Flowers and Rainbows.

It is a beautiful spring day!
That is a fact.

I am exhausted from having so much to do at work.
That is a fact.

I am emotionally drained when I think of the issues my egyptian is dealing with.
That, too, is a fact.

I spent last night thrust into a subculture that part of me feels is not educated on their rights - not as much as they should be.

Let me explain. I have a dear friend who is a lawyer. One of his specialities is same-sex couples estate planning. He wants to really propel his business and asked me about some ideas on how to really push his business.

For one - I asked whether or not he had a website up. He did not. So I got my sister to help out in that sense. Then I helped him develop a fact sheet, a FAQ sheet, and come up with a way to market to individual groups. All was accomplished. Then of course, I agreed to sit at his first BIG symposium at UAB last night. Help him encourage people to sign up for his services/consultations etc.

What I experienced was an interesting sub-culture that truly does not have any rights at all. I listened to five speakers. My friend discussed the need for a will/estate planning - since these couples cannot legally marry and their assets can be divided up by the state (if a proper will is not written.)

The next speaker discussed Power of Attorny. The examples of a same-sex couple sitting in a hospital room, and one of the two is not even allowed to help make decisions, and technically cannot be in the room.. that was pretty hard core.

Then the next guy talked about abuse within the same sex community. He touched on the rules of adoption (you can adopt a child if you are a gay couple, however you cannot foster a child.) The next speaker talked about how to control items after a BIG break up.. when both parties are not legally married.

The last speaker was the president elect for the LGBT community. He kindof pulled it all together and explained the laws in Alabama.

To break it down - if you are in a same-sex marriage - you essentially have no rights. You must protect yourself with items like a will, a power of attorny. Save receipts.. do your homework.

This post is not in favor of or disputing the right to be married if you are in a same-sex relationship. I am simply stating the facts.. according to what I heard last night.

I am friends with  probably a handful of gay or lesbian couples. Many are in committed, loving relationships. It is not my place to tell someone who they love is wrong or right. It is not my place to say anything of the sort. I believe that is something a person must take up with God. Simple as that. I am in no position to judge.

But I do believe in one thing STRONGLY - as a human being - you have every right to be treated fairly.

There was a time when a couple in America could not get certain rights due to the color of their skin. Later, laws were put in place to protect their rights.

Aren't the laws set up now to discriminate against same-sex couples?

Mad. At. Ignorance.

When something is really bothering me. I get quiet. Yes, if I am not talking or writing or hopping around like a crackhead.. then something is amiss.

I have been quiet.

Yes, I am busy - but not too busy to stew about something that has happened.

But like all good former journalists.. I wanted to check my facts first. I did. I am pissed off.

My sweet, sweet husband has experienced discrimination in one of the most hateful forms.
Let me begin with - I simply cannot believe it. But yet - here it is.

I waited to find out what he wanted to do about it, before I actually voiced my opinion. Now that I have the facts - I plan to tell the story.

As you know, the "Egyptian" has resided in America for almost one year now. He is a US Permanent Resident. Which means he has all the rights and priviledges you and I have - except he can't vote. He came into this country legally and is paying taxes. He is a good man. WHO HAPPENS TO BE A MUSLIM/ARAB.

For those of you not familiar with your geography - Egypt is in North Africa. The ethnicity is arab - and he speaks arabic. Majority of Egyptians are sunni muslim.

He happens to be one of the smartest men I have ever met. Speaks three languages, overly educated, and full of personality. He has traveled more than the average American and is extrememly patriotic when it comes to anything with the USA.

Unfortunately, it is difficult for immigrants to find good jobs/careers at first. He is struggling for many reasons (1. the economy and 2. waiting for the period between having a learner's permit and driver's licence ends.)

We are fortunate enough for him to find a "job" to kill a little time with. He began working at a local Publix - just to get some experience and wait to get the licence - so he can pursue a job in the city.

However, for the past two months he has endured deragotory remarks and unfair treatment due to his religious beliefs and immigrant status. Get this - BY HIS MANAGERS.

Oh yes my friends. Plus I have cold-hard evidence.

This just makes me sick to my stomach that people are so ignorant and uneducated and feel the need to put someone else down due to their religious beliefs or for the fact that they have an accent. I assure you, his english/arabic/french and university degrees add up to a lot more than the  high school diploma or half-a$$ attempt at the english language one of his manager's has. 

I bet she could not even find Egypt on a map.

I have shared this story with a few people. All have replied - "Well.. this IS Alabama." I did not respond. The people saying this are from Alabama.. and I will give them that right to share their opinion. I am not going to blame an entire state on what one ignorant red neck might have said. I just can't stereotype. Not in this case.

There is sooooooooooooooooooo much I want to say. But I think it is best I not step on my little soapbox yet. This is bigger than just a blog post.

I feel like my sentences are not complete. I am bursting at the seams.

The details... oh my..

I am contacting the ACLU. Just for some tips on how to deal with this. (PS - that is the American Civil Liberties Union.) There is a also a Civil Rights Division of the US Department of Justice that deals with Immigrants Rights, etc.

I guess the company did not realize the "immigrant" they hired happens to be married to a woman who is a bit of a "human rights" fanatic. Ahh.. the irony.

I want to share a little snippet from USA Today in the rise of discrimination against muslims in America. (It was written by Marilyn Elias):

Motaz Elshafi, 28, a software engineer, casually opened an internal e-mail at work last month. The message began, "Dear Terrorist."
The note from a co-worker was sent to Muslims working at Cisco Systems in Research Triangle Park, N.C., a few days after train bombings in India that killed 207. The e-mail warned that such violent acts wouldn't intimidate people, but only make them stronger.
"I was furious," says Elshafi, who is New Jersey-born and bred. "What did I have to do with this violence?"
Reports of such harassment and discrimination against Muslims are rising, advocacy groups say. A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll of 1,007 Americans shows strong anti-Muslim feeling. And the hard feelings are damaging the mental health of U.S. Muslims, suggest new studies to be released at the American Psychological Association meeting starting Thursday in New Orleans.




Thirty-nine percent of respondents to the USA TODAY/Gallup Poll said they felt at least some prejudice against Muslims. The same percentage favored requiring Muslims, including U.S. citizens, to carry a special ID "as a means of preventing terrorist attacks in the United States." About one-third said U.S. Muslims were sympathetic to al-Qaeda, and 22% said they wouldn't want Muslims as neighbors.

Verbal harassment and discrimination correlate with worse mental health in studies of Muslims and Arab-Americans since 9/11, says psychologist Mona Amer of Yale University School of Medicine.

In her new study of 611 adults, thought to be the largest ever done on Arab-Americans, they had much worse mental health than Americans overall. About half had symptoms of clinical depression, compared with 20% in an average U.S. group, Amer says.

Muslims, who made up 70% of the study's participants, had poorer mental health than Christians. Those less likely to be depressed or anxious were people who kept their ethnic or religious ties but also had relationships with other people in the community. And more Christians than Muslims lived this "integrated" lifestyle, Amer says.

Though Muslims said they wanted more contact with Americans of other religions, it may be easier for Arab Christians to integrate, Amer speculates.

"They share the mainstream religion. Muslims may have different kinds of names or dress differently and, especially since 9/11, they're ostracized more."

