One of the many unknown to me who fought for civil rights, and he saw the similarity between the right to same sex marriage and his right to marry a woman of another race. Civil rights laws were passed, but are they being effectively enforced today? See my Careers page for my perspective of concern; Memoriams for full article.  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/27/us/lawrence-guyot-civil-rights-activist-who-bore-the-fights-scars-dies-at-73.html?ref=todayspaper

WHY BLOG?

Why not?  Facetious?  I found I missed writing once I retired, even though I only wrote complaint investigation reports, documents, and findings for the "feds".  I realized I always loved writing; editing not so much.  So I am stepping into this brave new world of writing without an editor, or serving as my own editor.  Scary!  A common comment by a manager when removing my favorite writing was that it was facetious.  So?  At first, I later realized I had the ego of a writer and ownership of every word.  Like I don't now.  It was awhile before removal of every word was not akin to a paper cut.  Another step was realizing the stress during the drafting.  As if I wasn't already tempermental enough.  Finally, the end product.  Relief.  Oh, sorry I went off on everyone all week, I feel much better now, thank you.  And then the editing.  Ugh!

This desire to write has grown so strong that write I must, reading by others not required.  I have to get this stuff out of me somehow, this seems the safest and most peaceful way.  And quite therapeutic.  Like little endorphin rushes.  Much more healthful than other methods I have used to make my self feel better, or even happy.

The most shocking experience recently was during the stress of a days long conversation with someone newly encountered, trying to work off the stress digging irrigation ditches in my yard, I felt like I was going to burst, with words.  Finally I rushed in and grabbed a pen and paper.  Words rushed out.  They seemed to form the cadence and rhythm of poetry.  Some of the words even seemed to rhyme.  Where did that come from?  Now I admire e. e. cummings, Walt Whitman and a few others whose names I can't think of at the moment, but never once did I ever consider writing poetry, nor a novel for that matter.

And then today I wrote another poem!  Shocking I know!  Although whether the products would actually be considered "poetry" I will  have to find an expert to determine.

So there is something here I have to develop.  I would like it to range from the serious to the fun to the silly.  The initial topics for which I would like headings under which I will add posts as the - what? muse? I guess, strikes me, are:

Politics and Government

My Career, starting with my retirement message, then perhaps including chapters for a potential memoir to be called Fact or Fiction - You Decide - Stories from My Life as a Cog in the Federal Bureaucracy

Popular Culture and Music and all that, especially that, Jazz

Reviews of Live Performances

Poetry

Contests, with an interactive feature if I can figure that out

Memorials, also interactive hopefully

Diana Ross, of course

Dogs, with chapters to be collated for my forthcoming chidren's fable (she's really taking this writing crap seriously) called :  The Adventures of Haley, Princess of Alsatia.

Here goes.

ABOUT ME

Brock Evans grew up and attended high school in the San Gabriel Valley before leaving to attend U.C. Berkeley and became involved in electoral politics in Berkeley and then in San Francisco where he lived for 30 years.  Brock recently retired after 38 years of Federal public service, 34 of them with the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, Region IX.  Brock returned to Los Angeles to staff the first ever OCR regional field office in the U.S., opened in downtown LA in 2001, while living in Silverlake, Echo Park, and Highland Park.  During his career, Brock developed particular expertise in resolving language access and HIV discrimination complaints.  Brock bought his first home in Highland Park 5 years ago.

Since his retirement over a week ago, Brock feels reborn and reenergized, has started his first blog, drafted a FOIA request to OCR requesting all HIV-related complaint closure letters, and is exploring various volunteer opportunities.

Contact info:

brockinla@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/brock.evans.543