World War E

npr.org

E is for everything. Everything changes when someone you love or are close to, has a furious and potentially fatal illness. Don't kid yourself; it can happen to you. Like the lottery that is life, your number just may not have come up yet. Take nothing for granted.

E is for education. AIDS in the 1980s killed more people than it should have because of a lot of ignorance and prejudice driven fears. Don't be afraid to ask, if you don't know or are not sure about the state of your health. Don't take unnecessary risks with yourself or others. If you have a "friend" who you think may be infected, be a friend and get them the information they need, or at least point them in the right direction as best as you can.

E is for everybody. Everybody knows they need to clean their hands when they are dirty. However, we all need reminding of the best technique and it's importance.

E is for ego. I don't care how famous or/and rich you are (you know who you are). Go get checked if you know you've been compromised. There is no shame in doing the right thing for yourself and others. You'll get more support than you think. Plus it tends to set a positive example.

E is for empathy. Let's show some more. You or I may need some tomorrow.

"An Awful Lot To Live For"

Lou Gehrig's Farewell Speech

The Most Effective Relationship Advice I Have Ever Received

• Prayer
• Patience
• Peace
• Forgiveness

Or for you math majors: r = p³ + f.

Milk For The Children (and futebol)

Or leite por os filhos in the original Brazilian-Portuguese. A young carioca father said this to me in 2000, after I rebuffed his initial efforts to sell me a copy of the VHS tape he had miraculously mastered during our small cruise off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

I stopped after my final goodbye to him after disembarking, because I didn't understand what he has said at the time. This easy going man had worn several hats during our day trip including tour guide, historian, videographer, and futebol coach during our pick-up game (brasileiros contra estrangeiros as the contest was dubbed) on the destination island. He couldn't quite get my name right so he just called me Nigéria, with pride.

My Brazilian-American buddy translated, and explained the significance of leite por os filhos. The brother was hustling to support his family. I certainly could appreciate that. At first I was hesitant to buy something so touristy, but then it occurred to me that the VHS tapes he was hawking, plus the cost of the entire cruise was still just slight more than half of the cost of my ticket to the Vasco club match at Maracanã stadium I had bought via our hotel earlier that morning, and would attend the following day. We bought two videos.

Two days later I would purposefully spend a 1000% premium (about three dollars US at the time) on a mini-pack of gum being sold by two kids under the age of five on Copacana beach, at past three o'clock in the morning. Meanwhile the acquaintances who had accompanied us, didn't even acknowledge the children's presence.

It's quite possible to have jugo bonito and leite por os filhos, at a fraction of the cost.

Two Questions For #YesAllWomen

Ask at least three men you know well, who have and do treat you with respect, the following questions:

1. How did you learn to treat women the way you do today?
2. Who were your teachers?

"It Sometimes Snows In May" - Now Available

Enjoy.

B.E.A.N. Police 3.0 - Available Soon

The next installment in the B.E.A.N Police, science fiction saga, It Sometimes Snows in May, God-willing, will be available on Amazon for Kindle* this weekend.

Also, for you original netizens, let me know if a Kindle version of the original B.E.A.N. Police novel is of interest. I'm thinking about doing a 15-year (i.e. 2017) anniversary edition for Kindle. If I can't find or get the digital master of the manuscript, I'll have to type it out (oh no), hence the heads-up. That's fine though, if folks are really interested.

*device or app