http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/rss description http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/41 Last Saturday I was in charge of snacks for Charlie Mac's football team called the Cowboys. Big Charlie and I had a major discussion about what to serve. "I'm bringing orange slices and Capri Suns," I insisted. "I don't think the kids will eat orange slices." Big Charlie announced and then suggested, "How about rice crispy treats and Gatorade instead?" "I will think about it," I told him knowing that I was going to bring orange slices. I had dreamed of this day for a very long day. When I was a kid, the cool soccer moms brought orange slices and Capri Suns. Someday I was going to be a cool soccer mom! And that day finally came. I was skipping through the grocery store delighted to be snack mom! Why? Because it wasn't that long ago that the "specialists" said that he probably wouldn't be able to play organized sports. Luckily, no body told him that. He loves playing football. I brought the oranges and Capri Suns. As I was cutting them into slices, Charlie Mac comes running up, shouting, "Did you see me, Mom? I scored a touchdown!" OMG! No, I didn't see him. I was too busy cutting the damn orange slices and being cool. I give him the biggest hug ever. This moment in our lives just happens to be a really big deal and I missed it. So much for being the cool soccer mom. I have a feeling that our Charlie Mac is going to be doing a whole bunch of new and exciting things that will amaze us and that's the cool part. Way to go, Charlie Mac!!!! http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/40 Hello! I want to share with you my letter that I wrote to Governor Jan Brewer about paying of Arizona's deficit. Here it is: Dear Governor Brewer: Hello! My name is Sara Enochs and I am a mom who is interested in paying off Arizona's deficit. No, I don't have $1.6 billion dollars, but I do have an idea that would raise $340 dollars per resident over the next 24 months, that would be $14 dollars a month per person. There are 6,500,180 residents of Arizona and I believe that we all want to help Arizona. Here's my idea. I would contact Arizona companies such as Shamrock, Peter Piper Pizza, Cold Stone Creamery, Harkins Theatres, and ask them to participate in a fundraiser by putting a sticker of Arizona's flag on one of their more popular items and increase the price of that product by one dollar. Each month I would invite our residents to buy these products and encourage them to spend $14 each month to help Arizona. I want to start the fundraiser sooner than later. So, I was thinking that for the first three months, I would place $1, $2, and $5 dollar coupons near the cash registers at grocery stores, banks, or post offices. When our residents visit these places, they can choose to contribute to pay off the deficit. I would explain to Arizona that we need to raise $14 dollars per person per month. My family is a party of six, so that would be $8 dollars, more or less per month. Yes, that's a lot to ask of some families. Hopefully, our residents will come up with their own fund raising ideas such as walk for Arizona, golf tournaments, raffles, pie contests at the State Fair, hot air balloon race, fishing tournaments, rubber duck races, an Arizona chili bake off, or black tie affairs, (we can advertise in our Arizona magazines and newspapers) ...to give back to the State of ARizona what we as residents have received for free such as fire and police protection, education, health care, and roads, etc. The intent is truly trying to drive this down to the grass-roots level and let people get much more excited about a "fundraiser" vs. a new "tax". Once our Arizona companies have participated in the program, then I would as our national companies to participate such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Frito-Lay, etc. My ultimate goal is to have all 50 states do this kind of fundraiser. After two years, all of the State deficits would be paid and then we could start paying off the US deficit in the same manner from 2012 to 2016. I think this program would do a few things. One, it would help American owned companies. Two, it would allow the citizens of the United States to do something to help America. Three, maybe if we knew how much it takes to run government programs, we wouldn't ask government to spend so much money on us. Believe it or not, we want to help. We want our streets to continue to be free of crime. We want our kids to continue to obtain a quality education. We want our residents to continue to be employed. In closing, I have two sons with autism. Merrinda Trindle, our caseworker at the Division of Developmental Disabilites, has made sure that we get the help my boys need. Now, I want to make sure Arizona gets the help it needs. We do need to be reminded what the State of Arizona