All of us listen to the same news, get the same information and yet have varying opinions on what happened in Ferguson, MO, the night Officer Wilson confronted Michael Brown. None of us know what we would've done in this situation. If you say you do then you're a liar. We know what we want to do, or hope we would do. Those of us in law enforcement rely on what we're trained to do.
A split-second or less is the approximate amount of time we have to make life or death decisions based on minimal facts, visual observations, training, and experience. These decisions are accompanied by adrenaline dumps. Adrenaline, as defined by MedicineNet, is a stress hormone produced in the adrenal gland that quickens the heart beat, strengthens the force of the heart's contraction, and opens up the bronchioles in the lungs. It's not uncommon to temporarily diminish your sense of hearing and touch, but also heighten your sense of smell and slowing your perception of time. The secretion of adrenaline is part of the human 'fight or flight' response to fear, panic, or perceived threat. (Perceived is another good vocabulary word to understand: to become aware of, know, or identify by means of the senses: I perceived an object looming through the mist. 2. to recognize, discern, envision, or understand [Dictionary.com])
How often do you think the average person experiences these physiological changes then go through it again and again with little to no time for recovery in between? Two or three times in a month, a year? Law enforcement officers experience this daily, if not multiple times a day depending on the call for service. From neighbors arguing over a dog crapping on the lawn to shots fired with multiple victims, we respond to every call with the same expectation...we go home safe at the end of shift.
I was saddened by the public outcry for an indictment of Officer Wilson, and angered by their reactions to the grand jury's decision. They didn't want justice, they were gathered like a lynch mob wanting a public hanging.
The celebrity reaction didn't surprise me: "Celebrities expressed sadness, frustration and disappointment across social media Monday after a grand jury in Missouri declined to bring charges against police officer Darren Wilson for the Aug. 9 shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown." Then the articles drone on with tweets and postings from the Hollywood liberals.
The media continues it's pot-stirring and racial divide with their use of "unarmed black teen". Face it people, Michael Brown was of age to fight for his country and vote, which is what we call an ADULT. But that just wouldn't be newsworthy, would it? I don't care if he was blue with red polka dots. I don't care if he had a cell phone or an UZI in his waistband. Michael Brown was no child, no "teen" without direction, no victim of a hate crime. He was an adult who made a decision that cost him his life.
What vexes me with this case isn't the the actions of the suspect or the officer's reaction to the perceived threat, it's not even the protesters and political asshats showing up for their 15 minutes of fame. It's the combination of: 1) the public's sense of entitlement and lack of common sense, and 2) that we rely on a biased media to tell us the truth.
Had it been a female officer of any race, her skills and abilities would have been questioned based on gender and the story would've died within 24 hours.
Had it been a black male officer, the political jackhats would've said "tisk tisk, more black on black violence" and this case would've never made national news.
Had Michael Brown been an "unarmed white teen" or a female of any race, it may have been aired once on a local station then forgot about because frankly it just doesn't pull in the ratings. Go ahead, disagree. Then you can just stand there in your wrongness and be wrong.
We cry for justice then denounce the very system we put in place to decide it. We cry for help, then condemn the men and women who respond to provide it. "To change the hearts and minds of men you must learn to listen; otherwise your words will fall on deaf ears, for the opinions of fools are always louder. ~L.S. Buckley"
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Saturday, September 27, 2014
2014 LAS Contest!
2014 Launching A Star Contest
Enter for a chance to win our $250 Grand Prize!
Deadline: September 29th, 2014
Click HERE for contest rules and get your entries submitted asap!
Sunday, August 24, 2014
2014 Launching A Star Contest!
***PERMISSION TO FORWARD***
The deadline is nearing! September 15th is the last day to submit entries for the Space Coast Authors of Romance writing contest, 2014 Launching A Star.
The contest is open to any author unpublished in book-length fiction, or any author who is not considered PAN-eligible under current RWA rules, or has not been published in the romance genre in the last five years.
There are eight categories: Historical, Fantasy/Futuristic/Paranormal, Series Contemporary, Single Title (Contemporaries, Women's Fiction, Romantic Elements, etc.), Young Adult, Romantic Suspense (ST), and Inspirational (ST).
Follow the link to view the complete contest rules: 2014 LAUNCHING A STAR.
Happy Writing!
