I think Stevie Wonder would be p***ed!

Deutsche Version dieses Blogs hier.

______________________________

My video "It is okay if you're gay ... Stop Bullying Now!" is getting some 800 to 1,200 views every day, and also many comments. Most of these comments are of a compassionate nature, and there are also people sharing personal experiences with being bullied. 

For some time now, there are also haters, homophobes and religious zealots who find their way to this video that I made in October 2010 ...


... a video in reaction to the shocking news of four gay American teenagers (two of them aged 13, one 15 and one 18 years old) taking their lives within just a few weeks, for being bullied relentlessly because of their sexual orientation.

Said people feel entitled to leave comments, too - but not of a constructive nature. Their goal is to spread hate, contempt and prejudices, and to hurt other people's feelings.

Although I don't condone any of these things in the comments section of this very special video, I still grant every one of those troublemakers three chances to change their ways a bit, to adjust their tone to a more neutral level, and to actually bring in some arguments, or at least to voice their opinion without being derogatory, offensive and insensitive.

At times, there is actually a dialogue developing between such people and me. Yesterday and today, the latest conversation of such a nature took place, and as it started in the comments section, but then turned to an exchange of a few private messages instead, I want to post this dialogue here. It's all original copy and paste - no alterations, no add-ons, no omissions ... The real stuff!

If you want to let me know what you think of what you are about to read: There is a comments section with this blog, too, down at the end of the text box. Just sayin' :-)!

______________________________

A comment by YouTube user

jesuswashere13ad:

Shut up. Fag love isn't real love. If two men say their in love their lying and gay. That's two sins! Go to hell fags

Comment reply by

Truedantalion:

I always wonder what makes people who are not gay think they are able to judge these things from their outsider's position - saying that gay love is not real love, or that being gay is a decision etc. Let me know what you base your statements on; I actually would like to know.

Oh, in your reply to my question, please avoid cussing and name calling. It IS possible to voice an opinion without adding stench. Thank you.

#1 out of 3

Note: The "#1 out of 3" refers to the three chances I grant to trolls and haters, who only come to leave spiteful, hurtful and offensive comments. I want every one to be able to engage in the conversation, and of course they are free to have a different opinion, and express that, but I expect a certain level of respect and manners when doing so. If someone blows their third attempt, I block that user, so he or she cannot comment on my videos any more.

As Jesuswashere13ad received some very harsh replies in opposition to his comment from other YouTubers, he chose to leave the comments section of the video, and wrote a personal message to me instead, and from that developed a not very long, but very representative conversation, the likes of which I've had quite a few now during the last months:


jesuswashere13ad:

Well I base these FACTS on the chemical reaction in the brain, when a human sees a member of the OPPOSITE sex they release a chemical that causes infatuation which then cases the elements of LOVE. But when a queer sees an attractive member of the same sex these chemicals aren't released. Instead the same chemicals that are released are that off seeing your favorite store or seeing a good friend. So homo love is only the same as when I say "I love ice cream"

Truedantalion:

Just for the sake of the argument, allow me a question: According to your thought, how do straight people who are blind feel real love?

And: How is "the opposite sex" being defined in the optical perception?

The idea of what you describe works (at best) in ways of receiving signals = primary or secondary sex characteristics. But analogous to the olfactory perception of pheromones, those do not trigger the emotion we call "love". They trigger the biological readiness to engage in sexual intercourse for the purpose of reproduction. And this one detail, I do agree, can only be undertaken by members of male and female sex, in order to create new human life.

But we are not talking about the technical detail of reproduction / making babies here.

Your theory does not cover the complex and deep emotion of love, that is the base for any kind of emotional relationship - between male and female humans, male and male, female and female, and even between parents and their kids, and vice versa.

Love is not reduced to sexual attraction, let alone to the ability of making babies. The latter function is undoubtedly important for the continuance of humanity as a species. But to reduce human love to this technical detail would be more than superficial, and more than wrong.

jesuswashere13ad:

Fags can't fall in love. What's so hard to get about that? Are you retarded too? You will never be able to feel actual love. Go ahead just tell yourself you feel it. Keep lying to yourself faggot

Truedantalion:

Aha. No evidence from your side, or scientific / psychological reference sources for your argumentation and your "FACTS", but only walking in circles, repeating the thought and adding a derogative label to it, plus being offensive to me.

You're not scoring any points here - but you knew that already.

