Look At These

My last post was about Kanyeah "Look at me" West's need to have every last member of his concert audience stand in ordorance of his "singing".  Well, a few couldn't as they used wheelchairs and could not complete his requirements.

Enough about him.  I did want to offer up some examples that deserve to have people look at them.  I don't want to create what's known as "Inspirational Porn". IP are examples of, often, stories about disabled people doing things normal people do, thus inspiring people.

These are examples of people doing things that need to be recognized.  I don't want to inspire you.  I want you to see how some people, not famous, do things just because they want to.  No self glory, just people being happy.

Elite Stars

Elite Stars is a group of athletes with special needs.  Here's how the program is described on their website.

STARS Athletics is proud to offer a unique program for individuals with special needs from 4 years of age and up.  Specialized training designed especially for individuals with developmental and physical limitations. Designed by a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist, Personal Trainer and United States Association of Gymnastics Professional, UCA Cheer Professional and ISI/UFSA Skating Professional, the STARS program promises to develop athletes both physically and mentally while maximizing the fun!

Recreational programs promise fun, fitness, socialization and a learning opportunity for families to gain an understanding of healthy lifestyles and the opportunities available to those individuals with special needs.  The competitive programs are one-of-a-kind programs that offer elite coaching, great facilities and year-round training and competition opportunities to athletes with special needs. Athletes receive superior certified coaching support and have the opportunity to take part in the outstanding peer coach program, outings, clinics, camps, special events, trips and meets and competitions (locally & across the USA). 

Better yet here's a video that shows the program.

I know the founder Patty Hermann.  We go way back.  This is her passion.  

I asked her,

"Why Elite Stars?"

She replied,  

"I do what I do to defy the odds of what our society believes to be true. It motivates me to help these athletes exceed the norm and defy the odds."

Hope For Paws

Another group I want to highlight is Hope For Paws.  Hope For Paws is an animal rescue organization.  I realize there are many animal rescue organizations out there.  I see the commercials a lot on TV.  In fact, Christmas a few years ago, Jimmy saw one of those heart breaking ASPCA commercials.  Jimmy was so moved he wanted to donate to the ASPCA ASAP.  So, we did.  We sent them our money hoping it would help one of those poor animals.  In return, Jimmy got that feeling he was able to make a difference.  We also received more mail from them everyday asking for more and more money.  This post isn't to bash ASPCA.  I just was turned off by the  "Look At Me" vibe I felt from ASPCA.

"Hey Kenyeah, I'm Standing"

Hope For Paws just seems to focus on their mission.  Yes, they make videos that will move you to donate.  I did.  And I don't recall getting this either.

Hope For Paws make a big difference.  They rely on the internet's viral ability to spread their mission forward.  Here's a sample of their work.

I could go on and on about plenty of people doing things, not for the glory, but for their passions.  They don't need me to.  They can stand on their own.

Look At Me!

I couldn't fall asleep last night.  Nothing major, just couldn't turn my brain off.  Maybe it was the David Rio Elephant Chai caffeine from dinner.  Maybe it was my son's cold keeping him up keeping me up.  Maybe it was thinking about what Kanye West would want me to be doing.

Let me preface this post by saying I really don't care what celebrities do most of the time.  I know they must feed off the publicity or else they will die.  Yet, every now and then a celebrity does something I can't ignore.

In case you hadn't heard, Kanye West, Kim Kardashian's husband, is a rapper.  He is famous for his giant ego.  I can't tell you if he is talented, because honestly, it seems like every rapper is on every "song" of each other rapper's "songs".  They all seem to "win" awards reminiscent of modern day children's sports where everyone is a "winner" and gets a trophy.  I can say Mr. Kardashian is popular.  He'd be the first to confirm that.

In addition to being popular, he is also a tad narcissistic.  His opinion, in his mind, is what is most  important.  How can we forget the MTV Award show when he didn't agree that Taylor Swift beat Beyonce for an award.

Truthfully, as ego driven as that was, I wouldn't have lost sleep over it.

His latest trip to the Ego Olympics did make me think.  Kid Kardashian was in concert in Sydney recently.  The joint was packed and having fun.  Then at one point KK notices that out of the thousands of fans dancing and standing there were a few fans sitting.  

Kanye couldn't understand.  Why would, how could ANYBODY not be swept away by his music and begin standing and dancing?  This was music being performed by HIM,  Kanye West-Kardashian.

Well, as it turned out the fans where actually people using wheelchairs.  Despite Kanye's need to have everybody do whatever he says, these fans chose to sit.  Kanye does what any super ego driven yutz would do in this situation, stop the show.  Stop the show and wait.  Wait until he can get his security to check why somebody wasn't doing what he wanted.

The people in the "I'll Sit This One Out" community were outraged.  How dare he!  I wasn't outraged, just truly amused at the size of his ego.  

Many questions came to mind: 

What would happen if Kanye West would have met Rosa Parks?  

Does Kanye West play "Simon Says"?

If Kanye ever gave a speech in front of Congress, how long would it take?

Kanye West vs. Sitting Bull?

Clearly, you can see now why I couldn't sleep.  I didn't know what Kanye wanted me to do.

Remember, Yes. Remember What, Depends

We've all seen the subtle reminders.  

9/11 We Remember

9/11 Never Forget

Anybody that was alive during that day I doubt will ever forget.  I can tell you every moment of my day.  I'm sure many can as well.  It's one of those "Where were you when?" moments in history.  Each year we get the yearly reminder, "Never Forget".

I sort of laugh internally at the reminder.  I'm not laughing at the day, I'm laughing at the fact that the yearly reminder to remember reminds me how much we've forgotten.  That sentence sounds like an Abbott & Costello routine.

We seem to forget 9/12 and the weeks that followed.  We truly were United.  We were bonded together as a unit against the evil that tried to destroy our free way of life.  I look around at all the divides that exist in our country, race, religions, incomes, politics and many others.  All those divisions were bridged for a short time by 9/11.  Why have we not been able to remember those bridges?

President Obama went on TV last night to describe our country's plan with this new terrorist klan, ISIL.  Yeah, we all hate ISIL let's get them.  We found an enemy we can all agree on.  Imagine if we united on other things, like hunger or employment.  We would be unstoppable.

We don't need to keep fighting amongst ourselves, we have enough outside the U.S. battles to fight.

Keep on remembering.  Just don't stop on 9/11, the rest was worth remembering too.