Southern Snow Days

Though rare, yes, folks, we do get ‘em.

I have lived in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area of North Carolina for five years now (it was officially 5 years as of Saturday).  In that time, I’ve seen dustings of the white stuff, maybe 1-2 inches of fluffy powder about once a year (maybe twice).  It really hasn’t been much.

The most snow accumulation I’ve ever seen in these parts was Inauguration Day 09.  At the time I was still working as a Community Content Liaison for our local NBC affiliate and even though the snow was coming down fast & furrious, we were told because we work for the media, we have to expect to “expect to be at work” that day.

My Heart Bleeds for the Haitian Community

This week I haven’t been able to concentrate on writing.  Even though there are so many topic ideas for each of my blogs swimming around in my head, the international events of this past Tuesday have overtaken my thoughts and my heart. 

You know, I remember a few years back when the Asian Tsunami ripped through the Indian Ocean wiping out coastal areas of Indonesia and several other countries surrounding the Ocean.  And let us not forget what happened in our own country along the coast of Louisiana as Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans just a few months later.  It was like WHAM and BAM, wasn’t it? 

But, as awful as each of those events were, nothing compares to the devastation that was caused on one of the poorest nation’s of the Western Hemisphere, if not the world – the small country that is Haiti. 

My heart bleeds for the people down there, for the natives of the country, the relief workers, and the countless missionaries in residence, many of whom have lost their lives in the Earthquake that came upon them just this past week.  I wish I could wave a magic wand and make it all go away. 

Yet, I know and am so thankful that we have a God that loves us so very much.  He will not let us handle anything more than we possibly can.  The Haitian people will prevail, relief and aid workers are there now and will remain in some way, shape, or form for years to come, and missionaries will continue to return to the nation to do their part to help improve the conditions in the country.  While there is no doubt it will be a rough road, the city & surrounding areas of Port-Au-Prince will bounce back.

If you’ve been thinking about how you can help, first – pray. Second, what’s most in need right now – cash & medical supplies.  So, give to any of the reputable charities associated with the recovery effort.  No amount is too small.  No amount.  See this link for more information – http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/01/13/haiti.earthquake.how.to.help/index.html.

Probably the fastest way to help – if you have a cell phone, text “Haiti” to 90999 to donate $10 to the American Red Cross relief effort.  Standard text message rates apply but most carriers are involved with this effort.  So, what are you waiting for?  Make that $10 difference today!

My thoughts and prayers continue for everyone associated with the relief efforts.  May God BLESS every effort abundantly.

Lisa

Top image of the Haitian coastline courtesy of Destination 360.  Middle image courtesy of Christopher Mitchell (via @marvinady on Twitter).

Paid Content IS The Future

Let me preface this by saying this is all in my own very humble opinion based on my experience having worked for my local NBC affiliate.  Of course, this post will also be backed up by sources that I encourage you to view for yourself.

A recent article by PaidContent:UK introduces the idea that TimesOnline will go paid-only in the spring with the Sunday Times to follow suit shortly thereafter.  This stemmed brief discussion in Twitter streams not long after the article was published.  Is the future of internet journalism really going to be a paid model?  The short answer is yes.  With advertising dollars on a significant decline, media conglomerates are looking outside of the box to offset the shortfalls. 

One solution is to either require subscription-only services or to offer a premium subscription service as is the case with uber-successful Fox News host, Bill O’Reilly, who has seemed to have made a name for himself in the paid content arena.  O’Reilly offers a slew of premium member benefits to those that pay for it.  Anything from exclusives like video clips, a nightly critique of his show immediately following sign-off, weekly “back stage chats”, and priority email to name a few.  Fox and O’Reilly figured out how to make money by delivering a kind of “special guest” service to their very special “guests” by giving them what they would want that they would pay for. 

I Get To Be A Docent

Me and films are synonomous with peanut butter and jelly.  I love films.  I love everything there is about them.  When I watch a film, I don’t just watch it for the sake of entertainment (or lack thereof in some cases).  Rather, I’m the kinda girl that pays attention to the details – the art, the direction, the script, the cinemaotography, the editing, the costumes, the acting, etc.

That’s why I chose to start my other blog – The REEL Box Office Buzz – a couple of years ago.  I have a passion for movies and the whole film-making process.  I love giving my two cents regardless if anyone reads it or not. I just love doing it.

I Resolve To

I’m not into traditional New Year’s resolutions per se.  Though try as I might (at first), I never seem to keep ‘em.  I’ve resolved to lose weight, to eat  healthier, to exercise, to…and while I have made an honest to goodness effort on all those fronts each year, I have decided I need to “edit” my goals a little.  So, THIS is what I’ve resolved to do…

Friendship – It’s What Matters

When I was younger…OK when I was in my teens…I really wanted friends – lots of ‘em.  I wanted to be in the “Popular Crowd” though I didn’t quite no why other than that anyone associated with them was, well, popular.  And then one day my Dad said to me -

“Lisa, it’s not the number of friends you have because there will be quite a few people that enter your life, that come and go.  Lots of people.  You don’t call them all ‘friends’.  Your friends are the select few, the ones that will be there for you all the time.  That’s what you want; not the numbers but the friends.”

