Saturday, December 20, 2008

We Break the Night…

So, because of my position at work, I will be working 11pm-8am until Christmas Eve.

Oh God.

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Friday, September 19, 2008

Hometown Glory


I`ve been walking in the same way as I did
Missing out the cracks in the pavement
And tutting my heel and strutting my feet
"Is there anything I can do for you dear? Is there anyone I can call?"
"No and thank you, please Madam. I ain`t lost, just wandering"


Round my hometown
Memories are fresh
Round my hometown
Ooh the people I`ve met
Are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of my world
Are the wonders of this world
Are the wonders of my world


I like it in the city when the air is so thick and opaque
I love to see everybody in short skirts, shorts and shades
I like it in the city when two worlds collide
You get the people and the government
Everybody taking different sides


Shows that we ain`t gonna stand shit
Shows that we are united
Shows that we ain`t gonna take it
Shows that we ain`t gonna stand shit
Shows that we are united


Round my hometown
Memories are fresh
Round my hometown
Ooh the people I`ve met


Are the wonders of my world (4x)

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Sunday, January 06, 2008

A New Year's meme

Thanks to Cooper at Cooper's Corridor for this meme. I have been waiting for a while to do this, and now with a little quiet and red wine, I present:

Were you named after somebody?
Yes. I was actually named after my father's father. Dan Wesley Meredith.

When was the last time you cried?
Today. at approximately 3:45 pm when Marcus called me to let me know that Baby Lane and Jen were all okay. Tears of relief and joy. Also tears of joy to learn that Baby Lane was a BOY!

Do you like your handwriting?
I like my handwriting. Others love it. When I am writing really fast and carelessly, that is when I get the most compliments. I wish that I had that wonderful print that architects have on blueprints.

What is your favourite lunch meat?
Ham on wheat with whole grain dijon mustard. And maybe a little swiss cheese thrown in for good measure.

Do you have kids?
No. I live vicariously through my friends.

If you were another person, would you be friends with you?
I would probably think that I was too absentminded. And as infrequently as I telephone my friends...I would have cussed me out long ago....

Do you still have your tonsils?
Yes. They are in there somewhere. I guess.

Would you bungee jump?
Yes. I would probably love it. I am not scared of heights, but when I look down, it does make the back of my legs feel funny.

What is your favourite cereal?
I don't really eat cereal. But I sometimes like Oatmeal Raisin Crisp. It looks like Puppy Chow. I also eat something Honey and Oat-ey when Justen gets it. Maybe it is the one with clusters...

Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Rarely.

Do you think you are strong?
Emotionally I feel weak. Physically I feel strong. All though I "feel" emotionally weak, I have been through more than any one person should ever go through, and come out okay. So sometimes I feel like I am the strongest person that I know. But in a very sensitive way. Does that make sense?

What is your favourite ice cream?
Mint chocolate chip. Also I once had a gelato that tasted like a cannoli and it was amazing.

What is the first thing you notice about people?
Their eyes, and whether they make eye contact when they talk to you. I second that answer, Cooper.

Red or pink?
Red. Red is the color of passion. Fire. The South.

What is the least favourite physical thing about yourself?
I am about 6'2". but my legs are only about 28" long. Isn't that weird?

Who do you miss the most?
Granny J. She passed away in May, and I still can't talk about it.

What colour pants and shoes are you wearing?
I am not wearing pants or shoes. I am inside. Who wears shoes in their house? I am wearing the robe that Justen gave me.

What was the last thing you ate?
McDonalds. Cheeseburger and Fries. God, I am embarrassed.

What are you listening to right now?
I am listening to the silence of the apartment at 2 am. Even though I live in NYC, this neighborhood: Astoria, is so quiet sometimes that it is scary.

Favourite smells?
Coffee. Sandalwood. Lavender. Ylang Ylang. Sage. The smell of skin.

Favourite sport to watch?
Gymnastics, Diving, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, and Alabama Football.

Hair colour?
Light brown. Someone told me today that my hair was "ash blonde". I asked if they were high.

