Cleopatra & Cairo- The Berry-Brennan Family Cats "Peace & Joy on Earth"  Based on the local Christmas Eve street traffic jams and   full parking lots, there are many people who are tossing away the winter blues and getting ready to herald Christmas Day, Kwanzaa, and the coming new year.  For me, it is a time for reflection and being thankful; a time to embrace the riches in my life and what is really important.  A time to take a break from negative moments and those day to day hassles of life that tend to weigh us down.  I know the key is to maintain this type of holiday spirit on a daily basis and not just for a few days each year.  I also know that is easier said than done.  But, we can try.   Lisa and I, and our children, wish each of you a Holiday Season that is wrapped in joy, love, festivities, and contentment.  May happiness fill your heart and home, and ...

Maybe I did not mention that besides being the publisher of Olive Trees , Ron Van Nostrand is a poet, musician, and editor.  A few minutes ago, I sent him the Memorandum of Understanding that seeks to create a viable working partnership between his print publication and our online initiative.  At our meeting last week, we agreed in principle on the tenets in the MOU.  Lisa and I will be in Rochester the evening of January 7 for a reception for the artists and curators involved in the current exhibition at the Baobab Cultural Center located at 728 University Avenue.  Titled "NeoAfrican Expressions - a photographic exhibition of the African Diaspora in Everyday Life", one of the co-curators is Rockland County resident Collette Fournier (close friend and colleague) and other members of the Kamoinge Workshop.  Collette specifically requested that I come ready to talk about aaduna and bring promotional material.  While we have b...

Last Thursday, Lisa and I had a very enjoyable, relaxed, and productive luncheon meeting with the publisher of Olive Trees.   We reached a tentative agreement for the two entities to collaborate and partner.  Basically, aaduna will provide an online presence that will maintain and support the legacy of Olive Trees while aaduna will be able to broaden its outreach to a community of authors and readers via a presence in the ongoing Olive Trees print publication.  I hope to get the Memorandum of Understanding to Ron early this week, and bring it to the BOA at its initial meeting.  I suspect this endeavor is one of those win-win situations.