Bias leads to depression .
Virtually no mental health research was done on U.S. Muslims before 9/11, so her findings can't be compared with earlier studies. A new publication, the Journal of Muslim Mental Health, began publication in May, signaling concern about the growing problems and lack of research.

Many therapists are counseling more Arab-Americans and Muslims since 9/11, Amer says. Also, in surveys of Muslim spiritual leaders to be reported at the psychological association meeting, the imams report a surge in worshipers seeking help for anxiety and stress related to possible discrimination.
Reports of such abuses skyrocketed in the first six months after9/11, fell in 2002 and have climbed again since the Iraq war began in 2003, according to data kept by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an education and advocacy group in Washington, D.C.

The number of assault and other discriminatory complaints filed with the group jumped from 1,019 in 2003 to 1,972 in 2005, says Arsalan Iftikhar, national legal director.

Nobody knows what proportion of U.S. Muslims encounter discrimination; even Muslims disagree.

"I don't think there's a Muslim out there who hasn't felt some kind of fallout from 9/11," says Jafar Siddiqui, 55, a real estate agent in Lynnwood, Wash. "I myself have been invited to 'go home' at least once a month." Siddiqui has been a U.S. citizen for 20 years.

Despite an increase in harassment since 9/11, "many, many have not felt any discrimination," says Farid Senzai, research director of the Detroit-based Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, a non-profit started four years ago to do research on Muslims.
Harassment charges claiming unreasonable arrest and detention have garnered the most publicity. But discriminatory acts in everyday life — in shops, schools and at work — are reported about as frequently to the American-Islamic relations council.
Elshafi, who got the nasty e-mail at work, still wonders at the boldness of a person who would send such a note. The sender was asked to apologize to several employees who filed complaints with Cisco's human resources department, says Elshafi, who didn't file a complaint.

"We wouldn't confirm a specific internal incident on the record," says Cisco's Robyn Jenkins Blum, who adds, "It is Cisco's policy not to tolerate artificial divisions or harassment of any individual."
Elshafi, a worshiper at the local mosque, says he has received a lot of support from non-Muslim friends at work. "After 9/11, people would say, 'Don't worry, 'Taz, we've got your back.' " He says Muslims are not doing enough to educate people about their religious practices. "We need to talk about our beliefs, know our neighbors."

People such as Elshafi are least vulnerable to becoming depressed due to bigotry, says John Dovidio, a University of Connecticut psychologist and expert on prejudice. "He gets strength from his group identity and support from the outside."
Many are not nearly as fortunate. Children of recent immigrants, women who wear the traditional head scarves or long robes and Iraqi-Americans often aren't faring as well, according to reports at the psychological association meeting.

In Seattle, Hate Free Zone Washington, an education and advocacy group, was launched five years ago to oppose backlash against local Muslims, Sikhs (sometimes mistaken for Muslims) and Arab-Americans. "We've seen an increase in bias-based harassment since 9/11," says Amelia Derr, the group's education director.

Derr says she has seen some Muslim children so traumatized by violent bigotry that she wonders whether they'll ever recover. Last October, a Seattle high school junior who had faced verbal harassment was assaulted in gym class. He suffered a hemorrhage behind his eye and a collapsed lung, Derr says. "The good thing is that the student who did it was convicted of a hate crime."

But the beaten boy won't go back to school, she says. "He's terrified. You can see how damaged he has been. He won't look you in the eye; he just shrinks back. He won't talk." The family came from Afghanistan four years ago, she says.
Even some who were born and raised in the USA feel their religious freedom has limits. Jafumba Asad, 32, of Tulsa stopped wearing the traditional dark robe after 9/11. "It's bad enough just wearing a head scarf. I get nasty stares every day. Wearing full cover makes it harder to get a job. It scares people," says Asad, a community college teacher and graduate student.

Muslim women who wear head scarves are more likely than those who don't to say they face discrimination and a hostile environment, according to a study to be presented at the psychological association's meeting by Alyssa Rippy of the University of Tulsa. The scarves make Muslim women stand out and could change behavior toward them, she suggests.

A few years ago, in a Wal-Mart parking lot, Asad says two men approached her and aggressively shouted "Y'all ought to be (expletive) locked up!" Pregnant at the time, she quickly backed away and then realized there were parked cars behind her. "I felt trapped and very vulnerable. I'm pregnant. I didn't know if they were going to get violent." Luckily, she says, they just walked away.
The mother of three girls says she developed ulcers a few months after 9/11. "I feel stressed a lot."

In Rippy's study, Muslim men were just as likely as women to report discrimination but more likely to become mistrustful and wary because of it. That can encourage sticking with your own group, "which intensifies feelings of paranoia," she says.

Men may back away more than women because they feel discrimination could have more serious consequences for them, for example being pegged as a terrorist or jailed, Rippy says.

The USA TODAY/Gallup Poll suggests Americans have greater fear of Muslim men than women: 31% said they'd feel more nervous flying if a Muslim man was on the plane; 18% said they'd be more nervous with a Muslim woman. The poll, conducted July 28-30, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

The Iraq war has made its mark on U.S. Muslims as well, psychologist Ibrahim Kira will say at the meeting. In his study of Iraqi-Americans, the more time people spent listening to the radio and watching TV news about the war, the more likely they were to have post-traumatic stress disorder. Many of them had relatives still in Iraq, and stress-disorder rates were high: 14% compared with 4% for the U.S. population, Kira says.

Tuning in to war news also correlated with more stress-related health problems, such as high blood pressure, headaches and stomach trouble, Kira says.
Although the war creates special problems for Iraqi-Americans, they also share a key challenge with other Muslims: lack of trust from people living here. Many Americans clearly don't trust those of the Muslim faith. In fact, 54% said they couldn't vote for a Muslim for president in a June Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll. That compares with 21% who turned thumbs-down on an evangelical Christian and 15% who wouldn't cast their ballot for a Jew.
Amer believes the world has changed for U.S. Muslims since Sept. 11 but says: "I don't think Americans understand what's happened. Muslims have the same anxieties and anguish about terrorism as everyone else in the U.S. At the same time, they're being blamed for it. They're carrying a double burden."

That's a great example of what happens. Imagine living in a state like Alabama?? Luckily - we are in Birmingham, a much more metropolitan area that has two BIG mosques and a large arab community...

But it hurts to watch someone you love have to deal with this.

It's crap. It makes me mad. There are other immigrants (Russian, French, and Hispanic) that work with my husband. They are all harassed, but are afraid to speak up - not understanding their rights. I am proud of my husband for speaking up. He is lucky - he has me.

Actually, I am lucky - I have him. :-)

More to come I am sure... I am hesitating before I share more.. but know.. there will be more.

Looking for a few good interns!

First of all, I have to apologize for the delay in blog posts. However, I am SUPER busy.. which leads me to this post:

I am looking for a few good interns.

No more than 3.

For school credit or non credit.
Hours are flexible.
Non-paid - but the experience can pad a resume like nothing you can imagine!!!

You do not have to be from the area - but I need dedicated people!!

Here's what I am looking for:
A student studying - English, Journalism, Communications, Speech, Health-related Field, Non profit management/public administration or Marketing.
Excellent writing skills.
BIG personality!


You would work as a Marketing & Communications Assistant !