Eye colour?
Blue. But more on the grey side of blue. Most times. Sometimes I can be a little Greenish. I have always wanted brown eyes.

Favourite Food?
Fresh Tomatoes. Sweet Potatoes. and Bacon.

What colour shirt are you wearing?
I’m not. (me either, Cooper. See above)

Winter or summer?
Winter. I feel like I am an energyless melting puddle in summer unless I am in or near water. I am one of those weird creatures who actually loves snow and cold. Snow-shrouded forest and silvery moonlit mountains …the crackling of a wood fire …the utter peace and purity and loveliness of winter. (this answer was Cooper's. It was so beautiful I left it) I love Winter too!!! Everyone looks so much cuter with a little bit of "winter" on them. I wish I had a place to have a fire. One day.......

Favourite dessert?
I love red velvet cake. pound cake. chocolate. pumpkin cheesecake....all of these things I can make home made. mmmmmm. Also, my sweet potato casserole is pretty much dessert too.

Hugs or kisses?
Kisses are where it is at. I love boyfriend kisses and puppy kisses too. Also, I love when people greet each other with cheek kisses. I love kisses!

What book are you reading now?
Sadly, my attention span does not allow me to read books. I did re-read my friend Scott Heim's Mysterious Skin. wow.

What is on your mouse pad?
I haven't a mouse pad.

What did you watch on TV last night?
Project Runway. (It was on the TiVo)

Favourite Sound?
Laughter. Quiet. I love it when it is so quiet that it is deafening. I also love to hear water. I am a Pisces. So there is always water in my life somewhere. I also love to hear the flicker of a candle. The most comforting sounds I hear daily are the breath of Naomi and Justen when they are sleeping. (Naomi is our dog)

Do you have a special talent?
Yes. A select few know what said talent is.

Where were you born?
Montgomery, Alabama.

If you for any reason want to also do this meme, comment and let me know!!
Happy New Year!
Daniel

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Friday, November 30, 2007

WORLD AIDS DAY


There are an estimated 38 million people in the world today living with AIDS. We have stood by and watched this monster become one of the largest epidemics of our generation. I challenge everyone to wear a red ribbon tomorrow. Make a donation to an AIDS charity. Work at a soup kitchen....do something. If you do not have time to physically do something, take a moment and reflect quietly on the over 25 million dead and 38 million infected.

I will be at work tomorrow, on World AIDS day. As a makeup artist for MAC, I am proud to be working tomorrow. I will be speaking to every one of my customers about the AIDS virus and what they can do to help. At MAC, every day is World AIDS Day. The MAC AIDS Fund was created to give back to the community every single day in a major way. MAC has raised over 100 million dollars. This money is given to groups to support men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS. Every day of the year, MAC sells VIVA GLAM lipsticks and lipglasses. 100% of the retail price paid for this item goes to the MAC AIDS fund. Ever wonder what ONE LIPSTICK can buy? Think on this:

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will provide health insurance for a child orphaned by AIDS in China for NINE MONTHS.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will provide food for an entire support group meeting.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam will buy 1000 condoms in India.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick can fund fourteen Aids test in Hayti

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will buy two weeks of groceries for an HIV positive person in the US.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will buy one month of food, shelter, medical aid and schooling to a child orphaned by AIDS in Africa.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will buy one dose of anti-retroviral drugs to four mothers and their babies to reduce the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission from mother to child in Africa.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will buy five days of housing for a family of three in the USA.

One $14 tube of Viva Glam lipstick will buy four HIV tests enabling people to learn their status.

Ever thought you couldn't make a difference. Now you can.

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Thursday, November 01, 2007

John Allan's

Here is a story I wrote a while back for a magazine. It never ran, so I thought I would share it with you people. It is about John Allan's, a salon here in the city.
____

When you walk in to the door of any John Allan’s Club, you are immediately greeted, seated, and fitted with a black “smoking jacket” type garment with John Allan’s logo on the breast. Looking around the room you see a dozen or so overstuffed brown leather tuck-and-roll chairs filled with well-dressed gentlemen socializing, sipping beer, listening to the cool jazz constantly streaming from the sound system, or waiting for their turn at the classic-style red velvet pool table in the corner. A few men are seated at the bar, sipping from their private liquor reserves (which are stored on the premises with your name on them for your personal use only); and others are tucked away in the cigar room smoking and watching sports or news on television. You could be at any high class gentlemen’s club in the city. The only difference is that John Allan’s is not a private club; it is one of New York City’s most famous men’s salons.

