This Town, This Night, This Crowd

I’m writing this on a plane again. This time I’m flying from Denver to New Orleans. I spent this past weekend in Denver catching up with friends and generally having a good time. No real reason for this particular weekend, though I was asked that a lot, but I wanted to see some great people. As seems to always happen with these trips, I started reminiscing about my time at DU/in Denver and that got me thinking about life, as I know it.

I am incredibly fortunate to be in the position in which I find myself. I have a good job (that I enjoy) with a growing company in an expanding industry. I have a loving and caring family who I enjoy spending time with. I have the best friends for which one could ask. And I have had some amazing experiences and a great education. I am appreciative of everyone who is a part of all of these pieces of my life.

Every time I go back to Denver I have a great time. With luck, that will continue to happen. I saw such great people and had a lot of fun. We are able to take advantage of what the city has to offer and I really do miss Denver. That said, this visit was the first time when I did not feel like I should be on campus. By that I mean that I did not have that bugging feeling about being in Denver, but not being a student. I guess that means I am moving on (it has been almost a year since graduation!).

Things are always changing. People are leaving Denver and I have found some who are returning. I realize that it is no longer the same, but Denver will always have a special place in my heart. I think I made the right decision to leave, to go back home, and to move beyond college (though I can still act like I’m in college if the situation is right). That said, I would like to end up back in Denver at some point. It is filled with potential. And I do want to keep learning and growing, while surrounded by fantastic people.

Listen To Their Voices – Stop Bullying Now!

Sometimes I feel like the people who have the most to say are the ones who aren’t given the opportunity to say anything. Yesterday, I saw Bully – the movie/documentary that has been causing a stir because of its rating from the MPAA. It was an incredibly powerful series of stories; and these stories are emblematic of situations that affect each of us and each of our communities.

Throughout the movie I kept think “Did that ever happen to me? Maybe I was a bully to someone else?” You see, so many of us have been bullied. Fortunately, most of us have not been bullied to the extent shown in Bully. Yet, that does not mean that the bullying we have witnessed, committed, and observed is okay: far from it. Any amount of bullying needs to be stopped.

Bullying starts at a young age and that, I believe, is why the documentarians included the story of an 11-year-old boy who killed himself. 11 years old! I didn’t even know that 11-year-olds knew how to do that. But apparently they do. I firmly believe that the environment and the community in which one grows up will have a significant influence on one’s behavior and opportunities, probably the two most significant categories that influence bullying. Obviously there are social, structural, and institutional factors at play that provide substantial barriers to stopping and preventing bullying. But that does not mean that we should not work to stop bullying from occurring.

Excuses are wide spread in Bully, as they are in our communities. The problem becomes less personal when it is dispersed as a problem “nationwide” and dismissed when responses include non-committal statements such as “school buses [are] notorious for bullying.” But what about right here where we live? And what are you and I going to do about it? Bullying is a learned activity. As such, it can be unlearned.

Learning occurs in the places mentioned above – homes, communities, and schools. We come of age through the education system; and while schools cannot control what happens in the students’ homes, those individuals in charge of schools can control what happens in the school buildings, in the schoolyard, and on the school buses. To ignore or dismiss this responsibility is a failure to fulfill one’s duties to protect, raise, and educate children. If one is not willing to address bullying then that individual needs to be removed from that position and replaced with someone who can be effective at developing the next generations of leaders and thinkers.

Bullying occurs in situations besides being a student. It happens in the workplace. It happens in the grocery story. It happens on the highway. It happens when school officials and community leaders refuse to recognize bullying as a problem and neglect to address it. This may be due to a tunnel vision of sorts. Excuses such as “boys will be boys” do not address the root issue – plenty of boys are not bullies. And not all bullies are boys. Importantly, the excuses given for bullying are often the result of one’s personal, political, and religious beliefs as they relate to the cause of the bullying. The beliefs one holds are irrelevant when it comes to addressing the treatment of others and can actually turn those in positions of power into bullies themselves.

Whatever the bullying activity, whoever the target, and wherever the bullying occurs, we must all – each of us – become more aware and more proactive. We must address the causes of bullying, stop the bullies, and support the bullied. We must do this now – because even one lost 11-year-old is too many.

San Diego

I am writing this on the plane back to New Orleans after having spent the weekend visiting two friends in San Diego. What a great weekend! I have had a few experiences lately that have made me reflect on how fortunate I am to have so many great people in my life. Jess and Ari just confirmed this for me again.

