tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post7407619832549259252..comments2024-02-25T05:03:48.092-07:00Comments on Eudaemonia: Listening to My Inner VoiceLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-83071141280434389232008-01-27T22:59:00.000-07:002008-01-27T22:59:00.000-07:00Steve,That interview must have been fascinating. Y...Steve,<BR/><BR/>That interview must have been fascinating. Yes, I think we forget too quickly the horrible conditions that existed in the past for juveniles and we don't express our outrage often enough at the conditions that continue to exist.<BR/><BR/>Mardouggrl, It does mean a lot to me. I just hope I can find some meaningful way to help.<BR/><BR/>Tim,<BR/><BR/>I'm sorry blogger has been giving you so much trouble. I'm using Wordpress for the new blog and it doesn't seem to cause nearly as many problems for non-blogger users. I really like the idea that "there are only three things you can do with your time: you can waste it, you can spend it, and you can invest it". I think I need to keep that in mind all the time. You seem to be a master at time management and I hope I can follow some of the great advice you have in your Writers Resources to invest my time as much as possible. Thanks for the kind words.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-40850556913848167202008-01-27T17:58:00.000-07:002008-01-27T17:58:00.000-07:00Ooookaaaayyyyyy . . .I'm having a terrible time wi...Ooookaaaayyyyyy . . .<BR/><BR/>I'm having a terrible time with Blogspot -- spent hours trying to leave comments for you and Cindy only to get blank screens when I push PUBLISH.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I wanted to say that you're a class act in every possible way and that one of the best things about the Internet is that it brings us into contact with people whom we'd never otherwise have a chance to meet.<BR/><BR/>And I also wanted to say that I think there are only three things you can do with your time: you can waste it, you can spend it, and you can invest it. When you look at where you are now versus where you were five years ago, and when you look at where you're putting your energies now, it's clear to me that you're investing your time, and in a way that brings you joy.Timothy Hallinanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00551263887774445511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-49852308455230767302008-01-27T17:56:00.000-07:002008-01-27T17:56:00.000-07:00I am so excited for you! I could tell from your pr...I am so excited for you! I could tell from your previous post that you were passionate on this topic, and as usual, you are not one to just sit and think about something.<BR/><BR/>I admire you SO much, Lisa.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-13436377082577167142008-01-27T17:54:00.000-07:002008-01-27T17:54:00.000-07:00Lisa --This is a very short comment because I've l...Lisa --<BR/><BR/>This is a very short comment because I've left a bunch of long ones and none of them has gone through. If this one sticks, I'll rewrite the others.Timothy Hallinanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00551263887774445511noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-64735557107171077882008-01-26T19:35:00.000-07:002008-01-26T19:35:00.000-07:00Lisa,A belated note of encouragement--it's certain...Lisa,<BR/><BR/>A belated note of encouragement--it's certainly a worthy cause. When I was writing a column for the Elkhart Truth, I once did a column on Howard James, one of three Pulitzer Prize winners with Elkhart roots (1968 journalism). He had written a book on the juvenile justice system in the 1950s and '60s. Indiana was one of the worst--they actually flogged boys with the lash. At least such barbarities don't exist now, but certainly life without parole for minors is cruel.steve on the slow trainhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18257811143869341854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-36412918933882438862008-01-26T04:34:00.000-07:002008-01-26T04:34:00.000-07:00Lisa, just caught up on your reply...I'm not direc...Lisa, just caught up on your reply...<BR/><BR/>I'm not directly involved with a business environment, so while there is an awful lot out there in terms of sophisticated personal assessment questionnaires etc, you're probably best to ask around your own locality. Like everything, some stuff is excellent, some isn't!