Let me ask you:

"Fags can't fall in love." - Where does that statement of yours come from? How can you "know" this and be so sure about it?

Well, two theories:

1.)

Either you are homosexual yourself (still closeted, or out) and feel deeply frustrated because you did not find real love in your life yet (I mean not in the parent / child direction, but in the romantic way). But to then conclude from your current personal situation to the fact that *all* homosexual people *can't* find this feeling for someone (or receive it from a special someone) is wrong as can be.

Luckily, you are not the measure of all things / the prototype of all homosexual people there are. There IS real love out there for homosexual people, just as well as for straight people. Because love is a *human* emotion, as I explained, a most basic one, valid and existing and to be found for *everyone*, and not only for straight people (except, according to your theorem, for straight people who are blind ... still no answer to that question of mine, huh?).

2.)

The second potential base of your "knowledge" is that ... well, that *you simply don't know at all*, but try to somehow "understand" something from the outside without being able to get in - because you are NOT a homosexual person, but try to define things for them / on their behalf.

This is just as good (or better: foolish) as if when I, as a man, try to explain to a woman that menstruation cramps are just a little annoying rumble in the belly ... that heat flashes for a woman going through menopause is "just sweating a bit, so get over it" ... or if I wanted to express how it actually feels to give birth to a child.

=> I can't! Because I never ever got my period, I will never "go through the change" and lose the ability to produce eggs as I neither have ovaries nor a uterus ... and I for sure was never pregnant and then gave birth to a child.

So, the heck, WHY, if I can't KNOW from experience, why would I start lecturing people about those things?!

I don't. But you do.

If you (as I suppose) are a straight person and have no whatsoever clue how it is to be homosexual, how you feel as one, and what you can experience as a gay boy / man or a lesbian girl / woman ... why do you keep hurling out your non-knowledge, throw it into people's faces and keep offending and hurting them with your words?

What makes you the judge who defines what love is?

As far as I can read from your words and theories, you don't even have a real clue how heterosexuals fall in love ("the chemical reaction in the brain, when a human sees a member of the OPPOSITE sex they release a chemical that causes infatuation which then cases the elements of LOVE" ... hello?!? Stevie Wonder will be PISSED at you if he hears about that!).

And yet, I truly and honestly hope and wish that for you, it has indeed happened, that you were hit by Amor's arrow, and found THE person who was everything you could hope for.

Or, if this actually has not happened yet: May it happen soon. You deserve it. And man, are you in for good things there!

jesuswashere13ad:

Not gonna read your long comment faggot. Not because I can't read or someother gay remark but because I don't want to Rot put my brain with your gay lack of intelligent knowledge. if I wanna know how to match my designer jeans with a tank top or get my father to regret me being bored I'll call you

Truedantalion:

So you are not able to engage in a discussion and exchange real arguments. And you also don't want to show some respect for your dialogue partner by at least reading what he writes (me, I read your every word, as you may have noticed). But you are able to juggle with clichés, and season those sentences with derogative remarks.

I'm impressed.

Not.

Well, this is where the conversation ended. 

At least I did not get any new reply from 

jesuswashere13ad.


Oh, wait, wait - update:
Today (May 21st 2012),

I reveived a new message fom him:

jesuswashere13ad:

Faggot

Truedantalion:

A question, if I may ...?

So for now, I will have to leave you here

with this cliffhanger ...

Will he answer?
What will I ask?

I'll keep you updated :-)!

______________________________

.

Pottermores Senilität ...

English version of this blog here.

_____________________________

"Registriere Dich bei Pottermore!"
... Idioten ...

Also, ich habe heute eine E-Mail von Pottermore bekommen.

Hm.

Vor einiger Zeit wäre dies ein Anlass gewesen, der Vorfreude auf interessante Dinge geweckt hätte, deren Enthüllung direkt bevorstand. Mittlerweile ist es allerdings mehr ein "Phh ..." - E-Mails von dort sind nicht allzu viel mehr als ein Zeichen dafür, dass nichts voran geht auf dieser Seite, die allerseits so aufgeregt erwartet wurde ... und dass die Betreiber nun offenbar sogar einer Form der Senilität zum Opfer fallen.

Ich habe postwendend eine Antwort auf diese wirklich dumme Mail geschrieben ... Aber natürlich konnte meine Mail nicht zugestellt werden, weil der Absender ein No-Reply-Account ist. Hätten die das nicht als Absender-Adresse vermerken können? Kann doch nichts schaden, hier mit offenen Karten zu spielen ...

