Yerevan, Armenia

The following are sights and sounds from Yerevan.

We passed these trees on the way to the hotel from the airport.
They reminded me of home.  My father painted the trees in our yard.
Funny the things you remember.

This is a view from my window.

This is another view from my window.
There seems to be an economic upturn
because there are construction sites all over the city.

Our first stop was to this museum.
The genocide occurred in 1915 where it is estimated
between 1 million and 1.5 million people were killed.
It was sobering.  

This is the outside of the museum.  Most of it was closed for renovation.
The solemn gray color reflects the chronicled heartache that the people endured.

On the way to the outdoor exhibit, there is a small field
dedicated to the memory of the lives lost in the genocide
and to the countries that recognize this atrocity.

I wanted you to hear the haunting music that played in the memorial area.

There are these nameplates around each tree recognizing the giver.
There are countries represented and organizations and individuals.
Forty-two states of the US recognize the genocide,
but the federal government has not.

This is Tsitsernakaberd.
It is the monument that holds the eternal flame and
the spire that represents Armenia.
The spire is divided to show the portion of the country that was lost in the war on the left.

There are twelve columns that represent the twelve lost provinces in present day Turkey.

I'm standing in front of the eternal flame.

This is the Matenadaren, which holds thousands of ancient manuscripts.

This is the Cafesjian Museum of Art.  It is a magnificent public art display.
It is lined with benches and makes for a wonderful place to relax and people watch.
It stretches for about four blocks.

Whimsical display.

A fat cat.

A seal?

This picture doesn't do this justice.  It is a man made of a collage of metal letters.

This statue stands at the entrance of the museum.

This lady was by far the most photographed.
It seemed everyone wanted a picture with her.
She was guarded by security to prevent her from being touched.

Front view.

Rear view.

We have one more day here, then we return home on Tuesday.

More soon.

Showcasing A Neighborhood

That you won't find on any realtor's list of homes to see.

This article and video clip showcases Rick Lowe, a public artist, and a recipient of the 2014 MacArthur Genius Grant.

I was raised in a house that looks very much like one of these.

What he's doing is noteworthy and valuable.

Check it out.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/02/rick-lowe-project-row-houses_n_5920778.html?utm_hp_ref=black-voices

A Rare Opportunity

To see the same subjects, in this case sisters, have their picture taken every year for forty years.  It's like the cartoon flip book, watching them age before your eyes.

What a legacy to leave behind, for the photographer and these ladies.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/03/magazine/01-brown-sisters-forty-years.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LargeMediaHeadlineSum&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

Gotta Have Gadgets

These are featured as tailgate essentials, but I think they make any outdoor activity more fun.  I especially like the maxed out cooler.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ryangrepper/coolest-cooler-21st-century-cooler-thats-actually

http://www.instagating.com

Young Techies

This app teaches kindergartners how to program.

http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_268744/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=Uig8ffOA

Amazing!

This Proves Weddings Can Be Colorful

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/01/awkward-bridesmaids-photo_n_5913984.html

Not For Everyone

In fact, this is not for most.

"This" being . . . (wait for it) . . . living in a dumpster.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/10/02/jeff-wilson-living-in-a-dumpster_n_5922806.html

I'm more curious about the back story.

You?

Unconventional Tourist Spots

Found in the South.

Check them out.

http://www.usatoday.com/experience/south/best-of-lists/10best-quirky-attractions-in-the-south/16157301/?csp=travel

Ben's Extracurricular Activities

Ben is getting in touch with his artistic side with some modeling and advertising gigs.

It's really fun stuff that provides more fodder for his Mom to brag about.

She's shameless, you know :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1wMe989Hpw&list=PLEC0394D04F5A75D5
(Skip to 2:05 to see Ben)

https://gocomfy.com
(He's an extra in this one; look for him as one of the bundled up staffers)

Greetings from Armenia!

We're on a long holiday weekend and I'm visiting Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia.