<BR/><BR/>Myer's Briggs is the standard inventory - its pretty basic, but a handy rule of thumb for gauging yourself (or those you're working with in a team) in terms of degrees of intraversion and extraversion etc, (and implied suitability for certain roles). Hope that gives you a starting point if you're interested. Believe some authors use it in checking character motivations and consistency.virtual nexushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955335598875413324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-12180334001931648802008-01-24T14:42:00.000-07:002008-01-24T14:42:00.000-07:00Best of luck with your new direction.Best of luck with your new direction.Lana Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06975996208260144558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-76987985797715004762008-01-24T13:24:00.000-07:002008-01-24T13:24:00.000-07:00Lisa, what an inspiring post. I agree with so many...Lisa, what an inspiring post. I agree with so many of these comments and applaud your passion and drive and courage. I'll check out the new blog!kate hopperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08761820572827505993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-3300038045276978932008-01-24T12:40:00.000-07:002008-01-24T12:40:00.000-07:00what can I say...congratulations. It is extremely ...what can I say...congratulations. It is extremely important that one fins a case one can be devoted to.<BR/>and yours is a rightful one.SzélsőFahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11600289147447182465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-58735556695411963272008-01-24T11:19:00.000-07:002008-01-24T11:19:00.000-07:00lisa, you're a tremendous, courageous spirit. and ...lisa, you're a tremendous, courageous spirit. and you know i admire your willingness to listen to your inner voice. i have such good feelings about the future for you. please email me if there's a way i can help you.olufunke grace bankole:https://www.blogger.com/profile/12770537948565532234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-63035474268218531642008-01-24T10:07:00.000-07:002008-01-24T10:07:00.000-07:00Kudos to you, Lisa! I'm very impressed. You choose...Kudos to you, Lisa! I'm very impressed. You choose to fight when most people would probably just hide their head in the sand. Bravo and good luck!Vesperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12417602625059442986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-45479032581533671142008-01-23T22:49:00.000-07:002008-01-23T22:49:00.000-07:00Judy,People like you, who worked for seven years o...Judy,<BR/><BR/>People like you, who worked for seven years on something you believed in and then broke through with a fantastic novel have inspired me to believe that with determination, anything is possible.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-46061288172454167292008-01-23T20:54:00.000-07:002008-01-23T20:54:00.000-07:00Wow, Lisa, you continue to impress me and show, th...Wow, Lisa, you continue to impress me and show, through your actions, that following one's passion is never a mistake.Judy Merrill Larsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06675069484490433295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-35975597712030520992008-01-23T18:27:00.000-07:002008-01-23T18:27:00.000-07:00Usman,I do hope you are feeling better soon and I...Usman,<BR/><BR/>I do hope you are feeling better soon and I hope things in Pakistan have settled down. <BR/><BR/>Moonrat,<BR/><BR/>I started the other blog because I figured I couldn't mix juvenile justice and writing very well -- but I won't promise not the throw a post about it in here now and then. Thanks for commenting. :)<BR/><BR/>Julie,<BR/><BR/>No -- don't assume anything. I am a master at jumping right into the middle of things I know nothing about...so if you have any recommendations, please email me!<BR/><BR/>Karen,<BR/><BR/>Wasn't the Tim Masters thing something? Mary Ellen Johnson is going to guest blog at my other place within the next day or so to talk about Tim Masters and what impact his release may have on some of the other cases. Apparently, the interrogation of the 15 year old was horrendous.<BR/><BR/>Debra,<BR/><BR/>I am so sorry that you went through the trauma of being the victim of a violent crime. And no -- thank you for the work you did with the at risk teens. I have a long letter from one of the offenders, who is now in our notorious SuperMax and I'm going to ask his permission to post excerpts from it. I'm also working with Mary Ellen so that we can contact more of the LWOPs and ask them to write essays that we can post. Every stereotype you've ever seen in a movie about prisons is true and then some. Once a juvenile is locked in that sick environment, each year that goes by brings that kid further away from being able to function "out here". It's so much worse than I'd ever imagined. Thank you for your support.<BR/><BR/>Charles,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for commenting here and at http://compassioninjuvenilesentencing.wordpress.com/ (could I have picked a longer URL)?