Aber na ja - wozu ist denn wohl ein Blog gut, wenn nicht dazu, Dinge zu veröffentlichen, die sonst verloren gehen würden? Deshalb kommt nun hier die Antwort-Mail, die ich geschrieben habe.

Sei Dir gewärtig, dass ich Dich nicht vom Haken lasse, Pottermore - entfalte gefälligst endlich Dein Potenzial!

______________________________

Es ist ziemlich enttäuschend, diese E-Mail von Euch zu erhalten.

NATÜRLICH bin ich bei Pottermore registriert! Ich bin einer der 1 Million Beta-Tester von letztem Sommer, und deshalb habe ich bereits vor langer Zeit alles erkundet, was Pottermore zu bieten hat.

Ihr solltet Eure Registrierungslisten etwas besser im Auge behalten, damit keine solchen Mail-Patzer passieren. Dürfte eigentlich nicht schwer sein, sogar wenn Euch "nur" eine Muggel-Technik namens Datenbank-Abgleich zur Verfügung steht!

Für mich hat Pottermore sehr viel von seiner Anziehungskraft eingebüßt, denn von Anfang an seid Ihr Euch quasi hinterher gehumpelt, und Ihr habt viel zu lange gebraucht, bis Ihr endlich so weit wart, allen Fans das Registrieren zu erlauben. Die erste herbe Enttäuschung war ja bereits die Beschränkung auf nur eine Million User zu Anfang, und dass Ihr dann Eure selbst gesetzte Deadline (Oktober 2011) nicht eingehalten habt, war ein Stimmungstöter der umfassenden Art. Ja ja, ich weiß:   Es gab noch eine Menge Arbeit zu investieren - aber trotzdem!

Und dass Ihr dann tatsächlich noch volle sechs Monate mehr gebraucht habt, bevor endlich was vorangegangen ist, hat dem Fass ganz einfach massiv den Boden ausgeschlagen.

Und was ist, wenn ich mich jetzt einlogge? Da tut sich irgendwie immer noch nix jenseits des ersten Buches DER STEIN DES WEISEN, oder? Nichts für ungut, aber das ist ganz einfach nur traurig.

Ihr braucht mich nicht zurück zu erwarten, bevor nicht alle sieben Romane auf Eurer Seite zu erkunden sind. Und nein, ich möchte nicht die Zeit damit totschlagen, ohne Unterlass Zaubertränke zu brauen oder mich in Zauberduellen mit Leuten zu messen, mit denen ich ansonsten auf der Seite kaum irgendwie interagieren kann.

Pottermore hebt nicht ab - IMMER noch nicht. Bringt das jetzt bitte endlich mal hin, und wenn es soweit ist, dann schreibt mir nochmal. Aber nicht wieder an jemand, der immer noch außen vor steht, bitte!

Enttäuschte Grüße aus Deutschland,

~Michael

aka RainKnight137

______________________________

.

Pottermore's Senility ...

Deutsche Version dieses Blogs hier.

_____________________________

"Sign up to Pottermore!"
... idiots ...

So I got an e-mail from Pottermore today.

Hm.

Back in the day, this used to be an event that promised happy things to be revealed. Nowadays, it's  more like "Phh ..." - not much more than a sign that nothing is moving forward any more at this so much expected site, and that the operators even fall prey to a form of senility.

I immediately wrote a response to that stupid mail ... but of course, it could not be delivered, because the sender address is a no-reply account. Couldn't they have written that in the sender's name? Wouldn't hurt to play with open cards there ...

But well - what for is a blog good other than putting out stuff that, otherwise, would be lost? So, here's the reply I wrote.

Know that you're not off my hook, Pottermore - live up to your potential finally!

______________________________

It's fairly disappointing to get this e-mail from you.

OF COURSE I am signed up to Pottermore! I am one of the one million beta testers from summer 2011, and therefore have been through all that Pottermore had to offer a long time ago.

You might want to keep better track of your registration lists to avoid such mailing blunders. Shouldn't be too tough, even if there is only Muggle data base technology at your disposal!

Pottermore to me has lost most of it's appeal, because you have been limping from the start and taken way too long to finally get somewhere with allowing the public to sign up finally. The first disappointment was the one million restriction in the beginning, and then not to keep up to your deadline (October 2011) was the mood killer par excellence. Yes yes, I know: There was still al ot of work to invest - but anyhow!