has done for us, so that we can help too. I am American. I can pay off the deficit! Hope to speak to you soon, Sara Enochs So, I haven't heard back. I sent the same letter to Senator John McCain and President Clinton. Are you having a hard time picturing it? Think of Susan. G. Komen's foundation to eradicate breast cancer. Why can't we eradicate the deficit the same exact way? What do you think? Should we raise taxes or do a fundraiser? Are there other options? For a list of major budget cuts proposed to children and families in Arizona, visit the Children's Action Alliance webpage at www.azchildren.org. http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/39 Well, I haven't received any comments back on my last blog about paying off the US deficit. So, I decided to go ask my neighbors what they thought.  Neighbor 1: "That's a bad idea. No way would I write our government a check," he looks a little pissed off. "How come?" I ask. "Besides you aren't going to make enough money to pay the US deficit off by selling baked goods." He sounds skeptical. "Just give capitalism a chance and it will all work out." "But that's what I thought I was suggesting." I say in defense. "I was going to sell American made products with the US flag on them. You wouldn't pay a quarter more for a candy bar to help our country get out of debt?" "Nope. We need jobs." "Well, I thought my idea would create more jobs." I repond. "You know our kids won't have options when they get older because they won't have any descretionary money to spend," he says frowning. "So, why don't we do something today to fix it? Why do we want to saddle our children with this burden when we can do something about it?" I asked somewhat confused. "Your idea won't work. We need jobs."  "Okay, yes I agree. We need jobs." We leave agreeing upon one thing. Neighbor 2: "Did you read my blog about paying off the US deficit?" "No," she responds. "It's been a little bit busy with home schooling and all." "Do you think we should pay off the US deficit or concern ourselves with such matters?"  "Yes, but what can I do about it?" She looks pissed off too. "I can only take care of my family right now." "Would you buy products that were slightly more expensive if it went toward paying off the US deficit?" "No. I don't trust the government. The money would never get there. They would just keep on spending. 'They would just say, Oh look, more money for us to spend'."  "I suppose you are right. But, I want to believe that we could bond together as American citizens and get it done so that the next generation won't be burden with our debt." "Perhaps," she says. "Maybe there are enough good people out there that still believe in America." "I think so." I tell her that I am going to write Jan Brewer, the Governor of Arizona. "I think we should start small on the state level. My goal is to pay off all of the states deficits before 2012 and then start working on the US deficit from 2012 to 2016." She laughs. "In 2016, your oldest son will be 16 and wanting to learn how to drive. Personally, I would worry about getting your kids through high school first. Then if you still want to pay off the deficit, be my guest." "But, do you know how much the deficit would be by 2016 if we don't start paying down on it now?" "No."  "I don't know either. Let's not find out." Here is a good website to check out. www.deficitfree.com. They want to pay it off by 2016 as well. Perhaps I'm not the only crazy one! http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/22 Consider leasing a vehicle that has been converted to operate on American Made Hydrogen and/or Hy-Boost fuels. Refuel at our TESI (Total Energy System Innovation) fuel station. TESIs operate on hydrogen and/or pipeline delivery of methane from anaerobic disposal of sewage, garbage, farm wastes, or forest slash but can also utilize natural gas to provide safety assured delivery of pressurized Hydrogen or Hy-Boost mixtures. Each fuel station weighs about 25 tons is about 11' wide, 10' high and 26' long and will be painted the colors your neighborhood prefers. We deliver and connect to pipeline for turn-key operation.   