This is a tiny country, just north of Iran and east of Turkey.  It was a part of the Soviet Union until 1991 and the influence is evident.

The day began at o-dark thirty, to catch an early flight from Dubai, so I crashed after arriving at the hotel.  The flight was only three hours, on the same time zone, which made it an ideal place to visit for a days.

It is a group tour, with a total of nine of us.

We explored the immediate area around the hotel, then broke away to do our own thing, which for me, was getting some sleep.

I'll have more to share soon.

Boys Having Fun

Will they ever grow up?

Probably not.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOzQ3CN5La4&feature=em-subs_digest-vrecs

The "Real One"

Below is a clip of Judy Smith, the real Washington "fixer" that the character Olivia Pope on Scandal is based on.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/29/olivia-pope-george-hw-bush_n_5902472.html

Simply Amazing!

The lunches this Mom makes for her kids are too cute to eat.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/28/li-ming-bento-lunch-boxes_n_5889292.html

Let's Dance!

This is a really cool way to spend the time waiting for traffic lights to change.  The wait at lights here are especially long because only one side moves at a time while the other three wait.

Enjoy!

http://laughingsquid.com/the-dancing-traffic-light-a-dont-walk-light-that-entertains-pedestrians-by-putting-on-a-show/

"I'm Back"

Thank God, all is well with my technology.

I can not express just how important this tool is to me, living halfway around the world.

It's my newspaper, my magazines, my television, my cinema, my phone, and yes, it's my computer, too.

FYI - The thing that saved me TWICE was having everything on my computer's hard drive backed up to an external drive.  Each time I've had issues, my computer was wiped clean, and in the case of my new one, it came clean, but a couple of hours later, all of my stuff was back in place.  An absolute lifesaver!

If you don't have a back up, seriously consider it.

Anyway . . .

Yesterday was a long day, and I'm tired.

The good news is, today is my Friday.

More soon.

Technical Difficulties

This morning I woke up early, ready to start my day, but my computer did not.

It worked perfectly last night, but this morning it didn't recognize me.  It's like it completely forgot who I was.

There were hints of a problem brewing with it while I was away this summer.  In fact, that's why I made a trip to the Genius Bar while in Sacramento to have it checked out.  The Apple guys did a lot of work on it and replaced most of the moving parts.  Thank God, it was still under warranty.

We had a rough start, me and my MacBook Pro.  It took more than a notion for me to grasp how to use it.  That time was not pretty.

Now  . . . I love my guy.

As you know, this gadget is my life line. 

So, when it was needing some attention this morning, I didn't panic.

I used my iPad to Google solutions, including wiping the hard drive clean, and restoring it to the factory settings.

But . . .

Nothing worked.

Thank God, I had just backed up the hard drive last night.

In addition to my iPad, I also have another Windows tablet that I purchased when I couldn't access my work website from home on my Mac.

So I'm not completely stranded.

It could be much worse.

But now I have a big decision to make.

Do I buy the small MacBook Air that I get in the UAE to tide me over while I'm here, or do I splurge and buy the top of the line Macbook Pro with a massive hard drive?

Keep in mind, this one that just died lasted less than three years.

I love Apple, but I expected to replace it because I wanted the new and improved model, not because I had to.

Anyway, this is where I am.

I'll post as much as I can, but if there is a slow down, you'll know why.

As always, thanks for taking this journey with me.



 

Cool Bowties

Below you will find some of the coolest bow ties on the planet.  I bought one as a gift and it was even better than advertised.

http://wonderlee123.storenvy.com/products

Who Knew?

That there were more uses for beer than just drinking it?

Below are some pretty cool household uses.  If I could, I'd head out to buy a six pack, but then I remembered this is a dry country.  Liquor is only sold in hotels and the very rare "liquor shack."

http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with-beer-esqsyn?click=smart&kw=ist&src=smart&mag=ESQ&link=http://www.esquire.com/blogs/food-for-men/10-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with-beer-esqsyn

Using Their Platform for Good

Esquire Men's Magazine is featuring a series on mentoring highlighting the people who influenced notables.  Kudos to this organization for using their platform to reach the masses with a serious message on the importance of having a positive influence in our lives.