And to then take still another six months before things moving is simply taking it over the top in a bad as can be way!

And if I log in now: Still nothing moving beyond exploring the site beyond the end of THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE, huh? Sorry, but this is sad, just sad.

Don't expect me back before all seven volumes are available to eplore on the site. And, no, I do not want to kill time by continously brewing potions and engaging myself in and endless number of magical duels with people I can hardly interact otherwise on the site.

Pottermore is not taking off - STILL isn't. Please make it do so, and THEN write to me again. But not as to one of the still outsiders, please!

Disappointed greetings from Germany,

~Michael

aka RainKnight137

______________________________

.

"Dear Zachary ..."

Dieser Blog enthält keinen von mir selbst geschriebenen Text,

daher leider keine Übersetzung.

______________________________

Dear Zachary

A Letter To A Son About His Father

Documentary

(USA 2008)

Written and directed by

Kurt Kuenne

______________________________

No words from me here ...
except:

You want to watch this.

______________________________

.

Don't / Nicht

English version of this blog here.

______________________________

"Don't"

Dies ist ein Video zur Erinnerung an

den dritten Jahrestag von

Kels Tod

... und auch

um nachzudenken über
die Hilflosigkeit,
die Freunde plötzlich spüren

wenn sie versuchen

in einer Situation zu helfen 

in der alle Hilfe zum Scheitern verurteilt ist ...

—  eine Situation, in der aber trotzdem
alle Anstrengungen, die sie dafür unternehmen

sehr gewertschätzt werden!

______________________________

"Nicht"
ein Gedicht von Duane

Schau mich nicht voller Mitleid an
Ich brauche Deine Stärke

Überflute nicht Du mich mit Worten
Lass einfach mich reden

Berühr mich nicht
Ich werde Deine Berührung suchen, wenn ich so weit bin

Ruf mich nicht an
Ich brauche Zeit zum Denken
Und um die Dinge zu verarbeiten

Sage mir nicht, was ich fühlen soll
Ich habe meine Gefühle zur Zeit nicht unter Kontrolle

Halte meine Tränen und Schreie nicht auf
Sie helfen mir auf meinem Weg zu Erleichterung und Heilung

Geh nicht auf die andere Straßenseite,
Um mir auszuweichen
Lächle einfach, und sag Hallo

Sag nicht, dass Du verstehst
Danke Gott dafür, dass Du es nicht kannst

Glaube nicht, dass ich verrückt werde
Ich tue mein Bestes, um mein Normalsein zu bewahren

Sage mir nicht, dass ich vergessen werde
Die Erinnerung an ihn ist alles, was ich noch habe

Und was immer Du tust
Glaube nicht, dass ich nicht froh bin, dass Du hier bist

______________________________

Vorgestern war der dritte Todestag von Kel. Er starb am 19. April 2009 im Alter von nur 13 Jahren, und sein viel zu früher und tragischer Tod hat mich damals zu einem kompletten Wrack gemacht, fast völlig ohne Energie und Willen, selbst weiter zu leben.

In dem Video, das ich für die diesjährige Wiederkehr des traurigsten Tages eines jeden Jahres für mich gemacht habe, könnt Ihr ein Gedicht lesen, das im Jahr 2008 geschrieben wurde. Der Autor ist Duane, ein Online-Freund aus Australien. In dem Gedicht wagt er einen Blick zurück in eine Zeit, in der er selbst einen herzzerreißenden Verlust zu verkraften hatte.

Ich habe dieses Gedicht ein paar Monate nach Kels Tod online gefunden, durch einen absoluten Zufall, und ich war wie vor den Kopf geschlagen: Duane hatte alles, wirklich alles, in Worte gefasst, das ich Freunden von mir hatte sagen wollen  —  guten Freunden, wirklich guten Freunden, Online-Freunden und auch Freunden, die quasi um die Ecke von mir wohnten, oder zumindest in der selben Stadt.

Meine Freunde sahen, wie sehr ich litt, und manchmal erzählte ich ihnen auch darüber, wie furchtbar es mir ging. Und diese beiden Erfahrungen machten meine Freunde so hilflos ... was in der Tat okay war, denn was kann man denn sagen über etwas, das so grässlich ist und einen derart niederdrückt, dass Worte versagen, Gefühle versagen, und sogar aufgespannte Sicherheitsnetze nicht ausreichen, um den Sturz abzumildern?

