In a post I haven't quite completed I tell of the New Year doldrums - well they just got exponentially greater! My sister called to tell me that our favorite tea house - Osiyo on Cedar Rd. in Cleveland Heights is no more! I am devastated!
Just the other day I was checking my tea supply and noting what I needed to pick up. My plan was to run by tomorrow and pick up some Dream of Angels and King's Blend. What am I to do now?
If you never had the pleasure to visit Osiyo you missed a great little spot. Upon entering this storefront on busy Cedar Road the noise and traffic were quickly left behind. The room was dark and cozy with several quaint seating areas for couples or groups. On two occasions our book club "The Literary Sistas" held our Saturday evening gathering at Osiyo.
The staff and ownership were wonderful! Thinking Osiyo was Japanese, we were all surprised when the owner - heaven knows I don't recall his name, but he was a very charming older gentleman, explained to us that it was actually an Indian name.
On a couple of occasions I just stopped in for a cup of tea and the opportunity to do some writing in a quiet place.
To see just how quaint this tea house was, stop by here.
I never ventured upstairs to see the antiques, but the tea accessories were great! If anyone knows what came of this wonderful little spot, please let me know. Also, if you know of a great little tea house in the Cleveland area I need to know that too!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Urban Decay-The Decline of the Inner City
It was with great interest that I read the feature "Can We Save Our Neighborhoods?" in the Plain Dealer today. The focus was the rise and fall of Cleveland's Mt. Pleasant neighborhood over the last 70 years and how this community's roller coaster status is reflective of the entire city and region.
I found the article to accurately reflect the trends in this metropolitan area, but what continues to be missing from articles of this nature are answers to the deeper sociological questions. Why did one lot of people in large numbers develop or react to dire straits in such hard and callous ways?
Many scholars and experts will take you back to the Middle Passage and slavery, but that appears to be the simple and easy response. If in fact all problems were rooted in slavery - why then have some descendants excelled and others have not? Wouldn't this theory impact each descendant in the same way?
Well of course not! Just look around you and you will find siblings who share the same DNA, same developmental environment, but have extreme outcomes on both ends of the spectrum. During a conversation not long ago - one of Cleveland's "movers and shakers" further simplified the source of urban decay when he said, "It's poverty. The lack of jobs has led to an indifference." I would disagree that this represents the totality of the problem. Blacks have been impoverished since the Middle Passage, yet many have found a way out of poverty. Those that did not find a way out of poverty had something more purposeful and that was pride. With that sense of pride was also a faith in something larger than themselves and an abiding hope for a better tomorrow.
What are your thoughts on the decline of the inner city? Respond to the poll on the right as we continue this discussion.
Also check out the "backstory" on this issue. The Plain Dealer has presented a full multi-media package on this issue and it can be found here.
I found the article to accurately reflect the trends in this metropolitan area, but what continues to be missing from articles of this nature are answers to the deeper sociological questions. Why did one lot of people in large numbers develop or react to dire straits in such hard and callous ways?
Many scholars and experts will take you back to the Middle Passage and slavery, but that appears to be the simple and easy response. If in fact all problems were rooted in slavery - why then have some descendants excelled and others have not? Wouldn't this theory impact each descendant in the same way?
Well of course not! Just look around you and you will find siblings who share the same DNA, same developmental environment, but have extreme outcomes on both ends of the spectrum. During a conversation not long ago - one of Cleveland's "movers and shakers" further simplified the source of urban decay when he said, "It's poverty. The lack of jobs has led to an indifference." I would disagree that this represents the totality of the problem. Blacks have been impoverished since the Middle Passage, yet many have found a way out of poverty. Those that did not find a way out of poverty had something more purposeful and that was pride. With that sense of pride was also a faith in something larger than themselves and an abiding hope for a better tomorrow.
What are your thoughts on the decline of the inner city? Respond to the poll on the right as we continue this discussion.
Also check out the "backstory" on this issue. The Plain Dealer has presented a full multi-media package on this issue and it can be found here.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Fire Safety & Winter Cold Spells
As the mercury drops residents of the midwest and northeast portions of the country are fighting to stay warm and often the measures they take are fatal.
In just that last two weeks, Clevelanders have heard horrific tales of house fires as a result of electric space heaters or other such devices to keep their homes safe. The most tragic was the story of the three sisters who succumbed after their home went up in flames as a result of a problem with an electric baseboard heating system.
These tragedies have prompted me to ask all to become more familiar with these devices before using them in your homes, and to take all necessary precautions to prevent these scenes from repeating themselves.
For more information on electric space heaters and safety check out the site referenced here.
Our prayers and condolences are offered to the Ogbuji family as they continue to mourn their loss. A fund has been established in the memory of the girls at KeyBank.
In just that last two weeks, Clevelanders have heard horrific tales of house fires as a result of electric space heaters or other such devices to keep their homes safe. The most tragic was the story of the three sisters who succumbed after their home went up in flames as a result of a problem with an electric baseboard heating system.