In the good-ole days, a men’s salon was called a “barber shop”. You wait your turn in a Barbisol-soaked environment to have the barber give you a shave and a haircut and fill you in on the town’s business. That’s a little too Mayberry for New York City, but John Allan’s does fulfill that primal male need for comfort, socialization, class and grooming with four locations in Manhattan.

Most men interested in “grooming” would have to swallow their pride and go to a salon which specializes in women’s needs: hair color, acrylic nails, bikini waxing, and celebrity gossip magazines. John Allan’s is an oasis of testosterone for the male who needs a little extra care. The most popular package, the “Full Service” is a reasonable $65 and includes a scalp massage with shampoo, a heated towel for the face, a manicure, a haircut, a shoe-shine, and all the draft beer you care to drink. Adorning the magazine racks are copies of Forbes, BusinessWeek, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, and Golf Magazine. The clientele are a mixture of young professionals and older gentlemen.

My stylist, Danny, is from Alaska and we spent the entire session debating who had suffered more culture shock upon his arrival to New York City. A Southern boy, I saw his frozen tundra and raised him a Boll Weevil Monument. During our rather heated and animated discussion, I eventually noticed something extraordinary: Danny was cutting my hair with a straight razor. I immediately commented on the fact, and he assured me that my ears were not in danger. I resisted the urge to tell the lovely woman performing my manicure not to push my cuticles so hard. I winced, bore the pain, and tried not to move at all. Danny eventually loosened me up again (read: brought me another beer), and we were off again discussing our childhood—the fear of losing an ear had left me.

After finishing the haircut I was treated to a shoe shine that rivaled Granddaddy’s. I was then free to socialize, drink, play pool, smoke a cigar, or merely hang out and read magazines. After buying a few products, I went to the register to pay and was able to tip individually my stylists in small envelopes. My coat and bag were returned to me and I exited John Allan’s back into the hustle and bustle of Park Avenue feeling a more nostalgic than I had an hour earlier. I had just experienced something I thought only existed in stories my grandfather told me and old black and white movies. I was given an opportunity to visit an era I thought long gone: one where men had a place to go to just be men.

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Saturday, August 25, 2007

A Survey

MY STORY.

Hi, my name is: Daniel Noland Meredith

but you can call me: Daniel

Never in my life have I: Done something that I regret.

The one person who can drive me nuts is: our current president.

My high school is/was: Lighthouse Christian Academy

When I’m nervous: My tummy hurts.

The last song I listened to was: According to my ITunes--"Easy Silence" by the Dixie Chicks. Such a great song.

If I were to get married right now it would be to: Unfortunately, this administration does not recognize my love.

My hair is: still in bed head mode.

When I was 4: I thought that my Granny J was the best thing in the world. I still do.

Last Christmas: Justen and I spent the holiday alone together here in the apartment with Naomi. It was the closest thing to perfect I have ever experienced.

I should be: eating.

When I look down I see: crotch.

The happiest recent event was: me and Justen holding Naomi and singing happy birthday to her.

If I were a character on ‘Friends’ i'd be: canceled, but still in syndication.

By this time next year: I'll probably still be sitting here doing this. Hopefully I will be a union actor then.

My current gripe is: i hate it when it is hot.

I have a hard time understanding: cellphones and fax machines. It weirds me out that there are conversations flying around all the time.

If I won an award, the first person I would tell would be: Justen.

I want to buy: a new mattress.

I plan to visit next: the New York Library for the Performing Arts

If you spent the night at my house: I would have to pull out the air mattress. And you would have to share it with Naomi.

The world could do without: Conservatives.

Most recent thing I’ve bought myself: A mattress topper.

Most recent thing someone else bought me: food.

