Back to school time is almost here….and parents feel free to start doing cartwheels:-)….as President Barack Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan( a guest this week on the TJMS) are among some high-powered speakers addressing the National Urban Leage and bringing some big news about 19 finalists in the administration’ s Race To The Top…where the state of North Carolina is in the running as one of those finalists…yeah!! This initiative, among others, is part of the administration’s plan to reform public education in America in lieu of the very ineffective No Child Left Behind program under President Bush.

As a parent, teacher or retired teacher what can we as families and communities do to not only continue to encourage our kids about the importance of a good education but one that’s on equal footing so ALL children have an opportunity to receive a quality education!

THE PARTY IS OVER FOR LINDSAY LOHAN….that’s what the current headlines are reading in newspapers, blogs, and websites across the country, and now the word is she will spend ONLY about 2 weeks in jail. Now had it been an ordinary ‘joe’ like myself or perhaps even YOU…there would be no hesitation at the ‘full extent’ of the law to serve the same original 90-day sentence as Lindsay. So this particular blog today has me wondering why do celeberties seem to continue to get special treatment or only serve 1/2 or even 1/3 of an initial sentence while everyone else has plenty of jail ‘time’ to seriously think about the crime(s) we’ve committed? Does anyone else think there are two different systems of justice?!?!?!

As this isn’t Lindsay’s only offense or run-in with the law…she’s been free on bail since missing a court hearing in May 2007 for a drug and alcohol case..on probation since August 2007 after pleading guilty to misdemenor drug charges and no contest to 3 driving-related charges, not to mention missing 7 classes since last December after her probation was extended for a year to give here more time to complete the class.

Now is it just me or Lindsay just doesn’t seem to GET IT! To many get-out-of jail free cards translates to not taken her actions seriously, and perhaps foolishly believing that because of who she is, the system will just let her ’slide’ by just one more time…if she keeps this type of attitude and way of thinking up, I’m afraid Lindsay just may RUN OUT OF TIME and be added to the list of celeberties who have died too young while on a collision course with life….

I’m liking WalMart a little too much these days and I’m having to find excuses NOT to drop by and pick up a few things! And it got me to thinking about the things we spend our hard earned dollars on. What amount of things do we buy that we really don’t need? It’s probably more than we think, and there in “lies” the problem. We don’t always think enough about the stuff we buy, and we lie to ourselves about needing this stuff. If you’re guilty, raise your wallet or your pocketbook, turn it upside down and kiss your money goodbye! You’ve heard the phrase “think before you speak?” Well, next time we’re getting ready to drop a few dimes lets take a moment to “think before we spend.” I’m just sayin…..

The choices that we make in life, for better or for worse, are decisions that generally alone affect the individual that makes them….HOWEVER…LeBron James’ decision to leave his hometown of Cleveland for a chance to win a (NBA) ring with Miami either left a bitter taste or fans elated in his choice of picking a new city and new team! Making a major choice or decision never will please ANY or ALL parties/persons involved, and giving the very public decision that LeBron made is one that he likely made alone(at least in terms of the announcement) and will have to live with primarily on his own…like it or hate it the choices or decisions we ALL make will likely be the ones we will have to live with, along with the outcome of the circumstances!!

Recently free agents Dewayne Wade, Christopher Bosh, and Lebron James made history by signing free agent deals with the MIAMI HEAT setting the NBA on fire. Sports commentary has discussed this up and down and several owners in the league have cried foul. The fans and ownership in Cleveland has gone as far as to call Mr. James of all things……a trader and Benedict Arnold. Since they’ve given their opinion which they have the right to I’m going to give mine. In a league(NBA) where roughly the players are about 75-80% minorities why does this surprise some people. On draft day the nation witnesses a lot of minority players become millionaires and some say they don’t deserve it. The NBA has a history that started out one way and has become dominated by minorities as many other team sports. Yes race is rearing it’s head, shoulders and every other body part but it doesn’t shock me and shouldn’t shock you. This is the same country that has a Black president for the 1st time in 219 some odd years and he has received more death threats than any other president and I wonder why? Back to this free agent signing. What did these guys do wrong? They exercised their right under the free agency policy to try to win a championship and this is a bad thing? A bad thing for who….. the fans, owners, or the media? Let’s take the owners specifically the Cleveland ownership. Your team had the best record in the league the past 2 seasons and was put out both years. The trades you made didn’t work, the players you signed didn’t make a difference and the guy you called names was the NBA’s 2time MVP. He did his part and you came up short. If you didn’t like him why didn’t you trade him? There were free agents that could helped you this year but you did nothing to get them. To the fans……get over it. His loyalty isn’t to you. To cry tears and burn a jersey means your priorities are out of whack. You mean to tell me your happiness comes from an athlete who you don’t even know? Your kids look to him for guidance when you should have them looking at you. Get a life and stop acting like a 3rd grader. Take that passion for “LEBRON” and put it into the schools, shelters, and your fellow man. If you haven’t noticed life is difficult and you can’t worry about what you have ZERO control over. To the sports stations and reporters would say negative things about 3 non-black athletes exercising their right to play wherever they want? If NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhart Jr. or Jimmy Johnson changed teams to be a winner would we have all this backlash? Why worry about someone else just worry about yourself. Let’s look at it like this…..take your job doing whatever you do. Just say a company offers you a better deal for you and your family are you going to stay where you are making whatever you make or consider improving your life? Loyalty is to your family and not in professional sports or a job. You can be replaced at any time and whose the bad guy then? To me it’s about color all over again and it stinks! Don’t let the media influence what you should feel, think and say. Their job is to sell news and get you to buy it. Control your emotions and call them out. Controversy sells and feel good stories are just that. Wake up people and focus on yours and not everyone else. Just my opinion but what do I know. Your thoughts please.

Another 125,000 jobs eliminated in just one month! When does it all end? And how are you being affected by this, even if you are employed? The Recession that began in 2007 is still in full effect in 2010 1/2, and there appears to be no end in sight. If you’re blessed enough to be gainfully employed, be grateful and say a prayer for those still looking for employment in these difficult times. I’m sure you know someone.

An unknown author once wrote….’one day your life will flash before your eyes. make sure its worth watching.’ Indeed as 2010 alone seems to be flying by at the blink of an eye- are you watching the world or is the world REALLY watching you?! Living life to its fullest has never been more prevelant, but is it full of the everyday blessings- that despite the struggles we ALL confront on a daily basis, you still give thanks- or you’ve decided to ’stay mad at the world’ because you feel that you’ve been singled out because ‘bad things’ seem to keep coming your way!

I like to say..there are NO bad days..some days just provide a BETTER outlook than others, as everyday of course won’t be perfect…but YOUR life continues to have a story to tell..it’s just up to you as to whether it can have a happy ending…here’s to more of those HAPPY endings than not!!