Thursday, July 3, 2014
4th of July
This weekend as we celebrate our freedom please take a moment to thank those who are still on the front lines, both foreign and domestic. Happy Fourth of July!
Little bit of history:
The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.
July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.
In contrast, we celebrate Constitution Day on September 17th of each year, the anniversary of the date the Constitution was signed, not the anniversary of the date it was approved. If we’d followed this same approach for the Declaration of Independence we’d being celebrating Independence Day on August 2nd of each year, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
The Prodigal Writer Returns
STAR (Space Coast Authors of Romance) has been a part of my life since 2008. Being away due to career and personal changes, I've noticed the lack of motivation in my fiction writing. About a month ago I dusted off my works-in-progress (WIP) and red-inked them until a few bled to death. Only one or two survived.
Looking at the lifeless manuscripts I knew it was time to get back to what challenged and motivated me. I found my muse, but didn't realize it until I started plotting and reinventing characters. Today, I returned to the monthly STAR meetings and just in speaking with a few members about my current WIP I was able to scratch out 2700 words towards another chapter.
Just like any good relationship, with your family or friends and with God, it takes daily work to keep it strong. Thanks to my STARs I can build a better relationship with my writing. The critique groups, Deep Dish reads, guest speakers, online forums, conferences, and contests are a few things that help keep me on track.
A good romance never hurt any book, so regardless of your writing genre you should attend a STAR meeting as a guest. Go ahead...I dare you!
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| www.authorsofromance.com |
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Book Release!
Today is a "happy dance" day for fellow STAR, Lynne St. James. Go to her site at lynnestjames.com and read about out her new book: Embracing Her Surrender. Congrats, Lynne!
Saturday, May 10, 2014
Losing Weight Sucks
Losing weight sucks. Hold on, before all you fitness freaks go off in the comment section hear me out. I've been THAT girl who could walk into a clothing store, see an outfit on the mannequin and say, "I want that in a size 6," buy it, and walk out without needing to try it on. I knew my size. I knew my body type, what did and did't look good on me.
Then I grew up. I became a "mature" woman that needed extra support and big girl panties to fit into a size 8, then a 10 and 12. And low and behold my ass grew to a size 14 at 180 lbs on a 5'10" frame. Yeah that's right, I was the fat bottomed girl Queen was singing about. The difference it made in my self-image was more profound than anything anyone else would ever see. I walked with my head up and a fake smile because I knew people were more concerned about themselves than me. But the struggle to lose weight, fluctuating between sizes, rummaging through my closet for something that fit between sizes, and paying more for healthy foods than quick and easy foods just pissed me off. IT SUCKED!
I eventually dropped to a size 10 where I've maintained (plus or minus 10 pounds) the past few years. Being on the road helped keep the weight off, but it wasn't keeping on the healthy weight--you know, lean muscle and such. I exercised regularly, cut out sodas and junk food, tried fad diets and supplements, and even wasted money on equipment that I could have used for free at the gym in my office.
By the end of last year I had jumped back to a size 14 after an injury....mind you, I was running a mud/obstacle race so the injury was due to trying to be fit. That pissed me off too. Being stuck on light duty while everyone else was having fun pissed me off. A week after knee surgery I was sitting in the doctor's office for my first post-op appointment. The nurse asked me to step on the scale, and when I did I almost threw up. I was certain had I been carrying my firearm there would've been an AD into the scale....multiple times. IT SUCKED!
Two weeks later I had another appointment after physical therapy was underway. A few pounds down. I was limited, right? Wrong. The only thing limiting me was myself. It was my own fault for being in this predicament to begin with. No one else to blame but myself and my dentist for not removing my sweet tooth when I asked them to. IT SUCKED!
Still not happy and certainly not down a size, except in my boobs. That pissed me off. Really, fat fairy? You swoop in and add a little cushion on the thighs and waist, but to make up for it I get bigger boobs...yay? Then when I fight back to lose the cushion what's the first thing to go? Yep. Boobs. The fat fairy is a bitch.
I needed an outlet. My writing was always the best way for me to blow off steam and focus on something other than the problem. Well, my outlet became the problem. You can't run and write. You can't finish manuscripts while lifting weights. But you can eat, you can graze on fast food, drink sodas, drink wine, etc. so much easier. I felt great! Fat and sassy, that was me. And no stress! Until I had to face reality and fit back in uniform.
