Tuesday, September 20, 2016

THOMAS GIBSON FIRED FOR KICKING PRODUCER


This is a link to just one of the articles on the internet about this situation: 

Okay, I'm going to weigh in on this one.  I am a huge fan of Criminal Minds, and a huge fan of Tom Gibson – all the way back to when he played straight man to Jenna Elfman in Dharma & Greg. 

To me the entire situation is heartbreaking.  Criminal Minds was about to change in a big way already, from the absence of Shemar Moore.  Tom Gibson is a double blow that I will mourn next season.  But right is right and wrong is wrong.  Tom Gibson was wrong, and I think dismissal was justified for a second assault in a workplace.  Bullying is wrong.

I put myself exactly in the producer's (who Gibson kicked) place.  I am disabled.  I have some serious problems with my feet, ankles, knees, shoulders, and back.  If someone were to kick me it would probably drop me to the ground, and I wouldn't be able to stand back up on my own.  Now, I'm an opinionated woman, I tend to defend my point of view pretty vehemently.  I'm not rude or loud, but I don't back down unless someone proves me absolutely wrong.  So I'm working on a set and have written some lines or scenes that one of the actors doesn't like, and he comes to me with the script. I argue that for continuity, or balance of dialogue for all the cast members in the episode, I think the lines should stay, or whatever.  He disagrees, and the discussion gets a little heated.  This man gets pissed off when I don't back down and hauls off and kicks me in the shin.  Why should I have to put up with a threat like that?  I have to say, that as much as I love TG and CM, no one should have to feel threatened on their job, especially with physical violence.  The producers were right to dismiss TG. 

I have two friends who support TG in his plight to get a lawyer and appeal his dismissal.  I don't. 

Because, you see, I think that would be a blow to justice.  I can see this from the other point of view. Gibson is an actor and director which means he has some measure of authority on the CM set.  I don't care what the producer said, any physical assault is grounds for immediate dismissal.  Period.  I cannot think of any job site that is not bound by that rule.  You hit, you touch, you verbally abuse, you're gone. 

Fans of TG and CM, are saying, well, he apologized, he regrets it, and so on.  And I agree that all of that it to his credit.  He's showing remorse. 

On the other hand, he cannot retract what he did, and it's happened before.  This indicates a pattern of behavior which causes tension in the job place.  When will it happen again? 

Not only that, but he is a big star, well known, and though it's not a children's show, it sends out a message on a grand scale that bully behavior, when the money is big enough to pay for a team of lawyers, will go unpunished. 

That is a dangerous precedent to set.  I am relieved that the producers of Criminal Minds realize that and took the appropriate action, although I will miss Thomas Gibson's character deeply, and his sensitive portrayal. 


Saturday, September 17, 2016

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT - Ben Carson Quote





While I respect Ben Carson speaking as a doctor, I have to call "pro-life" men (in general) hypocrites. 

Where was this concern for human life when women and their children (to the tune of 9 MILLION) were tortured to death during the witch hunts, and currently, when women's genitalia are mutilated to keep them from enjoying sex because it's a sin, when women are stoned to death for non-violent crimes, when women are dumped by men when those men are finished using them and don't want to stick around and raise the child they plant in the woman's womb, and when honor-killing is considered a religious freedom?

And where is all this respect for human life when men decide to wage war over political and religious ideology? When men stop declaring war then they can start talking to women about killing.

TITLE OF THIS BLOG IS NOW PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

Hiya! 

I just wanted to let everyone know that from now on, this blog will be exclusively Pause for Thought - an Opinion/Editorial blog by me, Terri DelCampo.  All of my personal updates can be found on my website: 
Terri DelCampo - Author

I know that might be a little confusing at first, but I want Pause for Thought to have its own place in the world.  There is a difference between my personal blogs and my rants. 

Thank you for reading all my stuff! 
Ter

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Godaddy Blues

Hiya! 

Just cancelled my website with GoDaddy.  I plan to build one here on blogger.  It's where my and Blaze's Blazing Owl Press website is, and it's a simple, easy, pleasure to work on that site.  I just want a place to tell my readers what's going on with my books, and projects.  Completely professional.  I put all the personal stuff, and my Pause for Thought stuff on here. 

Every time I wanted to update my website content on GoDaddy it was a nightmare - and therefore a monthly nightmare, because I have to add the current issue of Owl's Eye View Magazine each month.  So done.  I got tired of crying in frustration.  If it's not user friendly, I don't have time to deal with it.  So long, GoDaddy! 

