Here's a local connection to Oprah Winfrey that's worth a blog. Not because it's Oprah, but because of the story. Sufiy Davis has been using the movie The Pursuit of Happyness to promote happiness. Actually, the real intention, I think, is to promote hope, possibility and drive in people who are homeless. Sufiy's been taking homeless men and women from Faith Mission operated by Lutheran Social Services in Columbus to the Drexel Theatre. And not just a couple of people, as many as she can afford to take. The Drexel has also helped offset the cost.

Sufiy let The Oprah Winfrey Show folks know what she was up to as a "Pay it Forward Challenge." Being that Oprah's show knows a photo op when they see one, Sufiy was hooked up as a guest. Her TV time on Oprah was on Friday, January 26. From what I heard, the crew went to the movies with Sufiy and the gang . Plus, interviews with residents and Sheila Gaston, the shelter manager were included in the broadcast. Here is the link to The Oprah Winfrey Show broadcast that highlights Sufiy's story with text and pictures.

I like this story for a couple of reasons. It's such a simple concept to take folks to the movies. One person had this idea, followed through with it, and it actually was recognized as being marvelous. There are folks all over Ohio who are making a difference. I can think of a couple of school classrooms for one. It's neat, though, that at least one Ohioan got a trip to see Oprah. To the rest of you out there, keep doing good. You know who you are.

Every day there is something new to write about. The list is long. Here is one item that's been on my list for awhile.

Art for a Child's Safe American Foundation (ArtSafe) located in Columbus is one of those organizations every state needs, particularly if one listens to the nightly local news. The organization's founder, artist Stephen Canneto, was moved more than ten years ago to do something to stem the violence he saw affecting our nation's youth. In his mind, the way to make the world safer is by helping those young people who could make it even more dangerous if they don't get intervention.

ArtSafe uses art, writing and drama to help young people find an alternative voice. Instead of being left to beat the same drum of violence, despair and disenfranchisement, the participants of ArtSafe are given the opportunity to experience life through a different lens-one where anger is put on hold.

Although ArtSafe programs taught by professional artists, writers and theatre folk also happen in other venues besides prisons, it's the prison art programs I've seen at work. I've observed the workshop sessions, celebrated the end of projects and have interviewed some of the youth offenders myself. What I can say is true is it is wonderful to see hope at work and to listen to young men and women say that they feel heard and valued. It's also true that ArtSafe is one of those organizations that ought to make Ohioans feel proud. For more information about ArtSafe, head to the website. What I've given is just a snippet. There are examples of participants' writing and art as well. The link Memorial to Our Lost Children provides insight into the heart of the organization.

Perhaps you too are a native Clevelander, and perhaps you too have frequently driven by the Cleveland Public Power building on Marginal Road, right in between the Shoreway and Lake Erie. If you have, you are guaranteed to have seen it: the Wall of Whales. Or, more colloquially, the whale building.

Well, it wasn't until this very evening (coincidentally enough) that I found out that the whale building was the work of a specific artist, Wyland, who specializes in environmentally conscious, marine life artwork. The Wall of Whales on the side of the Cleveland Public Power building features swimming whales, dolphins and scuba divers in an incredibly blue ocean. He's also done manatees, turtles, fish, rays, people (in the water) and lots of different kinds of whales.

Now, we could be cynical, and point out that there is just no way that you're going to get whales in Lake Erie (sigh), but what I find more odd is why Wyland paints whales! And other maritime fishes and mammals, of course. Well, for starters, it's Whale Wall #75 - Wyland is currently painting his 95th mural of whales. These murals are for one major purpose: to raise environmental awareness about the undersea world, through the work of the Wyland Foundation. (In fact, the 95th mural is in Key Largo, Florida, and will be dedicated on Feb. 12.) All of Wyland's murals are painted in life-size dimensions, and in a wide range of sizes and locations. Power generating stations, museums, boats, department stores and piers - nothing is too weird to show us what's under the sea. I think this is beautiful, and I'm proud that Cleveland and Ohio are part of a larger, environmentally loving tradition.

