On Monday evenings, people all over the country tune their TV sets to ABC TV to watch the popular show “Dancing With the Stars” where celebrities are paired with professional dancers to the delight of the audience. There is emphasis on the music, the artists, the panel of judges; even the skimpy costumes!
Not everyone tunes in. There is a dedicated group of men who are incarcerated at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution who prepare a meeting room by heating water for coffee. They hang a banner and its accompanying ribbons. One will find an interesting new word for increasing vocabulary and they will prepare a list of duties to be performed at the gathering; they match names to duties in an organized, well orchestrated manner.
When it is time for the Toastmaster meeting to begin, men stream in across the yard from their housing units to come for a couple of hours of education and social time. The men are not the only ones who attend. There are three women who arrive through the Gatehouse to be a part of the meeting. Technically, the women are considered to be guests. None of the three considers herself a guest, however. We all three think we are just “another one of the guys.”
While Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris host their program, we have a Toastmaster who also serves as a host, with the help of his General Evaluator, Parliamentarian, Timer, Table Topics Master and, of course ,Speakers and Speech Evaluators.
As the panel of judges on Dancing With the Stars-Carrie Ann Inaba, Len Goodman, and Bruno Tonioli-doles out numbered scores, the evaluators in the meeting of LibOrators are diligently offering helpful, thoughtful, constructive evaluations to help others improve their speaking skills. By doing so, the evaluators are incrementally working their way through Leadership Manuals.
Having said that, the reality is--there is little comparison to the two activities. One is sheer entertainment. The other has much more value and that value is for the long term.
“Our” guys will take the speech projects, one at a time in any order they choose, and they will build a skill set that will serve them in their daily lives FOREVER. They will use their leadership to influence other prisoners in positive, constructive, helpful ways. For the Toastmaster members who make it to the streets, they can hold membership in clubs and continue their personal development for as long as they live! That is a long term plan!
As for Monday nights, our Area Governor, Irene Jones, and new member Velda Koehler and I will continue to wait patiently at the Gatehouse to be escorted to the meetings. When we are returned from the club’s activity, we will continue to gather outside to brag “our” guys up, note their progress and whether their shirttails were tucked in or their pants were pressed…and we will continue to be their motherly-or grandmotherly-cheering squad.
We could be anywhere on Monday nights. We could park on our sofas with big bowls of popcorn to be entertained by ballroom dancing. But that would never do for any of the three of us. We think the REAL entertainment lies in participating in the Monday night meetings of LibOrators 986233 at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution. We are so proud of our association with this club and we laud its members, as well as the Club Coordinator, for all the personal growth and development it has been our pleasure to witness over the past few years.
In our considered opinion, for Monday night’s lineup, the REAL STARS appear on TSCI-NE, not ABC-TV!
Connie Baum
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Can You Say 'Stress?'
Stanford University, according to a recent study, has concluded that more than 95% of all disease is created by stress.
The University study indicates that stress is the number 1 reason for failure in every part of your life. Mother Connie has been ranting and raving about this for quite some time, now, so it should not come as any surprise.
Dr. Ben Johnson is one of my most favorite people on the planet. He is the only MD featured in "The Secret" which has enjoyed great popularity. Here is what Dr. Johnson said: "The Healing Codes techniques change stress in a matter of minutes-in a scientifically provable and reproducible way-thus eliminating the cause of illness and disease in the body. I have never seen anything like this before!."
The University study indicates that stress is the number 1 reason for failure in every part of your life. Mother Connie has been ranting and raving about this for quite some time, now, so it should not come as any surprise.
Dr. Ben Johnson is one of my most favorite people on the planet. He is the only MD featured in "The Secret" which has enjoyed great popularity. Here is what Dr. Johnson said: "The Healing Codes techniques change stress in a matter of minutes-in a scientifically provable and reproducible way-thus eliminating the cause of illness and disease in the body. I have never seen anything like this before!."
I have never seen anything like it, either! And I have SOX older than Dr. Johnson! I have studied massage therapy, hydrotherapy, Ortho-Bionomy, Cranial Sacral work, homeopathy; even New Body Reflexology and color therapy. There were many classes in shiatsu and foot reflexology, even Amazing Body Alignment. Each has its place in the healing arts.
The fact of the matter is that the human body heals from the inside out. Dr. Ben Johnson and Dr. Alex Loyd teach people about how The Healing Codes help peoples' HEARTS to heal.
If you would like to learn how to de-stress and live a vibrantly healthy life with a happy, healthy heart you would appreciate visiting The Healing Codes.
Connie Baum
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Has Spring Sprung?
