Drew Francis » race

Have you ever screamed inside?

drew — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:15:52 +0000

Movies, books, tv, the stage have influenced my life ever since I can remember. So tonight I saw this.

No different. I still am influenced. This was a little different. Even though I was watching it for parts of the film I was somewhere else. I started to have thoughts about wishing that I was truly gifted at something. Truly gifted. That I could do something to the point of genius. I’ve always said my biggest fear is being insignificant. That at the end of my life that I will look back and wonder if that was the best I could have done. I’m not that old so maybe that’s premature. I thought about it twenty years ago so I wonder what I have been doing with that.

At lunch today I told stories of when I was teacher. I thought that was how I was going to change the world. I took the job I’m in now thinking before I get old I should do something like this. Well my job has changed in that ten year period for the better. I still wonder though if I had not made this move what I would be now ten years later. Would i be battling the school district. Would I have climbed the ladder of public education. I do believe that God put me here for this time. In preparation I think. I don’t know if its to do something else or if it is for what I will do the next day. Why do movies bring up these kinds of thoughts. I think friends do that too. I said this phrase tonight “My ego has been bruised so many times” Has it really though?

Here is what I know. There is a small group around me that think I’m pretty cool and that’s pretty cool. There is so much to do in the world that I get overwhelmed with where to start. Sometimes not being satisfied with the way the world works is OK even when you don’t know what to do.

I was trying to decide if this was a call for help or not. I never write anything for my job that doesn’t have to do with me first. This season I have three pieces that do. One that has the line “be the envy of all your friends when you email them from a far off land” another “Aren’t some people beyond your grace and another “You stay out here and think about it I’m going in” All have a little piece of me in it.

I found out what my blog is about. Not recipes or a cause or funny news. It’s about how does a single 32 year old guy navigate in a world when he has no plans for the future. So what do you do with all that? I think you press on and upward and sometimes just sometimes you scream a little inside.

really thinking about this

drew — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 00:02:47 +0000

you saw the shirt and chuckled a little bit. I am really contemplated this. Many of you know the legend that is me when it comes to grammar spelling etc. In Elementary school I was given a commodore 64 and before that I had one of those word processors. I learned how to type by 8th grade and forgot one thing. How to do the simplest things like the English language. Anyway I have embraced it. It still frustrates me when I try to but sentences together and don’t get it. Guess what I was an elementary school teacher. Makes you nervous right. I’m that teacher they are talking about that they are trying to get out of the class room. Ok back to the point. I have been thinking of what I could do to help the world hunger initiative and compassion in a monetary way. Yes I will always pump sponsorship but I was looking to do something else. Well this is it. I am thinking about a line of these shirts and any profit goes to that cause. Strange I know but I was talking with Andy about it today and more and more I’d like to give it a go. I had said I wanted a little project and what better way to experiment than to do this. If it doesn’t work I thought I could just give them away. I’m going to think about that tonight instead of editing those dang pictures. I’m still at the office and I need to get home. So I guess this is good by. I’ll post a couple for you to look at. This could be real lame or have something to it. Look for some here tonight.

Hey and if you need a desk top photo of me just let me know more people should put my head on their desktop. Peace

P.S. May have found a bug. I can’t add a link to a person. Andy was who I was trying for….I’m testing out this new Safari….Hmmm WordPress you working on this?

What a day.

drew — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 00:28:08 +0000

Not really. Today on the menu I had creamy tomato soup. The blender blew up a little bit. It seems I need an immersion blender. yeah I had to look that up. Its one of these. Anyway now I know. This happened to me the last time I made butternut squash soup. They recommended it then also. Any way good soup good times. Then I sat down and watched Tropic Thunder. yes I did laugh. Tom Cruise I didnt even know that. I guess now I know.

