Week of October 18, 2009

This week's radio show centers on two books dealing with tough subjects: guns and how we feel when someone we know dies.

Last week, my five year grand-daughter was brought face to face with an experience I rather she would never have had. A young man living one house away was the unintended victim of a drive-by shooting as he returned home from the corner store. Lonnie Anderson died in the street just steps away from home. He was walking with the man who was the drive-by target and simply got in the way. This terrible tragedy is my grand-daughter's first personal experience with both guns and having someone she knew die. Lonnie was a great kid, had no trouble in his life whatever, regularly attended church, and we will all remember him happily walking his dog Sheba up and down the block in a neighborhood which seemed an unlikely place for such a senseless, violent act.

How do we guide children through such difficult emotional territory? How do we have a responsible conversation with them about guns? Our children need to be able to negotiate the moment when a gun might become a plaything when they happen to be in the room or nearby.

This week I'll be reading "How Do I Feel About: When People Die?" and "Guns: What You Should Know." I recommend both books.

On a lighter note, we'll also hear "Hannah and the Whistling Teakettle" a delightful story about a quirky grandmother who doesn't appreciate receiving gifts.

Halloween is around the corner! The October 25th program will be positively spooky!

Swine Flu Hits Philadelphia

Two weeks without a radio program!

I'm just recovering from the H1N1, getting the virus just as September was ending rather than being felled in the winter months.

I look forward to being back on the air next Sunday.

Get vaccinated! The vaccine is expected to arrive in Philadelphia this coming week.
Please make sure your youngsters are protected. This virus went right to the lungs,
producing deep congestion and cough on day 2, and it's been slow to resolve.

Wash hands! Spray Lysol! Drink more water than you think your kidneys can handle.
Take lots of Vitamin C. Rest. That's the hardest part, isn't it?

Best of all, be well and stay well!

Busy Week and Back in Action

We got our technical issues resolved and I'm so happy to be back on line after a week of frustration caused by construction on a neighbor's yard! Construction equipment sliced through
cable/Internet/phone lines.

So, like many other folks have been from time to time, I've been given a healthy reminder of just how dependent I am on the "technology."

The radio program will air shortly. Information about the September 26, 2009 Walk for Autism in Philadelphia will be available here shortly. Want to join our program team? I'd love to have you walk with me, or make a pledge for my team.

This week, we finish up The Little Prince, and I have three new books waiting in the wings. Our very short story about Charlie Parker is accompanied by a snippet of him playing the saxophone.

Listen in!