TRAGEDY

I live in a small town outside Ft. Smith Ar. My wife and moved here last August. We arrived here with only $50 in our pocket and a hope for a fresh start. After meeting with the director of the chamber of commerce, we had our lights and water connected, and were on our way to becoming "locals". Even though this town is small, and the news paper puts out only one paper per week, there are stories here that are over 100 years old. Up on the hill is the tuberculosis sanitarium that once received people from all over the country for the treatment of T.B. My wife works for the boys and girls club where she molds young minds and has a lot of fun while doing it. I am currently writing my first book. It's about the injustice of the family courts and how it has effected my life. I hope for it to be not just about the tragedy of the circumstances but about a hope for the future.

I was born in Oklahoma in 1970 but grew up in the bright lights--or should I say brake lights?--of Houston, Texas. Always the type of kid who had to experience everything firsthand and to the hilt, I dropped out of high school and proceeded to live the sort of life that After School Specials -- and trashy dime novels -- are made of, complete with sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. But I had a caring father who, for better or worse, was the voice in my head that kept me grounded or, at least, within earshot of the "right" path in life. So after exhausting the big cities of south Texas, I finally moved back to my hometown of Oklahoma City in 2002. I started a home-based business in 2003 that I still run today, and I became a middle aged college freshman in 2005 majoring in interior design and psychology. It's now more than five years later and I have maintained a near perfect GPA while building a stellar business reputation. And, after a seven year hiatus from men and dating (and, yes, sex), I met a wonderful man in 2008 and got married the following year. I am proud to say that that was my very first trip down the aisle. He has a teenage daughter from his previous marriage, so it is also my privilege to be a first time step-mother. After growing up with my stepmonster, it should be an interesting ride. Life is full of surprises....which is good because it makes that comedy/tragedy tattoo on my left ankle much more meaningful than just a beer-fueled decision I made one night on Dago's patio (http://www.dagostattoos.com).

A professional runway, lifestyle print and commercial model and actor listed with model and talent agencies in different markets, including Atlanta, NC/SC, Miami, Chicago, New York and Metro DC, Renee has represented the "Baby-Boomer" market quite successfully. Having started her modeling career at the age of 40, she has continued to grow and move towards sharing her talents and expertise with others. Renee & Company: The mission of Renee & Company is to offer women and teen girls specific guidance and hands-on direction in developing their personal beauty statement as it relates to their spirits, minds and bodies, by developing and enhancing their inner strength and character. We place a special emphasis on women with children who live in poverty and lack self-esteem, and through the nonprofit, The Agape Restoration Center, directs those in need to places where their needs can be filled. We are most enthused about being able to train women and teen girls in the areas of image enhancement, health, beauty, poise & carriage. Utilizing the professional styling, make-up and other experts in "The Company", Renee & Company offers workshops and seminars to social, corporate and church groups in proper workplace dressing (styling based on body type) and business etiquette. Renee & Company now offers individualized "Personal Enhancement Programs". Through private one-on-one consultations, our experts will design a program for each woman who wants to develop and improve specific areas of her personal and professional image. Renee accepts motivational speaking engagements on conquering breast cancer, overcoming tragedy with triumph, "Beauty Over 40" and using challenges as life propellants.

Born in Europe, I earned a master degree in Mathematics and Logics from a prestigious French school. I got involved at various levels of the drug scene in the early 70s and was closely stricken by the tragedy of drug abuse. I moved to the US in the early 1980's to start a natural health business which reached wide international distribution and was intimately involved in marketing and P.R. I wrote a book on a natural health related topic published in 1990, which is still in print and was translated into Spanish, Portuguese and German. I wrote numerous articles and gave countless lectures and seminars throughout the world. I am very familiar with public speaking and made several TV appearances.

I am... a mother, a future military wife, an ex-wife, a worker, a woman, a libra Who... believes in positive thinking, believes in love, loves to write, loves to help others, has seen tragedy and witnessed miracles.