Donate under-utilized vehicles with directions to convert them to operation on Hydrogen and/or Hy-Boost mixtures of hydrogen and other fuels. Converted engines can produce more power, last longer and actually clean the air. Take the tax deduction, help create a renewable hydrogen market for farmers and other entrepreneurs, and have your donated vehicle clean the air. American Hydrogen Association 2350 West Shangri La Phoenix, Arizona 85029 602-328-4238 http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/26 Here is the Grand Plan! Do you know what the next big boom is going to be? Hydrogen! First of all, we need to change our way of thinking … we need to know and believe that saving the environment is the key to helping future generations have the economic development necessary to “get ahead in a healthy economy.” It is a virtue -- like eating fruits and vegetables to ward off cancer. Americans want to be optimistic as we proceed into the future. We must adopt policies that allow us to be healthy and productive. But it is futile to allow our economy to remain dependent upon diminishing fossil and radioactive fuels. Continued dependence upon fossil and radioactive fuels will require higher taxes and more federal debt to pay the costs including subsidies that these fuels receive. Even so energy, healthcare, education, and food costs are rising, and we are left with less power to “get ahead” by investing for “progress.” My Dad keeps reminding me that I and every other person on Earth has a mission and that Civilization must have a Grand Plan to unite us in a cause to achieve Sustainable Prosperity. He has a plan for every community of the world to achieve sustainable prosperity. According to him, every person on Earth has a job to accomplish sustainable prosperity and to do less is a form of self-destruction. The one thing that is a common denominator to all aspects of life on Earth particularly including our economy is energy. It is imperative that far larger, more distributed, and sustainable supplies of solar, wind, wave, falling water, geothermal, and biomass resources replace present dependency on diminishing supplies of fossil resources. Shifting to full employment to overcome our dependence upon fossil and radioactive fuels can actually produce anti-inflationary benefits. It will allow us to overcome our guilt for literally robbing fossil resources and polluting the Earth. Not to get off course, but going to war with Iraq, has caused great damage to our economy and our self-esteem. The US didn’t want to increase taxes to fight that war … so we borrowed that money. As Alan Greenspan admitted, we paid the military costs for going after Iraq’s oil reserves of 112 billion barrels, because we are addicted to oil, and because the oil lobby wanted the U.S. military might to secure these resources so oil companies could set new records for profits. But notice that every barrel of oil from Iraq has cost more than $111 per barrel in military expenses plus interest on borrowed funds, plus additional untold costs for environmental degradation and health care for pollution-induced diseases along with the market price of another $100 for the ill-gotten barrel of oil. The harsh reality is that oil dependence is killing our environment, our economy, and our self-esteem. They already pull strings to direct the most powerful military on the planet and some day soon, the fossil and radioactive fuel industries will have the industrial military complex try to completely take over. Our recent monetary crises pale in comparison to this potential demise of democracy. My Mom talks about it and it shakes me to the core. I often wonder if my family is the only one that talks about this looming problem, because it’s really hard to find anyone that cares. We have become so accustomed to our prolonged addiction to the oil economy that it hard to imagine the “pushers” kicking us out of our homes and cars. Just think about everything you do and how it takes oil to do it. Now imagine your life without oil …. Farms could not produce. Trucks could not move food and fiber to market. We would not have food on our tables or clothes to wear. What we have today is a wealth-depletion economy. The harder we work, the less oil we have, and the further we go in debt because we are dependent upon a finite source. We and every other community must urgently develop sustainable energy supplies. Do you remember the TV show called The Six Million Dollar Man with Lee Majors playing Steve Austin as the astronaut that needed to be re-built after his craft crashed? "Steve Austin, astronaut. A man barely alive. Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world's first bionic man. Steve Austin will be that man. Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster." Ladies and Gentlemen, we can rebuild the economy. We have the technology. We have the capability to build a worldwide solar hydrogen economy. It will take everybody. It will be better than before. Better, cleaner, sustainable. My Dad, Roy McAlister, wrote a book called The Solar Hydrogen Civilization. It’s a great book about being civilized and uniting to save Civilization by devoting our minds and might to development of worldwide prosperity. You should read it, because it is my hope that we can, and our children and all the children of the world can work together to achieve such a Grand Plan. It is far better to direct our hearts and minds to creating sustainable prosperity than processing poppies, brewing methamphetamines, remaining hooked on oil, or expanding prisons and sending armies to keep hooked. Suppose