These tragedies have prompted me to ask all to become more familiar with these devices before using them in your homes, and to take all necessary precautions to prevent these scenes from repeating themselves.
For more information on electric space heaters and safety check out the site referenced here.
Our prayers and condolences are offered to the Ogbuji family as they continue to mourn their loss. A fund has been established in the memory of the girls at KeyBank.
Saturday, November 03, 2007
The Secret - A Year Late
Ok, I'm a year or so late, but I just took the time to watch "The Secret" and while I found it interesting and somewhat enlightening I was surprised that "The Secret" really isn't a secret at all.
I guess I believe that most all of us are aware on a certain level that we have some level of control of our world based upon our actions. If you sit back and analyze your life - the good, the bad and the indifferent I believe that you will see that your "state of mind" was very similar to the events that transpired.
One portion of DVD that stuck with me was when one of the commentators said something on the lines of "Give it to the Universe" with reference to asking for what it is we want in life, don't just think it and say you would like but hand it to the universe.
You might ask, "Why did that stick with you?" Well in the Black Church it is a well established fact that if you want change in your life or if you have a problem that you are having trouble tackling you are to "Give it to God" and He will show you the way. So in many ways I found that the theories behind "The Secret" are very similar to those of the Christian teachings.
Another section made mention of having the persona of happiness, love and contentment but the actions of the extreme opposite. Here again, I was able to take a look at the Church and its members. In a previous post I spoke of "Good vs Evil" and how that is really one of the downfalls of our community today (global community). I have had the opportunity of observing a number of men and women proclaiming to be devout Christians and who attend services every Sunday - sometimes twice a day and are usually at Wednesday Bible study as well. These individuals are well versed in Scripture, yet their actions are those of Lucifer himself.
In making the comparison to "The Secret", these same people are constantly wondering why it is that nothing good is coming to them - "I pray daily, go to church weekly and tithe regularly but my life is still going no where," might be the lament of anyone of them. So just as you must exude positive energy to receive positive results, one must not just attend services, but lead a life in a similar fashion to Christ in order to receive the bounties.
Ultimately what I found is that "The Secret" is positive motivation to begin to put into action the lessons learned throughout life. As my mother has always told me, "If you want to do something you can - just reach for the sky, because there is no limit to what you can do!"
I'm reaching and I will achieve!
I guess I believe that most all of us are aware on a certain level that we have some level of control of our world based upon our actions. If you sit back and analyze your life - the good, the bad and the indifferent I believe that you will see that your "state of mind" was very similar to the events that transpired.
One portion of DVD that stuck with me was when one of the commentators said something on the lines of "Give it to the Universe" with reference to asking for what it is we want in life, don't just think it and say you would like but hand it to the universe.
You might ask, "Why did that stick with you?" Well in the Black Church it is a well established fact that if you want change in your life or if you have a problem that you are having trouble tackling you are to "Give it to God" and He will show you the way. So in many ways I found that the theories behind "The Secret" are very similar to those of the Christian teachings.
Another section made mention of having the persona of happiness, love and contentment but the actions of the extreme opposite. Here again, I was able to take a look at the Church and its members. In a previous post I spoke of "Good vs Evil" and how that is really one of the downfalls of our community today (global community). I have had the opportunity of observing a number of men and women proclaiming to be devout Christians and who attend services every Sunday - sometimes twice a day and are usually at Wednesday Bible study as well. These individuals are well versed in Scripture, yet their actions are those of Lucifer himself.
In making the comparison to "The Secret", these same people are constantly wondering why it is that nothing good is coming to them - "I pray daily, go to church weekly and tithe regularly but my life is still going no where," might be the lament of anyone of them. So just as you must exude positive energy to receive positive results, one must not just attend services, but lead a life in a similar fashion to Christ in order to receive the bounties.
Ultimately what I found is that "The Secret" is positive motivation to begin to put into action the lessons learned throughout life. As my mother has always told me, "If you want to do something you can - just reach for the sky, because there is no limit to what you can do!"
I'm reaching and I will achieve!
Breast Cancer Month Socks
I've been away for a while, but I've been working on some of my other creative muses. The pic below is of a pair of socks I made during the "Peas Love Pink" Breast Cancer Awareness event held at Miss Chickpea's Funky Fibers, one of my two new local knitting shops. It's a great little shop in Hudson, Ohio with lots of great fibers and staff!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Correction
I would like to correct the previous post which indicates that none of the students had records as I have found out that Mychal Bell was convicted as a juvenile of battery. Will look into this, but I still believe that to charge the youths as adults for attempted murder initially was excessive.
I Love My People - Keep the Movement Going
This post was supposed to go up yesterday, but here it is a day late.
Feeling good to be a Black woman today!