Click on "Why Do Mentors Matter?" in the middle of the page on the link below, and it will lead to the meat of the matter.

https://mentoring.esquire.com/?src=nl&mag=esq&list=nl_enl_news&date=091714

A Marriage Made in Heaven

QuestBridge is an organization that helps low-income students gain access to some of the best colleges and universities in the country.

Check out their story and see some of the many kids they have helped.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/16/upshot/a-national-admissions-office-for-low-income-strivers.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&region=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed&abt=0002&abg=1#

Lovin' the Skin You're In

We can all learn this lesson from Lupita and Elmo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIC2hHECZ6Y

Code of Conduct for NFL Wives

This is a first hand account of one woman's experience as an NFL wife.

http://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/09/ray-janay-rice-football-nfl-wives

Thoughts?

Recycling Your Smart Phone

With the launch of the new iPhones, people are going to be looking for ways to trade in, or in some way, reuse their old ones.

USA Today shows some pretty ingenious ways to do just that.

Watch.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/personal/2014/09/14/creative-ways-to-use-your-old-phone/15446179/

Corporal Punishment

This sounds like such a harsh thing.

Corporal punishment.

Brutal.

Violent.

Savage.

That's what comes to mind when some folks hear the term.

But if we're talking about spankings, swatting a child on his or her bottom when they have misbehaved, I'm all for it.

I know.

I know.

There are folks out there who are categorically opposed to ever spanking/hitting a child for any reason.

I get it.

There are some who have gone too far and abused kids, and that should never happen.

But here's what I know for sure.

Kids better have the fear of God put in them when it comes to how they are to behave.

They had better be more afraid of the consequences of misbehaving when their parents find out, than from anything or anyone else.

As a principal, I used to tell kids I was going to call their parents, and if they responded with, "I don't care.  Call 'em."  I knew it would be a waste of time.

But if I said I was going to call home and they started shaking in their boots, I knew these kids were being disciplined at home.

There are parents who can achieve this without ever spanking their kids.

Kudos to them because that is no easy task.

But for me, spankings were always an option, and Ben and Frankie knew it.

My mother used to say, if you don't discipline kids when they're young, when they're older they'll be whupping you.

She used to also say that the jails and prisons were full of folks who someone thought was too cute to discipline.

Some will say this is "old school."

Maybe so.

But if raising a well-behaved kid is the result, then I will proudly wear that label.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now take a minute to check out this article.  The author makes some excellent points, especially the contrast between white and black parenting, but I beg to differ on the conclusion she makes.

http://www.salon.com/2014/09/16/the_racial_parenting_divide_what_adrian_peterson_reveals_about_black_and_white_child_rearing/?source=newsletter

What do you think?

Map of Independence

Check out the map in the article below that shows the many countries that have declared their independence from the United Kingdom.

Click the bottom right corner of the map to enlarge it.

http://www.salon.com/2014/09/16/this_map_shows_all_the_countries_that_have_declared_their_independence_from_the_united_kingdom/?source=newsletter

Amazing!

Right?

Vote YES Scotland and join this distinguished group of nations.

Made My Day

Have you had friend contact you out of the blue, and that simple gesture kept a smile on your face all day long?

That happened to me today when I was surprised by a video call from my dear friend Becky.

We met when I started teaching years ago.  She was my coach.  She was a young, master teacher who was awesome in the classroom, but even better at helping new teachers figure out what they were doing.

One of the many things I love about Becky was how she handled me and my non-compliance.  There were things we were expected to have posted in our classes, and that changed every few weeks.  I've got this thing about presentations being neat and symmetrical, so it would take me a minute to get the bulletin boards changed. When Becky would make her regular visits, she never fussed or made a big deal about what was missing, she'd just take me over to another classroom where whatever I was supposed to have done, was on full display.

