So ... there I was

Paper afraid of Oklahomasexuals

Kevin — Fri, 11 May 2012 21:15:21 +0000

My friend Daniel wrote a column for a daily newspaper in Oklahoma this week that has apparently ruffled some Sooner feathers. You can read it here: You love who you love, world.

Since it appeared in the paper, Daniel’s publisher has warned of angry readers and advertisers, neither of which are great things in the newspaper world. I applaud Daniel, though, for writing this piece and for taking a stand, even though he’s still VERY new at the job and put himself at a major risk.

So, I ask you to give your support and write to eddarling@duncanbanner.com and let him know that you stand firmly beside Daniel’s message. I, for one, want to let him know that since his panties are already in a wad, it’s a good thing he apparently has no balls.

Day 9: To our mothers ...

Kevin — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:45:50 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

This is Gerline.

You’ve seen her here before — she’s a little Haitian superstar to the missionaries, a tiny 4-year-old lady who is woefully malnourished and, as a result, most likely developmentally behind schedule. She’s undeniably cute, though, and she’s completely sweet, even when she’s asleep, which she can do almost anytime, anywhere, even standing up.

Day 7: Haitian mountain rain

Kevin — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:15:15 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

Haitian rain is cold, particularly when you’re in the back of a truck.

Day 5: All you need is love

Kevin — Mon, 07 May 2012 01:19:40 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

Awake at 5 a.m., earlier than the rooster outside my window can yell at me.

It’s going to be a long day, a grueling day. Up early to avoid the Haitian heat (it’s only 80 degrees before 8), we’re trekking 3-4 miles up a mountain with gravelly terrain and steep inclines. It’s hard on the lungs, harder on the knees.

Day 4: Haitian health

Kevin — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:55:44 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

Dr. Eaves took Troy, Jon and me into a nearby town to see the regional health department.

Even though I’m 1,500 miles away from Lexington’s health department (where I work), the similarities are striking.

Day 4: Feeding the hungry

Kevin — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:54:18 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

Each day, Lifeline feeds the kids in its school.

Day 4: Medicine man

Kevin — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:53:40 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

There will be no pictures posted this time. By the blog’s end, you’ll see why and thank me.

The last two mornings I’ve spent a little bit of time helping Troy in the clinic.

By “helping,” I mostly mean “observing,” as I realize more and more each day I’m not cut out for the medical life. This might seem odd, seeing how I work for a health department, but I slice and dice my way through press releases, not patients.

Day 4: Stitching it all together

Kevin — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:51:57 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

She might be a little older than the typical student who runs around the village.

That also means she has bit more responsibility falling on her.

Skip Bayless reaches new lows tweeting about Seau

Kevin — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:30:58 +0000

Skip Bayless can go straight to hell.

In the days after former NFL legend Junior Seau’s suicide, ESPN talking head and alleged journalist Skip Bayless, a man notorious for knowing absolutely nothing about anything, proved to be an expert in at least one thing: moronic Twitter messages.

On Thursday, Bayless tweeted this: “Jr Seau: Classic case of the NFL warrior who couldn’t re-enter society and find happiness after he could no longer do battle on Sundays.”

I guess Bayless is also pretty solid at being a son of a bitch.

Bayless’ tweet, to me, says “Seau was just another person too weak to continue.” That’s an insult to Seau, NFL players, athletes, ex-athletes, anyone who has had depression and anyone who has known someone who has had it. The comment is tasteless, thoughtless and heartless.

Like many of us, I’ve had periodic bouts of depression, with some stretches lasting longer than others. While I never reached the point of Seau’s low, I distinctly recall speeding down Interstate 75 toward Lexington, hoping (perhaps even praying) a tire would blow out and maybe I’d careen into a concrete siding. It would all be over, just like that.

I didn’t realize that made me just another warrior who couldn’t re-enter society and find happiness after no longer doing battle on Sundays.

I got lucky – I had family, friends, medicine, a church and a therapist who helped pull me out of my lowest points. That tire never blew out, and for that I’m eternally grateful. I never realized how good life was going to be.

I don’t know what was going through Junior Seau’s mind at the moment he decided to take his own life.

I don’t know what was going through Skip Bayless’ mind at the moment he decided to tastelessly tweet about Seau.

I do know, however, that both were acts by desperate men – Seau was in need of help; Bayless was in need of attention. Seau was a sick man, one who thought the only solution on the wrong end of a gun. Bayless is a sick man, one thinks the only thing that matters is Skip Bayless.

I hope we can learn from this. I hope we take away that no matter how big/strong/tough a person seems, we never know what’s happening behind closed doors. And I hope we know that if suicidal thoughts start to overwhelm you, you realize there’s help; please, for real, get help. Don’t be a Seau.

I also hope we know that our words have actions, even when they’re cowardly tweeted by a blowhard who should know better. Try caring. Try loving. Try helping. Don’t be a Bayless.

Because, you know, nobody likes an asshole.

Day 3: A day in pictures

Kevin — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:21:06 +0000

Reblogged from Secret Haitian Man:

Today has been a busy day: school, village, bench-building, writing, very little resting.