What you will get to do:
Write Press Releases
Set up Buzz Marketing events
Help with Media Sponorships
Update Media Contacts
Assist with Media Relations at major events
Pitch the media the latest stories.
Help prep spokespeople

You will work with magazine publishers/editors; promotions directors with radio stations; tv reporters/anchors and promotions directors; newspaper editors and writers.. etc.

.. the list goes on and on.

I am located in beautiful Birmingham, Alabama. It's mostly sunny and it is rather nice with higher elevations (foothills of the appalachian mountains) - but close enough to get to the Gulf of Mexico in 3 hours!

Bham has close to 2 million people. The city is definitely metropolitan and how fun to spend your summer in the south? Two hours from Atlanta, and 4 hours from New Orleans!

Any takers???

If interested - please email:
nicole.abdou@heart.org
Or call - 2050510-1511

Thanks!

PS- I can help you figure out how to relocate if you are interested!

One day... it won't exist.

The period of time between each visit home gets longer and longer with time.

I find that I do most of the traveling to see the very people/family/places that once meant so much to me.

Not a whole lot of the path is beaten down coming this way.

I wonder, in the next 20 years or so, will I even return to Macon? Will it matter?

My parents are aging, they will retire soon. Will they stick around? Will they even BE around? It's a somber thought.

What is left of what was once home? Recently I was terribly homesick for a few things that were familiar. On this trip back, I made a point to see some "old favorites", taste some "old cravings", and visit some good friends. I got to sample the Nuway hotdog; eat my guac and yellow cheese queso at Polly's; sample the garlic & cheddar biscuits at Red Lobster; see friends I have not seen in years (one in almost 20 years); walk the streets that were once my "stomping grounds"; sit in a park near the river; visit with family during a "mile-stone" birthday for my niece...

It was all there. The prescription for a "home-sick-fix." What do I feel? Nothing.

I don't have to eat those items anymore. They just taste greasy and fattening now. The friends I once spent hours on the phone with as a kid, now feel more like aquaintances and there is that ackwardness and small talk that no one feels comfortable with. None of my "friends" seemed to know what I did for a living, or what my interests were or anything. I asked lots of questions of them.. but it all seemed more one sided.

When it comes to family, I seem like more of an inconvenience. (All except for my niece.) Plus, I think some people can never find happiness. So it's best I live my life... not quite so involved.

It is simply not home anymore.

I have one more "socialogical" experiment. I am meeting up with some old friends from college the first weekend in June. We have not seen one another in probably 15 years or so. Not sure how that will play out either. But I will do my time, hopeful as always, of reconnecting.

I never understood my friends (new ones - here) that did not keep in touch with their old aquaintances. Now I am starting to see why.

It has nothing to do with the people. Everyone is fine, and delightful and all is well in their worlds. But that is just it - I am not a part of their world anymore.

My world consists of my husband (the egyptian), my little apartment, my writing, my pictures, my job, and all of the accomplishments I have achieved. I guess my home is where my Yasser is. We are our own little family now.

I hope the best for everyone else. I really do. But I think, at least right now, that my "reunions" with old friends might take a back seat for a while. I am tired. I am not included in these other little "worlds"... for people who once meant (and really still do) mean so much to me will never reciprocate what I like to put into long-distance friendships. It is not their fault. I am simply not of their world.

Keep Art Alive

I am cooking up a BIG blog post - but if you read yesterday's post, you know I have a BUSY day today. But I promise, over a warm up of coffee, tucked away in my PJs at my parents home I will make it happen. (that's about 12 hours or so from now.)


I am going to write about how the arts and public funded grants shaped my life.


For now, I want to share the inspiration for the post to come!


I posted a story (an op-ed piece) in the Atlanta Journal & Consistution about the Georgia government cutting the Georgia Council for the Arts. Then.. 31 comments and counting.. I want to share the heated debate that took place on my facebook page.


Enjoy...

By Collin Kelley, Editor

In a stunning move, the Georgia House Appropriations Committee has eliminated the Georgia Council for the Arts’ budget, leaving only $250,000 to clear up outstanding debts and payments. While the recommendation still has to be approved by the legislative body before it wraps up the current session, officials at GCA said they could only watch and wait to see what happens. If the legislature votes to defund GCA, Georgia would be the only state and territory in America without an arts agency.

GCA executive director Susan Weiner sent out a desperate plea to arts organizations yesterday urging them to write their legislators to try and stop the move, and a spokesperson for Weiner said hundreds of emails came in yesterday. So what does it mean for the state’s arts organizations that rely on grants from GCA?

Horizon Theatre received more than $15,000 this year to provide services to Georgians, reaching nearly 40,000 individuals with plays and education programs; and employing more than 100 artists, technicians and administrators. Horizon, and many other arts groups, sent an email blast to its supporters and subscribers encouraging them to contact their state representative.

The GCA received $812,000 from the National Endowment for the Arts in 2009, but the state will all claim to future funding if the GCA is eliminated. Small nonprofit arts groups — many which provide programs and education to children — could face closure if the GCA disappears.

We’ll have more on this developing story as we have it.

Okay - now for the comments:

Judy Jackson Wammock- Unbelievable...


Yesterday at 3:27pm · Kristine Brunelle Hudson ..;-(

Yesterday at 4:06pm · Brad Gibbs - About time for some common sense. Now maybe they can end teacher furloughs and put police back on the streets. Why should the taxpayers of Georgia be forced to support artists that can't sell their product on the free market?

10 hours ago · Nicole Thurston Abdou  - BRAD... I don't even have words.

10 hours ago · Nicole Thurston Abdou  - You DO know that "the arts" are not just "starving artists, as you pointed out. That's NOT what the Georgia Council for the Arts does.

10 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Well come up with some! I doubt anywhere in the Georgia Constitution is says anything about funding "the arts."

10 hours ago · Brad Gibbs I'm not against art. We buy art. Expensive art. Guess who makes the decision. ME!

10 hours ago · Judy Jackson Wammock Feeling your pain, Nicole..Sad..:(

10 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm a member of (and donor to) the High Museum. Maybe I should have asked the State of Georgia to pay for my membership fee.

10 hours ago · Nicole Thurston Abdou These programs are for education in the schools and to the community. I am sure you appreciate the "expensive" art as you like to call it, because you were exposed to art appreciation in school... which was provided by an art teacher .. who happened to dabble in the arts.. perhaps they got a scholarship to study art from such a council. Also - the arts includes: writers, actors, dancers, musicians... not just "starving artists."

10 hours ago · Jay Jasper Hey Brad, there are several unrecognized jobs in the arts: most colleges have a School of the Arts which employs between 50 and 70 professors. Each professor is paid the same as most most College professors.



I would also add that Georgia has a lottery with proceeds that go toward education. So ARts funding and education in the state of Georgia ...

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are almost completely separate beings. Especially considering the lotto put more than $100 million to scholarships and school systems in the past 5 months. This number will increase this summer when more students try have to use the scholarship money.



Lastly, Georfia is known for having one of the greatest state police systems in the US. Why? Because most of their city councilmen and local legislatures are conservative and put more money into police departments.