My middle name is: Noland. It is my grandmother's maiden name.

In the morning I: hate waking up.

Last night I was: working.

There’s this guy I know who: is a movie star.

If I was an animal I’d be a: dog. But I would want to be a dog in my home. Not just anywhere. Otherwise, I would be a manatee.

A better name for me would be: I think that Daniel does just fine.

Tomorrow I am: working. again.

Tonight I am: working.

My birthday is: March 16. Pisces.

THANKS JEN NELSON LANE FOR THE SURVEY!!!

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Wednesday, August 22, 2007

How Come ....

...when I get into the audition room, the piano is out of tune, the accompanist is playing like she is in a room the size of the Met rather than the shoe box we are actually in, and I accidentally grabbed the resumes that have one of my roles misspelled?

All I am trying to do is get a leg up. Sometimes it feels like someone else has a bigger leg up, and it is hiked up and peeing on me. Just thoughts on the audition that I blew yesterday.....

First of all, I have been wanting to audition for this company for a while. I'm not going to say what it is, because it would embarrass me. The company is Equity, so yesterday I went in expecting to wait. I got there right on time, and no one else did. I asked if they would see non-AEA, they said sure--and just to hang out for a bit. Thirty seconds later, they came back and said that they were ready for me.

The piano sounded like one of those symphonies that I used to beat out on Granny J's pots and pans. I asked her to give me a B before I started. She did, and I looked at her and said, "Really?" I thought maybe I was just anxious, and that the B really was that low. As soon as she started playing I realized that the piano was all over the place. I transposed on the fly dropping down 2 keys to more closely follow what I was hearing. Now my up-tempo song to show off my range sounded like something I could sing after a pack of cigarettes.

They asked me to sing another up tempo. I looked in my bag, and all I had were 2 ballads. One was from an operetta. The other up-tempo must still be in the printer. UGGGG. So, I sang. Then read the side. Secretly inside I was wishing they would just say "Thanks" and put me out of this misery. Could they possibly be considering me? Or are they just torturing me because the rain has kept everyone else away. There they were enjoying their coffee and doughnuts. There I was melting. All scored by "Accompanist's Pots and Pans in the relative key of E flat". They asked me about a credit on my resume. Then asked me why I misspelled the name of the role. I explained that I had grabbed the resumes from the junk pile. You know---the pile that you are supposed to glue new resumes over what is there....

When I got back home, I climbed in the bed, and told Justen that we should just pretend that I never got up this morning.

Welcome to a Day In The Life of Daniel Meredith. You think you know, but you have no idea.

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Thursday, August 16, 2007

Too Old


I got typed out of audition today for being too old.
Don't know how I feel about that. Typing makes me so crazy sometimes. With all that training on how to appear old, young, etc...why can't they let me at least try to wow them with my talent?

That is why I feel like this man today.

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I can't




Yes. That was Clay Aiken singing "SexyBack"
I have no words. Remember, he still insists that he is heterosexual.

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Monday, August 13, 2007

Secrets

This is a new video from one of my favorite blogs/sites ever....PostSecret

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Monday, August 06, 2007

Zombie Scare

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Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Only in New York


She told Jen and Marcus that you could only get these in Florida.

I found some at the CVS on Broadway on Astoria.

So I ate them.

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Saturday, June 23, 2007

Dance it Out

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Sunday, May 27, 2007

Thrown Back In

Fingers shaking, insides vibrating
I boarded the plane.

Back to the city.

"Just water, please"
"I mean Ginger Ale"
"No, just water."
Tears in my eyes.

"Are you okay?" 11-B said.
"Yes, It's just hard"
"To fly?"

Then I told her.

Then
she
hugged
me

"I have grand children too"

And I realized that the hardest part of flying
is leaving the ground.

And that the hardest part of leaving

Is Being Left Behind.

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Friday, May 25, 2007

In Memory

I have been reclusive for the past few weeks, and I thought that it was about time that I spoke about what is going on in my life. Anyone who knows me well, knows that my family is a huge part of my life, and certain members of said family have played a strong part in making me who I am today. One of those family members is my maternal grandmother, Granny J.

