What about Veterans?!

These are some videos that I happened across as I was clicking through my site, www.csrmpls.info, and the employment page.  I found them especially touching today.  Found myself tearing up.  Real courage sometimes happens long past the initial threats, and/or violence.  It's living with the scars, while daring to heal.  Emotional and spiritual healing really is all about choice.  Every day, every moment is about living instead of just surviving.

Or, maybe my tearing up about the fact that my father was a veteran in WWII, as a Marine.  He forged his mothers name at the tender age of 17, and followed his buddies to fight in the war.  He came back, bringing with him a stack of photos that both awed and shocked me.  He also brought back the trappings of one of the Japanese soldiers he killed, including his clothes, rifle, long (historic looking) knife, and other personal items.

My father was set up to be an alcoholic and he never recovered.  Period.  Even though he had long periods of employment, never was homeless, and even owned his own janitorial business.  And, other people paid for that choice to not face his demons.

These stories (videos) were not just interesting, but moving enough for me to stop and post them here.  I hope they're the same for you, and stirs some of you to think more, and do more to better support our veterans.  It's not about quick fixes.  It's about better relationship skills.  Living the fight for a better life, here and now.  Not what one wishes, wants and hopes to be or have.  What can I do right now.

My moto (as taught to me, by my mentor): Life, from the inside out.

I think the following video is a bit ironic in that Gabrielle Giffords took a bullet in the head while serving her country stateside. Women are tough, no doubt about it!

Vision, Headaches and Relief

My vision for this project has been pretty clear, with the hammering out the details being the majority of the work.  And, until the recent past couple of years, my eyes have been 20/20.  But, as with all of us as we age, vision, or our pupils tend to wear out.  Two years ago I bought my first pair of readers.  Let me tell ya, that was an odd yet curious experience.  I now know what it is like to look over my glasses at people.  Hmm, that’s what those old people were experiencing.  LOL…  (yes that’s ‘laugh out loud’, ha ha)

Within the past couple days I’ve gone from worried for my life, literally, to feeling relief that I felt relief.  Or, that I got relief from having headaches (with the potential for it, them) to advance into full grown migraines.  What do I mean by that.  The past few years I’ve been dealing with getting migraines on a more frequent basis, to the point of taking Excedrin Migraine, over the counter pain relief (actually, the knockoff brands) every day to stave off any potential threats.

Two days ago I could not begin to look through my glasses without feeling nerves in my head and eyes begin to ache, and even sting with pain.  So, then I thought, what the heck am I going to do about working on this project?!
The headaches and migraines combined with the fact that my father died from cancer of the brain, has had me yes, worried for my life.  And this project.  I started asking myself what will I do if I do have the big C.  For my father, he got a call from the doctor telling him he had 6 months to live.  Yes, a prognosis of death in six months in a simple phone call.  And yes, I was and still am filled with contempt for the behavior of a doctor to make such a phone call.  Yet, it didn’t change the fact I was the first person called when he was once again divorced again, drinking again, and not going to work.  And, I was the last person to leave the town of Amery, WI, after the house sold and I was once again free, and needing to move on with my life.  That was in 1980, when my father was 55 year old.

This year I am 54 and fast approaching the same age my father was when he got that fatal diagnosis.  As I remember it called “indifferential carcenoma”, although I may have not heard it correctly, since I was in my early 20’s and overwhelmed by the situation.  Much like my previous 21 year in an alcoholic family system.  I was just dutiful to my family, as I was taught.

Well, coming back to today, I’m still having trouble with my eyes going blurry when I use my glasses.  I’m told I need to get used to wearing them.  But, I do have relief from the headaches and migraine threat.  That’s a big deal, huge even.  Those of you who know what it’s like to have bad headaches and migraines know… and I mean KNOW the significance of that relief.

So, where does that put this project, since there’s still a lot to be done?

My first answer is “I’m leaving in God’s hands”, and yes that seems like a cop out, but no it really isn’t.  I’m just the gumption behind this project that is much bigger than me.  But, as soon as I can, I need to get the word out and begin finding others that understand and believe in this project as I do.  At least one, if not 2-3, that can step in and continue this work.  That means I need to keep writing about the vision, and the aspects that are not easily assumed. 

It’s a balancing act of getting the work done so I can see it and help mold it into it’s intended shape, with the need for written documentation regarding the details.

Hopefully, even this blog piece will shed some light on the direction of this work.

David

Add On Interactive Donates Services

This is a shout out to the folks at Add on Interactive (aka Add on Chat) for donating another 30 days of their service "Live Chat Support" to CSR Direct Services.  I just received word that Anthony at Add on Interactive gave another 30 days of their free trial service to give us time to find a sponsor or donations to cover the expense of this feature for CSR Direct Services.

Two weeks ago I requested they continue the Live Chat Support service on my account while I find financial resources, funding, sponsors, etc, to pay for the continuance of this service.  With the new laptop I was able to purchase (courtesy MicroGrants.net) I'm able, and want to be available to people as they visit the CSR sites, and check out the updates.  At that time, they gave me the 2 week extension, and now another 30 days.  But, they can't (and understandably so) extend it any further, if we can't purchase the services by then.

The Live Chat Support feature will be across all the CSR Sites, and offer help, information to visitors as answers are available.  At present, this feature is available to answer questions about the CSR projects in general.  Information about community services is limited, but follow up to questions unanswered at the time of the Live Chat is available.  If we/I  don't know the answer to a question, I will do my best to find the answer or information about a resource person that does.

For when I'm online and take questions, test out the Live Chat Support.

This image shows when "Live Chat Support" is not available.  Click this image for more contact options.

Thanks again to Add On Interactive for their help!

• www.addoninteractive.com

I have searched around and tried out other chat rooms and services and have found Add on Interactive to be the best company, best services available.  Services to be used by CSR Direct Services from Add On Interactive is and will be:

• "Live Chat Support" feature on each page, to offer a direct chat resource to answer questions for visitors of CSR sites.
• "Group Chat" feature to offer group chat rooms for safe public and private chats for socializing and discussion.  Currently, the group chat feature is a free version, and will have more features, better privacy, and added benefits to the CSR community when the upgraded services can be purchased.