we all try and only achieve sustainable economic development and fall short of prosperity but we have clean air and water, food to eat, and the feeling of, at least, that much accomplishment. Suppose succeeding generations build on our example and continue the effort to achieve prosperity. Isn’t that far better than expanding our prisons and waging wars for the diminishing oil reserves? http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/34 Maybe it's time for the US Government to have a bake sale. Sara Sue’s Big Bake Sale Do you remember that old bumper sticker that said, “It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they need, and the air force has to hold a bake sale to buy a bomber?” I can’t remember how old I was the first time I read that bumper sticker, but it must be pretty old, because I’ve been thinking about it for a very long time now. What kind of bake sale would the government have to have to make enough money to pay for all the stuff they buy? Last Friday, the $700 billion Wall Street bailout bill was approved and I’m thinking its time for our government to have a big bake sale! I was going to wait to unveil my plans to pay down the deficit when I run for the Presidency, but since that’s at least four years out, I might as well give away my secret plot to save the US economy. Hee, hee, I’m joking here, well sort of. But seriously, why can’t the government put on a bake sale? My family plays this game called, “Do you wish you could have given the sermon or directed the movie or answered one of the questions from the Presidential Debates?” We play this game every Sunday after church or after date night when we’ve seen a movie. It’s a chance to express your opinion. Everyone takes a turn saying how he or she would have changed the outcome. It’s a great game to play if you like to debate issues. So, last Friday, September 26th, 2008, after watching the United States presidential election debates that were moderated by Jim Lehrer our family played the game. I asked my parents if they wished they could have answered Mr. Lehrer’s questions regarding the on going financial crisis. Big Charlie was in Maine fishing with his Dad, brother, and cousin. My parents were helping me take care of our four kids. My Dad said, “Yes, I wish I could have answered all of the debate questions.” Between you and me, I think he daydreams of being the President of the United States too. Of course, I won’t bore you with my Dad’s answers, but I will tell you how I would have answered Mr. Lehrer’s financial questions. Two words… bake sale. Yes, a good old fashion bake sale, just a tad bigger, and a bake sale sounds a whole lot better than more taxes! Here is what I would do. Look, Americans love to go shopping. I, myself, shop at four different grocery stores every week. Don’t tell my husband. I just got the, “we need to crack down on spending,” lecture and the grocery bill was one of them. What did President Bush say after 9/11? Go shopping. Well, at least, that is what I heard. And apparently, so did the rest of America because household debt rose from about 50% of GDP, (gross domestic product) in 1980 to 100% in 2006. Americans love to go shopping! So, why not have them buy down the debt by giving them goods and services to buy? Or said another way, Americans can pay down the deficit by consuming items they already spend money on like Starbucks. If I were the President of the United States, I would go to Hersey's and ask them to make a special chocolate bar celebrating the United States of America and when we, the consumer, buy that chocolate bar, a portion of the money goes to pay off the deficiet. Then I would go to the next “All American Company” and ask the same thing. I would ask all of the companies from home building to the automakers to create a special product for Americans to buy. We could actually buy down the deficit. Businesses can sell more stuff and the US Government can pay down the deficit. It would be awesome! Let’s do the math! For this calculation I’m going use rough estimates. Let’s assume that there are 300 million US citizens and the US deficit is $10 trillion. That means every American would need to buy $33,333.33 worth of product! I think some people are going to have buy more than others. If you divide the $33,333 by four years, you get $8,333 and that's how much every American would have to spend during one Presidential administration. Reality Check... in my household there are 6 members, that means we would pay about $50K per year and that's a whole lot of money to spend, even if it's on items that we already spend money on. The bake sale would need to be spread out over several years during many administrations and its something we should get started on sooner than later. Think Susan G. Koman for the Cure, only bigger. Sprinkle in  Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and