Und trotzdem wollten mir diese Freunde helfen, mich auffangen, mich stabilisieren und mir helfen, eine neue Richtung zu finden.

Sie erkannten jedoch nicht, dass dies zu der damaligen Zeit ganz einfach nicht möglich war  —  jedenfalls nicht mit dem, was ihnen zu Gebote stand:

Ihre Gedanken und Ideen, so wohlmeinend sie auch waren, entstanden aus ihrem eigenen Blickwinkel heraus, der nicht mein Blickwinkel war, der nicht mein Blickwinkel SEIN KONNTE ... Dinge, die mir helfen sollten  —  die aber von Fall zu Fall stattdessen den Schmerz nur stärker machten und sogar neue Wellen davon aufbranden ließen, denn ganz plötzlich fand ich mich in der Situation, mich (innerlich) verteidigen zu müssen gegen meine Freunde ...

- ... meine Freunde, die versuchten Antworten zu geben (auf Fragen, die ich nicht gestellt hatte  —  und WENN ich sie gestellt hätte, dann hätte es ganz einfach KEINE Antworten darauf gegeben!)

- ... meine Freunde, die versuchten Erklärungen zu geben und Rechtfertigungen / Entschuldigungen zu finden, sowohl religiöse als auch rationale (obwohl ich sehr genau WUSSTE, dass es keine solchen Dinge GAB!)

- ... meine Freunde, die versuchten eine Perspektive zu entwickeln, dass Kel "nun an einem besseren Ort" sei, während ich laut herausschreien wollte, dass Kel KEINEN BESSEREN ORT GEBRAUCHT hätte, an dem er hätte sein können  —  stattdessen ging es ihm gut dort, wo er zu dieser Zeit war, besser als je zuvor, seit sein Adoptivvater im Sommer 2008 gestorben war!

- ... meine Freunde, die versuchten zu denken, dass Kel "in Frieden ruhen" würde, und die daran glaubten, dass es dies sei, was Kel brauchte.

Sie hätten nicht weiter daneben liegen können. Kel war 13, und er freute sich so unbändig auf all die Dinge, die das Leben ihm noch bringen würde, auf alles, was bald schon (oder auch etwas später) geschehen würde! "Frieden" war nicht nötig  —  Aufregung, Freude, Glück, Fröhlichkeit und neue Erfahrungen waren jetzt dran!

Meine Freunde meinten es so gut mit mir, und sie haben wirklich ihr Bestes getan. Aber trotzdem haben sie mir immer wieder weh getan, ohne dies zu wollen, und ich musste mich Mal um Mal bemühen, ihren Versuchen, Trost zu spenden, zumindest ein Stück weit auszuweichen, damit sie mich nicht wie Kanonenkugeln trafen und brannten wie Feuer und Säure  —  und dies, obwohl ich gleichzeitig wusste, dass sie nichts davon zu tun versuchten und sich stattdessen sehr um sich sorgten ... Es war ein wirklich fürchterliches Dilemma.

Die Sache ist:

Keiner von ihnen hat echte Fragen gestellt. Möglicherweise wagten sie nicht, dies zu tun, denn jede Antwort, die ich gegeben hätte, wäre sehr präzise gewesen und daher schwer zu verkraften. Und diese Antworten hätten möglicherweise ihre eigene Traurigkeit, die sie wegen Kels Tod empfanden, noch verstärkt.

Sie alle wollten mehr oder weniger, dass ich aufhörte, an Kel zu denken, in der Annahme, dass ich Distanz zu allem aufbauen musste, um die Dinge verarbeiten zu können. Wie nachvollziehbar und dennoch falsch ein Ansatz doch sein kann ...

Meine Freunde wussten es nicht, aber mit ihren Worten und Ratschlägen versuchten sie, mir all das zu nehmen, was mir geblieben war, um irgendwie zu versuchen, das zu verarbeiten, was geschehen war.

Die Erinnerung an Kel ist in der Tat alles, was ich habe, um mich vor dem Absturz zu bewahren.

Dies war bereits am ersten Tag nach seinem Tod so, es ist so drei Jahre, nachdem er gestorben ist, und es wird so bleiben für den Rest an Lebenszeit, der mir noch verbleibt. 

