1 Year Photos

Claudia, Nuria and I went this past Saturday to get our pictures taken in a portrait session at JC Penney.  We thought that we should go in for a portrait session to get a few, more formal photos of Nuria at one year of age.  We have not gotten the photos back yet, but can tell you already that there were some very good photos of Nuria and Claudia.  This is in spite of the fact that Nuria, my daughter that smiles 24/7, refused to smile for almost every photo and decided that the portrait session was a good time as any to stick out her tongue. 

Now that I think about it, maybe it wasn’t a mistake and that is how she really felt about having her photo taken by a stranger in a strange photo studio! 

Charities Worthy of Note

We have been really enjoying watching “The Unit” lately and I thought that I might want to publicize a few charities, one supporting the children of special forces soldiers, that we have known about and supported over the course of the last few years.  We believe strongly that it is our obligation to give every year to a number of charities that are doing good work and improving the lives of those less fortunate. 

The first highlighted charity is the
Special Operations Warrior Foundation
This foundation provides free college scholarship grants (not loans) along with financial aid and educational counseling to the children of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps Special Operations Soldiers that are killed in an operational mission or training accident.  This group provides much needed assistance to children that have lost a parent and families that have lost their primary supporter in the service our our country.  Please consider helping if you can.

The Salvation Army
What can you say about this organization that has not been said one hundred times over in the past?  They are always there when they are needed and give generously to those less fortunate.  Whether it is a soup kitchen, helping victims of the recent Southern California wildfires or running a home for battered women, the Salvation Army is providing assistance to the less-fortunate every day and for this we should support them.

Doctors Without Borders
This independent international medical humanitarian organization provides emergency medical aid to people around the globe that have been effected by armed conflict, epidemics, disasters and lack of medical resources.  They work alongside locally hired staff to accomplish humanitarian goals worldwide.

LA Rescue Mission
The LA rescue mission is a religious-centered aid organization based in Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles that provides food, shelter and counseling.  They are focused on meeting the spiritual, physical, educational and social rehabilitational needs of the people on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles.  Operating for more than 70 years, the LA Rescue Mission has been a positive force and a bright light in difficult times for an innumerable number of people in that time. 

Toys for Tots
An organization started by and maintained by the US Marine Corps and US Marine Corps Reserve, Toys for Tots’ objectives are, as written on their website, “to help needy children throughout the United States experience the joy of Christmas; to play an active role in the development of one of our nation’s most valuable natural resources – our children; to unite all members of local communities in a common cause for three months each year during the annual toy collection and distribution campaign; and to contribute to better communities in the future.”  This is something that we all should be able to get behind.  As new parents, there is nothing more heart-wrenching than the idea of not being able to give the joy of a Christmas gift to your child.  Your donation can bring the Joy of Christmas to a child and can save a needy parent from the pain of having to tell their child that they cannot afford Christmas.

These are just a few of the charities on our annual donation list.  I may add a few more later if I have the time.  Until then, don’t forget to think about others as we enter this blessed Holiday Season.

Tell Your Loved Ones that You Love Them Today

My best friend has just lost his father very suddenly and I just wanted to take the time to remind all of you to let your loved ones know how you feel about them the next time that you see them.   

Unfortunately, we don’t get to choose the day and time of our separation.  Death has a way of creeping up on us when we least expect it, whether it is your own death or that of a loved one.  Don’t wait until later to let your family and friends know how much you care about them, you can never be sure that you will get another chance. 

Day of German Unity Celebration

Just a quick post of a photo of Claudia and myself with LA City Councilman Tom “L.A.” LaBonge and Trudy Corell at the German Consulate’s celebration of the Day of German Unity (the German National Holiday).

Bi-Polar Disorder: You Are Not Alone

Last night I was surfing Sarah Lane’s (a former host on TechTV) blog and came across a short writeup that she did on Bi-Polar Disorder that included a link to a previously unknown (to me) program that Stephen Fry did for BBC 2 on Bi-Polar Disorder.  The videos are on You Tube and linked through Matthew Good’s Blog.  In the program, of which I have only seen the first few segments so far, Stephen Fry talks about his own battle with Bi-Polar Disorder and interviews a number of his friends, including Robbie Williams and Carrie Fisher, about their struggles with Manic episodes, Depressive episodes or both over the course of their lives.  Although I think that it does not address the elated but not delusional aspects of the manic phases and focuses a little bit too much on the delusional manic episodes, it is a very interesting program that provides a very necessary introduction to the non-informed about a disorder that affects a great number of people. 

Bi-Polar Disorder is characterized by alternations of sweeping highs or manic episodes and crushing lows or depressive episodes.  The degree and lengths of the highs and lows vary from person to person.  Some individuals with bi-polar disorder experience more highs than lows while others experience more lows than highs while a third group experiences both highs and lows in equal measure.  This disorder is common and a large number of people struggle with this disease.  Some of those very people might be your very own friends and/or loved ones. 

To find out more about Bi-Polar Disorder you can also visit the National Institute of Mental Health.