10 hours ago · Nicole Thurston Abdou Yes, and I am the daughter of an artist. The sister of a former drama teacher, and a HUGE supporter of all arts organizations. I think it is time that the High museum educate it's donors on why grants programs for the arts is so important. :p Okay.. I will leave it at that, my friend. ;-) BTW - There is a great art show this weekend in macon - you should totally check it out with wife. It's featuring Macon (and it's at the art gallery my mom is the president of.) lol

10 hours ago · Brad Gibbs LOL! I love debating with you! Trust me, that art class at Ballard A contributed ZILCH to my appreciation for art! Unfortunately, we can't make it to Macon this weekend for an art show since we are going to the Dogwood Festival up here to buy art from an artist we see there every year. His name is Kent Ambler and he does some cool woodcuts. Google his website.

10 hours ago · Judy Jackson Wammock Brad, so glad that you are a member of, and generous donor to the High..Why don't you join the human race and donate to it..just sayin...

10 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Last thing, I promise. My premise is that we have to remove ourselves from the mind set that the government is somehow supposed to fund everything. Art should be appreciated by citizens without the gov't forcefully taking money from people and spending it on something that doesn't already have a demand. It is completely arrogant for those in the...

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gov't to assume they know what type of entertainment should be enjoyed by the lowly masses. It IS gov't over-stepping its bounds! Especially now that we are in the red, we have to cut back on unnecessary budget items.

9 hours ago · Heather Thurston Busby FYI if Brad is referring to the Dogwood Festival in Atlanta - one of its sponsors is the Georgia Council for the Arts.

9 hours ago · Judy Jackson Wammock Luv the Dogwood Fest and it's sponsor "Georgia Council for the Arts",,,,

9 hours ago · Nicole Thurston Abdou Good Night all - and Brad - no, Ballard A did not contribute to my "arts" background - but groups like Community Children's Theatre of Macon, Theater Macon, Youth Actors Company, Modern Dance Academy, Gladys Lasky's School of Dance, Dance South and various other workshops did (including "guest artists" in Girl Scouts!) (Not to mention my artistic family)

Ciao folks!

9 hours ago · Heather Thurston Busby Whether or not most people realize it - a good majority of the festivals everyone loves to attend throughout the state are sponsored in part by the Georgia Council through one grant or another. I was the administrator of GCA's Grassroots Arts Program Grant covering thirteen middle Georgia counties for several years and trust me when I say that ...

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they support many worthy projects that would have not been possible without the help from the government. The state legislature may feel like they are doing the right thing now in this cut - but in the end they are cutting the very culture of a community that plays a part in big businesses deciding where they want to settle. Between this and the education cuts - they are simply shooting themselves in the foot.

9 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Judy, I am a contributing member of the human race. I go to work everyday and work hard which is what each of our contribution to society is supposed to be. Also, I don't give a rip if the Georgia Council for the Arts sponsors the Dogwood Festival. The Dogwood Festival would happen with or without the that money. Of course, if it's available, ...

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they will take it, but trust me, I know a lot of the artists that sell at the Dogwood Festival and they make enough at this particular festival that they would pool their money to make it happen. If you think you proved anything, you are wrong.

9 hours ago · Heather Thurston Busby Also, this does come from someone who supports teachers 100% having been one - as well as supporting police officers 100% having been married to one. The support of the arts is as necessary to the survival of a community as any other field.

9 hours ago · Jay Jasper You're right the government shouldn't fund the arts. But, I must say that I was introduced to the arts at a public middle school, and the majority of my scholarship money to college is coming from a school of the arts. This is at a private school. What bounds is the government overstepping? They offer no FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID of the Arts.



We also ...

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must remember the difference between the State Governments and Federal Governments. It would be overstepping the bounds for the federal government to fund the arts. It would be against the ideals of James Madison, who was a heavy Federalist, that is believed that the states should be a BIGGER entity than the nation. Georgia has a VERY conservative state legislation, and is fairly stable economically. Personally I think those go hand and hand.

The federalists who wrote our Constitution would more than support a State government showing support for the arts, because it does not give strength to the federal government. In this case, the growing government is the state government: which has proven its assets well by using conservative economic and social standards to obtain widely successful results. If that government can become more influential to other states, why not let it? ANd the Arts could be the first venue of many in engaging these ideals.

9 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Next time somone breaks into your house, maybe you should just call an artist then. Tell me one community that didn't survive due to lack of art. That was the most absurd thing I've ever read on Facebook.... FACEBOOK!

9 hours ago · Jay Jasper Plus engagement to the Arts in state-funded and state-run public schools is proven to lead to higher SAT/ACT scores, seems to create more prestigous GPA accounts, more school involvement, more discipline, and higher acceptance ratings to college.

9 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Goodnight goofy artsy-fartsy weirdo freaks! LOL, just kiddin! I love all y'all.

9 hours ago · Heather Thurston Busby According to the Atlanta Business Chronicle "Using a conservative set of criteria...[an economic impact] study determined that 380 arts and cultural organizations in the state had a net economic impact of $387 million and contributed more than $18.6 million in tax revenue."



So, from that do we need to do a breakdown on how many of those 370 ...

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organizations are supported either through funding, education programs, or advocacy programs by the Georgia Council for the Arts?



http://www.metroatlantaarts.org/news/viewnews.cgi?id=EkyuEZEkVEduULnRSt

9 hours ago · Jay Jasper Look it up Brad. Read the Federalists Papers. They talk about how state governments were supposed to be more powerful than the national government. Would you not want a more conservative governed state to be more influential in American poilitics?



No the Arts are not used to protect the nation...But neither has a nation existed without the arts. ...

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Go back as far as Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, The Renaissance, The Enlightenment, The Romantic Period, the modern age, arts have always been. The arts always will be.



Also, I recall that one of the many reason Hitler went crazy is that he was denied education of the arts at ingolstad. Of course, Hitler has several other influences that engaged his pain.

9 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Jay, you are right. Art will always exist. Even after the government stops funding it which will prove my point that the government shouldn't have been funding it in the first place. Consumers who demand art should be funding it!

9 hours ago via Email Reply · Mae Thurston Everything you wear, drive, live in etc were designed by artists. Artists are also the first recorders of history.

8 hours ago · Brad Brunelle Instead of cutting things that benefit everyone, like arts and education, maybe they should start with the politicians themselves. For example, the annual budget for the Office of the Governor of Georgia is $50 Million Dollars. Compare that to other states:

Pennsylvania Office of the Governor budget $6 Million.

Washington Office of the Governor budget $5.8 Million

California Office of the Governor budget $16 Million

In addition, the AJC reported yesterday on wasteful per diems in the GA Legislature: http://www.ajc.com/news/government-waste/per-diems-a-costly-460180.html...

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Corruption, thy name is Georgia.

3 hours ago · Brad Gibbs Please keep in mind that I'm not against art. The discussion is based on how the gov't spends money. I think it's fair to say that if the gov't is essentially out if money, they shouldn't sacrifice teachers and police. Putting a hold on arts funding makes sense right now.

2 hours ago via Email Reply · Nicole Thurston Abdou Brad G - now go out there and buy tons of art this weekend!

There you have it folks.
 
What are your thoughts on the matter?

Prolific Procrastinator

Definition:
Prolific - producing abundant works or results - Marbury is off to a prolific start in the second half.