Seriously, I have made tonight's viewing of Miss America into an event! I made dip (so that way even if the girls on tv can't eat something good, I can), I am wearing comfortable pants with a brand-new top (so I look good too), and I have prepared to be entertained inadvertently.

Honestly, I am all for these girls, because, let's face it, I don't have the energy to have a talent and perform it! On stage, live and in person, in front of judges! My only talent is baking, and that's not really a talent - I can read a recipe and buy groceries, and somehow put the two together. But I certainly can't do it onstage!

Plus, I can't do anything with Mario Lopez staring at me.

But come on! Miss Ohio is on, and she's looking pretty! (She's a Cleveland girl, buddy. We can win stuff.)

FINAL RECAP: Well, Miss Ohio didn't even place! I am wildly disappointed. And there wasn't even a Midwestern representation after Miss Pennsylvania got booted out. Miss Georgia won the night, I am sorry to say - her interview answer was terrible, and I think the judges should be slapped for it.

While there are several changes that came about with the governor shift in Ohio, one thing hasn't. The Heritage Garden that was Hope Taft's brainchild still remains. Before the Tafts moved into the governor's residence, the garden was the traditional English version. Mrs. Taft envisioned a place that reflected the diversity of Ohio's native plant life found in its five physiographic regions from Lake Erie to the Appalachians to the what once once a whole lot of prairie in between.

Hope Taft took four years to get this garden in place and the Stricklands aren't changing it. I don't think they can. If it hasn't already happened, Ohio's government is protecting the garden by law so some other governor years down the road, or his wife, or her husband, can't say, "Gee, wouldn't an English garden be nice?" Or if they do say it, they're just going to have to enjoy the yellow lady slipper orchids, the white and red trilliums, the purple coneflowers, and whatever else is native to Ohio.

Because the Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden are part of our heritage, we get to see it. You don't need any proof that you are an Ohioan either. Someone from, say, Kentucky can go. What you do need to do is call ahead for a tour reservation. Tours are on Tuesdays. If you can't make it to the garden in person, the website has an interactive map where you can click on each area to see what it planted there.

Here is the actual cartoon of James Thurber's story, Unicorn in the Garden. This was released by Columbia Pictures UPA in 1953. Humorist James Thurber, a Columbus native, who also gained fame as a writer and cartoonist for The New Yorker in the 1920s and 1930s, still influences Ohio's literary scene. His boyhood home, The Thurber House, is now a writing establishment that sponsors author series talks, workshops, a writer-in-residence program and a contest that is dear to my heart, The Thurber Treat Humor Writing contest. I was one of last year's winners.

When my friend Charlene Fix, poet and author of Flowering Bruno, a book I have blogged about in the past, told me about a certain poet in her writing group, my interest was piqued. Jacquelin Smith communicates with animals. She's been doing it for years.

The communication is not the Dr. Doolittle variety, but a matter of honing into the things animals tell her through telepathy. Jacquelin's had tremendous success and gets referrals from people who also are tuned into animals. She has helped people locate missing animals, for example, and has helped people figure out what's up with the animals they live with. Often, it's not the animal at fault but the people. Some animal types and people types are not the best fit. A person who loves sitting on the couch doesn't need to a dog who needs a good run for exercise. A good deal of Jacquelin's work involves helping people deal with deciding when to put an animal to sleep and the feelings of grief this brings up.

For those interested in being more in tune with animals, Jacquelin's book, Animal Communication: Our Sacred Connection is part how-to and part anecdotal. Those who want to figure out just what's up with the dog who won't stop chewing, or the cat who won't use a liter box, or the household animals that just won't get along with each other, can contact Jacquelin for help. Besides information about work, her book and her workshops, Jacquelin's website has testimonials from people, some who I have talked with myself.

