A Plea On Chris Brown's Behalf

A while back I wrote about my thoughts on the vilification of Kristen Stewart when it was found she and the director of her movie Snow White and the Huntsman had intimate dealings. My thoughts, and my opinions, were not those of the majority; they were mine based on my life experience. I do so again today regarding Chris Brown.

You know the guy, the soon to be 24 year old music star who beat the tar out of Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy's. He pled guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to five years probation and six months community service. That was the official sentence. The unofficial sentence was a lifetime of derision, mistrust, jeers, ostracism, and taunts.

Let me come right out with it. He turned himself in. He's is adhering to the terms of his sentence. He's apologized. And apologized. And apologized. In word, deed, song, and just about every other way a person can. In my eyes he's more than paid for his wrongdoing and it should not be held against him anymore. Yet mainstream society still refuses to drop it. Every time he steps out we read, watch or hear about another altercation initiated by someone provoking him. And yes, he reacts. Few folks are giving him the opportunity to grow past his (admittedly) gross misbehavior.

Come on people! He was 19 years old! All he'd ever known growing up was a household of domestic violence! His step dad beat his mom! What's the saying? The sins of the father are visited upon the son; or in this case, the stepfather and stepson.

I am sure I will take some grief for defending him, and I'm good with it. Who of us didn't do at least one colossally stupid thing when we were around that age? I myself can think of several such incidents in my youth. The difference is I did so in relative privacy, whereas Chris Brown gets to do so in front of millions. Asking forgiveness of a few people is a lot easier than millions. The same goes for giving forgiveness.

Rihanna has forgiven Chris Brown. Why can't everyone else? Get past his stupidity. Get past his youth. Give him the opportunity to atone for and get beyond all this. As it says in the Bible, "Let he that is without sin cast the first stone."

The Fun of Writing

It's been roughly five months since I last posted. A lot has gone on, yet very little has, too. I find myself in a state of reflection. Kind of suitable for the season - Easter. And while I'd like to write about my reflections, life's happenings, and all that, I am a bit reluctant. Not because I don't like to share, because I find myself more at peace when I can "let it all out". More, it is because I have read that bloggers get more hits when they write about positive, happy things. And here is where I am conflicted. Do I write about what I'm most comfortable writing about? Or do I write about what I think will get my blog more hits? Nah, I'll write about that interests me most. And should that interest anyone else, all the better.

So, for tonight's topic - Work.

I am a mainframe programmer. COBOL is my language. It may be old (2nd generation), but it's still de rigeur in the financial world. I've been programming for over two decades. Before that, I worked in documentation and technical writing. I recently moved to a new position in the company I work, and I am back to writing. Still in the programming department. However, I am now responsible for preparing and publishing a monthly newsletter to the development departments in my division. Whoa! Radical change! I started this new position in January, and it's taken me a few months to get used to it. That, and establish the foundation on which to base the newsletter. I don't have to write all the articles, but I do have to cajole folks to participate in writing articles for the newsletter. And enforce the time lines. And edit. And more. And what I am finding is that it is...fun.

Laying out the newsletter. Thinking up topics for the newsletter. Looking for fun stuff not even remotely work-related for the newsletter. And educating folks in our division about subject matter that can help them do their jobs more efficiently and knowledgeably. The part I enjoy the most? A column I call "Spotlight On..." that focuses on an employee - their work background, what they enjoy about work, their life outside of work. It satisfies my immense curiosity. I now have an excuse to ask folks questions about themselves, and I get to include some of that obscure trivia I seem to accumulate.

We are working on the second issue, and I just completed the second Spotlight. The lucky recipient? Someone who was named after a famous country singer. Her mother went into labor the night she was going to see said singer, and in revenge for missing the concert, my coworker was named after said singer. Pretty interesting, eh? I thought so, too. Kinda fun! Oh! and did you know that between 1979 and 2011 the IRS 1044 documentation (explaining how to fill the form out) went from 2 to 79 pages? Yet more trivia!

Now you may think "a programmer as a writer? Very dry, technical and boring." If you've read this far, I believe I've proven you wrong. I would like to think this is due to growing up in the home of educators. It's all about communicating in the clearest way possible to the broadest intended audience. Technical writing was my minor at university, and I am a firm believer in sharing the (information) wealth. So, I'm not surprised my management tagged me for this new position. I love programming; solving a puzzle every day. But I also advocate communication. And I'm not quiet about it. You could say it was my big mouth that got me writing. Hah!

I can't promise I will post soon. I can only write that I hope to post every week. Thanks for reading, and post any questions about me you want me to answer.