Procrastinator - someone who postpones work (especially out of laziness or habitual carelessness)
 
I definitely work hard at procrastinating. I recognize after 37 years that I am LAZY. SOOOO lazy. I would rather do NOTHING. That to me is heaven.
 
It is true I get a thrill out of helping others, going dancing, traveling, taking photos. But if I get the choice between doing these things or sitting in my pajamas and "lounging" - these days - I choose lounging.
 
I used to be the "hyper girl" - ready to roll and go! Perhaps I wore myself out. Maybe we are given a very specific supply of energy and I have tapped out.
 
Needless to say, by procrastinating all the time, I do suffer some serious consequences.
 
For example- tomorrow. Yes, my Thursday. If I am able to squeeze in a blog post it will be a miracle. Here is a look at my schedule (and Yes, I had to schedule my day or I will be screwed!!!)
 
6am - wake/breakfast/pack for my trip home.
7:30am - Head to Gym
8am - work out with Personal Trainer for one hour
8:45am - stop by atm
9:30am - Hair appointment at Aveda Salon
11:00am - Go to H&R Block to get taxes done
Noon - Head to North Jefferson News for a meeting
12:30 - Stop by loan company to pay bill
1:00pm - Get eye brows waxed
1:30pm - Oil change/Tire Rotation at Volkswagon Place
2:30pm - Phone conference with my people in Pensacola, Florida
3:30pm - Phone conference for Marketing/Communications Consultants
4pm - Pick up Lestat the Vampire Cat
4:30pm - Hit the road for Georgia (don't forget to gas up!)
9/10pm - Arrive at my parent's home.
 
Seriously. I need to take 1/2 a PTO day. I will do that after I finish this post.
All of this could have been avoided if I had not procrastinated. These thing HAVE to get done before I leave town. Geez.
 
WHY do I procrastinate? What chemical imbalance causes this? I decided to do a little research on procrastination. I turned to my good friends at Psychology Today, and here is what they said:
 
There are many ways to avoid success in life, but the most sure-fire just might be procrastination. Procrastinators sabotage themselves. They put obstacles in their own path. They actually choose paths that hurt their performance.







Why would people do that? I talked to two of the world's leading experts on procrastination: Joseph Ferrari, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at De Paul University in Chicago, and Timothy Pychyl, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada. Neither one is a procrastinator, and both answered my many questions immediately.

Twenty percent of people identify themselves as chronic procrastinators. For them procrastination is a lifestyle, albeit a maladaptive one. And it cuts across all domains of their life. They don't pay bills on time. They miss opportunities for buying tickets to concerts. They don't cash gift certificates or checks. They file income tax returns late. They leave their Christmas shopping until Christmas eve.


It's not trivial, although as a culture we don't take it seriously as a problem. It represents a profound problem of self-regulation. And there may be more of it in the U.S. than in other countries because we are so nice; we don't call people on their excuses ("my grandmother died last week") even when we don't believe them.


Procrastination is not a problem of time management or of planning. Procrastinators are not different in their ability to estimate time, although they are more optimistic than others. "Telling someone who procrastinates to buy a weekly planner is like telling someone with chronic depression to just cheer up," insists Dr. Ferrari.


Procrastinators are made not born. Procrastination is learned in the family milieu, but not directly. It is one response to an authoritarian parenting style. Having a harsh, controlling father keeps children from developing the ability to regulate themselves, from internalizing their own intentions and then learning to act on them. Procrastination can even be a form of rebellion, one of the few forms available under such circumstances. What's more, under those household conditions, procrastinators turn more to friends than to parents for support, and their friends may reinforce procrastination because they tend to be tolerant of their excuses.


Procrastination predicts higher levels of consumption of alcohol among those people who drink. Procrastinators drink more than they intend to—a manifestation of generalized problems in self-regulation. That is over and above the effect of avoidant coping styles that underlie procrastination and lead to disengagement via substance abuse.


Procrastinators tell lies to themselves. Such as, "I'll feel more like doing this tomorrow." Or "I work best under pressure." But in fact they do not get the urge the next day or work best under pressure. In addition, they protect their sense of self by saying "this isn't important." Another big lie procrastinators indulge is that time pressure makes them more creative. Unfortunately they do not turn out to be more creative; they only feel that way. They squander their resources.


Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don't take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking e-mail is almost perfect for this purpose. They distract themselves as a way of regulating their emotions such as fear of failure.


There's more than one flavor of procrastination. People procrastinate for different reasons. Dr. Ferrari identifies three basic types of procrastinators:


arousal types, or thrill-seekers, who wait to the last minute for the euphoric rush.


avoiders, who may be avoiding fear of failure or even fear of success, but in either case are very concerned with what others think of them; they would rather have others think they lack effort than ability.


decisional procrastinators, who cannot make a decision. Not making a decision absolves procrastinators of responsibility for the outcome of events.


There are big costs to procrastination. Health is one. Just over the course of a single academic term, procrastinating college students had such evidence of compromised immune systems as more colds and flu, more gastrointestinal problems. And they had insomnia. In addition, procrastination has a high cost to others as well as oneself; it shifts the burden of responsibilities onto others, who become resentful. Procrastination destroys teamwork in the workplace and private relationships.


Procrastinators can change their behavior—but doing so consumes a lot of psychic energy. And it doesn't necessarily mean one feels transformed internally. It can be done with highly structured cognitive behavioral therapy.



WOW. I had to laugh when I read the part about being late with filing my taxes. ;-)

Sooo - what can I do to reverse this? Are there any tips out there? I checked out this website called onlineorganizing.com and here are the tips they gave:

ACT AFTER YOU PLAN

start with a written plan of action to avoid getting distracted



keep your plan simple and straightforward


start with the one thing you must get done today to feel productive


should be a manageable item you can complete in 10-15 minutes


break the day up into a number of "action sessions" for other tasks


balance the time spent planning with time spent creating or doing


avoid over-planning -- another method of procrastination


before ending your day, spend 10 minutes reviewing your progress


take time to plan your actions for the next day


BE VISION-DIRECTED

your tasks should match your values or purpose



if not, you will find it hard to summon the energy to tackle them


bring each task into congruence with your basic mission


if you can't, take it off of your list


BITE-SIZED PIECES
don't put any "to-do" on your list that takes more than 30 minutes



if it takes longer, it's actually a series of smaller "to-do's"


break each step out and list it separately


you don't have to tackle all the steps of a project in one sitting


spread a large task out over several work sessions


you will see greater progress as you check more items off your list


you will avoid getting bogged down in one large task or project




DECIDE TO SCHEDULE IT
determine how much you can do or tolerate at a time



don't push yourself too far or you'll get bored or frustrated


plan these project "pieces" into your daily activities


set a "completion point" for accomplishing each small task


completion points give you an end in sight to look forward to

GOOD ENOUGH IS GOOD ENOUGH
don't try to do everything perfectly



perfectionism often causes procrastination


perfectionists would rather put it off than do an incomplete job


rather than perfection, aim for progress


any small step toward completion is an accomplishment




JUST DO IT
do the worst job (or part of the job) first and get it out of the way



once you tackle the part you are dreading, the rest is a breeze


stop spending time planning and just jump into doing it


set a time limit -- "I'll file papers for 5 minutes"


alternate unpleasant jobs with tasks you enjoy


delegate out items you can't make yourself do


PLAN AROUND INTERRUPTIONS

interruptions tend to occur in identifiable patterns


notice when interruptions occur, by whom, and why


take steps to prevent those interruptions before they occur


if they can't be prevented, learn how to delegate to someone else


if they can't be delegated, learn how to delay until you are finished


REMEMBER TO MAKE IT FUN
make the project and environment as pleasant as possible


play music, open a window, have a cold drink, etc.


give yourself the best tools and work space for the project


take a few minutes to organize your work space


a clean desk allows you to focus without visual distraction


it's only a chore if you think of it as a chore


STAYING MOTIVATED
find an "accountability partner" to track your progress


schedule a regular time to check in with a friend or colleague


rewarding your accomplishments encourages productivity


give yourself a break, a treat, a nap -- whatever is a reward for you


reward every step along the way, not just the end result


the bigger the accomplishment, the bigger the reward


Yeah.. okay.. I'll get right on that. ;-)

Are you are procrastinor? Or a Go-Get-It-Done?