There were opportunities I had to be prepared for and being fit was part of it. A personal goal was just that, personal. Down a solid fourteen pounds and I could see my clothes fitting lose, and looking nice again. Wait, still a size 12? F*#%&!! I wanted to give up. So I made a pact with myself. I was running that damn race again the following year. October 2014 Warrior Dash was mine. By mid-December I was back to full duty. Some may think it was too soon, especially when I stressed my knee a week in by running a K9 track as back up. IT SUCKED!
Fast forward three months later and I'm still struggling. It's up and down like a nauseating bungee jump with a concrete back stop. My age and health are subject to alter my once rapid metabolism, I know this. My home life and work life sometimes make it difficult to eat right, and often, like I should. I know this. The one thing I do have in my favor is that I didn't give up, and won't give in. It's okay to have my daily chocolate in moderation. After all, you are what you eat and dang if I ain't sweet! It's okay to run a mile instead of two when I don't feel up to it, at least I'm doing something and lapping everyone else who isn't.
Most recently I've found the motivation that I had misplaced long ago. It was stuffed under self-pity, excuses and a layer of denial. Luckily it burst the seems before my butt did and I've found what works for me. IT SUCKS, but it's paying off. My kids see it and emulate better choices, my Hubs is supportive and my closet is growing in the number of clothes I'm able to fit in. That's really the key to losing weight and keeping it off, building strength, and progressing with your fitness...finding what works for you. Not everyone is Cross Fit. Not everyone is Zumba. Not everyone is P90X or Insantiy. But everyone is capable, with or without limits it can happen.
Yes, losing weight SUCKS, but the end result is worth it! ....oh, I'm not there yet so the before and after pictures will come later ;-)
Then I grew up. I became a "mature" woman that needed extra support and big girl panties to fit into a size 8, then a 10 and 12. And low and behold my ass grew to a size 14 at 180 lbs on a 5'10" frame. Yeah that's right, I was the fat bottomed girl Queen was singing about. The difference it made in my self-image was more profound than anything anyone else would ever see. I walked with my head up and a fake smile because I knew people were more concerned about themselves than me. But the struggle to lose weight, fluctuating between sizes, rummaging through my closet for something that fit between sizes, and paying more for healthy foods than quick and easy foods just pissed me off. IT SUCKED!
I eventually dropped to a size 10 where I've maintained (plus or minus 10 pounds) the past few years. Being on the road helped keep the weight off, but it wasn't keeping on the healthy weight--you know, lean muscle and such. I exercised regularly, cut out sodas and junk food, tried fad diets and supplements, and even wasted money on equipment that I could have used for free at the gym in my office.
By the end of last year I had jumped back to a size 14 after an injury....mind you, I was running a mud/obstacle race so the injury was due to trying to be fit. That pissed me off too. Being stuck on light duty while everyone else was having fun pissed me off. A week after knee surgery I was sitting in the doctor's office for my first post-op appointment. The nurse asked me to step on the scale, and when I did I almost threw up. I was certain had I been carrying my firearm there would've been an AD into the scale....multiple times. IT SUCKED!
Two weeks later I had another appointment after physical therapy was underway. A few pounds down. I was limited, right? Wrong. The only thing limiting me was myself. It was my own fault for being in this predicament to begin with. No one else to blame but myself and my dentist for not removing my sweet tooth when I asked them to. IT SUCKED!
Still not happy and certainly not down a size, except in my boobs. That pissed me off. Really, fat fairy? You swoop in and add a little cushion on the thighs and waist, but to make up for it I get bigger boobs...yay? Then when I fight back to lose the cushion what's the first thing to go? Yep. Boobs. The fat fairy is a bitch.
I needed an outlet. My writing was always the best way for me to blow off steam and focus on something other than the problem. Well, my outlet became the problem. You can't run and write. You can't finish manuscripts while lifting weights. But you can eat, you can graze on fast food, drink sodas, drink wine, etc. so much easier. I felt great! Fat and sassy, that was me. And no stress! Until I had to face reality and fit back in uniform.
There were opportunities I had to be prepared for and being fit was part of it. A personal goal was just that, personal. Down a solid fourteen pounds and I could see my clothes fitting lose, and looking nice again. Wait, still a size 12? F*#%&!! I wanted to give up. So I made a pact with myself. I was running that damn race again the following year. October 2014 Warrior Dash was mine. By mid-December I was back to full duty. Some may think it was too soon, especially when I stressed my knee a week in by running a K9 track as back up. IT SUCKED!