Ohio's new governor, Ted Strickland, gave Mahoning Valley residents cause to hope for their future again during his inauguration speech. Gov. Strickland spoke about the various causes he will be pursuing in Ohio during his first term, including our ramshackle education system as one of his priorities. He also made several points about the Ohio legislature and how it must begin, like the federal government, to work together, promoting bipartisan projects, reminding citizens that we are all Americans, and in this case that we are all Ohioans, and not to allow divisions between Republican and Democratic parties to allow our country, and in Strickland's case our state, to suffer due to petty power struggles.

Mahoning Valley residents were reportedly happy with Strickland's inauguration address. Many were quoted in the newspapers and on television, saying they believe in Strickland's honesty, and feel he will aid this notoriously economically depressed area of Ohio in creating a future again. A large number of Mahoning Valley politicians appeared with Strickland at his inauguration, including: Attorney General Marc Dann of Liberty, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, and U.S. Representative Tim Ryan. Strickland made use of quotes by Republican leaders of the nation like George W. Bush on education, and Ronald Reagan on the status quo.

While I am much in sympathy with my fellow residents of the Mahoning Valley, I'll be waiting to see what Mr. Strickland proves himself capable of. I'm a supporter of bipartisan measures myself, but I fail to see how quoting George W. Bush on education and Ronald Reagan on the status quo is "striking the right political tone," as Representative Ryan was quoted saying in the Youngstown Vindicator. Both Bush and Reagan had and have their positive qualities as leaders of the nation, but President Bush's education policies have proved to be some of the worst created in the history of the United States, and former President Reagan is rarely remembered as a model for progressive politicians who do not settle for upholding the status quo. I still have hope that Governor Strickland will come through for the Mahoning Valley, but will wait a bit longer to see what he is actually able to accomplish in his first few months before committing myself to a Strickland believer.

A lot of people are counting on you, Governor Strickland. Good luck, and fight hard!

Paul Laurence Dunbar, born to ex-slaves in 1872 in Dayton, Ohio was a contemporary of Orville Wright and a prolific poet who was the first African American poet to reach national recognition. Here is a wonderful video essay of Dunbar's poem, "The Old Apple Tree." The narrator has a lovely deep voice and takes the view on a walk through the woods and countryside while reciting the poem. This is an edited video--the kind you want to share with people.

This is astonishingly good timing! I was already excited to find out that one of my favorite authors, Chris Moore, was born in Toledo, and I spent a long time trying to figure out how to talk about him, but he hadn't released a book recently. (Not only was he born in Toledo, but he grew up in Mansfield, and went to OSU!) And then I was at Costco (I can't help it, I love Costco), and I saw Chris Moore's brand new book, You Suck: A Love Story. And I said to myself, "Yes! Finally! I can talk about him!"

I have actually met Chris Moore, and he is a hilarious individual. When he came out with Fluke around two years ago, I worked at his reading, and he actually took a picture of my ankle (which was in a big ugly brace, for various reasons). He was so funny, and so sarcastic, and he had a lot of great things to say about being an author. Namely, he talked about how he went about writing a book, which was to think of a profession that he'd really like to have, and then he researched it until he learned enough about it to think of something that would make it weird.

Moore also likes to discuss the supernatural in the context of the very natural, which is where You Suck comes in. C. Thomas Flood and his girlfriend Jody are vampires trying to live in San Francisco. Because if you were going to have vampires somewhere where they wouldn't really be noticed, wouldn't it be San Francisco? The vampires have to battle an older, more evil vampire for control of the city, while interacting with decent but tired cops, goth and punk kids hitting the club scene, a blue hooker, and Thomas' ex-co-workers, the night crew at the local Safeway grocery store, also known as the Animals.

I freaking love Moore's book, and this one was no different. Really funny and witty, with lots of fast-paced action. You Suck is actually a sequel to one of Moore's earlier books, Bloodsucking Fiends. But you know what, you could easily read You Suck without having read Bloodsucking Fiends, so don't worry. It helps to have a little bit of the context from Bloodsucking Fiends, but because Moore takes the vampires into the weird world of goth high school students, you don't really need to worry about it, because goth kids are weird enough to take up a lot of time.