My domain name should free up within 24 hours. 

Then I will rebuild my site on here and life will be blissful once more.  :D 

In the meantime, Lisa Galloway has some new stuff going up on her poetry site. 

And I am working on editing story collections for Blaze and me.  The next one out will be "Romantic Shadows," which we will be releasing on September 13th - our first wedding anniversary. 


Wow!  I cannot believe it's been a year since Blaze and I tied the knot (literally, we had a hand fasting).  If the next several decades are as extraordinary as this first year has been, I shall live the rest of my life a very happy lady.  :D 





Okay.  Work to do! 

Hugs! 
Ter

Sunday, August 14, 2016

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT - GOD

I'm getting right to the point.  This morning on Facebook I came across this sentiment: 


I thought it was a little one-sided, and came up with one of my own: 

Okay, here's the thing.  If you accept God as the creator of everything, positive and negative, and say, "He protects me, and cares for me, etc."  But then, have to admit that he creates the things you need to be protected from, doesn't that imply that you are a masochist submitting to a sadist?  To submit to religion is, in my humble opinion, a form of Stockholm syndrome. 
I personally believe that you can appreciate the wonders of the world and the universe without the blinders of religious superstition.  Things are what they are.  There is mystery that doesn't need the fairy tales of so-called holy books to try to explain it, and certainly does not need to be explained by superstitious men who thought that the world was flat, that the world was the center of the universe, that men should be worshiped as prophets and women should be completely submissive, and that slavery is permissible.  Men who tortured and slaughtered anyone who disagreed with them. 
I've read several holy books cover to cover and have come to the conclusion that everyone has a soul.  Spirituality isn't what comes out of books – spirituality comes from one's own soul.  Good, bad, somewhere in between, it's not about some disconnected god up in the heavens, it's about love and decency within your own mind and heart. 


Friday, January 22, 2016

Terri DelCampo's personal update for January 22, 2016


January 22,2016

So I haven't written a personal update in awhile – like six months. 

And in that six months I got married to Robert (Blaze McRob) Nelson, teamed up with him to establish Blazing Owl Press, entered and won NaNoWriMo (wrote a 59,000 word novel in less than thirty days), celebrated Blaze's and my  amazing first Christmas together surrounded by Greggs and Heegers, and Devonshires (oh my!), published a couple of books, published a couple dozen Friday Frights stories, published the RoJo Adventure Blog (which has caught on!) for my grandchildren, and actually sorted out my schedule to a point where I think I might be able to cram all the projects Blaze and I have planned for 2016 in (of course there's a high probability that we will go bat shit crazy in the process, but hey, life's a crap shoot at best.)

Plus, the week before Christmas my computer crashed; got a new little cheapy one, and had to reorganize all my file onto flash drives to save them because this little notebook has rinky dink memory.  But that's okay, it works.  And I still got shit done.  Wahoo! 

All in all it's been an interesting and happy few months.  Tres productive. Hopefully things will continue on like this for a long time.  That would be a good thing. 

I want to thank all of my friends and family for the support and love. You stoke my energy and endurance when times get tough, (and on occasion pull my butt out of the fire).  I have some amazing people around me, and not a day goes by that I don't count my blessings.  I love you all very, very much. 

I would like to think that my grandchildren, Rosie and Joey will see this, and I want you to know that I love you and think of you every single day.  I hope you like the RoJo blog. 

Okay,  I have another two blogs to write, and dinner to fix.  So I'm signing off for now! 

Hugs and love to all!

Ter
PS - Happy Birthday JP!!  Love you bunches!
And a belated Happy Birthday to Sandi Shelnutt-Peck! 

Thursday, January 7, 2016

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT - PRIVATE LGBT HIGHSCHOOL IN GEORGIA

LGBT SCHOOL ARTICLE

There's a high school in Georgia being opened by the LGBT community, for LGBT kids.  I think it's great that the kids have somewhere to go, but all in all I don't think segregation of any group is the answer. The only way to be understood is to communicate. Support groups are terrific, but segregating any group is unrealistic. What happens when these students go out into the real world? They will be unprepared to deal with problematic situations and be eaten alive. And society in general will never learn to understand and accept gays and lesbians if not exposed to them every day. I think the LGBT community is doing itself a grave disservice.