Trisha Smith is an artist, a teacher, and a writer. Her inquisitiveness took her into research, interviews, and writing at Ecology Canada Magazine, educational publications, and books. While working under Secretariat of State as a Bilingual Coordinator, Ms. Smith compiled Canadian youth's artistic works for the United Nations Conference, 'Habitat Exhibit', in Vancouver. Trisha has illustrated educational publications and books and won 1st price award for her '˜Trillium' oil-painting. After a crime committed against her in Cuba, by another Canadian, her legal advocacy has become the subject of 14 newspaper articles (the Toronto Star) and several TV news shows (CITY-TV) in 1999 and followed her for few years. Trisha documented her story first, in fear of perhaps losing her life after the brutal assault and then wrote her literary, Holiday in Hell, a true crime story^ tragedy, legal drama, and relentless suspense chronicling years of author's life. Holiday in Hell serves as a wake-up call to all Canadians, however conveys hope that Canadian Criminal Code 6(2) can be amended. Why Holiday in Hell by Trisha Smith is a call to amend a Canadian Criminal Code 6(2)? Trisha Smith's case is a violation of my human rights in the international Human Rights Court. Since June 2009, Trisha is promoting her book, Holiday in Hell, published by Asteroid Publishing Inc. and teaching year round since financially she lost financially, and now, with little time left for her 2 little grandsons and an aging mother in a senior place. Over the years, Trisha tries to also oil paint, as this is a place where she finds serenity, her passion, and her outlet to relax, while still hoping to have her next collection of oil-paintings exhibited, in the future.

As I entered my 30s I definitely knew that life wasn t what I had expected it to be when I was younger, in the positive and negative sense. I married a wonderful man, had a great career, but was beginning to wonder at what cost the professional success was achieved. Was all of the stress, anxiety, long hours and loss of any semblance of a work-life balance worth it? With working so hard and making good money, why were we still living paycheck to paycheck? And why didn t anyone ever tell me that even a strong marriage was a LOT of hard work? Where was my happily ever after? Those concerns sound trivial after the most significant blow occurred in late 2009 when my younger brother killed himself at age 32. From that moment on I had life before his death, and life after his death. It not only put a lot of things into perspective but also shook me at the core of my being. In the blink of an eye, I unexpectedly became an only child who was forced to deal with family issues that I was completely unprepared to manage; I had to serve as an information and support system to his friends when I desperately needed a shoulder of my own; but most importantly I had (have?) no idea how to take care of myself or deal with the stress, anxiety and mind-numbing sadness and grief that accompanies something such as a suicide. All of this compiled has taken (and is taking) its toll on my physical, mental and emotional health. For better or worse, I am a different person on a different journey today than I was before that moment when I learned what had happened. So, where do I go from here? How do I make sense of the insanity and learn how to take care of myself while at the same time becoming a better person, wife, daughter, and friend? Even outside of the tragedy, how can I once again capture joy and re-define my happily ever after so that it is not only achievable, but also fulfilling? I definitely know that I am not alone on this kind of journey, be it by choice or circumstance.

Miriam L. Jacobs is a nana on a mission. She's an author, poet, founder of an independent publishing company, mentor, and professional speaker. Eight years into recovering from Major Depression, Mimi writes to inspire, empower, and encourage. Prior to this, Mimi was employed with the U.S. Postal Service for 21 years. She was first published while still in high school in the school's publication, Jabberwocky. Today, Mimi is making a tumultuous presence both in print and online. But more importantly, her readers and fans love her, and her work. Jacobs is a master of several genres and the author of several books including, I No Longer Color My Hair: A Memoir, Illuminations: Poetic Inspiration, Embracing Self: Inspiration on the go, an anthology called Embracing Candace, and My Name is Not Monkey Girl, a childrens book written to promote a spirit of compassion for those born with physical differences. She also penned How to Jump From a Ferris Wheel & Land on Your Feet, a ten-volume inspirational series. The books are multi-author anthologies with a theme of, "From tragedy, to triumph". In March, 2007, Mimi launched her highly-acclaimed independent publishing company, Candalyse Publishing, on a shoestring budget. The name was contrived as a tribute to two of her three granddaughters, Candace and Alyse. Her enthusiasm has helped her shape her branding. Mimi is a life-time New Yorker and currently resides with her husband, Charles, her granddaughter, Candace, and their pets. "When we embrace each other as fellow human beings, we are living with unconditional love, with unconditional kindness, and with compassion. As we raise our children, we must instill in them these basic human qualities. Love makes the world a much better place to live. Today I love myself as I love my fellow human beings." ~Miriam L. Jacobs