Fast forward three months later and I'm still struggling. It's up and down like a nauseating bungee jump with a concrete back stop. My age and health are subject to alter my once rapid metabolism, I know this. My home life and work life sometimes make it difficult to eat right, and often, like I should. I know this. The one thing I do have in my favor is that I didn't give up, and won't give in. It's okay to have my daily chocolate in moderation. After all, you are what you eat and dang if I ain't sweet! It's okay to run a mile instead of two when I don't feel up to it, at least I'm doing something and lapping everyone else who isn't.
Most recently I've found the motivation that I had misplaced long ago. It was stuffed under self-pity, excuses and a layer of denial. Luckily it burst the seems before my butt did and I've found what works for me. IT SUCKS, but it's paying off. My kids see it and emulate better choices, my Hubs is supportive and my closet is growing in the number of clothes I'm able to fit in. That's really the key to losing weight and keeping it off, building strength, and progressing with your fitness...finding what works for you. Not everyone is Cross Fit. Not everyone is Zumba. Not everyone is P90X or Insantiy. But everyone is capable, with or without limits it can happen.
Yes, losing weight SUCKS, but the end result is worth it! ....oh, I'm not there yet so the before and after pictures will come later ;-)
Monday, March 17, 2014
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Mourning Bands
On March 5, 2014, the line stopped for Corrections Deputy / FTO Darrel Connor. Today we wear this line across our badges in mourning of our fallen deputy. His story began with our agency over fifteen years ago, touching many lives along the way. Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers as they find closure to move forward.
Monday, March 3, 2014
MISSING ENDANGERED ADULT
To all my readers I ask you to please share this blog post and keep an eye out. This is Brevard County Corrections Deputy Darrel Connor, last seen on Sunday, March 2, 2014 in Titusville near I-95. He's approximately 5'09", muscular build, wearing blue jeans and a black polo with a white t-shirt underneath. He is Type 2 diabetic and has not had his medication in over 24 hours. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts contact Brevard County Sheriff's Office at (321) 264-5100 / 633-7162 or Titusville Police Department at (321) 264-7800. Help us bring him home!
UPDATES FOUND AT mynews13.com
Friday, January 24, 2014
Color of Justice
I watched the news clip on this and scoffed at the plea deal they gave her. She won't serve 12 years. Political BS will end up releasing her early to community control because of over-crowding in the prisons or good behavior. I doubt she'll make six months of being released from prison before she violates her probation for drugs or something stupid she can't seem to get away from. It will happen. The same people are arrested for committing the same crimes over and over because they are creatures of habit. Even with support bad habits are hard to break.
My sympathy goes out to Andrea Kerchner's father. Don't roll your eyes. The man is still her father regardless of her actions, and his statements were made through feelings of hurt, anger, confusion, and guilt. The article mentioned a son who was murdered, another son who is law enforcement, and Andrea who rebelled and left home at a young age where she ended up heavy into drugs.
His view on his daughter's involvement: "The fact remains that she wouldn't have done it and didn't have any part in it, but she will have to pay for being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
No, Mr. Kerchner, the fact remains she did have a part in it. She chose to be there and that didn't change until the split second between her handing Bradley the gun and him pulling the trigger, to her yelling for him to hurry up and go.
Kerchner wasn't allowed to face Pill's family as she apologized in court. "I'm very sorry for the family's loss," she said. "I was on a lot of drugs. I don't have any excuse for my actions."
Her apology is hard to hear over the court's decision barring law enforcement from wearing uniforms or other insignia during Bradley's trial. One of his attorney's believes a "sea of blue and green" would influence the jury and diminish Bradley's right to a fair trial. I believe the attorney is ignorant. Limiting the audience to plain clothes will not prevent law enforcement presence.
Deputy Pill's family is not confined to her widower and sons. The attorneys forget that It extends well beyond the courtroom walls and bleeds into the entire community of Brevard County. When Bradley stands trial there will be a strong law enforcement family presence.
I call upon my brothers and sisters in the public safety sector (police/fire/etc.) to show your support and wear blue and green shirts to the trial. A "sea of blue and green" can be the color of justice for #644.
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