I have got hundreds of stories about Granny J, from saving my life many times (literally) to falling asleep in fried rice. Granny and I had a very special relationship. Born a little less than 70 years ago, Granny J was a true Southern Woman. She brought herself up from nothing (literally--she lived in a boxcar for a while) to become a force to be reckoned with.

On May 1, Granny thought that she was developing pneumonia, so she went into the hospital. While there, the doctors thought that she may have had a heart attack. Later she went on to have a heart cath and repair of an aortic aneurysm. All the time I was here in NYC waiting to be able to speak to her after she got out of the intensive care unit. Finally, I was able to speak to her.

On the morning of May 11th, I received a phone call that Granny J had a major stroke while in the unit, and it had affected her left side. I was told to come on home. (I had just spoken to Granny on Thursday, and she couldnt wait to get home--She was sitting up, eating, and getting ready to go to rehab from her surgery). Apparently Friday evening she threw a huge clot.

When I got home Saturday afternoon, it didnt look good. She was unable to speak, swallow, move or do anything. She was responsive, but uncomfortable. Being a trauma nurse for her life, Granny had wishes that she receive no artificial nutrition or any life support whatsoever. Basically, for the next week, the only thing she had in her body was morphine. Hospice came in to help prepare the family for the upcoming death, and they were great. I had dealt with them when my other grandmother passed, and knew how wonderful they are.

From May 11th until May 30th, I kept a silent vigil beside Granny's hospital bed. Holding her hand and watching her die. I vascillated between anger and utter peace. There is something very beautiful about letting someone leaving this world with the dignity that they displayed while in this world.

Eventually, Granny J passed away. We told her that we would "see her in the mornin'" and to "go rest high on that mountain"...things we have always said.

Granny J was a very proud and private woman. Her wishes were that she would have no viewing, and no funeral. She said "if people didn't come see me when I was alive, I sure as hell don't want them looking at me when I am dead". With a reluctant chuckle, we all agreed that we would keep those wishes. At some point in the near future, Granny J and Granddaddy J's cremains will be scattered into the Gulf of Mexico off of Gulf Shores--their oasis.

I still have great difficulty speaking about this out loud. I have great difficulty socializing. I rarely answer my phone, and reluctantly return emails. Please understand.

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Saturday, May 12, 2007

Today

Has been bad. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers. More to come.

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Saturday, May 05, 2007

Daniel on TELEVISION

If you tune into HGTV tomorrow at 3:30 Eastern, you will see Justen and I on FREE STYLE.

It also will be re-airing on the 14th.

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Wednesday, May 02, 2007

My First Flame

As a blogger, I pretty much know that no matter what I say or post on here, I have agreed that it be available to everyone in the world. As you also may not know, my most read blog on here is one I posted a while back called Diarrhea Donut Shop. This post (which you may also visit too) is the one that brings most of my visitors. For whatever reason, people search for "diarrhea" or "watery bowels" and my blog comes up. Anyways, regarding a photo I have posted there I received my first flame. The language is quite bad, so I will post it after the jump...


Anonymous said...

you ass hole, stupid, how dare you put that picture of an epidemic child to illustrate such vanal and careless comentary. who the hell do you think you are? i wish you die from a diarrea, like a lot of people in the world who dont leisurely walk!!


I have a few things to say to this. FIRST, I wish that people that comment or judge me please use capital letters to begin their sentences. Secondly, I think that the last sentence is a death threat. Thirdly, if you are ballsy enough to call me an "ass hole" please also be "vanal" enough to leave your name or email address. What the hell does "vanal" mean?

Now, I pose to you, my other two readers...should I leave this comment up, or delete it?

UPDATE: "vanal" is indeed not a word. Also, judging from the commenter's spelling of diarrhea (diarrhea), this person speaks Spanish. (This is the Spanish word for watery bowels.) Please see other translations HERE. (I, too, have misspelled the word.) The correct English Spelling of the word is....Diarrhea. The British spell it diarrhoea. Please see article here.


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Friday, April 20, 2007

Fainting Goat

My mom had a fainting goat. She used to try so hard to get it to faint, and it never did. I think she got a dud.

