conditions. Also, if you see someone littering, politely tell that person you do not approve of his or her actions. Get involved with your community’s recycling programs. Implement a recycling program and find ways to conserve paper in your home and at work. Make sure the recycling bins in your home / office are readily available and are being utilized. Not only will your efforts be rewarding, but they will put you on the right path to environmental wellness.
Signs of Good Environmental Wellness
- You are aware of the limits of the earth’s natural resources
- You conserve energy (i.e., Shutting off unused lights)
- You recycle paper, cans, and glass as much as possible
- You enjoy, appreciate, and spend time outside in natural settings
- You do not pollute the air, water or earth if you can avoid doing so
- You avoid second-hand smoke
Tips to Improve Environmental Wellness
Environmental wellness is an awareness of the precarious state of the earth and the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment. It is maintaining a way of life that maximizes harmony with the earth and minimizes harm to the environment. It includes being involved in socially responsible activities to protect the environment.
Stop your junk mail – Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year. If one million people stopped their junk mail, we could save up to 1.5 million trees a year. About 44 percent of junk mail is never even opened or read. Contact the major senders of junk mail saying “take me off your list.” Try stopjunk.com or privatecitizen.com
Snip your six-pack rings - Six-pack holders are virtually invisible underwater, so marine animals can’t avoid them. Seagulls sometimes strangle themselves by catching one loop around their neck while another loop gets snagged on a stationary object. Before you toss six-pack holders into the garbage, snip each circle with a pair of scissors. When you’re on the beach, pick up any six-pack rings you find, snip them, and put them in a trash can.
Don’t leave your water running – Washing dishes with the tap running can use an average of 30 gallons of water. A running faucet uses three to five gallons of water per minute. As much as five gallons of water is wasted if you leave the tap on while brushing your teeth. If you wash your car at home using an ordinary hose, you can use up to 150 gallons of water. When brushing your teeth, wet and rinse your brush only. A half gallon of water will be used as opposed to five to nine gallons. When washing dishes by hand, fill up a basin of water instead of letting your water run. When washing your car, either take it to a self-service car wash, or use a shut-off nozzle on your hose when washing it a home. This can save more than 100 gallons of water.
Use recycled paper bags when shopping - Plastic shopping bags are not biodegradable. The bags never disappear in the earth; they just break into small pieces. Plastic bags that wind up in the ocean can kill marine life that swallow or get tangled in them. “Recyclable” paper bag does not mean recycled. If a bag does not say recycled, it’s probably made from virgin paper. First, consider if you really need a bag before taking one – especially if your purchase is small. Also, bring your own cloth bags when you shop, or reuse old bags that you have already saved.
Environmental Wellness Assessment
The environmental dimension of wellness involves accepting the impact we have on our world and doing something about it. Read each statement carefully and respond honestly by using the following scoring:
Almost always = 2 points Sometimes/occasionally = 1 point Very seldom = 0 points
_____ 1. I consciously conserve energy (electricity, heat, light, water, etc.) in my place of residence.
_____ 2. I practice recycling (glass, paper, plastic, etc.)
_____ 3. I am committed to cleaning up the environment (air, soil, water, etc.)
_____ 4. I consciously try to conserve fuel energy and to lessen the pollution in the atmosphere.
_____ 5. I limit the use of fertilizers and chemicals when managing my yard/lawn/outdoor living space.
_____ 6. I do not use aerosol sprays.
_____ 7. I do not litter.
_____ 8. I volunteer my time for environmental conservation projects.
_____ 9. I purchase recycled items when possible, even if they cost more.
_____ 10. I feel very strongly about doing my part to preserve the environment.
_______ Total for Environmental Wellness Dimension
Score: 15 to 20 Points - Excellent strength in this dimension.
Score: 9 to 14 Points – There is room for improvement. Look again at the items in which you scored 1 or 0. What changes can you make to improve your score?
Score: 0 to 8 Points – This dimension needs a lot of work. Look again at this dimension and challenge yourself to begin making small steps toward growth here. Remember: The goal is balanced wellness.