They have been playing marathons all weekend right now im watching a Dirty Job marathon. What a great job. Not so much the host but the crew. They look like they have a lot of fun. I guess they could hate it. I realized this the other day. I don’t know celebrities. I don’t even know reality tv starts. You watch enough shows and you think you do. You think Aaron Sorkin is a nice guy John luke Picard is really the leader of a starship and I know what the Hippies who won the Amazing race is like. It’s weird I don’t know why I think about that stuff I just do. I think this all came out of Tropic thunder. I guess thats not the other day. They were dudes playing dudes playing other dudes. Robert Downey Jr. Character actually sounded sane. I’m at the end of the line. the thoughts are gone. going to see Button with a friend this week. looking forward to that. ok back at it.

When it rains it pours

drew — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:58:30 +0000

Two more kids out of poverty Keyvin Emir Barrios Blas Born Jul 22 2003 In Mexico and Umutoni Grace from Rwanda Born Jan 10 1993. Umutoni Grace is a lot older and we may assume that she lost her sponsor. But today someone is willing to pick her back up. She is also in an HIV/AIDS affected area. Keyvin is at the start of his sponsorship

You guys are changing lives today. Thank you.

Words that make my skin crawl

drewfrancis — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 13:17:38 +0000

Evangelical

Sweet spot

Embrace technology

Sexy

Leadership

Relevant

Calling

3rd world

Job description and or title

the phrase “Is that the rebel?”

heard this one yesterday “Expectant heart”

Thanks for all the responses guys. Moving on. Feel free to add to the list.

I’ll add more later.

Other added

“I’m right where God wants me” tends to make my skin crawl. Even if its true, the semantics of it really bother me.

Words that bother me (the non-corporate version):

ointment

moist

lather “I kinda like this one”

A little taste

drewfrancis — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:40:55 +0000

Sunday continues to be the most segregated times of the week. Every sunday morning our respected races go to our church. We take our places and talk about changing the world. I think we would chalk it up to we all worship different so this is our way of worshiping next to people who and feel like us. Enlightened ones realize that all black, chinese, white, etc. dont all think the same. That’s about as stupid as you are trying to talk black or why you trying to act white. Take the company I work for. When I am asked hey can you take more pictures of minorities to show all races I say “well I would be taking pictures of the same groups” and then I say they dont come. For the few that do come you may ask do I go out of my way to encourage them and welcome them. I would ask welcome them to what. I have pitched people of color groups on the stage only to be told that our guest arent into that stuff. I almost went too far. I have lived in a weird sort of world all my life. I was born in Jamaica to great parents that divorced when I was in I think 6th grade it was uneventful. I dont even remember it. Anyway they taught me to be me. Never pushed who I should be with or even question me about who I dated. That is another story. Anyway I never understand why people are so scared to talk about race. Its usually people who never had to deal with it so they ask what’s the big deal. When when you’ve been called a nigger on the basketball court you end up having to deal with it. When I walk in downtown birmingham you can feel it. Race is still factor. Every time you that hair stands up on the back of your neck when you take the wrong turn in a neighborhood. Race is still a factor. Our company does try. They really do. I am proud of that. But there is still room. That goes from the music we put on the stage to the people we have speak to students to even how the message is crafted. So what do I think of Race Im voting for Obama because he’s black. Gotcha. Oh and I’m not scared of talking about Politics either. Im proud to be in a country where we can have a knock down drag out fight with politics and no one has to die. I know strange to be proud of that but I am. Ok Im at the end of the line. I’m proud of my self I think. Look people. Be proud of what we have done and will do. Tune next time when we talk Colonialism and how it still effects Africa today. More than you know it. I’m also still adhering to my no read policy so if there is a didn’t that should be a did. you know what I mean.

beautiful afternoon

drewfrancis — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 23:12:47 +0000

