States52weeks's Blog

San Francisco, CA Musician

states52weeks — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:58:39 +0000

Michael Franti lives in San Francisco, CA and is friends somehow with Woody Harrelson – wonder if they met as neighbors? Think Woody lives in LA, though? Not sure…

All I know is I love this musician and human rights activist, Michael Franti for so many reasons. Click here to read my “Open Letter” to him.

Click here to check out his website!

And in the meantime, hope you also enjoy these videos I put together as well:

New York: The Felix Organization

states52weeks — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 03:03:18 +0000

THE FELIX ORGANIZATION / Adoptees For Children

Co-Founders, Darryl “DMC” McDaniels (Run DMC AND Rock and Roll Hall of Famer) and Sheila Jaffe, (Emmy Award winning Casting Director of “The Sopranos” and “Entourage”) are both adoptees who have searched for their birth families. As they pursued their journey of discovery, they realized how fortunate they were, having been raised by loving families. Things could have gone very differently had they not been adopted. Darryl and Sheila decided to start THE FELIX ORGANIZATION/ Adoptees For Children in February 2006.

As adoptees, “We were taken home. We wanted to give back to those children who didn’t get taken home or who are growing up in the foster care system.”

Since 2006, THE FELIX ORGANIZATION has sent over 500 children to CAMP FELIX for one or two week sessions. Our goal is to continue to send an increasing number of children to CAMP FELIX each year and to nurture and encourage them throughout the year with additional, inspiring opportunities.

Camp Felix is located in Putnam Valley, New York and some of the activities provided at camp include: basketball, swimming, softball, arts and crafts, drama, yoga, to name a few. Because we have had such incredible success throughout the years, we have initiated a Counselor in Training program for campers who are no longer of age to attend FELIX but can still be part of the experience in a leadership role. “BEYOND CAMP” also addresses individual year round needs of some of these children.

As we expand our horizons, we hope that you will join us in our effort. You can help make a positive change or new beginning for these children. Many have no one to take them to the movies, to ball games, to check their homework, to help them make healthy life choices. We have the opportunity to mentor and guide this next generation to dream a bigger dream of a life they never imagined.

Any and all donations will make such a difference in these young lives. For more information, please contact us at:

FelixOrganization@gmail.com or 212-877-4025

NEW YORK: Ellis Island

states52weeks — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:28:11 +0000

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York

Ellis Island

Ellis Island was the main facility for immigrants, entering the United States in the late 19th Century to the mid 20th Century. The facility operated from January 1, 1892, until November 12, 1954. It is owned by the Federal government and is now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service. It is situated in New York Harbor, between two states and cities, Jersey City, New Jersey and New York City, New York.

More than 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island, between 1892 and 1954. After 1924, when the National Origins Act was passed, the only immigrants to pass through there were displaced persons or war refugees.^[19] Today, over 100 million Americans can trace their ancestry to the immigrants, who first arrived in America through the island, before dispersing to points all over the country. Ellis Island was the subject of a border dispute between New York State and New Jersey.

I wanna hold’em like they do in Texas, please!

states52weeks — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:35:31 +0000

State Fair of Texas

states52weeks — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:09:54 +0000

My Childhood Hero from Texas

states52weeks — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:48:06 +0000

It’s Snowing in Texas!

states52weeks — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 19:41:30 +0000

So, this is at least the 4th time it’s snowed in the past few months in Texas. I recall a Christmas Eve Day full of snow and now it’s almost Valentine’s Day and we are getting up to 7 inches of snow today!

I’ll admit I’m one of those Texans people make fun of for freaking out and not knowing how to drive in the snow. But, hey I’d just rather be safe than sorry. And at least my family and I know how to have fun in the snow!

TEXAS: The Friendly State

states52weeks — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:07:46 +0000

Of course, I decided to begin with my home state of Texas, also known as The Lone Star State. I was born and adopted in Ft. Worth, TX. Then, lived in Waco until I turned 8 years old and that summer, my family moved us to Dallas/Fort Worth and have been here ever since. Ironically, I’ve lived in Dallas county up until a couple of years ago. And now for the first time, I’ve experienced living in the same place I was born and adopted. Funny how driving only one hour distance from Dallas County to Tarrant County can seem like two completely different worlds!

I’ve had some great memories in my home state every year, including taking pictures in the bluebonnets and attending the State Fair of Texas (even though my husband thinks it should be named State Fair of Dallas as that’s where it occurs annually).

People for the most part are actually really friendly in Texas. But, a misperception I’d have to say about my home state would be the assumption everyone is a cowboy or cowgirl here. Definitely not the case. People are diverse here – from all over the country and the world, really.

This week, I’ll be writing about various aspects of Texas, including music and food.

According to wikipedia.com, “Texas ( /ˈtɛksəs/ (help·info)) is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States. The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning “friends” or “allies”.^[7] Located in the South Central United States, Texas is bordered by Mexico to the south, New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km²), and a growing population of 24.7 million residents.^“

To learn more about Texas, visit http://www.texasonline.com

P.S. If you have something that represents your state – perhaps a photograph, a book, a song, please feel free to send the items my way:

‘Chelle Baxter
PO Box 48508
Fort Worth, TX 76148

Represent your home state!

THANKS!

Love & Peace,
‘Chelle

52 weeks, 52 states

states52weeks — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 22:07:01 +0000

50 states plus Alaska & Hawaii, that is. I’m going to write about each for one week throughout the next 52 weeks.

This idea came about after I auditioned for America’s Got Talent and rented Julie & Julia movie recently. Combining the two, I have chosen to write about the various states throughout the USA for 52 weeks.

Looking forward to this new blog project! So, if you have something that represents your state – perhaps a photograph, a book, a song, please feel free to send the items my way:

‘Chelle Baxter

PO Box 48508

Fort Worth, TX 76148

Represent your home state!

THANKS!

Love & Peace,

‘Chelle