<BR/><BR/>At some point, I'd really be interested in your thoughts on the changes that occur in the development of the adolescent mind from the teens and into the early twenties, and then the subsequent change that appears to happen after 30. From what I've read, something like up to 80% of the incarcerated male youth have been abused themselves and with males, untreated abuse appears to manifest itself in rage. Then something seems to happen after 30 when the offenders seem to "wake up" and can't quite believe how out of touch with reality they were as teenagers. Another tidbit I heard recently was that for inmates older than 50, the risk for them reoffending drops down to nearly zero. I'm really interesting in how valid the physiological aspects are.<BR/><BR/>Patti, Thank you and I hope that I can at least make a little difference. I am in awe of people like Mary Ellen Johnson and Curt and Pat Jensen who have been fighting for these kids for years, despite the apathy and sometimes hostility that comes with the territory.<BR/><BR/>Carleen, Please don't say that. I haven't done anything yet. You, on the other hand are doing incredible work with children that will probably keep many of them from making the mistakes that so many of the LWOPs have. Keep up the good work, my friend.<BR/><BR/>Scott,<BR/><BR/>Nothing worthwhile that I'm doing with my life right now would be possible without you. I love you too.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-48935193966353737262008-01-23T13:44:00.000-07:002008-01-23T13:44:00.000-07:00You are my heroine as well. -And, I love you....You are my heroine as well.<BR/><BR/> -And, I love you. -ScottAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-69216379852238445152008-01-23T11:49:00.000-07:002008-01-23T11:49:00.000-07:00Well now, you're my hero!!! Good on you!Well now, you're my hero!!! Good on you!Carleen Bricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01433203126527081458noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-30971306949576351232008-01-23T10:14:00.000-07:002008-01-23T10:14:00.000-07:00so many go through life thinking that they couldn'...so many go through life thinking that they couldn't possibly make a difference. and then there are the lisa's of this world. i admire and respect where your heart is leading you. may your success be more than you can imagine.Pattihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05716215892504806470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-3997580929309026772008-01-23T09:56:00.000-07:002008-01-23T09:56:00.000-07:00A worthy cause. I'll check out the site. I'm abs...A worthy cause. I'll check out the site. I'm absolutely aware that there is very little or no fairness in the way sentences for various kinds of crimse are handled, and it is ridiculous the way some offenders are treated leniently while others are treated harshly. As for juveniles being sentenced to long terms, it very much depends on the crime to me. A brutal, heinous act is different from just being there when a murder was committed.Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-46192831338120961622008-01-23T09:37:00.000-07:002008-01-23T09:37:00.000-07:00Many years ago, I worked as a counselor with teens...Many years ago, I worked as a counselor with teens in a drop-in center. I tended to gravitate to the kids no one else liked. It seemed to me that the ones who were the least lovable needed the most. I remember going to one boy's expulsion hearing as his advocate. We were able to get a suspension. Today that boy is a father and owns a successful funeral parlor.<BR/> What would have happened to that young man had he been thrust on the street? I shudder to think about it.<BR/> Years later I was a victim of a violent crime. This solidified my point of view. I knew that someone had to advocate for kids.<BR/> Thank you, Lisa.debrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17676300309029588465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-75181681755404698212008-01-23T08:55:00.000-07:002008-01-23T08:55:00.000-07:00Hey there and congratulations! Who knows where thi...Hey there and congratulations! Who knows where this work will lead and meanwhile you're following your heart down a road you know will be challenging and rewarding. And thanks for noting the Tim Masters news. Wow all around! K.Sustenance Scouthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12980573661955592633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-45083642074874035722008-01-23T07:28:00.000-07:002008-01-23T07:28:00.000-07:00Lisa - just a passing thought - but assume you've ...Lisa - just a passing thought - but assume you've looked into the area of personality profiling in previous jobs? It can help