Dass ich das Andenken an Kel lebendig halten kann, indem ich an ihn denke, mich an ihn erinnere, indem ich mit ihm spreche (ja, das tue ich) und indem ich manchmal anderen von Kel erzähle ... DIES ist das einzige Mittel, das ich habe, um die eiskalten Flammen in Schach zu halten, die mich jedes Mal umhüllen, wenn ich darüber nachdenke, was ich verloren habe, WEN ich verloren habe  —  und wie dies alles geschehen ist.

Ich möchte ich bei meinen Freunden, von denen die meisten auch heute noch in meinem Leben sind, bedanken.

Ihr habt Euch an eine Aufgabe gewagt, die im Prinzip nicht zu meistern war ... Aber die schiere Tatsache, dass Ihr es versucht habt, ist, was Eure Freundschaft so wertvoll für mich macht!

______________________________

.

Don't

Deutsche Version dieses Blogs hier.

______________________________

"Don't"

This is a video to commemorate

the 3rd death day anniversary of

Kel

... and also

to reflect on the helplessness

that friends might

all of a sudden have to face,

when it comes to

trying to help, in a situation where 

all help is doomed to fail ...

—  and still, all of their efforts

are much appreciated, anyhow!

______________________________

Yesterday marks the third anniversary of Kel's death. He died on April 19^th 2009, at the age of only 13, and his untimely and tragic passing left me a complete wreckage back then, with close to no energy and will at all left to continue living myself.

In the video I made for this year's return of the saddest day of the year for me, you can read a poem, written in 2008 by an online friend of mine named Duane from Australia, in which he is looking back at a time when he himself had been suffering a heartbreaking loss.

I found this poem online, by a stroke of luck a few months after Kel's death, and I was stunned. Duane had put into words everything, really everything, that I wanted to tell friends of mine, really good friends, online, and also to offline friends, who lived basically right around the corner from me, or at least in the same town.

My friends saw how much I suffered, and at times, I also told them about how terrible I felt. And these two things made them so helpless ... which was okay, because what can you say about something that is so terrible and weighs you down so much that words fail, feelings fail, and failsafe nets fail?

Still, these friends wanted to help me, catch me, stabilize me, redirect me.

They did not realize, though, that this was not possible during this time, with the things they tried to do:

Coming up with thoughts and ideas, well-meant, but made up and planned out from their point of view, which was not mine, which COULD NOT be mine … Things that should help me  —  but ever so often only intensified the pain, and even brought up whole new waves of it, because all of a sudden at times I had to start defending myself (on the inside) against my friends  ...

- ... my friends who were trying to give answers (to questions I had not asked  —  and IF I had done so, there WOULD HAVE BEEN no answers!)

- ... my friends who were trying to give explanations and excuses / justifications, religious as well as rational ones (where I knew, KNEW, that there were none)

- ... my friends who were trying to sketch outlines of "he is in a better place now", when I wanted to scream out that Kel DID NOT NEED any better place to be in  —  he was fine, actually, better than ever before, for the first time since his adoptive Dad had died almost a year prior to that time!

- ... my friends who were trying to think that Kel would "rest in peace", and this was what he needed.

They could not be more wrong. Kel was 13, and he was so looking forward to what life would bring him now, and to so many things that were about to happen for him sooner or later! "Peace" was not needed  —  excitement, joy, happiness and new experiences were!

These friends of mine meant so well, and did their best. But ever so often, they were hurting me, without wanting it, and I had to fight so hard again and again, to sidestep their attempts of comfort that hit me like cannon balls and burned like fire and acid, although I knew they really did not intend any of that to happen, and that they actually cared for me a lot ... it was a terrible dilemma.

The thing is:

No one really asked questions. They obviously did not dare to, because every answer I would come up with was very precise and, by that, tough to bear. And those answers were possibly even intensifying their own sadness they felt for what they knew about Kel.

They all more or less wanted me to stop thinking about Kel, and talking about him, thinking I'd need to distance myself, in order to heal. How understandable, and still wrong can an approach be? My friends did not know it, but they were, with their words and advice, trying to take away everything I had left to try to somehow come to terms with what had happened.

The memory of Kel is indeed all I have, to keep me sane.

This has been true from the very fist day after he had died until now, exactly three years later. And it will be true for all the life time I have left.

That I can keep his memory alive, by thinking of Kel, by remembering him, by talking to him (yes, I do that), and by sometimes also telling others about him ... THIS is the only remedy I have to keep the ice-cold flames at bay that engulf me when I think about what I lost, WHO I lost  —  and how this came to happen.