© DefinitionOfWellness.com. All rights reserved.
{Johnny Shotwell recently checked himself into an inpatient behavioral unit after abusing Pain pills and Benzo’s. He kept a journal while he was in the unit for 13 days, and would like to share it with others to hopefully help anyone who may find themselves in similar circumstances.}
My oh my, I had too go back, Never thought I would. My mind got to carrying on about my dear Mom’s and best friend of 30 years death last year. Hard to imagine both of them being gone the same year. I am past that now. I had given myself a death-wish. I was tired of living. I stopped, eating, 
stopped taking my 20 some odd pills a day, stayed in seclusion. Waiting for death to come; it never did and never once did I get tired or hungry. I am on a much better mental condition now, I force one meal a day even though, it looks good, smells bad and tastes awful I eat. The eating disorder is awful. The insomnia still keeps me up all hours of the night. But I’m home and Miss. Colleen my cat would not leave my side or my lap. Poor kitty! I am trying folks, I’m trying!
7-29-10
My gums are really hurting bad, I told my Dr that the only temporary cure (24 hours) was a paste of ground cloves mixed with water and placed generously on the infected area. It never fails to Stop the pain…and almost immediately. My gum are hurting bad and they wont give me anything but Anbesol…that crap don’t work..I hope I like my new roommate. I have the room to myself at the present. There are two beds to a room.. They all seem to have a good time bowling. Maybe I will play after all! I hate sports of any kind. I was always a failure so I decided not to engage in sports. It is freezing cold in this building
7-30-10
I awoke very sick this morning. I threw up, but managed to make it to the bathroom sink. I hate it here but am afraid I will be kept awhile longer than a week. I am not able to eat or sleep but just a little. Perhaps they will keep me here a month, hell I don’t know. What brought this about was I was abusing Xanax and Oxycodone. As a result of this abuse, I started talking to myself, hearing voices and looking all over the floor for god knows what!!
Gosh I miss Colleen, I miss my home health care provider Carol and believe it or not I miss David (dang Moocher) I am in the gym now dying for a cigarette. We only get 12 cigarettes a day…hard to go from 2 packs to 12 a day. IT’s terrible!!!! I miss my sweet computer…very much so. I still can hardly eat. The food is yucky. I lost 5 pounds my first week here. I absolutely hate it here, why did I ever come? I like my counselor, ooops I mean my psychiatrist Dr. Cook. She reduced some of my medications, which is a good thing.
I hate being mentally ill, the only one in my family that’s a loon.
I wonder how many of my Internet friends have tried to get a hold of me….. Lots and Lots!!!! I had 1000+ emails plus Facebook, MySpace, WiccaTogether and Psychic knight. Truly good friends! The staff here has
been a bit approving of me taking extra long sleeping time in my room, though I already hid My journal book. The nerves are what are keeping me awake. My chat friends have been very worried about me. Can’t blame them….I’m nuts as I have already stated.
At the hospital they were trying to take my cane away and make me use a walker… Nope, no walker for me…my cane does fine. Its funny all the people here in the Behavior unit seem, quite sane. A few are drugged out of their minds. I don’t see any hope of them ever to get better, BUT who am I too judge!
I am starting to feel a little better, praise the Goddess.
~A new segment will be posted twice a week
My gums are really hurting bad, I told my Dr that the only temporary cure (24 hours) was a paste of ground cloves mixed with water and placed generously on the infected area. It never fails to Stop the pain…and almost immediately.The guns are hurting b ad and they wont give me anything but Anbesol…that crap don’t work..I hope I like my New roommate. I have the room to myself at the present. There are two beds to a room.. They all seem to have a good time bowling. Maybe I will play after all! I hate sports of any kind. I was always a failure so I decided not to engage in sports. It is freezing cold in this building 
7-30-10
I awoke very sick this morning. I threw up, but managed to make it to the bathroom sink. I hate it here but am afraid I will b e kept awhile longer than a week. I am not able to eat or sleep but just a little, Perhaps they will keep me here a month, hell I don’t know. What brought this about was I was abusing zanax and oxycodone. As a result of this abuse, I started talking to myself, hearing voices and looking all over the floor for god knows what!! 