The Pain of Health

Lord knows I am trying my best (well, as good as I want to try) to get healthier. But why does it have to hurt so bad?

When did I let myself get to this point? More importantly, how did I do it?

I was a very active, healthy kid. From the age of 6 I took ballet, tap and jazz classes all the way through my formative years. I spent summers swimming for hours a day. I took tennis lessons, skating lessons, and went hiking as a child at summer camp. I rode my bike everyday. I walked around a lake path most days to see friends.

My parents did not allow me to eat junk food. Seriously, no chips or ice cream in the house. No soda. Basic three square meals a day. What the hell happened?

I know that when I started dating this boy in High School, he would give in and buy me my absolute favorite treat - Krystal Cheeseburgars. I think I began eating those my senior year in high school. (Which might I add, is when I started gaining a little weight - like 5 to 10 pounds.)

I went off to college and walked everywhere. I ended up losing those pounds. But something happened by the age of 20. I began drinking lots and lots of beer with my friends. We would drink Wed, Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights. Party Party at the college bars.

By 23 I had put on about 20 pounds. PLUS - I was living on my own, not exercising and eating crap. Ramen noodles, mac n cheese, baked potatoes, bags of chips, fried concoctions at the bar we all went to. Basically Crap.

By 24 - my weight jumped even higher. My blood pressure was high. I started taking meds for it - which slooooowed me down. Made me sleepy, sluggish. Which I wonder- how much of that slowed my metabolism down? Is that possible? If it is slowing my heart... why would it not slow the rest of me down??

By 27 - I was in a super committed relationship to a man who loved good old fashioned southern cooking. Plus marriage. BOOM - more pounds. I guess I am either happy to say or disappointed to say that I have remained the same exact weight for 10 years. At least there has not been an increase. I guess this is my "heaviest" without even trying to do anything about it.

I have gone through stents of exercise, and I even gave Weight Watchers a try once. I was not so serious about it. It is rare I follow through on "life style" change.

However, this time has been a little different. I began making a change with my diet back in November. Not diet as in I am on a diet - but I am making healthier choices. Not always. But more often than not. As for exercise - well.. most of you know that I am now using a personal trainer. It's good for me. Because they are forcing me to really work hard. I woke up this morning and my body aches. That to me says several things - 1. I had a good work out  2. I am out of shape 3. I can't believe I am going back for my abuse tonight. ;-)

I am not a fan of traditional exercise. Nope. I prefer dance classes or something fun and with music. This is yucky to me. But soooo necessary.

I was blessed to live most of my young life at a normal if not optimal weight. I did let my body slip in my late 20s to late 30s. But 10 years is completely reversable. I don't have the excuse of I had a child or two, or that I am too busy because I have kids. I don't have the excuse that I have a pet, or aging parents to get home to. This is it. It's me. I have got to make the change.

I don't think it will come off over night. I did not gain it over night. So, I need to stay focused on that. I am also 37 - the old metabolism is not what it used to be. Also I am 5'1. That's a small frame - time to see that frame!

I have to lose 20% body fat. I can do. I know I can.

So much to do.. sooo little time.

I promise to write something with a little more substance later. Right now I am sorting my thoughts, and I guess if you opened this post - you are going to sort with me.

I have a MASSIVE to do list today. Important stuff too!
For one, it is time to make sure I have captured all of my media placements/media impressions into this little spreadsheet which is like a death panel to some of us. It can make or break you. It decides whether or not you will continue to eat, have a home, or running water. *sigh*

Second, I STILL have not completed my taxes. I need to get an accountant to do them for me, but I am just so flippin' cheap I don't want to pay anyone. I am still debating whether to do them myself, or let someone else tackle this. I was very charitable this year. Sooo.. I think it is best to let someone else figure out all of that. I just HATE paying someone to do the math. But I HATE the math.

Third, there are some girly things that need to happen this week. Hair cut, wax, and nails. (Note I have never and will never have fake nails - I just like everything nicely manicured.)

Fourth, it's that time of the month - time to PAY BILLS.

Fifth, I need an oil change and tire rotation.

Sixth, I have to pick up Lestat the Vampire cat and take him to Georgia. Yes, I am returning home. (Which I have not been home since Christmas.) I am spending the weekend with the family and celebrating my niece's birthday. God willing it will be peaceful. I am going to try to book my time with visiting friends.

Finally - work work work work work work. Sooooo much work. Yes, this is the time of year we all just want June 30 (fiscal yr end) to just get here. Good or bad - just GET HERE.

One other item - I have never taken a cruise (it is up there with chain restaurants for me) - but, I did find a really cheap one out of Mobile. Should the Egyptian and I book a cruise for a cheap weekend get-away?? Or should we just pick an island and go? This is for November. (Gives us plenty of time to get permission for him to leave the country.) Thoughts??

Eating in Birmingham

There is one thing that cannot be denied about Birmingham, Alabama - the restaurants are amazing.

In my hometown of Macon, Georgia- it seemed there was a church on every corner. In Birmingham - it is a restaurant.

What I am going to share with you is my culinary journey through my new home town. My taste may not be your taste, but I assure you, I am one picky eater.

Let's start with the beginning of the day - Breakfast! If I have friends in from out of town (or I want to treat myself and the egyptian does not say - WAFFLE HOUSE) I would go to Another Broken Egg Cafe in Mountain Brook.

(Let me explain neighborhoods here.. especially for my friends who may live in a city where there is only one place. Birmingham, (similar to ATL and other large metropolitan areas is broken up into many little places. So when I say something like - Mountain Brook, it is a city in the Greater Birmingham area.)

