Letter to President Obama

Many thanks to my Aunt for sending this beautiful letter about her brother (my father) to the President. I was very moved when I read it, as I hope he will be.


Dear President Obama:

There is one purpose for writing this letter to you, and that is to encourage you to
STOP SMOKING!!!

On February 26, 1994, my family, the educational community, the pharmaceutical community, the African American community, and the world, lost a wonderful person in the name of Dr. Clayborne Morris Monk. He was a professor of pharmacy at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas and a former professor of pharmacy at the University of Southern California. He was my brother.

Like you, Mr. President, he was a brilliant scholar, respected teacher, and a caring, loving family man. Intellectually, he knew that smoking was very bad for his health. He couldn’t seem to stop, despite this knowledge, and the family’s efforts to encourage him to do so.

Mr. Obama, we in the African American community of these United States of America, have precious few men of your caliber and my brother’s to model after. The statistics show that we are over represented in the prisons, hospitals, homeless population, etc.

Like many African Americans, I am button- popping proud of you and I would like to see you around for many years to come. I expect you to be re-elected in 2012. More importantly, I expect you to live long enough to see your beautiful daughters excel educationally and professionally; and to become fulfilled wives, and nurturing mothers. (if that is their choice)

Mr. President, please do not put yourself in a position to become another male African American statistic. Like my brother Clay, you are too precious to GOD, your family, and your country to succumb to such a bad habit.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Sincerely,
HRM

Blogthings again

You Are Like a Prayer

You are an intense, passionate person. Sometimes your emotions really get the better of you. An experience can be so intense for you that it feels spiritual or religious. You tend to let yourself go. You don't hold back, and you live in the moment. You live your life to the fullest, even if it makes you feel crazy. A little crazy is a good thing!

What Madonna Song Are You?

The First Rule of Blogthings Is: You Don't Talk About Blogthings

You Take Yourself Seriously

You see yourself as a thoughtful and introspective person. You are very intelligent. You think other people see you as friendly, happy, and charming. You tend to get along well with everyone. You want to see yourself as ingenious and clever. You'd like to be a quicker thinker. You identify as a compassionate and accepting person. You pride yourself on being forgiving.

Who Are You to Yourself?

Blogthings: Our Quizzes Weren't Written By Bored 12 Year Olds

You Are a Brownie

Decadent and intense, you aren't for the weakhearted. Those who can deal with your strong flavor find out how sweet you really are.

What Dessert Are You Most Like?

Blogthings: Cheaper Than a Therapist

mmmmmm, Apple Pie!

This recipe is brought to you by popular demand of friends and family after I made one for Thanksgiving and one for another recent gathering. Thanks to my family in Dallas for the recipe. Since I'm still working from the much stained and fading paper, it's about time that I went digital with it.

Sour Cream Apple Pie

Filling –
5 cups pared, cored, & diced apples (granny smith are best)
1 cup sugar
2 tbs flour
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 9-inch unbaked DEEP DISH pie shell

Topping -
1/2 cup sugar
5 tbs flour
1/4 cup butter (at room temperature)

preheat oven to 350°

1. chop apples finely - you can do this in a food processor. If the apples are really juicy, you may want to squeeze out some of the juice or the pie will be runny, although still good.

2. Mix the flour and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat until smooth. Add the apples and stir until mixed.

3. Pour the apple mixture into the pie shell and bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

4. While the pie is baking, mix the topping ingredients together until they resemble crumbs.

5. When the pie is ready, take it out and cover it with the pie topping then return it to the oven and bake for 15 more minutes.
Note - if the top needs to brown, you may switch to broil for a couple of minutes, but keep a close eye on it so it does not burn.

Enjoy :)

Holiday Travel Adventures

Something interesting happens every time Mom and I visit Mike & Janee. Two years ago the Christmas tree fell over, this time, travel drama. Before Christmas, the weather had been causing all kinds of delays for travelers headed east for the Holidays. We left on the 24th, when things seemed to have been clearing up, on the first flight from Houston to Newark at 6:35am. We left right on time and had a smooth flight until a little over 2hrs in when the pilot announced we would be circling for about 30 minutes, then continuing to Newark. That was ok, we could still make our connection to Harrisburg at noon.