make the golden ticket worth 33,333. Whoever finds the ticket will then have the opportunity to keep the money or give it Uncle Sam and be done with his or her patriotic pledge to help America in her greatest time of need. Now that's what I call a patriotic dilemma! Are you buying it? What do you think? Should we get started? http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/38 Hello Friends! It's been months since I last blogged and I apologize for the delay. But, I've been thinking. I call it daydreaming. I love to daydream. Do you daydream? So, what have I been daydreaming about? Lots of things, but mostly the US Deficit. Yes, the deficit. I don't know why I am so obsessed with it, but I am. I spend my days trying to figure out how to pay it off in total. Do you spend your day trying to figure out what to do about the US deficit? I blogged about this subject a year ago when the deficit was $10 trillion dollars. Today it is roughly $12 trillion. So what's the big deal? It's gone up by two trillion. That's $3.92 billion per day since September of 28, 2007. Those numbers make me so-o nervous! See, I believe I can pay this sucker off, but with each day that goes by, my project just gets bigger and bigger. See my blog called Sara Sue's Big Bake Sale for details on how I am going to pay off the deficit. Which brings me to the real point. How do you make your dreams come true? I am just a house wife in sunny Arizona, daydreaming about paying off the US deficit. Who is going to take me seriously? See, in my mind everything is way perfect! I have it all worked out. Here is how my daydream goes. I make an announcement that I would like to be your running mate. I'll be your Vice President and you can be the President of the United States. I will do the job of V.P. plus pay of the deficit in four years. It doesn't matter if you are Democrat of Republican or with the Green Party, female or male. I can get along with anyone for four years! I just want to pay off the deficit. And, viola! In my dreams, I become your partner and together we turn America around. First, we get everyone employed by creating a solar hydrogen economy and making other diversified jobs. For more info on that visit www.onedollarhydrogen.com. Then, I would ask for a debt reprieve by stopping the interest charge on the debt, which is $383 billion dollars a year. Next, I would I would assign a number to each American,1- 307,646,503. Then I would spend my days earning $39,956.49 for each number and I would encourage each and every American to do the same. $40K over four years would be $10K a year. We can do it. But we have to get started soon. That number is just going to go up and up. The last time I blogged, that number was 33, 333.00. It just keeps going up and that's why I am so-o nervous about the deficit. I debate in my head over and over if we, as a nation, can pay it off. Does anyone else see it as their responsibility? Do you know what happens if we don't pay it off? Go to www.greatreality.com. This website explains it pretty well without freaking you out. This is really serious. So, back to making dreams come true. Maybe I should start on the State level instead of the National. Arizona's deficit is only $1.68 billion. With a population of 6,500,180 we could pay that off quickly. Plus, Arizona needs jobs and they are committed to a solar economy. After all, we are the sunshine state! So, how would I go about petitioning for that job? We could have our own little bake sale right here in the State of Arizona and then other states could copy our idea. That would go a long ways in helping the national debt, too. Let me know your thoughts. Leave me a comment. http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/13 Help me get the word out ... AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS Contact: AnnMarie Petitto Annmarie.petitto@iuniverse.com 267-436-3154 How Do You Save the World? You Dare to Daydream AUTHOR REVEALS HOW DAYDREAMING ABOUT THE PAST CREATES A BETTER FUTURE… FOR ALL OF US Sara Enochs is a dreamer. But she’s also a doer. She has big dreams for leaving a healthy and safe legacy for our kids. After the birth of her first child, Enochs, author of The Code of Destiny, had a tough time transitioning into the role of being a mom. “Motherhood is not easy – it doesn’t always come naturally, says Enochs. “I had so much going on in my life that slowing down was difficult for me. I was dealing with my brother’s drug-related death and trying to find a way to fit my environmental work in and still raise well-adjusted kids. I couldn’t get a foothold.” Enochs discovered that by daydreaming about her goals she was able to create a mental ‘to do’ list. “I realized that by daydreaming I gave myself the creative authority and the strength to ‘see’ a successful outcome to all the goals I wanted to accomplish. I believe that mothers ‘need’ projects outside of raising their children.” Now the mother of 4, Enochs is aiming for some pretty big goals. Concerned about the ‘health’ of our world, she’s working with her father, renowned scientist Roy McAlister, to create the Solar Hydrogen Campaign to raise environmental awareness on the need to use hydrogen to clean up our environment. Enochs explains, “In our economic downturn solar hydrogen is the way to make a difference cost- and efficiency-wise – we need to leave our kids a cleaner world.” Devastated by the death of brother, Enochs is also working with parents to prepare them for their kid’s teen years and the potential danger of drug use. She began writing shortly after her brother died, but had a hard time trying to describe this horrific event. ‘Now that I’m a parent, I see things in a different light. I wanted other parents see the warning signs and nip any potential problem in the bud.” She delivers a timely message as she offers first-hand insight into: • Juggling personal goals with motherhood • How women can have – and do – it all • How daydreaming can help prioritize your goals • Helping our children live in a clean, drug-free society • The importance of working with alternative fuel sources • The amazing role our children play in our environment Enochs’ goal is to let people know that all it takes are a few quiet minutes to ‘daydream’ and understand a whole new world of possibilities. “I want to guide others through difficult times in their lives and to prove that if you dream it you can do it. My hope is that I can evoke dreams to flow within your head and heart so that together we can change the world,” adds Enochs. About the Author Sara Enochs graduated from Arizona State University earning two degrees, majoring in Biology and Spanish. She continued her studies at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and the University of California, Berkeley. She has a heart for kids, moms, women’s health, and the environment. Aside from Code of Destiny, Sara is in the process of publishing the remaining two books in the Code series: The Code of Dignity and The Code of Deliverance. She currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona with her husband, Charlie and four children, Charlie, James, Ben and Ava. Please visit Sara online at: www.saraenochs.com to learn more about her Solar Hydrogen Project. The Code of Destiny is available at: www.Amazon.com Review Copies Available http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/16 Let's eradicate AIDS! For a long time now, I have wanted to end the AIDS pandemic, Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by the HIV virus, human immunodeficiency virus, which has killed 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children. It’s estimated that 33 million people live with the disease worldwide. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t daydream about ending disease, not just AIDS, although that’s my favorite to end, but all of them. Do I know how to eradicate aids? No, but in my head, I’m brilliant and can do anything. In real life, though, I’m not so brilliant. I get nervous, which brings me to Valentine’s Day, 2009 and going to Napa, California. I have always been what you would call a cautious traveler. And, as time goes by, I have become even more apprehensive about traveling. Maybe it’s due to 9/11, but I have become somewhat of a fearful traveler. I really think it has more to do with having children, because now I just want to stay home and protect them from the world. Not just my children, but all children, which is probably the reason why I love to daydream. This is what happens, though, on all of our trips …I somehow ruin it with feeling guilty about leaving our four kids with my parents to watch. See, I can’t wait to get out of Dodge and then I get on the plane and I can’t wait to get home to my babies. One year, on our trip to Hawaii, I cried the entire flight over the Pacific. Yeah, I’m a joy to travel with! Daydreaming is my ticket to ride. I can escape the moment and dream of a different world, one without disease. Have you ever done that? Take a moment and daydream about the world and what it would feel like if disease were eradicated? Now, come back from daydreaming and let’s go to Napa for Valentine’s Day. That’s what my husband proposed several weeks ago. I was very excited by the notion of getting away and seeing something new. I love to eat and hangout with Charlie. I knew it was going to be a lot of fun. So this time, I promise myself, that I’m not going to ruin the trip. I’m going to throw caution to the wind. I’m going to live in the moment and love my husband without the guilt of leaving our kids behind. Guess what? I gained 7 pounds in four days. We ate our way through Napa! We went to a place called Redd and then another spot called Auberge du Soleil. We laughed and then we