And . . .

She never said a word.

I'd go back to my class and get it done.

And . . .

It worked every time.

I used to say that she shamed me into doing the right thing.

She quickly figured out what it would take to motivate me, and it was one of the many lessons I learned from her.

Thanks Becky, for all of your help way back when, and thanks for absolutely making my day today!

Workplace Bathroom Humor

Some of these are laugh out loud funny.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gselevator/workplace-bathroom-etiquette_b_5812646.html

Closely Watching

I can't get enough of the news about the possibility of Scottish Independence.

The election is this Thursday, Sept. 18th.

If I could, I'd vote YES.

It's hard to believe the dominant influence Great Britain has had in places all over the world.  I've experienced it many times when I've visited countries where there is a preference for tea over coffee and driving on the left.  Far and wide the Brits have left their mark.  It's time more folks said, "Enough."

John Oliver does a terrific job of explaining the issues of Scottish Independence, enumerating the pros and cons.

The clip is about 15 minutes, but watching him is like reading the Cliff Notes, only much funnier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UU3XTzVzaHQEd30rQbuvCtTQ&v=-YkLPxQp_y0

Making History at Harvard

Alexis Wilkinson has made history as the first African-American woman president of the campus comedy magazine, the Harvard Lampoon.

Check out the article below from Salon where she discusses her experiences.

http://www.salon.com/2014/09/14/harvard_lampoon_president_alexis_wilkinson_opens_up_about_internet_parodies_race_and_gender/?source=newsletter

Turning Over in Their Graves

Not sure what prompted me to check out the ladies representing each state in the Miss America Pageant, but I did.  And lo and behold, representing Mississippi is a beautiful black woman.

Miss Mississippi - Jasmine Murray

Now, you and I both know there are plenty of folks in that great state that are turning over in their graves.

http://www.usatoday.com/picture-gallery/life/people/2014/09/13/miss-america-2015-contestants/15522751/

Unexpected Consequences

This guy (a scientist) gave his parents a gift of genetic testing.  He was getting one, and thought it would be great to have a more complete picture.  What they discovered was he had a brother no one knew about.

This information did not lead to a happy ending.

http://www.vox.com/2014/9/9/5975653/with-genetic-testing-i-gave-my-parents-the-gift-of-divorce-23andme

Is is possible to have too much information, or is this a case of not having enough?

Milestones

September is a month of celebrations in our world as Ben and Frankie and other family members celebrate birthdays.

Frankie was 31 years old on the 10th and Ben is 33 on the 16th.

For those of you with little ones, know this - in a blink of an eye, they will be all grown up.

It's hard to believe that the incident with Ben not being allowed to attend his 8th grade graduation or give the valedictorian speech because his haircut was deemed too short (the school was trying to discourage skinhead activity on campus - like black folks were likely to be skinheads was unfathomable, and was clearly irrelevant to the conversation at the time), happen 20 years ago!

Incredible!

Frankie headed to New York for college as a 16 year old who turned 17 weeks after arriving on campus.

That was fourteen years ago!

Unbelievable!

It's true, if they're this old, then that means I'm no spring chick, but I'm thankful for my 58 years on this planet.  They are many who haven't lived to see this, like Terry, my youngest brother, who passed away suddenly at 51, eight years ago.

So, the message today is, enjoy life.

If you have kids, savor the time with them.  Let the fun times outweigh the aggravating ones.

I know that that can be hard to do, especially when they become surly teenagers, but remember, this too shall pass.

Besides, if you're lucky, you'll get to enjoy the best part of being a parent, when you become a grandparent.  That's when the fun really begins.

Cheers!

Choosing Another Path

This video clip is a TED Talk by a young man who was raised to hate.  His father is a convicted terrorist.

