OJ Out on the Town

I was In Vegas to see the De La Hoya fight and who do I run into?

OJ Simpson of course.

I thought he was locked up, but he was escorting Judge Glass at ringside and I realized that there are two Americas.

The one the media tells us about and the one we see wuith our own eyes.

I figured Fred Goldman would be chafed about OJ being at the fight, but guess who bounds down the aisle, laughing and doing his Rollie Fingers routine for all of the high rollers.

That's right.

It's Fred Goldman, who OJ refers to as "Gold Digger" although Fred says he never heard him refer to him that way until he heard about it in Judge Glass's court.

When the fight was over, I tried to get a word with OJ, but he was gone.

Today, I read in the news that he was transfeered to a Nevada perison.

But I saw him Saturday night!

Only in America!

Obdurate

A hardened piece of clay.

That is the image that comes to me for this power word meaning inflexible.

Adamant, inflexible, unyielding.

These are words without give.

When you come across a new word, for example, obdurate, consider an image in your mind which will allow you to bring the new word to mind instantly.

For me, it is a rock hard substance.

It could be anything to you.

That is the beauty and magic of mental imagery.

It is different for all of us.

Yet the goal is the same.

Use the power of your mind for instant recall.

Now, you have added another word to your personal vocabulary.

Get ready for your next image.

Stentorian

Stentorian is a word which adds power to your vocabulary.

Someone with a stentorian voice can be heard from the back row.

They are perfect for delivering speeches without a microphone.

Their booming sound permeates the classroom, stage, theater, etc.

Can you picture a person with the stentorian voice holding the interest of those in the crowd?

Once you commit that picture to mind, you will have instant recall of this word.

This is the power of mental imagery.

Don't stop with just one image.

We have a long way to go together.

MILK

My daughter and I took in MILK last night starring the inimitable Sean Penn.

I will let viewers make the call on another Oscar for Penn, but I include this concise movie review for a reason in my mental imagery journal.

The movie, based on the life and political times of Harvey Milk, culminated with the fight to win Proposition 6 on the California ballot in 1978.

It was a very early victory for those who screamed for GAY RIGHTS NOW in cities across America.

Then, as well as now, the critics were those who believed that gay rights were in direct opposition to the virtues of the American family.

Now fast forward to 2008 and the recent battle and defeat for Proposition 8.

You might be surprised to note that many of the same specious arguments made in 1978 came back to haunt those who fought for Proposition Eight last month.

Have we learned anything in 30 years?

Perhaps not.

The timing of the release of the movie also brings up a question.

Why was the movie released a month after the election and not before?

Were their factors that we don't know about which makes this movie more an after thought rather than a rallying point for the fight just lost?

MILK is a history lesson we all should see.

It gives Americans a snapshot of our recent past, an examination of the growth or lack of growth we have made in three decades and raises sound questions as to our future.

On January 20, we will inaugurate or 44th President of the United States.

It will be on the day after the birthday of Martin Luther King.

143 years after the end of the Civil War, our nation will look to an African American as the leader of our nation.

Gay rights have come a long way in 30 years.

Obviously, there is a long way to go.

Let's hope America doesn't take another 100 plus years to recognize the rights of all its citizens.

Take in some MILK this month.

See how it makes you feel inside.