Another Broken Egg Cafe serves breakfast, brunch & lunch. They are open Monday-Friday 6:30am-2pm; Saturday-Sunday 7am-2pm. I am an omelet girl - and man oh man do they have some creative omelets! Two in particular wet my whistle. (See - I am not allowed to have pork in the house due to the egyptian's religion... sooo.. the only time I can is when I am out to eat.) Needless to say - for breakfast - I go for the bacon. My favorite omelet is the Bacquezo - it is filled with baked bacon, cream cheese, topped with melted Monterray Jack and Chorizo and green scallions. Then my other favorite omelet is the Bacado. LOL Two of my favorite things mixed together -it has baked crisp bacon and avocado slices topped with Monterray Jack cheese and salsa.
2418 Montevallo Road
Birmingham, AL 35223-2300
 
Now let's talk lunch. I have several choices and I don't want to go on and on about each.
First I would recommend (if you want to be a little impressive) - Cafe Dupont. Built almost entirely from steel, the corner of First Avenue North and Twentieth Street was once called "the heaviest corner on Earth." Now, it is home to one of the coziest fine-dining establishments. The Cafe has elements of the French countryside nestled in the chic, urban center of downtown to create an experience that will make you feel both comfortable and fashionable. Entrees include stuffed pork tenderloin, pan seared prosciutto wrapped scallops and poached sea bass. Lunch Tuesday-Friday 11am-2pm. Dinner beginning at 5pm Tuesday-Saturday. Also - Valet parking is always offered and much appreciated in the hell that is parking in Downtown Birmingham.
113 20th St. North
Birmingham, AL 35203-3603
 

One of my favorites, and yes - you will find me here a handful of times a month is Otey's Tavern. No frills, floor a bit sticky, but always yummy! It is literally a neighborhood bar & grill with an outdoor patio. Which, my co-workers and I take advantage of the patio. There are healthy options as well as not-so-healthy options. But hands-down, they make a mean cheeseburger. It is egyptian tested and approved! I like their buffalo wings (and I am telling you - drink lots of water!!) Their cheese fries are to die for. One of my co-workers always loves to ge their fried olives. (It's in Mountain Brook.)
224 Country Club Park
Birmingham, AL 35213-4244
 
The next place is an establishment my husband worked at - Sinbad's Mediterranean Cafe.
401 19th Street S, Ste 100
Birmingham, AL 35233-1915
Amazing kebabs, and I loooove the humus, tabboleh, and yogurt salad. PLUS - hands down - the best falafel in town!

Another new favorite stop for lunch (where I meet a lot of clients downtown) is Urban Standard. I am in love with their grilled cheese sandwich. It is basically three cheeses melted and served on white bread with a balsamic jam to dip. Be still my beating heart. I get it with a side of Balsamic Orzo Salad. There are so many amazing things on the menu I could not even begin to describe. YOU MUST click on the link above. Plus, the Chef's name is Zachory Meloy. Good creations Mr. Zachory! (PS - it's downtown.)
2320 Second Ave N
Birmingham, AL 35203-3808
 
I am not one for Deli's in general. But if I have to order for a group lunch to be brought in for a training, I always go for Chappy's Deli. I am more of a hot sandwich girl - and they have an amazing Sourdough Steakmelt that will have you ready to slap yo mama. It is sooo good. It is tender grilled sliced sirloin with horseradish sauce, provolone cheese, and sauteed onions on sour dough bread. AMAZING. (Located in Mountain Brook.)
2737 Highway 280 S, Suite 101
Birmingham, AL 35223-2478

Another great spot to people watch and grab a quick lunch is Billy's Bar & Grill. It's located in English Village. It is a great neighborhood spot for lunch, dinner and drinks. Famous chicken sandwiches, delicious salads, specialty sandwiches, and grilled hamburgers. Live music begins at 9pm. Monday-Saturday 11am-1:30am; Sunday Brunch 11am-3pm. I like their cheeseburgar and I always ask for ranch on the side. YUMM.

Want cajun/creole for lunch?? Then head to Doodles Muffelettas in Fultondale. It is a bit off the beaten path - but I head up that way to meet with North Jefferson News from time to time, and I try to stop by Doodle's. Muffulettas are a specialty, but the New Orleans fare also includes Po' Boys and red beans and rice. Side orders also include shrimp creole, jambalaya and gumbo. Some nights, the restaurant features cajun dancing.
1415 Decatur Highway
Fultondale, AL 35068-1735

Finally - for lunch - my favorite barbecue joint is Demetri's. I have tried them all in town - and I LOVE this tiny little place. It's located in the middle of Homewood.
1901 28th Avenue S
Homewood, AL 35209-2682

Now it's time to move to the BIG BOY category - dinner. Birmingham likes to show off it's local restaurants, and who can blame them? EXCELLENT. Please note: I am NOT a fan of chains. But I will end up mentioning one.

Okay, let's start with the one place I go to on my birthday (3 of the 4 years I have lived here) - Ali Baba's Persian Restaurant. I am a big fan of kebabs - and they do it right. Plus there is an amazing appetizer option with a variety of dips - like hummus, baba ghanoush, etc. Sunday there is a buffet. Thursday nights they have live belly dancing. PLUS - it's located in my "hood" - Hoover.
1694 Montgomery Highway #110
Hoover, AL 35216-4910

Next favorite is Iguana Grill in Hoover. It is authentic as it gets for Mexican Food, and is located in a hispanic shopping center. The service is impeccable, the food - fast & delicious! I LOVE their guac and margaritas. When I have a bad day - this is where I would stop and meet friends. They have amazing fajitas and quesadillas. Not to mention - it is GORGEOUS!
2085 Colonial Dr
Birmingham, AL 35216

Right down the street from Iguana is Costa's Mediterranean Cafe. I LOVE the food here. (I know, I know, it seems I am only pointing out lunch places close to where I work, and dinner places close to where I live - but HEY - this is reality and how most people do things.) Costa's has Italian and Greek cuisine featuring pastas, the finest cuts of meats, and the freshest seafood. Robust, hearty, well-seasoned food in an informal, energetic and friendly atmosphere. Monday-Thursday 11am-9:30pm; Friday and Saturday 11am-10:30pm. I like their gyros!
3443 Lorna Road
Hoover, AL 35216-5201
 
Okay - I know I have some seafood lovers out there. There are two seafood restaurants that my friends want me to tell you about. (I don't eat seafood.) Hot & Hot Fish Club is the first one. Yes, I have been here - and yes, there are land lubber options. Basically the Hot & Hot Fish Club has a bustling West Coast atmosphere. It's a creative, upscale restaurant--the recent winner of the 1998 Robert Mondavi "Award of Excellence." The restaurant features a dining counter, an open kitchen with a menu that changes daily including fresh seafood, grilled sirloin, free-range chicken, vegetable plates and special fare such as quail, rabbit, homemade pasta and sausage. Entrees are grilled or roasted in a wood-fired oven. Dinner only, Tuesday-Saturday.
2180 11th Court S
Birmingham, AL 35205-2810

The next one is Ocean. Rated four stars by the Birmingham News, Ocean offers fresh seafood in a comfortable, contemporary, upscale atmosphere. It's sassy and fun.
1218 20th St. South
Birmingham, AL 35205-3814

Next place I have to recommend is Surin of Thailand. It is authentic Thai food and delicious! I like to go to the one in 5 points South.
64 Church St
Birmingham, AL 35213-3734

Want to spend more??? Want to impress??? Well.. here we go.

Bottega Italian Restaurant (everyone loves) - They have an elegant blend of Italian and other Mediterranean cuisine. Daily specials and seasonal dinner menu. Al fresco dining available. Reservations recommended. The Cafe is a casual trattoria, boasting pizzas and pastas from their woodburning oven. Daily cafe specials and seasonal dinner menu.