Gosh I miss Colleen, I miss my home health care provider Carol and believe it or not I miss David (dang Moocher) I am in the gym now dying for a cigarette. We only get 12 cigarettes a day…hard to go from 2 packs to 12 a day. IT’s terrible!!!! I miss my sweet computer…very much so. I still can’t hardly eat. The food is yucky. I lost 5 pounds my first week here. I absolutely hate it here, why did I ever come? I like my counselor, ooops I mean my psychiatrist Dr. Cook. She reduced some of my medications, which is a good thing. 
I hate being mentally ill, the only one in my family that’s a loon.
I wonder how many of my Internet friends have tried to get ahold of me….. Lots and Lots!!!! I had 1000+ emails plus Facebook, MySpace, WiccaTogether and Psychic knight. Truly good friends. They have been a bit approving of me taking extra long sleeping time in my room, though I already hid My journal book. The nerves are what’s keeping me awake. My chat friends have been very worried about me. Can’t blame them….I’m nuts as I have already stated.
At the hospital they were trying to take my cane away and make me use a walker… Nope, no walker for me…my cane does fine. It’s funny all the people here in the Behaviour unit seem, quite sane. A few are drugged out of their minds. I don’e see any hope of there ever to get better. B UT who am I too judge
I am starting to feel a little better, praise the Goddess.
The Reality of Party & Play
Aug 30
The following video contains graphic scenes and drug paraphernalia. If you are sensitive or may be “triggered” by watching these scenes, please do not watch!
Wow, Peach schnapps, Natural Light beer and a fifth of Kentucky Deluxe . Cheap whiskey and cheap beer…Looks like a Alcoholic to me.. But this picture was taken in 1997-98, not sure which. I was taking a picture of Lennon, rest
his soul!! Miss that man!! Today’s story is really sad.. Brings back horrible memories. I will be sober a year come June 21, 2010. What a grand day that will be. I will make a point to go to AA and get my one year chip. I hate going to AA, to many people there just to get there probation officer slip signed. But I really believe Alcohol is out of my life. OK, I know you’re ready for today’s story so let’s get into that… More pictures coming up….
I went into the gas station by the phone and bought me a six-pack of beer and drank and cried all the way home. What was going to happen to me now? I finally got to the Inn. I immediately went to the bar and drank about 10 shots of hard liquor right in a row. I told the bar patrons what had happened and they said they would be drinking too if they had been in my place. My life was over!!! I immediately went to my room at the Inn and called my mom, then my lover, James.. I started having pains in my chest and thought I was having a heart attack. I called the local hospital and told them my symptoms. They told me to hang-up and immediately call 911. The ambulance came at once and the EMTs were very professional… It turned out all I was having were panic attacks. My heart was good! I still have panic attacks today. The valiums I take cut the edge off of them but they are there none-the less. I was Drunk and having a panic attack. Hmmmm!!
It is hard to see, but this is me when I was at “The Gates of Life” ministry. This was a very hard fence to build, all concrete and extremely heavy. Each post
weighed about a 100 pounds.. I was a very healthy young man then. And the tree roots…my goodness, a very hard job.
My Regional Manager, Mr. Johnson had been trying to call me, and once I got back from the hospital and we touched basis. He informed me that he had got demoted back to District Manager over the Houston area. I told him I wanted the earliest flight back home in the morning. I was madder than a wet-hen and wanted to be home. I was totally out of control, I told him he better not mess me around because I was going to sue their asses.. He knew I meant business and got me a 8 am flight back home the next morning. I started drinking as soon as I woke up the next morning. That’s when my morning..hard liquor days began. I told Mr Johnson (excuse my language) to go “Fuck himself and Fuck the company. I was drinking beer on the way to the airport and stuck the can and the car keys underneath the front seat in the parking garage, that’s where I was told to leave the keys. I headed straight to the airport bar and ordered my favorite drink, a “Long Island Iced Tea” I intended on getting very drunk.
