INVISIBLE CHILDREN

MOVIE: how it all began. Can a story change the world? In the spring of 2003, three young Americans traveled to Africa in search of such a story. What they found was a tragedy that disgusted and inspired them. A story where children are the weapons, and children are the victims. The Invisible Children: rough cut film exposes the effects of a 20 year-long war on the children of Northern Uganda. Children who live in fear of abduction by rebel soldiers, and are being forced to fight as part of a violent army. This wonderfully reckless documentary is fast paced, with an MTV beat, and is something truly unique. To see Africa through young eyes is humorous and heart breaking, quick and informative - all in the very same breath. See this film, you will be forever changed. (I have a copy if you want to borrow it)

MOVEMENT: how it involves you. After people viewed the movie the one question repeatedly asked was, what can we do? And so a non-profit was born from a film. The Movement is the awareness, mobilization, and fundraising effort taking place throughout America and other countries around the world by people who are inspired to act. The goal of "the Movement" is to empower the individual viewer to become a part of the story, and "be the change they wish to see in the world" through action.

GLOBAL NIGHT COMMUTE: April 29 @7:00 pm. We are spending the night in Trotters Park, downtown Orlando as a statement to our government and the world. Americans are closing their eyes to open the worlds to an unseen war. By lying down, we are joining the invisible children in northern Uganda, and demanding that our government put an end to the longest running war in Africa, and on of the worst crises in the world today. (Please contact me if you want more details on GNC)

MISSION: how we are creating change. The Mission is the ultimate goal of Invisible Children. It is the resources, skill, and funds that hit the ground in Uganda. These resources will provide health, safety and education for the children of Northern Uganda who are affected by this 20 year-long war. It is our belief that we need to live for more, because the invisible children need more to live.

For more information: www.invisiblechildren.com

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” ~Kahlil Gibran

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” ~James 1:27

I Used to Play

I played French horn for about 13 years. But since I moved to Orlando I’ve only touched it a few times. Even in my 2 years in Missouri I didn’t play a whole lot, so it’s been around 4.5 years since I've played at all. Someone asked me a few months ago why I don’t play anymore. My excuse was that I don’t have a consistent and convenient place to practice. And this area isn’t exactly a booming classical music metropolis; it’s the house of the mouse. So it’s hard to find groups to perform with that don’t already have professionals filling the brass sections.

But that’s all those really are, excuses. Because if the saying is true, that we make time for the things that are most important to us, then I should still be playing. I would find somewhere to practice; I would form my own ensemble if I had to. I’ve done it before.

I mentioned before my list of goals for this year and making music a bigger part of my life is one of them. (I mean besides the easy music like singing in my car, going to concerts, and being part of the church choir.) So, with no valid excuses, I got my horn fixed last week and practiced at the church for the first time in a long time last night. I was surprised to find that I still have a pretty good range, no endurance or accuracy though. I have a long way to go to get back in shape and need to do some recruiting. All in good time though.

Florida Flakes

Okay, so I probably shouldn't say just because people are from/live in Florida that they are flakes (because that's not true). But I will say that compared to all the other places I've lived, Florida has the highest percentage of people with no follow through. Now, this could be due to a lot of different factors: age, personalities, quantity of friends and events, the culture, etc.

I don't think the point is why is this happens so frequently, but rather how can this be changed? Well, I'm gonna be honest, I don't have an answer to that. So, I guess what this blog is really about is venting. People are flakes these days and it's pissing me off. I'm totally sick of it! If you say you'll do something, do it. If you commit to something, stick with it. That's really not so hard, I do it all the time. Yes, I understand when things happen and you can't follow through with what you said you'd do, there are always exceptions. And I have dropped the ball on several occasions. But there comes a point when excuses add up; excuses become habit and habit becomes characteristic. I really don't want to associate with people who have lip-service-only characteristics.

There are several people here that I can really trust, who's words are as good as gold, who's actions support their words. And I value those friendships so much. So, maybe it's good in a way. It shows you who is intentional about being in a relationship with you, shows you who are real friends.

I'm not writing this as a pointed rant directed at an individual for a specific incident (so I don't want anyone getting bent out of shape thinking I'm talking about them - don't make me start singing 'you're so vain, you probably think this blog is about you...'). Like I said, its a venting blog and something I've been thinking about for a while. I don't understand the whishy-washy mentality and probably never will.

That is all.