Looking Back and Forward on Rosh Hashanah 5775

Today is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which begins the Jewish High Holy Days. This is the season when Jews look inside themselves, cleanse themselves spiritually, ask for forgiveness for any screw ups, and prepare for the new year.

I’m extremely grateful for the past year, with mixed feelings. Around the world, there have been problems that seem at times insurmountable, including in Israel and Palestine-to-be.

Nevertheless, I believe that if we keep the vision of peace with justice and take steps every day in its direction, we will achieve it one day. I discount those who say “the window is closing” on our chances for peace with justice. I’ve broken enough windows in my day to know that a closed window is no obstacle and a broken window can be replaced.

Personally, I’ve had an amazing year. I thank everyone here who has been by my side and wish you all, whether you’ve been by my side or not, the best year you’ve ever had.

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“Reveal Digital: SNCC, Highlander and the Civil Rights Movement”: A Special Webinar for Librarians

Librarian friends: I’ve talked about my underground press digital project. That’s only one of the digital collections I’m creating through REVEAL DIGITAL.

Please join us on October 8, 2014 from 1 -2 p.m. eastern time when LYRASIS will host a special webinar, “Reveal Digital: SNCC, Highlander and the Civil Rights Movement.”

Special guest Julian Bond will reflect on his participation in the struggle for civil rights during his time with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC).  REVEAL DIGITAL founder and visionary Jeff Moyer will introduce participants to two other potential civil rights-themed digitization projects that, with your support, will become open access, like the underground press collection: the SNCC Digital Archives and the Highlander Center Digital Archives from their founding in the thirties through the Civil Rights era.

Don’t miss it, and please invite other librarian friends who understand the importance of what these organizations accomplished to participate as well. Registration is here.

To Journalists Writing about Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As you are covering related events and newsworthy stories during that period, please remember the silent victims, namely the primary support persons, and consider contacting me when you are looking for experts to interview.

I went through the breast cancer experience with my wife, Emily, fourteen years ago. (She’s fine now, thank you.) What I discovered in my search for resources to guide me was that there were many—books, articles, websites, brochures in hospital waiting rooms—that could help me to take care of her. But there was nothing about how I could keep sane while I was helping her.

I realized through that experience that, while she was the perceived victim, I was the silent victim, and I needed help on how to keep sane so that I could help her.

That resource didn’t’ exist. So I wrote it. The revised, expanded second edition of Your Partner Has Breast Cancer: 21 Ways to Keep Sane as a Support Person on Your Journey from Victim to Survivor came out as an ebook last year. It has just been released as a print book.

I’m a long-time author, editor, and publisher. I became an expert on keeping sane as a breast cancer support person while making all the mistakes during my own caregiver experience. My main message to caregivers is that you can’t take care of your loved ones if you aren’t taking care of yourself. This message is particularly important for men, who make up the majority of primary support people and yet are socially conditioned to withhold their feelings and not ask for help.

In our interview, we can discuss

• How to participate in your partner’s recovery
• When to give her space while finding your own space
• Finding a spiritual comfort zone to share

and much more.

As Marc Heyison, founder of Men Against Breast Cancer, wrote: “…these ways will have a powerful impact in helping all support people, but especially guys who may be struggling to be loving partners….”

Here is my contact information:

Email: ken@azenphonypress.com

Website: http://azenphonypress.com/books/breastcancer.html

I’m happy to talk to you at your convenience.

Sincerely,

Ken Wachsberger