ate some more cheese and desserts. It was lovely. It reminded me of Italy where I gained 30 pounds in 5 weeks. When I got off the plane, my own dad didn’t even recognize me. I threw caution to the wind and enjoyed myself. So, what does all of this have to do with AIDS? We get so busy living our everyday lives that we soon forget to see the bigger picture. Guilt or some other crazy emotion settles in and we become stuck in our own routines. We become fearful and don’t believe that we can eradicate a pandemic like AIDS. In fact, when was the last time you read about AIDS and what it does to a family? Have you looked at the pictures of devastation? I would guess that it has been awhile because you have your own problems to tackle right now. Perhaps you might even say that the world could use a few less people to take care of …it’s hard enough just taking care of my family let alone 33 million sick people. Maybe it was the rows of vines all perfectly lined out that got me thinking. The farmers of Napa have wine making down to a science. We went to several wineries and each one had their own way of making wine … all very elaborate, scientific and mathematical in nature. They are concerned about the environment and keeping their vines healthy. They want to make the best product possible. They talk about what food to pair their wine with and, through this whole process, they instill within you to live better. Does that make sense? They are farmers, but it’s more than farming. There is a beauty to Napa that makes you want to be more from within. We visited Joseph Phelps, Pride Mountain, Barnett, Saddleback, Rudd, Groth, Silver Oak, and Hall Rutherford. Somewhere along the way, I could feel my confidence grow as I saw what they made of their land …the houses they made and the caves they used to store their wine. I don’t know if any of this makes sense, but I do know that I left thinking that it’s time to eradicate AIDS. If we can bring such beauty and perfection to something as simple as wine ...we can eradicate AIDS. So, how are we going to do it? Do you see the word WE? We can do it! Did you know that there is a mathematical model to eradicate AIDS? This is what I found in my research from R and D magazine: Based on mathematical models performed by scientists at the World Health Organization, once implemented, a new strategy could reduce HIV cases by 95% within 10 years and reduce the prevalence of HIV to less than 1% within 50 years. This strategy involves testing everyone 15 years and older for HIV every year and starting people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) immediately after they are diagnosed HIV+. This means not waiting until their immune systems are depressed, which is the current line of therapy. The cost of implementing such a strategy will be high, but researchers note that by 2032 its cost will be less than that of conventional treatment strategies. While there are obvious obstacles to implementing this plan, such as persuading people to be tested each year and convincing those HIV+ patients with no symptoms to start an ART regimen, the results of this study are compelling. While HIV is now a manageable condition for many, this new approach combined with prevention strategies could potentially eradicate HIV and AIDS, as we know it. So how much would it cost to implement this program? I’m still trying to find out. I’m also trying to find a company that would accept donations to make this happen. Here’s the WE part. WE could all donate a dollar and end this disease! Would you be interested in eradicating AIDS with me? Do you want to throw caution to the wind and become a part of something much bigger? Did you know that each year over 1 billion wine bottles are made? What if we set up a program to voluntarily donate a dollar each time we buy a bottle of wine? I wonder whom I would talk to about that … I think it’s a good thing to get out of our element and wake up our senses. There is an amazing world out there for our children to see … all of our children. http://www.saraenochs.com/component/jb2/post/18 January 20, 2009 I’m smiling from ear to ear. You can’t see me, but today is a major milestone in my life, and I’m ecstatic. A dream has come true …one that I’ve been dreaming about for over twenty years. What does ecstatic look like? Well, I jumped up and down. Sent a text message to my husband and lots of kudos came back. Beyond that, it’s business as usual. The boys went to school. Charlie Mac is giving a two-minute speech on George Washington. Ava is running around learning new stuff as fast as she can. The world is watching the Inauguration hoping for change. I’m hoping for change too. I’m hoping that the “Code” series of books will bring about change for kids, moms, women’s health, and the environment, especially the environment. I have to try ... Today is a good day! Change is a coming.