"Spring has sprung. The grass has riz. Where last year's careless driver is."--Burma Shave Sign
Who doesn't love Spring? The birds certainly seem to be enjoying the season in our neck of the woods. The Cranes are putting on quite a show on the North Platte River. The Canadian Snow Geese have left southeast NE to join their feathered friends along the corridor at the Platte River, too. The Bluejays and Cardinals can be heard screeching and singing and praising the season to the blue skies! I was keenly aware of their presence, along with the red Robins, as I tended the laundry at the clothesline today. The fresh air was delish! I'm sure the birds think so, too!
We are feathering a new nest so we're just learning how pretty it is to see how the light falls at various times of day. We are getting acquainted with the new floor plan and where the light swiches are placed. We are deciding from meal to meal whether we wish to take our food in the kitchen or the dining room-so many choices and delights; so little time!
Were we not in the pink of health, enjoying the local wildlife, having coffee here or there, arranging wall art and furniture would not be the joy it is. We are so grateful that we have learned about good clean water, minerals, organic and whole foods, the critical need for adequate rest and exercise. How blessed we are to understand the value of color, of alternative medicine, Far InfraRed products, and massage therapy! We count ourselves fortunate not to use antibiotics, microwave ovens and junk food. Our hearts are bursting with joy and gratitude; our bodies are healthy, strong and vibrant.
Thank goodness we have come to understand the importance of living our truth in love and forgiveness, acceptance and gratitude.
We are much like those birds who frequent our yard. We know our needs will be met.
The Healing Codes
Connie Baum
Who doesn't love Spring? The birds certainly seem to be enjoying the season in our neck of the woods. The Cranes are putting on quite a show on the North Platte River. The Canadian Snow Geese have left southeast NE to join their feathered friends along the corridor at the Platte River, too. The Bluejays and Cardinals can be heard screeching and singing and praising the season to the blue skies! I was keenly aware of their presence, along with the red Robins, as I tended the laundry at the clothesline today. The fresh air was delish! I'm sure the birds think so, too!
We are feathering a new nest so we're just learning how pretty it is to see how the light falls at various times of day. We are getting acquainted with the new floor plan and where the light swiches are placed. We are deciding from meal to meal whether we wish to take our food in the kitchen or the dining room-so many choices and delights; so little time!
Were we not in the pink of health, enjoying the local wildlife, having coffee here or there, arranging wall art and furniture would not be the joy it is. We are so grateful that we have learned about good clean water, minerals, organic and whole foods, the critical need for adequate rest and exercise. How blessed we are to understand the value of color, of alternative medicine, Far InfraRed products, and massage therapy! We count ourselves fortunate not to use antibiotics, microwave ovens and junk food. Our hearts are bursting with joy and gratitude; our bodies are healthy, strong and vibrant.
Thank goodness we have come to understand the importance of living our truth in love and forgiveness, acceptance and gratitude.
We are much like those birds who frequent our yard. We know our needs will be met.
The Healing Codes
Connie Baum
Monday, March 16, 2009
Does It HAVE To Be That Way?
One of the many things that delighted my heart when I was a little girl was going to my Grandma Wagner's home to visit.
When we spent the night I would have the privilege of sleeping in the Murphy bed that pulled out from the dining room wall. The big round Queen Anne table would be slid to one side of the room and Grandma would open the big door. Down would come that bed, as if by magic! It wasn't the best part of the visit-that would be my Auntie Berta's lemon meringue pie-but it rated right up there!
Another feature of an overnight visit to Grandma Wagner's was the thick aroma of menthol. There was the BenGay ointment, the Vicks Vaporub, and the spray that everybody used at bedtime.
I never did understand why it smelled so 'funny'. Now that I have been 33 years old so many times I realize that both my grandmother and my aunt were arthritic and were looking for pain relief!
Thank GOODNESS I do not know this from my own painful experience! But I hear the stories from others...
Grandma Wagner and my auntie did not know back then that it did not have to be that way. They never did learn how critical good water , clear and clean, pure and healing could have helped them relieve their misery.
By drinking good filtered water and lots of it, they probably would have been free from discomfort, needed fewer ointments and pain relievers. Their digestion and elimination would have been much easier and their skin would have retained more youthfulness. It is very aging to hurt!
Do YOU hurt? Are you drinking the kind of water that your cells can absorb to help you be well hydrated? If not, why not? Please, go here: High Tech Health to learn about the finest water filtration system on the planet.
We were never created to hurt. If you do hurt, please remember that it does not have to be that way.
High Tech Health
Connie Baum
When we spent the night I would have the privilege of sleeping in the Murphy bed that pulled out from the dining room wall. The big round Queen Anne table would be slid to one side of the room and Grandma would open the big door. Down would come that bed, as if by magic! It wasn't the best part of the visit-that would be my Auntie Berta's lemon meringue pie-but it rated right up there!
