A dear friend said yes to driving down to Palo Alto with me to attend the 7:00pm Other Voices TV  “Why Did Haiti Collapse? More Than an Earthquake” at Community Media Center.  I got onto North 101 instead of South 101, so, lost 15 minutes there. Then, relying on MapQuest wrong directions, we lost another 20 minutes. Asking people for directions to 900 San Antonio Road [Community Media Center] led us to the Jewish Community Center instead.
So we did “follow the numbers.”.  I drove to the 800 block of San Antonio and got onto the side of the street with even numbers and headed in the direction of higher numbers than 800.  900 San Antonio Road was tucked away in a strip of buildings partially hidden behind a sound wall.

We made it!  20 minutes late but we made it!  Paul George of Peninsula Peace and Justice Center http://www.peaceandjustice.org was moderator.  His articulate speech on KZSU 90.1 FM http://kzsu.stanford.edu/ on February 1, 2010 had propelled me to attend this program.
The 2 panelists gave compelling eyewitness accounts and the audience learned how we can really help Haiti right now (right now to help lessen the suffering).

Seth Donnelly, a longtime Haiti solidarity activist, has visited Haiti many times, assisting grassroots projects and documenting human rights abuses by the UN occupation forces, was a calm eloquent speaker.

Walter Riley, a longtime civil rights attorney, peace activist, and Haiti Solidarity activist, was in Port-au-Prince when the devastating earthquake struck Haiti.  For three days, he and his family aided in the frantic rescue efforts and witnessed the scope of the devastation.  Walter is the Chair of the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund.

What did I learn from Mr. Donnelly and Mr. Riley?  Many organizations are raising money. Great. Is that money really going to the Haitian grassroots agencies? Is the money to buy food, medical supplies, and building material waiting for red tape (supplies and materials sitting on tarmacs while Haitians are dying)?  Apparently, Haiti’s grassroots (women’s groups being a huge component) are the ones who can help most effectively because they’re right there helping neighbors; they know their infrastructure. What else did I re-learn?  Natural disaster on top of abject poverty = brutal suffering. Medical personnel, disaster relief workers, and compassionate souls are all heroes.

Channel 27 Mid-Peninsula, California http://www.communitymediacenter.net/

Haiti Emergency Relief Fund   http://www.haitiaction.net/About/HERF/HERF.html

I don’t have the means to write big checks; I do have a big voice as a writer though.

Writers, keep on writing!

Sincerely,

Coach Teresa

http://WritingCoachTeresa.com

Verb:  To blog = to write posts (entries) in, add material to, or maintain a weblog.
Noun:  A blog = a shared on-line journal where you can publish your posts (entries about your experiences, observations, expertise, and hobbies); the most recently published post appears first to readers; readers can interact by submitting comments.

Examples:

This post you’re reading is on my blog which is on my website http://writingcoachteresa.com (I own this site; I have to pay for domain name renewals and web hosting services)

I have a second blog (free from Wordpress.com ) http://writingcoachteresa.wordpress.com/ to show my clients how a free blog works.

I have a third blog http://www.redroom.com/author/teresa-leyung-ryan at Red Room http://redroom.com/ (a wonderful website where authors can sign up to receive a webpage as a Red Room Author).  However, I don’t own this blog either.

To get comfortable submitting comments to other people’s blogs,  click on the title of a post in my blog (in order to see the entire post); scroll down to get the comment boxes.  Go to:  http://writingcoachteresa.com Click on “Teresa’s Blog”  and choose a post that hooks you; click on the title of the post to get the comment box.

I’d encourage any writer who do not have a blog website to get one so that  you’ll have an on-line address for the world to see.  These days, a blog serves as an answering center (give your fans a chance to find you and to communicate.  If money is an issue, then get a free blog from http:wordpress.com . Because Wordpress.com blogs are free, they will not offer you the features you’d get on a blog website that you own.  Later, when you get your own website, ask your webmaster to help you import your posts on a free blog to your site. If you need a wonderful webmaster, check out Linda Lee at http://askmepc.com/

After you get a blog and write some posts, remember to copy the keywords and key phrases (tags) in each post and add them to the tag box for each post. Your blog will compile a list of your tags.  Help search engines help people find you and your work through the tags.