She said that they used to bang pots and pans together in front of the goat. nothing. Wonder what that goat thought? Probably, "Why the hell is this crazy ass woman banging pots and pans in my face and hollering?"

Just a thought. Oh, click the hyperlink. There's an International Fainting Goat Association.

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Thursday, April 05, 2007

Do you know Dolphins?

I think I am going to start regularly exploring different animals on the blog. Here is the first: The Dolphin.

I am extremely passionate about animal welfare. I have supported animal rights for years. There is a part of me who really wants to be a marine biologist and conservationist who spends his days saving sea turtles and manatees and other creatures. Perhaps one of the most beautiful and interesting of all the sea creatures is the dolphin.

Despite popular belief, the dolphin and the porpoise are different animals. There are almost forty different species of dolphin. They range in size from 4 feet (Maui Dolphin) to 30 feet (the Orca). The dolphin lives in every sea in the world, but they prefer the shallower waters of the Continental Shelves. Dolphins are carnivores: their diet consists mostly of squid and fish. Dolphins evolved about ten million years ago, during the Miocene.

ANATOMY

Modern dolphin skeletons have two small, rod-shaped pelvic bones thought to be vestigial hind legs.

Dolphins have a streamlined fusiform body, adapted for fast swimming. The basic colouration patterns are shades of grey with a light underside and a distinct dark cape on the back. It is often combined with lines and patches of different hue and contrast.

The head contains the melon, a round organ used for echolocation. In many species, the jaws are elongated, forming a distinct beak; for some species like the Bottlenose, there is a curved mouth which looks like a fixed smile. Teeth can be very numerous (up to two hundred and fifty) in several species. The dolphin brain is large and has a highly structured cortex, which often is referred to in discussions about their advanced intelligence.

Unlike most mammals, dolphins do not have hair, but they are born with a few hairs around the tip of their rostrum which they lose after some time, in some cases even before they are born. The only exception to this is the Boto river dolphin, which does have some small hairs on the rostrum.

SENSES
Most dolphins have acute eyesight, both in and out of the water, and their sense of hearing is superior to that of humans. However, dolphins lack an olfactory nerve and lobes and thus are believed to have no sense of smell, but they can taste and do show preferences for certain kinds of fish.

INTELLIGENCE & SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR
Dolphins are social, living in pods (also called "schools") of up to a dozen individuals. The individuals communicate using a variety of clicks, whistles and other vocalizations. It is thought that dolphins have their own language. Members of a pod may even have a language that is just their own, as well as a universal language. Dolphins can establish strong bonds between each other. This leads to them staying with injured or ill individuals for support. In May 2005, researchers in Australia discovered a cultural aspect of dolphin behaviour: Some dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) teach their children to use tools. The dolphins break sponges off and cover their snouts with them thus protecting their snouts while foraging. (see photo at right) They are also willing to occasionally approach humans and playfully interact with them in the water. Dolphins have also been known to protect swimmers from sharks by swimming circles around them.

Dolphins often leap above the water surface, sometimes performing acrobatic figures (e.g. the spinner dolphin). Dolphins are used in animal-assisted therapy, particularly for children and adults with Down syndrome and autism.

The year 2007 has been declared as (International) Year of the Dolphin by the United Nations and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

THREAT
Every October, in Japan, dolphins are herded together an massacred for food and also collected to be sold to water parks and zoos. Below, I have a documentary from PBS featuring Hardy Jones, a photographer who went to Japan to do a documentary on dolphins. What he found there shocked him. It will shock you too.

How Can You Help?
Many people are not comfortable with groups like PETA and their guerrila-like tactics and agendas. There is a group called Blue Voice (which was founded by Ted Danson) to help save Dolphins and Whales. Their website is a tome of information on what you can do to help. Every little bit does help. In addition to spreading the word, open your mouth! Blog about this, tell your friends! Never, I repeat NEVER patronize places like Sea World that profit from exploiting these creatures. Volunteer. Pray. Light a Candle. Just do Something. Start by watching this documentary.



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