The end of the day has finally arrived! Thank you Jesus! As I hop into my black SUV the late summer sun is beaming and the thermostat reads a whopping 85, which explains why I'm feeling all sticky right now. I tune into the Michael Baisden show on WZAK FM 93.1 and immediately my state of discomfort is washed away as I listen to the brothers talking about the march and rally planned for the next day in Jena, LA. The sun shining down on me as become the beacon and ray of hope in my world as I smile with deep pride.
Not since the Million Man March have I felt such a deep pride in my brothers and sisters, particularly the younger set. My emotions are heightened, but at the same time I'm kicking myself for not being in a position to make that journey - this is history in the making! Many people were still making light of the situation and straddling fences, but I knew deep within my being that the BROTHERS would step up in LARGE numbers to bring attention to one of the many injustices leveled against my people on a daily basis.
Fast forward to this morning. Every morning I awaken to the sounds of the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and today was no different than any other except I also turned on the television to see if the majority media had decided this was a story WORTHY of their coverage. I was pleasantly surprised to see NBC and CNN with reporters on scene reporting back that the buses were rolling in large numbers.
I proudly donned by black apparel in support of the Jena 6 and began my short commute to work. In route I tuned into the Russ Parr Morning Show and caught Rev. Jesse Jackson's interview. Arriving at work I was pleased to see that many of my co-workers had also donned black in support of the Jena 6 and there was a buzz in the air as everyone wanted to know, "Have you heard anything, has the march started?"
Tuning into to cnn.com we were able to keep an ear and eye on the activities during the day and to see the masses gathered took me back to October 16, 1995 and the bubbling joy I felt as I traveled I-76 to the nation's capital in a sea of black.
As I wallow in joy this evening my hope is that the Movement continues. I continue to discount the naysayers who have claimed "these were bad boys - they have records." Well if that were the case I'm sure this would be plastered across the television, newspapers and the blogsphere!
Do I support the act of violence that landed these young men in jail? No, violence is not the answer, but over zealous prosecution is not either! If high school brawls were subject to this type of prosecution across the board we would have a lot of vacant high schools.
I applaud Michael Baisden, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tom Joyner, Ice Cube, Rev. Jesse Jackson and the countless others who stood up for injustice! It warms my heart to see that so many of our young people have found something that they can come together on.
Take the spirit, energy and conviction for right and wrong to your hometowns, schools and communities and let's show the world that we are strong and committed race of people who will no longer settle for what is offered and will stand up when we know that our rights have been trampled on!
Feeling good to be a Black woman today!
The end of the day has finally arrived! Thank you Jesus! As I hop into my black SUV the late summer sun is beaming and the thermostat reads a whopping 85, which explains why I'm feeling all sticky right now. I tune into the Michael Baisden show on WZAK FM 93.1 and immediately my state of discomfort is washed away as I listen to the brothers talking about the march and rally planned for the next day in Jena, LA. The sun shining down on me as become the beacon and ray of hope in my world as I smile with deep pride.
Not since the Million Man March have I felt such a deep pride in my brothers and sisters, particularly the younger set. My emotions are heightened, but at the same time I'm kicking myself for not being in a position to make that journey - this is history in the making! Many people were still making light of the situation and straddling fences, but I knew deep within my being that the BROTHERS would step up in LARGE numbers to bring attention to one of the many injustices leveled against my people on a daily basis.
Fast forward to this morning. Every morning I awaken to the sounds of the Tom Joyner Morning Show, and today was no different than any other except I also turned on the television to see if the majority media had decided this was a story WORTHY of their coverage. I was pleasantly surprised to see NBC and CNN with reporters on scene reporting back that the buses were rolling in large numbers.
I proudly donned by black apparel in support of the Jena 6 and began my short commute to work. In route I tuned into the Russ Parr Morning Show and caught Rev. Jesse Jackson's interview. Arriving at work I was pleased to see that many of my co-workers had also donned black in support of the Jena 6 and there was a buzz in the air as everyone wanted to know, "Have you heard anything, has the march started?"
Tuning into to cnn.com we were able to keep an ear and eye on the activities during the day and to see the masses gathered took me back to October 16, 1995 and the bubbling joy I felt as I traveled I-76 to the nation's capital in a sea of black.
As I wallow in joy this evening my hope is that the Movement continues. I continue to discount the naysayers who have claimed "these were bad boys - they have records." Well if that were the case I'm sure this would be plastered across the television, newspapers and the blogsphere!
Do I support the act of violence that landed these young men in jail? No, violence is not the answer, but over zealous prosecution is not either! If high school brawls were subject to this type of prosecution across the board we would have a lot of vacant high schools.
I applaud Michael Baisden, Rev. Al Sharpton, Tom Joyner, Ice Cube, Rev. Jesse Jackson and the countless others who stood up for injustice! It warms my heart to see that so many of our young people have found something that they can come together on.
Take the spirit, energy and conviction for right and wrong to your hometowns, schools and communities and let's show the world that we are strong and committed race of people who will no longer settle for what is offered and will stand up when we know that our rights have been trampled on!
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