Nevertheless, I want to say Thank You to those friends, most of who still remain present in my life.

You engaged yourself in a mission that was impossible to achieve ... But the fact that you tried to do so in the first place makes your friendship so valuable to me!

______________________________

My video and blog for the first anniversary of Kel's death day:

The saddest anniversary ...

My video and blog for the second anniversary of Kel's death day:

Two Years

______________________________

.

Rick Santorum: "... against all odds"

Deutsche Version dieses Blogs ... Hm, ich versuch's - wird aber knifflig!

______________________________

Rick Santorum
Gage Skidmore via Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum announced today that he suspends his campaign, and no longer runs for president in the US electional campaign 2012.

Santorum emphasized that, all in all, his campaign had been a success and he went farther than anyone excpected, competing "against all odds".

Agreed: Competing against all odds he indeed was - because when I look at those Republican candidates, I see only all odd characters among them :-/ ...

______________________________

.

KONY 2012 - Watch! Share! Support!

Deutsche Fassung dieses Blogs folgt.

______________________________

Joseph Kony (born 1961) is a Ugandan guerrilla group leader, head of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a guerrilla group that is engaged in a violent campaign to establish theocratic government based on the Ten Commandments in Uganda. The LRA say that God has sent spirits to communicate this mission directly to Kony.

The LRA has earned a reputation for its actions against the people of several countries, including northern Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Sudan. It has abducted and forced an estimated 66,000 children to fight for them, and has also forced the internal displacement of over 2,000,000 people since its rebellion began in 1986.

In 2012, Invisible Children released a short film on the social media platform YouTube demanding the capture of Kony. A website called Kony2012 released a short video promoting awareness of Kony and his actions. The film currently has over 20 thousand views on youtube.com

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kony

______________________________

KONY 2012 is a film and campaign by Invisible Children that aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.

Pledge your support at http://bit.ly/konydonate and continue to share this story.

GOAL: 500,000 shares

DIRECTOR: Jason Russell

LEAD EDITOR: Kathryn Lang

EDITORS: Kevin Trout, Jay Salbert, Jesse Eslinger

LEAD ANIMATOR: Chad Clendinen

ANIMATOR: Jesse Eslinger

3-D MODELING: Victor Soto

VISUAL EFFECTS: Chris Hop

WRITERS: Jason Russell, Jedidiah Jenkins, Kathryn Lang, Danica Russell, Ben Keesey, Azy Groth 

PRODUCERS: Kimmy Vandivort, Heather Longerbeam, Chad Clendinen, Noelle Jouglet

ORIGINAL SCORES: Joel P. West

SOUND MIX: Stephen Grubbs, Mark Friedgen, Smart Post Sound

COLOR: Damian Pelphrey, Company 3

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Jason Russell, Bobby Bailey, Laren Poole, Gavin Kelly, Chad Clendinen, Kevin Trout, Jay Salbert, Shannon Lynch

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Jaime Landsverk

LEAD DESIGNER: Tyler Fordham

DESIGNERS: Chadwick Gantes, Stephen Witmer

MUSIC CREDIT:

"02 Ghosts I"

Performed by Nine Inch Nails

Written by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor

Produced by Alan Moulder, Atticus Ross, and Trent Reznor

Nine Inch Nails appear courtesy of The Null Corporation

"Punching in a Dream"

Performed by The Naked and Famous

Written by Aaron Short, Alisa Xayalith, and Thom Powers

Produced by Thom Powers

The Naked and Famous appear courtesy of Somewhat Damaged and Universal Republic

"Arrival of the Birds"

Performed by The Cinematic Orchestra

Written by The Cinematic Orchestra

Produced by The Cinematic Orchestra

The Cinematic Orchestra appears courtesy of Disney Records

"Roll Away Your Stone"

Performed by Mumford and Sons

Written by Benjamin Lovett, Edward Dwane, Marcus Mumford, and Winston Marshall

Produced by Markus Dravs

Mumford and Sons appear courtesy of Glassnote Entertainment Group LLC

"On (Instrumental)"

Performed by Bloc Party

Written by Bloc Party

Produced by Jacknife Lee

Bloc Party appears courtesy of Vice Records

"A Dream within a Dream"

Performed by The Glitch Mob

The Glitch Mob appears courtesy of Glass Air

"I Can't Stop"

Performed by Flux Pavilion

Flux Pavilion appears courtesy of Circus Records Limited

______________________________

.