I am a lawyer (non-practicing). I am a writer. I write fiction. I also edited a non-fiction book called "Sin-A-Rama: Sleaze Sex Paperbacks of the Sixties" (as B. Daley). Check it out. It's kitsch. It's sex. It's everything you dreamed of. I am a passionate believer in people being able to act how they wish as long as they are not hurting anyone else. I love art. I love creativity. I am disgusted by most social institutions (but they can be better). I have never been enslaved by a job. I love my freedom far too much, and I don't want to make money for someone else. I will never work as a "real" lawyer. I find the law dry and status quo. I will always try to think inside the circle. I am very radical. I am a radical feminist. But also a sex positive feminist (don't really like the label but it gives an idea of my beliefs). Life is bizarre. It is comedy and tragedy. Is it a great big cosmic joke? Are we the punchlines? Does the universe have a mouth by which to tell a joke?

(sound of segulls and waves washing ashore) The oil keeps on flowing, crude's a major part of out lives. When we take our shores for granted, wildlife is sure to die. It's a horrible situation, with no end in sight. Seabirds unaware of their future or their plight. If only we could warn them, of the pending danger ahead, while they care for their young waiting to be fed. PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS, OH SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR LIVES. TAKE CARE OF OUR FISH AND WILDLIFE, KEEP THE DANGER OUTSIDE. PUT THE GREED ASIDE JUST LOOK AROUND, DONT TURN AWAY DONT REFUSE. IF ONLY PEOPLE WOULD JUST SHOW THEY CARE, OUR RESOURCES WE WOULDN'T LOSE. A tragedy in the making, a paradise we call home. The waves washing onto the shore, the seagulls lost to roam. Helplessly looking for an end, to preserve our way of life, a fragile resource we can't ignore, lets all now make things right. PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS, OH SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR LIVES. TAKE CARE OF OUR FISH AND WILDLIFE, KEEP THE DANGER OUTSIDE. PUT THE GREED ASIDE JUST LOOK AROUND, DONT TURN AWAY DONT REFUSE. IF ONLY PEOPLE WOULD JUST SHOW THEY CARE, OUR RESOURCES WE WOULDN'T LOSE. We thought it could never happen, the future could never change. We awaken to the dilemma, a catastrophe is now in range. Lets us all join together, hand in we stand hand on shore, we must let our voices be heard, take advantage no more. PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS , OH ITS SUCH A BIG PART OF OUR LIVES. TAKE CARE OF OUR FISH AND WILDLIFE, KEEP THE DANGER OUTSIDE. PUT THE GREED ASIDE JUST LOOK AROUND, DONT TURN AWAY DONT REFUSE. IF ONLY PEOPLE WOULD JUST SHOW THEY CARE, OUR RESOURSES WE WOULDNT LOSE... PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS, PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS, PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS, PLEASE SAVE OUR BEACHS.. (sound of seagulls and waves washing ashore)

I work in a legal setting where the majority of cases involve child dependency. I see first-hand, up close and personal tragedy and triumph, generational dysfunction and foot soldiers in the form of social workers working hard to make life better for abused and neglected children and their families. Believing that even "guardian angels" could use assistance, I give back to society through participation in non-profit organizations, civic/church and mentoring groups in any way needed which is most often falls into writing, i.e., proposals, media bytes, slogans, ads, et cetera. I currently write columns for two different mediums. My favorite quote is: As A Man Thinketh So Is He."

Breathing a breath of fresh air into Christian writing, Inspirational Speaker, Paulette Harper is a woman of purpose, passion and power. Paulette seeks to inspire women from all walks of life. Her desire is to empower, equip and transform the lives of women through her preaching and teaching from the Word of God. As a licensed and ordained minister, Paulette's passion is to minister the Word of God with boldness and accuracy so those who are dealing with life's complexities will become whole and walk in their God given potential. A woman of destiny, Paulette has accepted the call from God and established herself as a best seller, award winning author. Ms. Harper's writing career begins in 2007 with her first published book "That Was Then, This Is Now" which achieved national recognition by being awarded a finalist in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Award and ranked consecutively on the Black Christian Publishers Bestsellers List for Independent Publishers, Non-Fiction. "Victorious Living for Women" (an anthology) is her second book; which features 40 incredible women who share stories of their life experiences, from their heart to yours. Collectively, theses women have endured personal tragedy and have emerged empowered, encouraged and victorious. Paulette's third book "Completely Whole" will be released in 2010 and she will be taking part in another anthology from Victorious Living entitled "Victorious Living for Moms". Paulette is the visionary behind "Write Now" (releasing the word in you) literary workshops designed to coach inspiriting writers in the areas of creativity, development and publication of Christian books. For more information about Paulette or to purchase a copy of her latest books visit: www.pauletteharper.com

My life has had tragedy but I have grown from it and learned. I love to write about anything and nothing all at the same time. Unique, fun and spirited is only a few words to describe me.