This gentleman and his wife were cooks for all of us at “The Gates of Life” I think he must have been a queer waiting to happen, He was always flirting
with me.. He was kind of cute. I think I looked pretty good myself? What do you think dear reader? LOLOL.. On we go!
Indeed, drunk I got! On the plane (it was a small charted plane) I drank one drink after another until I passed out. A sweet little Nun sat next to me, she expressed her wish that I didn’t drink so much!! I told her the whole, horrible story of what had happened before I went into the “Black-Out Mode” I awoke on the plane alone and with wine poured all over my white shirt. The Stewardess was looking at me and asking me if I was all right? And that I needed to leave!! I told her I was NOT all right and wobbled my way into the terminal.
I saw James and John looking through the exit ramp, leading into the airport terminal. I was still very drunk and immediately started bawling. I was going crazy. I was devastated, it was so very horrible. I had lost everything that I had worked so hard and for so many years to obtain. James had picked me up some whisky and had rolled a joint, prior to arriving at the airport…he knew what I needed. I stayed drunk and stoned for many days. I managed somehow, to call Mr. Johnson, the next morning to discuss what had happened; He offered me two choices… (1) Take severance pay and quit or, (2) move to Houston or California too their highest volume stores, working for “The Original Cookie Company”… I would keep the same pay, $25,000 a year, but no expense account or company vehicle. The company would pay for the move as long as I held the same position for a year. I told Mr. Johnson I would let him know in a day or two. I was in absolute HELL!!
My dear man Lennon, Gosh, I loved him so much and we had so much fun 
together. He was pretty wiped out in this photo!!!
I was so angry, angry and drunk!!! James had a sister who lived in Houston, another pot-head!! We all Decided to do the move to Houston. I trained for “The Original Cookie Company” in the Dallas area. It didn’t seem too difficult to do. I thought to myself…. “Maybe this will not be so bad after all……
As you can see.. I was toasted in this picture that Lennon took. Dear Reader I am done with page 13…
I hope you enjoyed it. Next weeks page promises to be interesting. I have had a very colorful life to say the least, Have a grand night.
Good-bye!!
September Monthly Meeting:
Aug 26
Our September meeting is scheduled for Friday, September 3rd, Noon-2:00 p.m. Location: The Heritage Library (downstairs conference room), 350
Third Ave Yuma, AZ 85364. http://www.yumalibrary.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=179&Itemid=118
Realizing that many will be starting their holiday weekend this day, we expect a small but productive crowdJ
We can expect reports and dialogue from the following divisions:
- Life Wellness:
-
- Michelle and Holly will share their thoughts on future blog posts. The most popular keywords used to hit our site in the Google search engine are “better life.”
- We will open the dialogue for our “activity nights” shared with PFLAG. We will sort through the ideas for a September event and move forward.
- Substance Use/Abuse Outreach:
- Chris and Tara will have a report on their progress for recruiting individuals into support groups. A date will be announced as to when these groups will start and continue on a weekly basis.
- Our National and local social media agenda encompasses a revamp of the Substance Abuse section of the website to add more entailed and graphically appealing information. This progress is ongoing.
- HIV Outreach:
- Gabby will be available to discuss the upcoming National Latino AIDS Awareness Day Summit (meet and greet) breakfast at Springhill Suites, October 15th. Coordinators from other health organizations/institutions, legislators, and members of the community will discuss the great progress that has been made in the border regions of Western Arizona as well as the progress that still needs to be made.
- A synopsis of where we’re at with World AIDS Day planning at AWC, will be provided. The Regional Center for Border Health has joined as a mutual host for this event.
- We will contemplate a campaign to launch a firm social media presence in the Washington DC area which will be managed by Mark Fischer who resides in the DC area. The integration of social presence in an urban center with the cultivation of the same in rural Arizona may be key to some great web oriented interaction….
- Outreach:
- Holly will have a report on pending business with the Chamber of Commerce, the city of Yuma, AWC, etc., if there is any.
- We will discuss the cultivation of a fundraising committee and a committee chairperson.