Im on my porch doing something the brings me pleasure. it may be the very reason to why I bought this house. If you are inside right now you are blowing it. It is beautiful outside right now. Today was good day. I have a new found energy.Jimmie you are correct. I too felt a little weir but I am getting over it. I had a boss tell me something really great today. Well it was an email that i never got. Oh yeah to wireless. Im on my porch this is awesome. Kinda like being at a coffee shop. For 2008 I am going to do something awesome. I dont know what it will be but it will be awesome. I haven’t had much time to think about it because of tour but its coming. I realized that I dont say many profound things here. Guess what folks you wont get it. This is about me ramblings and all. Sometimes I’ll give you a little something but for now if we arent really friends and you were intimidated “that’s for Whitney” and you were scared to talk to me well here it is. You’ll find out how messed up I am. Apple store update. I think I have been dumped. It’s like asking a girl on a date and she says yes but didnt tell me when to pick her up. I will try something else. dont worry.Ok some friends have been discussing race relations. I never say too much at work because I think people think I think like they do. Some say that we have many races that come to camp and etc. Sorry to tell you. I wouldnt call us a safe place for other races. Wait safe i mean that our personalities look like them. That doesnt happen. Some would say show me the person. You know this is too important for me to just have this be a couple of thoughts so I will stop there. More to come.

drewfrancis — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:33:00 +0000

http://drewfrancis.wordpress.com/

drewfrancis — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:33:00 +0000

http://drewfrancis.wordpress.com/

So many things

drewfrancis — Sun, 01 Apr 2007 13:56:00 +0000

First I’ll start with a hug.
Sitting out side the Starbucks at five points with the song of “People need the Lord” running through my head as Damien Rice plays in may ears. Looking through podcasts about Moral failure in the church. Strange morning. Just watched a girl who just went running come back within 5 minutes run to her car and drive away. Listening to the crazy homeless guy walk in and out yelling something about a lady and how she wont’ stand for it. Watching couples walk into that pancake place. White men black women, black men white women, Asian woman white men. Here his comes again. I moved from my previous location because of the noise level. Wow that starbucks plays some loud tunes. Don’t know when shops like that started. I don’t’ live in a big city. No where near it. But I’d only move from downtown for love. That just made me laugh. I still remember what its like to be in love. Seriously real love. Well lets say I didn’t fall out of love it just changed. You never really stop loving people right? Maybe that is another conversation. So I’m sipping my Carmel something working on editing a paper that I just decided to stop. Young girl just came in to get coffee and knows an older guy here. They hugged and walked out. The guy he was sitting with feels cheated. Threw his hands up and is now staring out the window. So I decided to stop. Figured while rice is playing in my ears this is a good time to write. So sipping coffee. Have you heard of this thing about dead people living on because they have a myspace. Saw that the week that, that bus went off the highway in Atlanta.
Realized something the other day. I’m a Christian. Part of a faith that is practiced around the world. One that people have started wars about brought aid in the name of and tried to change the world because. Amazing. He’s back again. I have my headphones on now so I really don’t know what he’s saying. Amazing. I go to church at night now so I don’t feel guilty for sitting in a Starbucks on a Sunday morning thinking about my Christianity. Amazing. The spurt is gone. Fall in love again. I think I could do that.

Still thinking about this

drewfrancis — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 16:14:00 +0000

Sitting out side of Starbucks on a Sunday morning. Just finished some homework so I thought it would be a good time to update. I watched the movie Babel over the weekend. I see why it was nominated. No real full stories were told and they were told in their language. No English accents for someone from Egypt. So anyway. Great film. Although I was really depressed at the end. Thinking about world affairs and such. I said to someone the other day that I would like to have a house filled with people from all over the world. I think the one thing that I would make my kids do is travel to different parts of the world. If there is anything that I believe you should spend your money on its that. It changes you. About a year ago I got hooked on being in different cultures. I would say that I had fun every time. What I did have was a story. I have some friends that are in a place where they are unhappy in their jobs and life and feel that they should be doing something else. That they were meant to be doing this or that. That moving will solve that. I think you have to come to a point where life is more than what you do. I used to think about that stuff everyday. Christian soapbox for a second. If Mathew 28:19 is part of your life well you’ve got your job. So if that is so then all you are doing is building places to do that. Its funny when you strip away Southern fried Christianity you know pink hair..gold chairs…holy healing water…and you get to the raw fact that its real. Its all real. The stories that you were told in Bible school…the fact that you are change…the fact that some days it isn’t’ so easy and no one promised you a perfect life….I don’t know what that all means yet other than I try every day sometime struggling with the same thing….tba…getting hot sitting outside. I’ll finish this later….Got some new stuff happening in my life right now….good new…