Another feature of an overnight visit to Grandma Wagner's was the thick aroma of menthol. There was the BenGay ointment, the Vicks Vaporub, and the spray that everybody used at bedtime.
I never did understand why it smelled so 'funny'. Now that I have been 33 years old so many times I realize that both my grandmother and my aunt were arthritic and were looking for pain relief!
Thank GOODNESS I do not know this from my own painful experience! But I hear the stories from others...
Grandma Wagner and my auntie did not know back then that it did not have to be that way. They never did learn how critical good water , clear and clean, pure and healing could have helped them relieve their misery.
By drinking good filtered water and lots of it, they probably would have been free from discomfort, needed fewer ointments and pain relievers. Their digestion and elimination would have been much easier and their skin would have retained more youthfulness. It is very aging to hurt!
Do YOU hurt? Are you drinking the kind of water that your cells can absorb to help you be well hydrated? If not, why not? Please, go here: High Tech Health to learn about the finest water filtration system on the planet.
We were never created to hurt. If you do hurt, please remember that it does not have to be that way.
High Tech Health
Connie Baum
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
I'm On Another Tangent
How many times must the public be reminded of the critical need to drink good, clean, pure, filtered water ?
Everywhere I go, people of every age-even toddlers!-are sucking down soda pop and eating snacks laced with the poison chemical substance called Sucralose! It's sold in nearly every school in the country! Every store on every block sells this garbage at bargain prices! Vending machines offer a dizzying array of the junk! It's served at every eatery!
Boys and girls, I feel the need to mention again that just because something is sold in a grocery store, does not mean it's fit for human consumption! And here's WHY:
1. The Food and Drug Administration is corporate compliant, more than protective of the American citizenry.
2. Sucralose, a toxic chemical agent, is marketed as Splenda and is put into every processed food known to mankind.
3. This carcinogenic powder has been shown to be the culprit in causing draconian diseases.
4. Sucralose is the result of the invention of a pesticide gone wrong.
Do you want to ingest pesticides? Do you want your children and grandchildren to drink pesticides?
It's no wonder we have thyroid dysfunction, enlarged livers and kidneys. Can we be surprised that our growth rates are adversely affected? Do we really need for bowels to be enlarged? How about the reduction of good bacteria in our intestines..do we need to have less when our body craves more?
Oh, and don't even get me started on the pH factor getting wacky. You know how I am about water for heaven's sake!
We hear so much about obesity from the media. Who is telling the public about the problems Sucralose contributes to weight gain? Low blood count? Aborted pregnancies and low fetal body weight?
All the public knows is what the tv commercials and magazine ads tell them. And there are the weight loss gurus, who in some cases are seriously misinformed!
Oh, what to do?
THE SOLUTION IS VERY SIMPLE: Vote with your feet and your wallet. Do NOT spend your hard earned dollars on the stuff and do not buy products containing it. Get yourself a good water system and drink water, for your health's sake!
water
Connie Baum
Everywhere I go, people of every age-even toddlers!-are sucking down soda pop and eating snacks laced with the poison chemical substance called Sucralose! It's sold in nearly every school in the country! Every store on every block sells this garbage at bargain prices! Vending machines offer a dizzying array of the junk! It's served at every eatery!
Boys and girls, I feel the need to mention again that just because something is sold in a grocery store, does not mean it's fit for human consumption! And here's WHY:
1. The Food and Drug Administration is corporate compliant, more than protective of the American citizenry.
2. Sucralose, a toxic chemical agent, is marketed as Splenda and is put into every processed food known to mankind.
3. This carcinogenic powder has been shown to be the culprit in causing draconian diseases.
4. Sucralose is the result of the invention of a pesticide gone wrong.
Do you want to ingest pesticides? Do you want your children and grandchildren to drink pesticides?
It's no wonder we have thyroid dysfunction, enlarged livers and kidneys. Can we be surprised that our growth rates are adversely affected? Do we really need for bowels to be enlarged? How about the reduction of good bacteria in our intestines..do we need to have less when our body craves more?
Oh, and don't even get me started on the pH factor getting wacky. You know how I am about water for heaven's sake!
We hear so much about obesity from the media. Who is telling the public about the problems Sucralose contributes to weight gain? Low blood count? Aborted pregnancies and low fetal body weight?
All the public knows is what the tv commercials and magazine ads tell them. And there are the weight loss gurus, who in some cases are seriously misinformed!
Oh, what to do?
THE SOLUTION IS VERY SIMPLE: Vote with your feet and your wallet. Do NOT spend your hard earned dollars on the stuff and do not buy products containing it. Get yourself a good water system and drink water, for your health's sake!
water
Connie Baum
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