Of course, things changed and now the announcement was that we would be 2.5hrs late. Apparently there was an emergency on the runway in Newark, so our flight was being diverted to Baltimore to refuel and wait. Now we would miss the connection completely & not get to Mike & Janee's for Christmas. Two years ago, we flew in to Baltimore, so I decided that we should get off the plane here and find another way to get 90 miles to where we were going.

We went downstairs to the "ground transportation" information area. Mom went straight to the limo/towncar desk and we were on the road within 10 minutes. I slept most of the way, having only gotten 3 hours of sleep the night before. Mom talked to the driver most of the way up there. We arrived at the house at 1:30, only 15 minutes after our plane would have landed in Harrisburg. We were early!

I took many pictures, ate too much food, and had a wonderful Christmas with my family and a friend. Happy Holidays everyone!

Halloween Blogthings

You Should Be a Geisha for Halloween

According to our quiz, you'd make an ideal geisha. Your runner up costume: Fairy

The Halloween Costume Generator

What Your Love of Butterfinger Says About You

You are a smooth character. Your charm is legendary. You're the type of person who could get away with almost anything. People don't know much about you, except that you're complicated. You also tend to be flaky. You can't be trusted to always follow through, but people still crave your company.

What Does Your Favorite Candy Say About You?

You Are Candy Corn

Your Halloween personality is whimsical, colorful, and creative. You see Halloween as a time to get your creative juices flowing. Each year, Halloween can't start soon enough for you. You tend to go all out for Halloween. You decorate like crazy and always dress up.

What Halloween Treat Are You?

You Are a Vampire

You are charming, sensual, and even a bit manipulative. You can't help but get people to do what you want. You have sharp senses and a strong predatory instinct. You go after what you want, without mercy. While you have the heart of a killer, many people are drawn to you. You are elegant, timeless, and mysterious. You are the ultimate fantasy object.

Are You a Vampire or a Werewolf?

You Could Be a Vampire... If You Had To

Like most people, the thought of being a vampire has crossed your mind. But you're not sure if you'd do it, even if you could. Living forever doesn't sound half bad, if you could live forever with the people you love the most. But do vampires even love? And would the vampire version of you even be you? It's all too much to contemplate. Luckily, the chances of you ever becoming a vampire are astronomically low. What you would like best about being a vampire: Living forever What you would like least about being a vampire: Blood stained teeth

Could You Be a Vampire?

What's your key signature?

Your result for What's your key signature?...

F Major

You're a little flat there, Romeo.

Congratulations, you’re F Major, combining the ease of C Major with just a tint of flatness among it. This key is just perfect for sappy ballads, just ask Paul McCartney! (Yesterday, Michelle AND Hey Jude were all in the key of F!) This key is ideal for pianists who want a touch of softness in their step, or guitarists who happen to like Capoing the first fret. Most instruments have no problem with the key of F, and several horns even have it as their home key. Seriously, though. Try and find a hard rocking punk song in F. Not happening. Punk people tend to stray from such happy keys.

You hopeless romantic, you. Go for it, and play something beautiful on your accordion in F major the next time your girl/guy/Transgendered partner is around, you’ll be amazed by the results. Or maybe you won’t, it really depends on weather or not she/he/it is in the mood. But it can’t hurt!

SONG EXAMPLE:

I gave you three up there, go away.

INTERESTING TIDBIT:

* The Haydn brothers wrote more symphonies in F major than any other set of musical brothers. This was probably in part because there are very few sets of musical brothers who composed symphonies.

Take What's your key signature? at HelloQuizzy

Karaoke Theme Song

What can I say. I probably already know all the words LOL!!

Your Karaoke Theme Song is "Baby Got Back"

You're a total show off who is willing to risk looking like a fool to get a few laughs. In fact, you'll go for the cheap laugh if you need to... because it's better than no reaction! Your friends can count on you to get a party started, and you'll party hard until you can't remember their names. You're charismatic, charming, and a total character. With or without a few drinks in you. You might also sing: "I Touch Myself," "Oops I Did it Again," or "My Humps" Stay away from people who sing: "Candle in the Wind"

What's Your Karaoke Theme Song?