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." Plato Not particulary concerned for the welfare of any sex offender except as it may impact the safety of children. When your attitude and your laws destabilize their environment and thereby make them more likely to reoffend, then I'll write and take you to task. If you take that to mean I'm more concerned about sex offenders than children, get someone with more intelligence than a box of rocks to explain it to you.

I am 21 years old and have lived in the same state for all my life. When I was 12 years young, my family and I experienced a life altering tragedy.

I've found that the best way to deal with great tragedy and loss is with great faith and a hardy sense of humor. When that fails, resort to sheer, downright, biting-the-bullet bravery. the key to happiness is to do what you love and love what you do.

Upon receiving a BA in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh , I spent three years traveling and working throughout Asia. After the tragedy of 9/11, I returned to the US and went to the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and received a diploma. I spent the next seven years working in three and four star restaurants in the Northeast gaining experience. In March of 2009 I once again went abroad and I am currently overseas working and traveling.

Professor of Psychology at the University of Connecticut. Visit my blog http://denyingaids.blogspot.com Check out my new book Denying AIDS: Conspiracy Theories, Pseudoscience, and Human Tragedy. All royalties are donated to buy HIV meds in Africa

I love the written word and believe that: "new emotions are born from 'the process.' When men go through crisis and tragedy, unfamiliar feelings are summoned and our character is redefined. When we meet these challenges head on and accept the changes we must go through, we discover one more characteristic, integrity." My major influences are my parents who no longer grace the physical world. I suppose this is where I tell you my unique qualities. Unfortunately, words can only describe very little of the human mystique. This is the conundrum; words are all writers have to explain all there is. It is not enough but I enjoy the challenge of trying to put all I see and feel into my writing. If this sounds weird, I must be doing something right. My ultimate goal is to be happy and at peace in this moment, all I have is right now and I choose to be happy. The author of "A Man's Feelings: Finding Closure after Divorce", "Leap Year at the Coffee Shop", "The Train Set" and "The Young Waitress".

Barnett is an actor, director, and stage and film writer. He coaches privately and has lectured extensively on Shakespearean tragedy and on the life of Van Gogh, Gauguin and the Impressionists at universities and libraries across Europe.

I am currently a 4th year English and Psychology student at the University of Victoria. I am also a volunteer with VIHA (Vancouver Island Health Authority). I also write on my own site, listed below (28dayslateranalysis.com). Politics, movie reviews, Greek Tragedy and psychology/philosophy are my favourite topics to read and write about.

The wounded prey of great tragedy is the scholar of life.

From the age of 14 I have had a desire to experience more than just the norm. I found both ecstasy and tragedy in my endeavors with drug abuse. Being clean and sober for going on 4 years, I have a much broader range of perceptions on the topic of substance use and the fine l

I'm from all over in the South West US. I'm an Irish-German hybrid. I like beer, fun, and gut wrenching tragedy. Politics is the best sport ever concocted. I maintain a love/hate relationship with life and intend to keep it that way.

Columbine tragedy researcher dmanding answers to the Columbine coverup

I am 32 yrs old. Single mom of three beutiful kids. I lived in the ghetto all my life. Love to write poetry. I am a very inspirational person even though i had a lot of tragedy in my life growing up. But as they say what dont kill you makes you stronger. Life is full of chal

I have written poetry in the past and had some work published. Writing is my hobby I have just overcome a terrible tragedy and am living my life again.

I am a life-long student of life..the beauty,the tragedy and the triumphs often associated with it; the joys and heart-aches of love, and what makes a person rise to greatness where others fail. I have two wonderful children, and five great grandchildren.

I'm 50 years old, and a ten year US Army Veteran. I have lived a life of love as well as tragedy and pain as well as joy. I am a self-employed electrician when I'm not playing. I play as much as possible.

The mind is a sea of ideas, and I make them visible to be enjoyed by all. With tragedy & triumph is my life, yet from each comes something to share with the world, so that my tragedy may be another's strength, & my triumph may be another's inspiration.