Stephen's Own Domain 2008

I'm going on a "double take" of My Takes here on the blogs. But before I get into that, let me say welcome to Summer. Let's just hope that this one is much safer and get involved in activities!

My first take is on Walmart. Oh, yes Walmart. On two separate occassions, and on two separate areas, I visted both locations on the Eastside and Midtown. Mostly to do some shopping and or looking up for a merchandise item for adding for the house or personal needs, like DVD's. But here's the thing that got me concerned and offguard: Fighting in the store. At the east side Walmart near Holton and Capitol,  I witnessed last month two men having an altercation in a almost MMA/WWE brawl. One of the men was dragged and slammed to the floor near the entrance way in order to be restrained. And it was carried into the back near the security offices. It also turned out that the person was trying to get away with some merchandise underneath his clothes. When I first saw that, I'm thinking this Walmart needs to have some "improved" security measures for things like this to upbeat for the store. And I mean IMPROVED! Also this other fight occured yesterday at the Midtown Center (formally called Capitol Court). As I was about to leave the store, there was a loud reaction coming from once again, the entrance way. I thought someone might have fallen or collasped, but it wasn't. It was an altercation between a man and woman. The fight spilled from the entrance way to the near side where the bathrooms and checkout counters are located. Mostly it got way out of hand for one of the clerks . I noticed that the woman was restrained by couple of men who was trying to make sure that she didn't lay a finger on him. Plus, she was escorted out of the store. For the man in the altercation, he too was restrained but continued to walk away from the entrance way and into the store. Another thing that lead to the fight was about mostly the man in the picture gave a swipe to the woman. Almost like domestic disturbance. By the time I got to entrance way, and out of the store, the police were on the scene talking to one of the clerks and possibly one of those who were with the woman in the scuffle. I'm saying to myself asking "what is wrong with these folks bring their business in public?" It seems that there can't be no shopping in peace and safety no more. Like the eastside, the security near the doors must be IMPROVED. I know Walmart has security on the outside but they have to need on the inside near the entrance way also.

Second take: What do the Hotcakes Art Gallery and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's MKE have in common? Both are disapointed in the idea of the Fonz Statue. I don't know any of you, but  I liked reading the MKE every Thursday. It's a supplement of the Journal. My favorites are mostly the features, and the "When I was 30" articles. But now, if you don't know, the MKE's last publication will be July 10th. The Hotcakes Gallery (never been there) is closing around the 4th of July. I don't get it. These organizations are just having a fit all because of a statue. Come on. It's just being silly of them cowaring out of the city over the fictional character. Now me, I've said on other blog comments, I don't care about the Fonz Statue. Never have. Never will. Unlike those I've mentioned, I got alot more stuff to worry about, like looking for full time work with an annual secure salary(which is must need for me!) , health benefits, saving gas and more.  Now, hold your breath when I say this, but I'll say it anyway: If it took Visit Milwaukee about $85,000 to raise in order to make the project happen for a statue, I kept thinking over and over again, how would my non-profit organization, my church, for example, could raise $85,000 for a worthy cause? Or how could any Non-Profit company could raise almost that amount to forward a worthy cause turned artwork or whatever? What did they do? How did they carry it out? What were the necessary steps to make this possible? And how could it benefit my company/organization to help those in need? Like getting a new improved transit system for the city without "fear" and "misunderstanding" coming from downtown. Had to put that in there!

It's just like when Bill Maher said about the Krispy Kreme donuts three years ago: "New Rule: It's just a donut!" In this case, "It's just a statue!" Recently, I had a converastion with my Pastor in concering about one of my Men's Day programs I made for my church. He said one on the members was acting picky of a picture of her late husband that I was mentored by. I had a lot of male mentors in the church. What got to me was the fact the church member is someone I knew since I was a baby, and also one of the ones who helped me along the way to manhood. Frankly, in my defense, (I would not say or end with a yes maam comment) I explained to my Pastor that I was trying to be positive about it. And I didn't hurt no one. Not one soul! And I put my name on the booklet to show that one day for example, my baby cousins would grow up and see that their cousin Stephen did something cool! It's individuals like them that once said: "You need to do something constructive or need more discipline". I think I proved myself in those areas thus far. It's just take encouragement. Can I say.......... move on to what's important, here? For Hotcakes and the MKE, I don't hate them, I just feel sorry for them. I feel sorry because, I think they probably never gave the statue a chance. And I can't imagine in the next 20 or more years down the line, someone might come and say: "You quit working at the MKE/Hotcakes because of a statue?" "That is so lame!" "What were you thinking crying over a statue?" Don't be suprised if questions like that are asked!

Yes, this is my "double" take. Right or wrong. Just my thought.