I really liked San Diego. It is a beautiful city. There is still much more there that I would like to explore. We went to the beach, saw seals, did a bit of hiking along some cliffs over the ocean, and explored a bit around Balboa Park. Obviously there are some big tourist draws that we did not do, but hopefully there will be other opportunities for that. What we did do is spend time together.

It’s been almost two and a half years since I’ve seen Jess and almost six years since I’ve seen Ari. That’s crazy! It was so good to see them. I love how we were able to pick up like we’d just seen each other – though, we did cover the highlights of the last several years. Hopefully it will not be so long until the next time.

Yom HaShoah – Never Again?

Never Again! I helped start a group by that name at the University of Denver – focusing on Holocaust and genocide awareness and action. And because the Holocaust is tied to other genocides and awareness isn’t enough. Action is also needed. Yet, more needs to be done. Because genocide and the Holocaust are now terms that have been perverted to fit the use of so many who are looking to add a little drama, or a little extra “oomph,” to their cause. But that’s exactly it – they do not add to a cause - they are the cause. They are the cause because nothing should ever happen like this. And nothing like this should ever happen again and again.

So, learn what’s happening around the world. I know I was well informed about genocide. But then I got busy. Well, other people got busy too – killing entire groups of people because of who they are. I challenge myself and everyone else to do more, to do better. Because “Never Again” seems to have just become “Again” – and that should Never happen.

Yom HaShoah – Holocaust Remembrance Day.

What I’m Reading & Doing

Ever interested in continuous learning and engaging with others, I subscribe to Fast Company, Fortune, The Economist, Entertainment Weekly (for a little fun), Harvard Business Review emails and articles, and The Wall Street Journal. I regularly read Time and The New York Times online and on my cell phone. I also follow blogs such as those by Ezra Klein, Nick Kristoff, and Mashable. Further, I regularly use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Foursquare, and Instagram. I also use Google+, Flickr, Stumbleupon, and others, but don’t find them to be incredible relevant.

The Book of Purim

The Jewish holiday of Purim is this week. I’m hoping to find a place in Baton Rouge to celebrate. In the meantime, I thought I would share this parody of The Book of Mormon. It’s quite amusing and accurate, but extremely ridiculous. Enjoy.

Disney on Leap Day

I figure we need a little something extra (“lagniappe” as they say in Louisiana) on Leap Day. Here is some Disney accapella. I’m a really big Disney fan, as those of you who know me know. I also like accapella. All a little extra for leap day.

Long Time No Post

It has been quite some time since I’ve really been blogging. I realize that I’ve been slacking on this lately. I’m hoping to be better about blogging again. Life has been crazy busy – work has been going very well, but has also been extremely busy (read late nights) with what is basically 100% travel. I’ve traveled a few weekends and other weekends have been packed with things to do and people to see. Hopefully, life will be slowing down a bit soon and I will do a better job of posting on here more regularly.

In the meantime, here are some highlights of the past month or so:

• I have now been to every corner of Louisiana and most everywhere in between too
• I celebrated Mardi Gras (though not in New Orleans)
• I went to St. Petersburg, Florida for a long weekend
• I went to Denver for DU’s Winter Carnival and had a great time with friends. I also went skiing with my brother
• I’ve decided that I finally need to start going to events in St. Louis with the Jewish Federation’s Young Professional Division, Moishe House, and Next Dor
• I saw Louis Black at the Peabody Opera House (worth mentioning the location on its own merit)
• I went to Centene’s Annual Success Party at the St. Louis Club. It was impressive.
• I was sick for about a week/week and a half – now I have remnants in the form of allergies/sinuses
• I went to the New Horizons Order of the Arrow Chapter Banquet. We launched our new website (I’m the advisor).
• I’m doing more work with Hillel of Colorado on their website
• I saw a St. Louis University Billikens game
• I’ve had a few family events
• I did Ammi Hyde interviews for the University of Denver
• I’ve been with Centene for more than six months now

So, here’s looking towards March – and can you believe it is almost here already?

“I Am Jewish”

On what being Jewish means now to people my age in many circumstances:

Well said.

On MLK Day

On Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

It is frustrating when people ask/complain why we get off of work/school for Martin Luther King Day, but then I realize that that’s the point: when everyone understands why we have the day off, we will no longer need it. On MLK day, I reflect on from where we have come and on how much further we have to go.

Before I started in the Social Justice Living and Learning Community at the University of Denver, I read Dr. King’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Here is just one (of many) powerful quotes that are still true today:

We who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive.
– “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” April 16, 1963