Today

drewfrancis — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 02:20:00 +0000

So today is valentines day and just like other single person out there I feel that I should say something. While this is very cliche. I know this is what everyone does. They expound on how it’s such a sad day like all holidays. I really didn’t think about it until just now. I’m listening to this podcast from This American Life. Stories of failed love. I know what that’s about. It’s funny I’ve been rejected a couple of times. They say that that’s good for the soul. Hmm . Well you can keep that. What do they say you have to get back on the saddle. I thought about that the other making a bold move. Bold moves. You know like that commercial. Then I remembered other bold moves. I was talking with a friend that said bold moves never work out. Then I remembered that none of my bold moves ever worked out so…yeah. Now he last move I made took about three weeks that worked out for the best. But alas it doesn’t always last right. Anyway. Bold moves. Valentines day. It’ s coming to a close. Nope nothing happened. I know I still have time. Booty call maybe. Yes you may laugh out loud or give me a call.

Late night talks and Delta

drewfrancis — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 01:13:00 +0000

So school has been kicking my butt lately. I’m just kinda keeping my head above the water. This past week I traveled a whole bunch and that did it for me. Something is happening in my life lately. It’s a good thing. The kind of thing you just happen to notice. Well anyway. I was in San Diego for the first time. Nice place didn’t really stay there that long so I really didn’t get experience it you know. We met with a group called Youth Specialties. And boy are they special. I think many of the people I work with would fit in with them perfectly but I would argue that they are right where they should be. I’ve been having some good late night, well, late night for me chats. Ichats. It’s funny when you can type you seem to talk about different stuff. You can even go back to what you said to see what you had had had said. Kinda fun. Like email with out the email. I could talk to them for a long time I think. Any way good talks. The website is coming along. I need some free time. The summer will be it. So don’t look for anything till after the semester is over. Computer has been working out well. It is so good to see a screen. I need to be in the gym my energy is so low right now and I haven’t been thinking well. Ok I’m going to post the pictures now. These are from my trip to San Diego. I will post some from the tour stuff but I’ll do that another day.

South Africa

drewfrancis — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 19:30:00 +0000

Oprah has been in the news lately so I thought I would give a photo essay of my trip. The letter that you are about to read was sent to me by a man who directs a camp there.
Miracles happen

Oprah Winfrey opens her academy for disadvantage girls in January 2007 and has interviewed many thousands of girls from the Gauteng region. The Blair Athol School on the Refilwe property submitted several girls for consideration. The final selection was made in Mid- August.

This is Johannes’s story: Johannes lives in a shack in a squatter camp near Refilwe. He has a gardening job. He attends the Refilwe clinic every 2 weeks for TB medication and check ups. He has been very worried because his common law wife drinks, then becomes irresponsible. He was also looking for a school, he can afford, to send his daughter to next year. He also suspects that he has more serious health concerns. He arrived at the clinic in Mid-August with life changing news. His daughter has been selected to attend the Oprah Academy next year. On the Saturday, a grand car had picked them up at their shack, while in transit they could drink cold drinks and watch TV. At the selected venue, they had up market accommodation, organised entertainment and excellent food, “as good as Parliament”! The final interviews were conducted by Oprah and joys of joys, his daughter was selected. On Monday they were transported to Refilwe with more rejoicing, when the school heard the news. Johannes has agreed to additional treatment. We were able to counsel his wife and she has agreed to be visited at home by Elizabeth our gospel outreach worker.

Please pray for this family.

Best regards & God bless,

Jaco v Schalkwyk
Project Leader
Refilwe Community Project

Contrast

drewfrancis — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 14:25:00 +0000