- Development:
- The duties of this division have been spread to those willing to assist. Ideally we would like to find a person who would be responsible for the following:
Ø Someone who can specifically network various States, and local communities to our organization, using our website as one of our main tools. This person will have excellent communication skills, a basic knowledge of working with local media, the capability of researching valuable demographic data and compiling statistics, and the ability to build bridges with other organizations with a coast to coast strategy in mind. This individual will work with our rural and urban agendas. This position will assist in local efforts but ideally will help coordinate our efforts to explore and network with activities and organizations throughout the country.
- The nomination and election of advisory members is ongoing and each executive is required to acquire at least five key members to seat the initial panel. Each Director is required to have at least one Honorary Director. The purpose of this endeavor is to build consensus in our decision making process. Important decisions asked of a program/division will be presented to the advisory panel of each division for dialogue and vote. The executive of each division is required to allow debate, allowance of research, individual and consensus rationale, prior to voting on any topic. If anyone would like to be considered, please contact anyone on the Executive Board for nomination and consideration.
- We may exceed 60,000 hits for the month of August! We have received an advertising grant that will allow our website to be put on the grand stage in many ways. We urgently need to brainstorm and expound on ways that we can further the attraction of our website and seek interaction. Our goal is to exceed 200,000 monthly hits by the holiday season.
- Open end topic to include facilitation and new positions in FY2011.
- Open end topic on expanding and assisting community partners (PFLAG, BeYourself Bar, Amancio Project, etc.).
The Secretary will present any unfinished business from the last monthly meeting and will record new business.
I hope to see you there!
Regards,
Mr. Brandon Bennett
President / Back to the Basics Please, Inc.
Web URL: www.bttbp.org
928-550-3999
NOTE: Request appropriate dissemination
Stressed? Exhausted? Low Libido? Allergies? Insomnia? Headaches? Pain? Poor Digestion?
WHAT: YOUNG LIVING THERAPEUTIC GRADE ESSENTIAL OILS
Learn how to use them to help heal you, your family and friends NATURALLY.
WHERE: Ramada Inn, 300 E 32 St, Yuma, AZ, 85364
WHEN: 2 Evening Presentations 7pm – 9pm
Friday, Aug. 27th: Introduction to Young Living Therapeutic Grade Essential Oils
Saturday, Aug. 28th: Introduction to Raindrop Therapy
COST: Cost of admission: BRING ONE GUEST!!! We want to reach as many people as possible!!
If you bring a guest, you qualify to receive a free Compass Assessment on site!
The Compass device’s software measures your Galvanic Skin Resistance, and tells you precisely which YLTGEOs your body needs now—for your ACUTE conditions.
PRE-EVENT BENEFIT OPPORTUNITY: Please contact Dinah Jackson (760) 572-2595 to make an appointment for a 30-min. Mini-Indigo Biofeedback results consultation with Dr.Cornish, the speaker, on either Friday or Saturday, between 9a.m. – 3:15 p.m.
This Mini-Indigo Biofeedback Session is being offered at a 50% discount ($55) will be performed by Dr. Cornish in Albuquerque as soon as she receives your payment. You can mail your Client Info. form you will receive from Dinah as soon as you make your appointment, payment check or money order to Dr. Cornish, postmarked no later than Aug. 18th.
The date of your appointment during the day here in Yuma will be when you receive both a free Compass Assessment, as well as a free Consultation on your Mini-Indigo Biofeedback results, which indicate which YLTGEOs your body needs now— for your CHRONIC conditions. Both Compass and Indigo devices are based on Quantum Physics and Energetic Medicine
Value of both assessments is $105. Your cost: only $55! Save $50!!! Also included are 2 bottles with special droppers to mix your two YLTGEOs formulas, so you can address both acute and chronic conditions at the same time.
SPEAKER:
Dr. Pamellina Cornish, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, has been in private practice in her Natural Therapeutics Clinic in Albq., NM, since 1987.