2240 Highland Avenue S
Birmingham, AL 35205-2922

Daniel George - Opened last fall, this new restaurant features classic American cuisine. What makes it distinguishable is its eclectic menu and inviting decor. Owners Daniel Briggs and George McMillan can be seen circulating the three dining rooms, chatting with customers or taking drink orders. Their passion for the culinary arts is evident as soon as you sample one of their creations!! I would recommend the Chicken Saltimbocca, it comes with creamy polenta, french beans, grainy mustard pan sauce.
2837 Culver Road
Mountain Brook, AL 35223-2347

Veranda on Highland - This to me IS the south - Southern food mixed with Caribbean and New Orleans accents. Lunch and dinner, Monday-Saturday. My favorite is the double cut lamb chops. It comes with Brown Butter Roasted Turnips, Braised Greens and Roasted Apples, with Mint Julep Syrup. To die for.
2220 Highland Ave S
Birmingham, AL 35205-2908
 
Another favorite of the "younger" trying to be snazzy crowd is Chez FonFon. This restaurant is an authentic French bistro focusing on French provincial food and wine - the French equivalent of the friendly neighborhood bar. The country pate is a must for those who want to savor a really rich French specialty. Lunch Tuesday-Friday 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; dinner Tuesday-Saturday 5-11 p.m. Closed Sunday and Monday.
2007 11th Avenue S
Birmingham, AL 35205-2801

I can't finish out this category without mentioning a little jewel tucked away near my neighborhood - The Silver Coin Indian Grill. They have a daily lunch buffet. Then on Wednesday night,  belly dancing and buffet.  Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 11am-2pm, Saturday and Sunday 11:30am-2:30pm. Dinner: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday 5:30pm-9:30pm; Friday and Saturday 5:30-10pm.
3321 Lorna Rd
Hoover, AL 35216-7406

Other notable places to stop by (in my humble opinion) are:
Culinard Cafe at Innovation Depot - Offering a wide variety of breads, pastries, cookies, cakes and dazzling desserts, along with a selection of premium coffees.
Edgar's Old Style Bakery - a personal favorite for cupcakes
The Purple Onion - offers a deliciously simple, trendy concept - gourmet Middle Eastern dishes in a fast-food setting. Diners can enjoy pita roll-ups, gyros, hamburgers, sandwiches or tabouli around the three-tiered fountain in their brick courtyard.

The Garage Cafe - you seriously have to see it to believe it
J. Alexander's - hands down - the best prime rib in town!
J. Clyde's - excellent place to go for a drink after work and have something deep fried. ;-)

George's Lebanese Cuisine - the sweetest Lebanese couple own this shop!  Plus - if you want to buy a sheesha/hooka - George is the man!



Niki's West - Steak and seafood restaurant serving Birmingham since 1957. Ocean fresh seafood, charcoal broiled steaks, fresh home cooked meats & vegetables, homemade pies, breads. Be careful - they do yell at you there!

Paw Paw Patch - Featuring the area's only country cooking drive-thru. There's no written menu because every day its different. Seven meat choices and 14 vegetables, salad, bread and plenty of sweets.

Rojo - very trendy hot spot. PLUS they have live music most nights. Get on their mailing list and you will never sit home alone or bored again!Owners Laney DeJonge and Clark Lopez consider it a casual neighborhood restaurant on Highland Avenue. Featuring both Latin and American cuisine, Rojo is the perfect place to unwind with friends for lunch, dinner, or late night drinks. Rojo also serves a delicious weekend brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 11am until 3pm.


Que Huong Vietnamese Restaurant. - good - but it did upset my tummy a little. Service sucks - but taste divine.
 
Davenport's Pizzeria - I only put this one in here for my boss. He swears by this place. The jury is still out for me on this one. The slightly Mediterranean motif with iron work and vintage pictures does set this pizza palace apart. Dough and sauce are made fresh daily.

The Bottle Tree Cafe - please check out their website. Sincerly the quirkiest cafe in town. The BottleTree is a live music venue with an emphasis on national touring acts, and also a wonderful restaurant that serves an eclectic mix of food that caters heavily to vegetarians and features locally grown, seasonal vegetables.

Finally - my favorite splurge of all- Century Restaurant - It is located in the historic Tutwiler Hotel is now open. Featuring Premium Bone-In Steaks, Fresh Gulf Seafood, Local Favorites and Chef Specials Nightly.

That's it my friends. There are seriously at least a hundred or so more restaurants in Birmingham - but these are the ones I would give props to and my $$.

What are some of your favorite in Birmingham???

Growing Up in Creative Chaos

**This pic came from a blog created by a Christy Brown - it is titled Creative Chaos and this is her creation. Perfect image for what I am about to write about.





Some of my friends grew up in a good old fashioned southern home. Mom and Dad (which they more than likely referred to as Mama and Daddy) with a few brothers and sisters, barbeques on the back porch with Lynard Skynard and the Allmand Brothers playing on the boombox, grandma bringing over the pound cake and a big Georgia Bulldog flag hanging on the front of the house.

I did not.

Words like set & lighting design, acrylics and charcoal, toe shoes and leotards, ink wells and parchment, bodhran and violin float through the halls of my home. While classical music streaming through the stereo on Sunday morning, followed by lunch with coucous or hummus and other oddities were placed on our table.

There was a kitchen witch hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen. Dream catchers were bought at festivals. All of the art work had to be done by an actual artist (more than likely my mom.) You weren't allowed to touch the beautiful pens used for calligraphy by my father. I was not allowed to take my dance costumes or shoes out to play in. My sister collected odd musical instruments. I spent afternoons memorizing my lines from a play, while my other friends went to softball practice. My summers were spent in dance classes or theater classes or a writing workshop. I watched from afar as my neighbors ran outside to hang out by the pool and play volleyball.

I still remember coming home one afternoon and finding my sister covered in plaster with straws coming out of her nose. Mom was making masks. I remember stepping over newspapers on the floor, some were wet with paint, with beautiful pictures coming to life on a canvas. When I would walk into some of my friends homes, their mom would be baking or watching the soaps or scrubbing the tub.

Needless to say - in a house filled with creativity comes chaos. I say that gently.. but honestly. The house was less than organized. My mom loves to live by the mantra "A Clean House is a Sign of Insanity." The bizarre, the different, the cultural, anything against the societal norm was embraced.

With that being said - I fought against it as long as I could. As I grew up and made it through college, I went for a more "normal" vibe. Tried as hard as possible to be more "conservative" and look and act a certain way. I walked away from my more creative past. Separated myself from my family and their "way of life" as much as possible.

But when I am shopping, or reading, or thinking - it is all creative chaos. I have since returned to my roots and find that it is so deeply ingrained in me - that I can never be that "societal norm." I think I walk a fine line - safely working in a more "corporate setting" with a sprinkling of creativity. I am drawn to a more bohemian lifestyle, but surrounded by people who would prefer an afternoon of football and nachos.

I have since married a beautiful egyptian. He's a writer, a lover of english literature, a believer in the power of the pyramids and mystics of the ancient. He loves to be in love and is thrilled to attend theater, art openings, symphonies, and festivals. We read poetry together. He is in touch with his emotions and is not afraid to be sad or thrilled.
He brought "life" back to me.

But at the same time - in his culture - the "wifey" is expected to keep a perfect home. I grew up in creative chaos.

Where can you strike the balance between the two?