His journey is a fascinating one.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zak-ebrahim/zak-ebrahim-ted-book-terrorists-son_b_5811816.html

My Daily Fix

One of my news sources that is delivered with sass is The Daily Skimm.  It arrives via email everyday.

Check it out below.

Skimm for September 10th

QUOTE OF THE DAY “In real estate, location defines value and parking is no exception” – A NYC real-estate exec. A new luxury building has spaces going for $1 million. Parking spaces. Honk. SKIMM THIS

THINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT

THE FRUIT THE STORY Yesterday, Apple invited a bunch of people over for a show-and-tell. There was lots of clapping. WHAT DO iWANT FOR CHRISTMAS? A watch and a phone. But you can only have the phone since the watch doesn’t come out until next year. There are two choices: the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus. One’s a little tiny; the other’s a little full-figured. As for the watch, it’s like a Fitbit, a wallet, and a Tamagotchi all in one. With your choice of colors. If that didn’t make you realize how broke you’re about to be, Apple’s also got a new way for you to spend money — Apple Pay will let you store credit cards and pay for things on your phone and watch. iScared. theSKIMM Investors got really excited during the event, but after the sugar-high wore off they forgot about it and went on with their lives. Meanwhile, the Fruit’s new offerings show the company might be driving off into the luxury lane for good. SKIMM THIS

THE NFL THE STORY After indefinitely suspending Ray Rice this week, the NFL is getting a lot ofquestions. THE WHAT Earlier this week, video surfaced of star NFL running back Ray Rice punching his then-fiancee (now-wife) Janay Palmer in an elevator, apparently knocking her unconscious. Rice got cut from the Baltimore Ravens, and was indefinitely suspended from the NFL. Months ago, a shorter video was released showed Rice dragging Palmer from the elevator. In July, the NFL suspended him for two games, which basically everyone agreed was on the wrong side of lenient. Janay defended her husband yesterday, saying the media is making her family “relive a moment in our lives that we regret every day.” TERRIBLE STORY…BUT WHAT ARE WE STILL DEBATING? What the NFL knew and when. The NFL says it never saw the full video until everybody else did this week. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league assumed there was video of what happened in the elevator, but was “never granted [the] opportunity” to see it. Networking is hard. An official said the video wasn’t released to the NFL because it was “grand jury material.”  But some reporters are calling BS, pointing to league sources who seemed to know details of the full video back in July. See the problem? theSKIMM Ray Rice’s NFL career may be over – or maybe not if you ask Goodell — but the NFL is going to be dealing with questions about how it handled all this for a long time. Many would prefer discussing ways to prevent domestic violence.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

WHAT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING… ISIS. Today, Sec. of State John Kerry arrived in Iraq to talk to the country’s leaders about the fight against the Islamic militant group. He’s starting a tour of the Mideast to rally support. Back in Washington yesterday, President Obama met with Congressional leaders to remind them they can stand with him or without him to take action against ISIS. Or they can just watch him work. He’ll address the nation tonight about the US’s new strategy to fight the group, which could reportedly includeairstrikes in Syria. Meanwhile, yesterday, the US government got a bad grade from the family rep of Steven Sotloff – the US journalist who was beheaded by ISIS in a video released last week — for how it handled the situation. The Sotloff family says the White House wasn’t in regular communication with them like it said it was. Sotloff’s family also claims the journalist was sold to ISIS by another rebel group for up to $50,000 and the US could have done more to try to save him.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOUR FRIEND STEALS YOUR MILLION DOLLAR IDEA… Um, I invented Post-Its. Yesterday, Snapchat settled a lawsuit with ousted co-founder Reggie Brown for a confidential amount. The guys behind Snapchat also admitted for the first time that Brown came up with the idea for the app. Idea, shmidea. Brown was later pushed out and not given equity. So he sued. This all comes after Snapchat was recently valued at $10 billion. SKIMM THIS