I remember at the time thinking, “Yeah, right, Dad.  Whatever.  You don’t get it.” Little did I know that he did.

Today, I am proud to admit that my Father was right (Yes, Dad, I just said you were right.  Now, stop smiling!).  I can honestly say that I have eleven wonderful women in my life that I consider friends.  Two ladies live in New England – my best friend from high school, Merideth, and my best friend from college, Erin.  Then there is Wendee, my totally bohemian friend from Houston.

Right here in the Triangle where I have made my home these last five years, that’s where the rest of them are.  First there’s my very talented friend, Miss Rozlyn Sorrell, the woman with the incredible voice & the HUGE heart.  Then, the kindred spirit I have found in my friend Crystal.  Finally, the six absolutely lovely ladies I had the distinct pleasure of working with the last two years at NBC 17 – Ashley Sue, Courtney, Jennifer, Jessica, Jessica, and Teran – four of which spent the evening with me the other night as we celebrated Christmas together.

Jennifer, Ashley Sue, Courtney, Teran, and I

With all of these women, I can whole-heartedly say I experience joy, laughter, sadness, pain, and, most importantly, love with.  Each one is unique and special but most of all, they are all special to me.  I am thankful every single day for their presence in my life and what they bring to it.

So tonight, I reflect on not only the meaning of friendship but the beauty of it.  There’s nothing like “girl” friends.

Thank you, my girls for being who you are and for gracing my life with your presence.  I feel truly blessed!

Smiles,

Lisa

Schools and Segregation – Really?

As a former educator, I am still very passionate about the subject of education and lately there has been some interesting debate in this part of the country regarding not only that topic but the issues that come with.

The year 2009 was an election year for county school board seats in various counties throughout our state.  Whether the issues were who was the best candidate to fill the available seats, school finance, overcrowding, busing, what have you, the debate really heated up in Wake County (NC), the county with the largest population attending public schools.

Recently, the new Wake County School Board was sworn in and one of the first issues they addressed is the County socio-economic diversity policy which currently allows for busing students cross-county to ensure student population is balanced (see this story at http://www.wral.com/news/education/story/6531903/).  Newly elected School Board Officials proposed an assignment change that would end that policy and instead promote the idea of “neighborhood schools”.  Some are applauding the efforts of the school board while others are protesting that the very idea sends us backwards in time to segregation.  I believe that philosophy is further from the truth and let me explain why.

What Thanksgiving Means To Me

OK, so I realize that the American holiday we call “Thanksgiving” has come and gone but I can’t help reflecting on what it means to be thankful.  So, indulge me for a few moments will you?

It’s amazing to me that (for the most part) we spend one day a year in thanksgiving of our blessings.  We get the day off from work, we travel to visit family (or they come to us), we stuff ourselves to the point of near sickness, and we give thanks to God for all that he has done in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

But, it’s just one day that it’s recognized.  How sad is that?

Yet, it’s a reality, isn’t it?  Sure, we say our prayers every night and we thank God for each blessing we receive as it comes upon us but we don’t celebrate it all but one day a year.  Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it?

I’m guilty of it myself.  I do exactly as I write – I say my prayers of “Thanksgiving” each day and I celebrate that one special day each year.  But, this year…this year I decided to do something a bit different – I got myself and my family (which is really my husband and I) involved in as many charity events as possible, most involving food drives… and I’m so glad I did!

Honor a Veteran Today

In America, the land that I love, the land in which I can say I am FREE, we celebrate and honor our Veterans today for the sacrifices they make, for allowing us to have that freedom, and for some of them, dying for it just the same.

Each year that this holiday rolls around I am always amazed at its significance, not reminded of it, but amazed by it.  For the everyday American, if you really think long and hard about it, you realize that you made the choice not to serve our country in the capacity in which others do/did.  And that’s no fault of yours or anything.  It’s just a fact of life.  I know I didn’t choose to serve my country.  I did choose a couple of boyfriends back in the day that did though, however.  A bad attempt at humor there.

But seriously, what our Vets do on our behalf is so incredible, so giving, and what their families do to support them is just as much.  What we need to do and should be doing each year is finding some small way to honor those that fight for our freedoms and their families.  Whether it be sending a care package to a soldier,  sending a simple letter, saying a little prayer, tending to the grave of a fallen one (even one we don’t know), or sharing our thoughts (as I am doing right now) via a blog post, we should be doing something to honor our soldiers, our heroes.

Being Tested

Harbor Town, Hilton Head SC. October 09.

The normally positive, cheery, upbeat smiling Lisa Sullivan has had a TOUGH time being all that this week…and I don’t like it one bit!

I am generally a positive person.  I have never made it a secret that it comes from my strong faith.  That is what gets me through each day – knowing that God has a plan for me, directs my path, and will reveal the next piece to my life’s puzzle in His time.  I trust in Him and I have never doubted otherwise… until this week.  Believe me, I know it’s the enemy talking. Not God.

But still, this week has been a very trying week for me.  The enemy has made his presence known and I have used every weapon I know to defeat him – prayer…LOTS of it, scripture, surrounding myself in His light through the power of Christian music, everything.  And I thank GOD that I can do that!