clarify innate abilities and motivations.virtual nexushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11955335598875413324noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-14744085266985530892008-01-23T06:00:00.000-07:002008-01-23T06:00:00.000-07:00good for you--this is such an important issue, and...good for you--this is such an important issue, and one we tend to let horrify us for one episode of Law & Order and then forget all about. children with LWOP are one of the huge disasters of an imperfect legal system--both because that sentencing happens at all, and because of the awful class biases that are used as as grounds for fear when it is being passed. <BR/><BR/>thanks for having a cause and teaching us about it.moonrathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06294151043419378509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-43329217935052929282008-01-23T01:34:00.000-07:002008-01-23T01:34:00.000-07:00Lisa,I have always believed in that adage about ta...Lisa,<BR/>I have always believed in that adage about taking the first step. as soon as i get over the flu plus a million other things I'll be at your site.<BR/>Children, are the world's best hope, especially in todays polarized world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-4869347887258410202008-01-22T19:25:00.000-07:002008-01-22T19:25:00.000-07:00Julie,Love the pictures and I love that you've got...Julie,<BR/><BR/>Love the pictures and I love that you've got a pub where Charles Dickens used to hang out! I'll be back over to comment later.<BR/><BR/>Larramie, Believe me, based on the circumstances of some of these people, all I can say is there but for the grace of God go many of us. No worries! I'm adding this to my fiction writing. Where, she asks herself, will you find the time? I think I will manage.<BR/><BR/>Therese, I appreciate that. I may be deluded, but I think this is one of those times when one person can begin to make a little difference. Even if it's only because some of the LWOPs know that people out here do care. Many of them have been forgotten, even by their families.<BR/><BR/>Yogamum, There are so many misconceptions that people have about how "the system" -- or as it truly is, a set of systems really function. I hope that by trying to spread awareness and understanding, some of the misconceptions might change -- the biggest being that the system is fair and that anyone who's been convicted got what s/he deserved.<BR/><BR/>Froog, I literally laughed out loud when I read your first sentence! Yes, I'm over here charging after windmills. Coincidentally, I finished "On Love" last night and I think Alain de Botton is brilliant. I'm reading a Mary Gaitskill now but hope to get to "How Proust Can Save Your Life" soon. I always like your book recommendations.<BR/><BR/>Yes, we have significant problems in our justice system and clearly the prosecution rate of minorities is far greater than it ought to be. As you know, each state has its own laws and court systems and I've noted that Louisiana also has one of the highest rates of juvenile LWOP convictions in the US as well. <BR/><BR/>On a bittersweet note, in Colorado, Tim Masters, who'd served 10 years in prison for a brutal murder he was accused of committing when he was 15 (for which there was no physical evidence and that he always denied) was freed today based on DNA evidence, which was not used when he was tried. <BR/><BR/>Thanks so much and keep those great reviews coming at The Book Book.Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00665632105920753931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-567668315717895367.post-39187843517641917942008-01-22T18:53:00.000-07:002008-01-22T18:53:00.000-07:00Hi Lisa,I dropped by to see how you got on with th...Hi Lisa,<BR/><BR/>I dropped by to see how you got on with the Alain de Botton book I recommended on Book Book last month.... and find you campaigning for reform of the criminal justice system.<BR/><BR/>I was, briefly, a lawyer in the UK, and spent some time doing voluntary work on capital appeals (in Louisiana) when I was a student. As with the cases you mention here, a large number of death row prisoners were sentenced when still teenagers; almost all of them are from minorities; many if not most are educationally sub-normal, if not actually brain-damaged or mentally ill; and just about all of them were convicted and sentenced largely because they got lousy representation (some court-appointed counsel do a bang-up job, but many <I>do not</I>). The UK justice system is far from perfect, but it's decades ahead of America's.<BR/><BR/>This is a good fight, but a very tough one. I wish you luck with it.Frooghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06738623732860210935noreply@blogger.com