While living in China and Japan (1982-86), she learned to heal her own 15-yr. case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and has been RA-free since 1986. She works with 4 aspects of Energetic Medicine/Natural Healing Traditions: Western, Eastern, Ancient (Young Living Oils) and Modern (Compass & Indigo). She teaches and shares healthcare modalities with students and practitioners worldwide. Her focused passion is to eliminate patients’ blood sludge and toxicity globally.
CONTACT: Dinah Jackson (760) 572-2595 To secure your Mini-Indigo Biofeedback session and consultation appointment NOW!
JOIN US! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT BOTH EVE. PRESENTATIONS
Spice: Continued.
Aug 23
I would like to take a moment to piggy back off of the blog of spice posted by Chris Murphy. Yes, unfortunately individuals are using spice as an alternative to get “high” and getting away with this via probation and parole
urine analysis.
When a person uses spice they experience the same effects of using marijuana! However, the harm of using spice to one’s body is terrible! Spice is not intended for human consumption! It is actually an herb for aroma around one’s home; however, individuals are smoking this spice and getting high. The individual on probation or parole is getting away with getting high but they are obviously not ready to live a clean life lifestyle. I have heard the rationale that spice is legal so it is okay to be smoking it but the implications physically are enormous! Take a moment to read the article attached on spice as it is very interesting. Those of you that may be smoking spice and getting away with it, take a moment to read this article. Smoking spice and not smoking marijuana does not mean you are clean and sober and on the road to recovery, think twice you are only kidding yourself.
http://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/article_488dbb4a-a818-11df-b4d1-001cc4c002e0.html
Mrs. Tara Salas
Chief Clinical Officer
Back to the Basics Please, Inc.
This is a picture of my son, John Jr. He was hell raising in school..He dropped out of school in 10th grade, He put me through hell. He is about 6.5 tall and I am 5.5 tall, he’s a big boy and I am the runt. He’s a good man these days; just 
a major big Pot-head. He likes his weed….. I’ll partake a little pot with him on occasion; so much better than alcohol. They should legalize it. I believe they will within the next 10 years…….on with the story…….
By this time James, John and I had moved out of the small cottage into a trailer home right down the road from Jim’s house. James and Jim were constantly arguing. We couldn’t deal with Jim and his obscene Behavior I hated the new landlords, they were extremely homophobic. They were very judgmental of James and I. The whole trailer park was homophobic, it was a small park. We made our new neighbors uncomfortable. James couldn’t get along with anyone and started trouble with one of the red-necks living there and it was all I could do to keep a brawl from taking place there. I continued to put up with the emotional abuse James put upon me and John.
I left for Wisconsin, leaving James and John to fend for themselves. I met up with my regional manager, Mr. Johnson. He didn’t waste any time getting me acquainted with my new stores and employees. The new district was in terrible shape, it was going to take a lot of work on my behalf to get it back in shape. A lot of dedication!!!!!! Mr. Johnson stayed a week with me. I had a little time to learn a lot… At the end of that week I was really getting worried. Could I really do this? Mr. Johnson and I had many pleasant conversations and would drink and talk together after our day was done. Talking shop!!! He was a good man, as well as the man from Chicago was! He was a little more stern, but a nice man.
A BREAK!!!!
This is a picture of my little living room in my home in Texas!! I will start sharing photo’s of my life (present and past) I love 
plants!
After Mr. Johnson left–I really got nervous and “Full-Blown” alcoholism fell into place. Mr. Hyde came out of hiding. My job performance was excellent but my personal life was falling to pieces. I started drinking on the job. I am sure the employees smelt beer on my breath. How could they “not” smell it. I was a nervous wreck. I didn’t think I was handling my new job very professionally. The drunk was back. I was living in a Traveler’s Inn, which was very nice; pool, bar, spa and all. Needless to say I spent most of my time at the bar when I wasn’t on the job. LOL, The company was footing my bill for my bar tab, as well as the Inn.
This is my outside patio. I love plants and flowers. I spent $200 last year on plants. 