Visit my blog to learn how I use tags and links in my posts.  http://writingcoachteresa.com

After you submit a comment to one of my posts, wait a day or so  before going to Google (or another search engine), then key in a string of words (tags) you used in your comment . . . press the “search” key . . . let cyberspace go to work.  Voila!  This is how people will find you.  I’ll tell you more at the seminar.

Sincerely,

Writing Career Coach Teresa

Teresa LeYung Ryan

Coach Teresa’s  Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published Published (the 22 minutes for 22 days workbook) is $22.  Use PayPal on http://writingcoachteresa.com

Invite Coach Teresa to conduct “Major League Tryouts to Build Your Name” at your writers’ club or group.

Form a study-group, split the cost and hire Coach Teresa to:

* coach you in name-building to attract the right agent or publisher or more fans
* guide you in designing and growing your blog (to showcase your expertise and experiences)
* show you computer-navigating shortcuts and how to easily “find stuff” on the World Wide Web

In a way, I did have a Day of Service. I made phone calls on behalf of my friend (to report elder abuse from a home-care agency).

The phone numbers below came from mental health advocates from Alameda and Contra Costa counties; they encouraged me to file reports.

Adult Protective Service 925-646-2854 serving Contra Costa County, CA

http://www.cdss.ca.gov/agedblinddisabled/

Disability Rights CA 510-267-1200 (formerly State Protection & Advocacy) http://www.disabilityrightsca.org/

Consumer Assistance 1-800-779-0787

After I made the phone calls (left voicemail at the second & third numbers; a person answered at Adult Protective Service and told me a social worker would call me back even though today was a holiday…so professional and reassuring).

Jan. 22, 2010

I learned from  Adult Protective Service and Disability Rights CA that because  home-care services are “businesses”I would need to make a complaint and also report abuse http://ccld.ca.gov/ as well as contact Better Business Bureau http://www.bbb.org/us/ Complaints: http://www.bbb.org/us/Consumer-Complaints/

While researching, I found http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/home-care-services/HO00084 Mayo Clinic website which has and answers regarding home care services. The text below inside [   ] came from the Mayo Clinic website:

[ If you're considering a home care services agency:

• How does the agency hire and train caregivers? Does the agency provide continuing education?
• Are the caregivers licensed in their fields and insured?
• How closely does the agency's supervisor evaluate the quality of home care?
• Do the agency's employees seem friendly and helpful? Make sure you feel comfortable with the agency's representatives.

If you're considering a home health aide:

• Does the home health aide have a good temperament? Make sure you or your loved one feels comfortable with the home health aide. ]

http://www.hcbs.org/ which I will review later.

Jan. 18, 2010

I’m blogging about this because: 1) I want to share those phone numbers and URLs; 2) I think writers make for great advocates (writing down our observations; reporting the observations); and 3) I need to remind myself to be true to myself and honor the powerful voice of the written word.

On Saturday, 40 writers at California Writers Club-SF Peninsula Branch heard how VP Linda Okerlund introduced me.

“Teresa LeYung Ryan wears 3 hats . . . [the third hat] She is a community spirit who uses her first book Love Made of Heart to inspire adult-children of mentally-ill parents to speak openly and unabashedly about the stigmas their parents suffer.”

To speak openly about illness and stigmas and continue being aware–these are my duties.

Today after I made the calls, I was rewarded by wonderful comments on my blog post from the writers at Saturday’s “Major League Tryouts for Building Your Name.”
I thought about my mom (who’s my biggest angel); I remember how she needed someone to speak up on her behalf.

I’d like to think that Mom is watching over me, inspiring me to use words to help people. Writers need help too. A dear writer-friend said to me today: “How do we find time to blog and build our names when we’re writing books?” My respond was: “Our books deserved to be read by people. But, how would people read our books if they don’t know that our books exist?”

To all writers who want others to buy your work, read your work, talk about your work, I encourage you to tell yourself this everyday: “My work deserves to be read by many. My work deserves to be promoted; I’m the best person for the job.”

Sincerely,
Coach Teresa
Teresa LeYung Ryan

Build Your Name, Beat the Game: Be Happily Published $22 plus postage.