ClayCounty's blog

I went to two great activities this past weekend.  The first was "Music in the Park" Friday night at Town Hall Park in Orange Park.  There was great food, priced very reasonably, and great music.  The music included Andy Piercy with the New Grace Church band and a band from New Beginnings Church in Orange Park with great vocalist.  This was great praise music and a real diverse crowd.  I had some great conversations with people I met under the porches of nearby buildings.  I hope they do this again because I'm afraid the rain may have kept away the crowd.  If you would like to see some pictures there were some taken for Jacksonville. com that can be found here

http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=489813.

Carrie Clarke Day was held yesterday at the Clarke House on Kingsley Avenue in Orange Park.  Carrie was one of the town's early activist and founder of First Baptist of Orange Park.  This celebration this year was also tied into women's history month.  Here is a quick Youtube video of yesterday's celebration.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=fqxx1ymq1FE

Enjoy. 

I just had a call from a woman taking a survey.  I started to just hang up as I often do on people who intrude on "my down-time".  However, as I just finished my training on being a poll worker, I was intrigued to see this side of the political process also. 

In my previous jobs I have written survey's for marketing purposes and for employees so I know what is a good unbiased survey.  However, this survey was very biased.  It first ask me if I intended to vote in the next election and I said yes.  I actually already have a ballot which I plan to mail in as I will be working in the election.  However, this survey was about the local sheriff and crime in Clay County.  Now, maybe I should have an opinion on the sheriff's current job but I don't.  After several questions, I begin to understand the gist of the survey.  After, I was asked (paraphrasing) "Do you think crime is up in Clay County because it is up everywhere or because of activities in the sheriff's office such as changing of officer's schedules or moving them to traffic duty?"  Well, immediately the phrasing of this question ruffled my feathers as it appeared very bias and I could tell this survey had a purpose and was not unbiased.  I immediately told the person giving the survey that I could tell that this survey had an agenda and I no longer wanted to participate.

All of you guys seem to have a lot of knowledge and contacts so I'm throwing out a request for your assistance to help end the cycle of foster care.   As a volunteer, I am working with a 17 year old, recent run-a-way, who has just been returned to foster care from which she ran-away.  She is new to foster care.  She is 9 weeks pregnant with little education and has a checkered past.  Even though she is new to foster care, she will age out of the foster care system the end of November when she turns 18.  She has virtually no support from any family member.  Given all of this, she seems to have turned herself around, admitted her past issues, and has goals of getting her GED, a job, and making a life for herself and her baby.  She is currently on bed rest from her doctor because of problems with this pregnancy.

Ok I'm one of those idiots that dresses up their animals for Halloween.   Well, maybe not such an idiot as her costume came from the dollar store.  My grandkids just love these little videos and it took me a little over an hour to take the pictures, make the video and throw it up on Youtube.  I still don't know how to put it up on this site so here is the link.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=6hIjFA6vCFw

Enjoy!

I worked for over 20 years in a corporate business and one of the things that I was often involved in was process improvement.  We often used a methodology called “Six Sigma”.  Based on my corporate experience, I hate waste and unorganized methods.  I do volunteer work in Clay County and we interface with a corporation who has primary responsibility in the process.  I have done this volunteer work for almost three years.

Here is my issue.  I see such lack of communication between the organizations and lack of processes.  The time I spend on my volunteer work is often extended because I don’t have the information I need. I see so many improvements that could be made if the process between the two organizations was looked at with an objective eye.  I am sure this would take time but I believe it could improve the process and help us all do a better job possibly even saving time and money.   I have brought this up several times to our volunteer leader who is a paid employee and have received no help and actually discouragement in that she stated that there was no interest by the other organization in making improvements that would help us.   Frankly, I question if there is any interest in my own volunteer organization.  I have thought about going around my coordinator but if the real scenario is no one is interested in improvement and this kind of unorganization is in every volunteer organization, then I have just created ill feelings and added no value.  I realize this is very vague but I do not feel comfortable nor am I in a position to name these two groups.  However, I do wish to know if this is prevalent in other volunteer organizations.  You input would be appreciated.

Our family has always had boys in the family.  I had two boys, my husband's father had two boys and his father had two boys.  Until today, my son had two boys.  I am proud to announce that after four generations of boys, we have a little girl, Camille Charene. She was born at 4:55 a.m. and I was in the room and got to witness this wonderful miracle. Camille's birth was all natural with a mid-wife and both grandmother's (including myself), my son, and a few friends in the room. She weights 7 lbs 6 oz and from the time that little head showed she was screaming. I had both of my boys C-Section so I had never witnessed a birth and it's just the most beautiful thing.

I recently read a review for the movie “Once” in the newspaper’s and was anxiously waiting for it to start in Orange Park.   Sorry to say, that this movie is only showing at the Regency AMC Theater and I am sure it will only be there a short time.  I traveled there this past Saturday specifically to see this movie.  “Once” glorifies the singer-songwriter and is a wonderful musical without throwing the music in your face.   It is about an Irish street musician (vacuum cleaner repairman) who meets up with a piano loving Czech girl on the street and they create a wonderful music experience.  There is a subplot about their previous love-life and their growing affection for each other but it is second to the feeling of the music and it’s meaning in their life.  There are wonderful jam sessions with other street performers and you can just sink deeper into your seat and let the music move you.  I actually found myself tapping my feet in the theater.  The movie reviewers have given this movie an excellent rating. 

I could not bear to watch the MTV Music Awards Show in its entirety last night but did catch a significant amount of it.  The first train wreck was the performance of Britney Spears.  Performing her new single “Gimme More” she lip-synched to the track, sometimes, and looked nervous and spaced-out.  I knew she couldn’t sing and that she lip-synched to her previous songs but the girl did know how to dance.  Because of her dance moves in her earlier years, I could understand why the pre-teens and teenager’s loved her.  In the performance last night, she stumbled through it, looked like she was counting the steps and couldn’t remember half of them.  At one point, she seems so bored that she stopped even moving her lips and appeared not to even know the words to her own song.   Many are reporting about her physical appearance but I want even go there as I don’t expect all celebrities to have an emancipated look.  However, I will say she could have worn something different than her bra and panties.  What was to have been a musical comeback for Britney, seems to be dead with this performance.  However, she may remain a paparazzi show like Paris Hilton.  

Not often do you see celebrities and fans that appreciate each other.  Sunday, August 19th, I saw the last concert of Clay Aiken's "Soft Rock and A Hard Place" Tour at Hard Rock Live in Orlando, Florida.  In the attached video, Clay expresses his thanks to his fans verbally and at the end of the video he signs thanks.  It also showcases his humor which his fans love.  Clay's fans have glow sticks which they wave showing their appreciation and love.

After each concert, all of his fans line up until Clay emerges and gives each fan a handshake/tap for coming to the concert.    In Columbus, Ohio despite a grueling outside concert in the summer heat, the "bus line" as it's called wrapped around the block and back and was between 2,000 - 3,000 fans.  Clay personally touched every fan's hands.