I was looking for a home for my Bastard lover, son, and I to live in Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin. It was centrally located within my stores. I worked, I drank, and I became a very miserable young man. I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle the stores for very long if I continued to drink, though I thought I was doing a great job. As best as I could considering. I found a cute little yellow house with lots of windows next to a lake in Fon Du Lac. Probably would have been cold in the winter. I was experiencing many problems in my district. Being a District Manager was not all I thought it would be. It was down-right hard.
My beautiful garden Summer of 1998:
One evening, late and in pouring rain, I pulled to a phone at a gas station and checked in with my home office (we were required to do that every hour or two). It was one of those phone from your car pay-phones. “Thank goodness,” I thought to myself because of the furiously, pouring rain. I was about a 2-3 hour drive back to the Inn. I received a call from a lady named Gloria from Human Resources telling me to call her at home (it was late). I called her and she informed me that the company had “restructured” and that my position no longer existed. I was devastated! Angry and Devastated! All the years of hard work and dedication on my part! Now my position “NO LONGER EXCISTED.” How on Earth could they do this to me? I was done & my duties were over, as far me being District Manager. The company had incorporated into “The Original Cookie Company” to merge with the “Corn-Dog” and “Pretzel” stores all as one entity. They felt (rightly so) that I would not be able to handle the Merge and take on Cookie stores. I didn’t think they were right at the time, but I knew better later on. I screamed at Gloria…. “HOW CAN Y”ALL DO THIS TO ME?” I was horrified.
Well folks? What do you think? Makings for a book? Please, do tell me what you think? ‘
Have a gret night.. See ya tomorrow!!
Emerald Dragon )0(
This was my best friend and crank dealer Jeff. He passed away from AIDS in 1994-95? I loved this man, I played dress-up for him when
I was 12. I never knew he had AIDS, he was the one who insisted I would die from AIDS.
Back to the Basics Please (BTTBP) and PFLAG Yuma is happy to present LGBTQ Movie Night in cooperation with Springhill Suites, Yuma! Popcorn and refreshments will be provided!
Movie night is one of many planned occasions that BTTBP & PFLAG Yuma have in store for the Yuma community. Our hope is to continue a welcoming 
environment, have fun, meet friends, and talk about our issues as well as the issues that affect our community.
A Q&A session will commence after the movie with BTTBP Director of Life Wellness, Holly Sakariason, Michael Baughman, and Jody Michaud With PFLAG Yuma.
We invite everyone to enjoy this well done movie with us!
| Plot Synopsis | by Paul Brenner |
| Director James Ivory brings his subdued, “Masterpiece Theater” style to a forbidden subject — homosexual love. Maurice is based on E.M. Forster’s suppressed 1914 novel that was held back from publication until after his death. The film takes place at Cambridge, before World War I, when homosexuality was outlawed in Great Britain. Clive (Hugh Grant), an aristocratic Englishman with a life of privilege, suddenly shocks his close friend Maurice (James Wilby) by declaring his love for him. Maurice is initially stunned by the pronouncement, but in the end finds himself giving Clive a passionate kiss and telling him that he loves him as well. Clive, in the stiff-upper-lip British manner, considers their love to be more of an intellectual concept, but Maurice becomes passionate about the affair. Clive, afraid of being exposed as a homosexual, backs off and breaks up with Maurice for marriage, family, and politics. Maurice is crestfallen, but then he has a passionate affair with Clive’s gamekeeper, Scudder (Rupert Graves), and Maurice and Scudder decide to risk their reputations by openly living together as lovers. | |
*If you would like to attend and are under age 18, please contact Brandon Bennett (brandon.m.bennett@bttbp.org) or the Yuma High School GSA for a parental permission slip. The permission slips must be filled out entirely and
signed by a parent or legal guardian. The permission slip must give express permission to view, Maurice. No exceptions! Maurice is rated PG.
Please RSVP through e-mail (brandon.m.bennett@bttbp.org), website comment, phone, yuma@pflagarizona.org or through the Yuma High School GSA.
SEATING IS LIMITED SO RSVP to this free event now!!
Movie location and time: Springhill Suites (main conference room). Movie starts at 6:00 p.m.
1825 E. 18th Street
Yuma, AZ 85365