WHAT TO SAY WHEN THE NEXT EPISODE OF “HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER” WON’T LOAD… Barney blocked. Today, Netflix and a bunch of other big-name websites like Etsy, Kickstarter, and WordPress are protesting to support net neutrality. The sites will be showing a picture of the ‘spinning wheel of death’ loading symbol — not to make sure you’re still breathing, but as a friendly reminder that this could be the future. Refresher: net neutrality is the idea that all content on the Internet should be treated equally, and preference shouldn’t be given to sites willing to pay for faster connections. That’s not what happens now. There’s currently no regulation over how Internet providers treat traffic from different websites. The FCC’s been listening to comments on some new rules for monitoring pay-to-play. They’re going to stop listening to everyone’s opinions next week. SKIMM THIS

WHAT TO SAY WHEN SOMEONE ASKS ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE’S RANKING… Who are you, my mother? Yesterday, US News & World Report released its annual “Best Colleges” list. For something new and different, Princeton, Harvard, and Yale are the top three universities and Williams is the top for liberal arts colleges. If your friends are posting about their ranking, time to make new friends.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN THERE’S A KNOT IN YOUR HAIR… First, let me take a selfie. Meet the Selfie Brush. Finally, something that lets you duckface and untangle. ‘No judgment’ sold separately. SKIMM THIS

THING TO KNOW Flak vs. Flack  Flak: what you get when someone gives you a hard time. Also apparently means antiaircraft fire and something resembling body armor. Flack: What Ari has on “Entourage.” A publicist or right-hand person who pumps up an employer’s rep. SKIMM THIS

SKIMM GIFT Machu Picchu looks good on you. Click here to win a trip to Peru. Inca Trail included. It’s kind of a big deal.

SKIMM 50 Thanks to these Skimm’rs for knowing what’s up and telling everyone else:  Tess Ramirez, Bridget Morse-Karzen, Sandie Nunez, Angela Ri, Gayle Powell, Alexandra Jones, Alexis Teixeira, Keri Strucher, Menaka Sachdev, Julia Liguori, Christina Richardson, Brittany Gellerman, Alexis Whitley, Megan Hurlbert, Mimi Thomas, Marissa Simon, Elyce Murillo, Kathryn Oatway, Julie Stecker, Danni Topalsky, Jena Fritts, Carly Swartz, Halle Morgan, Chloe Miller

SKIMM LIFE Back to work. Does your office need the #SkimmLife? Emailskimmbassador@theskimm.com to get involved and spread the word.

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS Skimm’bassador Abby Isaacs (Syracuse, NY); Skimm’bassador Stephanie Silverman (Cary, NC); Skimm’bassador Lucy Hoffman (New York, NY); Skimm’bassador Katrina Dorsey (Greenwich, CT); English Taylor (Chicago, IL); Lindsey Toomey (Hanover, NH); Jenny Meyer (New York, NY); Orçun Açan (Antalya, Turkey); Jocelyn Gailliot (New York, NY); Karen Williams (Jamaica, NY); Angela Bookmyer (Houston, TX); Felicia Wright (Laguna Beach, CA); Stephanie Rapp (New York, NY); ChanelleNeal (Washington, DC); Cian Barron (Clinton, NY); Dave Crowe (Portland, OR); Enjoli Duval (New York, NY); Kathe Caire (Nashville, TN);  Meryl Hayes (Newton, MA); Patrick Johnson (Brooklyn, NY); Carrie Kelley (Bermuda); Allie Baker (Orlando, FL)

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Vassar Victory!

Vassar is Frankie's alma mater, and it was just recognized as the most economically diverse top college.  Their generous financial aid package is what got Frankie through school.

YEAH Vassar!

Check out the complete list of school below.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/09/upshot/top-colleges-that-enroll-rich-middle-class-and-poor.html?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&region=CColumn&module=MostEmailed&version=Full&src=me&WT.nav=MostEmailed&_r=0&abt=0002&abg=1