Get on this, Blogging Ohio. It's good, it's funny, and I got it quite cheaply at Costco! In fact the only thing not good about You Suck is that Moore will not be hitting Ohio on the book tour. But I like Moore anyway, and you will too!

• Day 1- 18 miles
• Fairhaven to woods near Gratis (Preble Co.)
• Day 2- 28 miles
• Near Colonial Vineyards, Ridgeville
• Day 3- 27 miles
• Ridgeville to King's Mill
• (Cross Little Miami River, think of Buckleberry Ferry)
• Day 4- 25 miles
• King's Mill to Marathon
• Day 5- Rest day
• Day 6- 17 miles
• Marathon to Bethel

• Day 7- 20 miles
• Bethel to Georgetown
• Day 8- 12 miles
• Georgetown to Decatur
• Day 9- 16 miles
• Decatur to Panhandle
• Day 10- 16 miles
• Panhandle to Cedar Mills
• Day 11- 15 miles
• Cedar Mills to Otway
• Day 12- 17 miles
• Cedar Mills to Idaho
• Day 13- 18 miles
• Idaho to Scioto Trail State Park
• Day 14- 12 miles
• Scioto Trail State Park to Hopewell Culture National Historical Park (the mounds stand in for Weathertop)
• Day 15- 19 miles
• Hopewell Culture NHP to Tar Hollow State Park
• Day 16- 19 miles
• Tar Hollow to Ash Cave, Hocking Hills State Park
• Day 17- 19 miles
• Hocking Hills to Carbondale
• Day 18- 19 miles
• Carbondale to Athens
• Day 19- 19 miles
• Athens to Burr Oak State Park
• Day 20- 19 miles
• Burr Oak to Eagleport
• Day 21- 7 miles
• Eagleport to Ruralsdale
• (Muskingum River stands in for the Loudwater)
• Day 22- 6 miles
• Ruralsdale to The Wilds Wildlife Center (Muskingum Co.)
• Day 23- 6 miles
• The Wilds to Cumberland
• Day 24- 6 miles
• Cumberland to Claysville
• Day 25- 34 miles
• Claysville to Newcomerstown
• Day 26- 20 miles
• Newcomerstown to Sugarcreek
• Day 27- 18 miles
• Sugarcreek to Zoar
• (Boliver on the Tuscarawas River stands in for the site of Nazgul attack at ford. Ohio Historical Society's Zoar Village stands in for Rivendell).

This is one of those posts that can go either way. It could be about The Arts Castle in Delaware, or it could be about Suanne M. Goings, the artist whose work I went to see. If it's about Suanne, I would say Suanne is one of those artists whose work exudes soul, and at the same time incorporates fun--even when there is great loss in the background story. Suanne's beloved daughter, Brandi died in a car crash four years ago, almost to this day. At first, with grief overwhelming her, Suanne couldn't so much as read a book. Art came to the rescue.

The wonderful thing about Suanne and her work is that it celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit through whimsical altars festooned with objects of significance, such as the alter where she included things that Brandi and she had given each other. The result evoked a feeling of peace through the use of shades of blue. Then there was the word search made out of wooden blocks--the kind with alphabet letters on some of the sides and pictures on the other. The wooden blocks spelled out words like "alchemy ." A handout was available so you could take the word search home. That's just like Suanne Goings. Her artistic expression is about using art to give inspiration to others. When she's not making her own art, she facilitates the artwork of others through the classes and workshops she teaches through organizations like Art for a Child's Safe America Foundation (ArtSafe), the Columbus Museum of Art, and other community programs. One of her specialties is mural projects where she helps enable other people's ideas to take shape based on interpersonal concepts she envisions. But then she lets go as others step in. Here is an artist statement of sorts.

Now, if I was to write about The Arts Castle, I would say that its purpose is to nurture the arts in Delaware County through exhibits, workshops and classes. The gift shop alone is worth a trip--also the building. Once an elegant private residence, it is a lovely tribute to the concept of transforming one family's home into a home for artists and their work.