CRO'67 a Golden Bear Story

Buckle up for a thrilling journey through the vibrant 1950s and 1960s with this riveting coming-of-age memoir. Echoing the nostalgia and charm of classics like American Pie, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Stand by Me, American Graffiti, and Pleasantville, this graphic memoir offers a unique blend of heartfelt stories and vivid adventures.

Set in the idyllic suburb of Upper Arlington, Ohio, during a Camelot era, this tale follows a group of friends navigating the exhilarating highs and lows of adolescence. From mischievous escapades to moments of poignant self-discovery, the narrative captures the essence of youth, marked by friendships, first loves, and unforgettable parties.

Against a backdrop of significant historical events – social pressures, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Vietnam War – our protagonists brush shoulders with the elite, all while experiencing the raw and joyful transformation from childhood to teenage years.

DAMN: An Emotional and Physical Journey Through the Corridors of the Justice System

DAMN: Emotional and Physical Journey Through the Corridors of the Justice System uncovers the hidden and taboo stories of gay relationships within the prison system. Venturing into a world often associated with violence and isolation, this book offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of individuals seeking love, intimacy, and self-authentication under the harshest of conditions. Drawing on firsthand accounts, research, and personal experiences, the author delves into the labyrinth of emotions, charting both the struggles and the triumphs that defy the barriers of incarceration.

This compelling narrative serves not just as a testament to human resilience and the transformative power of love, but also as a call to action. Addressing the systemic issues that exacerbate the hardships faced by LGBTQ+ individuals behind bars, it challenges us to confront our biases and advocate for a more inclusive and empathetic prison system. A catalyst for meaningful conversations and reforms, this book reminds us of the inherent worth of every human being, urging us toward a more equitable and compassionate society.

Developing Practical Wisdom

Many people recognize wisdom as an important ideal, but the subject is rarely studied in public education or widely understood outside academia. Drawing from historical and contemporary research in psychology, philosophy, and education, Developing Practical Wisdom describes, in language accessible to any thoughtful reader, how people can intentionally learn to become wiser. The narrative provides a comprehensive set of pedagogical tools, including theories and practices, for developing deeply coherent perspectives on the world and the people in it. It explains how to cultivate coherent thinking and apply moral principles in daily life.

Discover the Matrix

The most dangerous move in business is the failure to see the space between. What's the greatest crisis among Leaders today? According to Harvard Business Review (Apr 2020), leaders are living in crisis with no modern-day precedent. Governments, corporations, hospitals, schools, and other organizations need now, more than ever, are "real leaders" people who "help us overcome the limitations of our own individual laziness and selfishness and weakness and fear and get us to do better, harder things than we can get ourselves to do on our own."

Like most, real leaders are not born; having the ability to help others see the space between is not written into their genetic code. Many leaders are forged in crisis. Prime Minister Winston Churchill encouraged his people to keep the faith: "We shall not fail or falter; we shall not weaken or tire. Neither the sudden shock of battle, nor the long-drawn trials of vigilance and exertion will wear us down. Give us the tools, and we will finish the job."

This book provides today's leaders with the tools to get the job done; the skills to see the space between. Challenging conventional wisdom, self-imposed limitations, and abstract obstacles, global business coach and leading keynote speaker Angela Cusack dares you to Discover the Matrix.

Don Harris Oben: In Search of a Future

This book chronicles the captivating journey of Don, who as a young boy used to listen with rapt attention to the fascinating stories his father told about his travels in colonial Nigeria. These tales invoke in little Don a burning desire to one day undertake his own voyage of discovery, to broaden his horizons beyond the familiar.

So Don sets out into the unknown at the tender age of 14, quickly realizing that expanding one’s worldview is no one-time event. Rather, it is a lifelong process full of twists, turns, and unexpected revelations about places, peoples, and even himself. As Don navigates a complex and often bewildering world, we walk alongside him through monumental challenges, missed opportunities and connections made.

With a wife and five third-culture kids in tow, Don’s pursuit to continually push boundaries and search for a brighter future proves as epic and demanding as that of history’s great exploratory figures. His tireless voyage makes us reflect on what it means to have an inquisitive mind, confront hardship, and leave behind footprints that point others to higher horizons long after we are gone.

Dresden: Portrait of a City

The world knows Dresden as the victim of vicious Allied bombing at the end of World War II that destroyed its famed Baroque architecture. But Dresden is more than this stereotype implies. This portrait explores the highs and lows of Dresden’s individual experiences. It captures the visions of the princes who created the Baroque city. It displays the talents of the individuals who turned a princely residence into a modern industrial hub. It traces the city’s historically conflicted relationship with its Jewish community. And it reveals how the city’s identification with the arts was often at odds with its economic, social, and political realities. This background led Dresden to act as spearhead of the peaceful revolution that re-united Germany in 1990. The multiple facets of Dresden’s past inspire its current vitality and energize its response to contemporary challenges.

Economic Myths and Economic Realities

The world’s ten richest countries have about 60 times the income per capita of the bottom ten. Nobel Prize-winning economists have acknowledged their ignorance regarding the sources of economic growth. This explains why, despite considerable financial assistance, the gap between poorer and richer countries has grown year after year, both globally and within countries like the USA and Europe.

Using straightforward statistical diagrams, this book explains approximately 90% of the variance in income among countries or states. First, it empirically demonstrates what does not work – the myths – from reindustrialization to Keynesianism. Then, it examines the real drivers of growth by evaluating whole countries (public, social and private sectors combined, including the non-working population) as companies, assessing their business administration across areas like marketing, work culture, strategy and operations. After all, numerous multinationals are larger than countries.

The lessons are twofold: First, nothing is more pointless than perfecting the irrelevant. Second, there are no underdeveloped countries, only undermanaged ones (P. Drucker). The wealthiest countries are, overall, the best-run companies.

Eight Fought to Live

1988: 82,362 gay and bisexual men had AIDS.

1989: 100,000 gay and bisexual men had AIDS.

1990: 307,000 gay and bisexual men had AIDS.

These are the two years Dr. Rosiello led an AIDS therapy group at Gay Men’s Health Crisis in New York City. Within two years each man in her group passed away from AIDS complications. One of these men was Vito Russo, an AIDS activist and historian.

This is the story of eight gay men living with advanced AIDS and one inexperienced fresh out of training psychoanalyst. Each man’s intimate story is peppered with Dr. Rosiello’s anxiety and her growing awareness regarding the importance of emotional authenticity in psychotherapy. The group members had no spare moments for Dr. Rosiello to use her newly learned psychoanalytic techniques. There was only time to be real.

Early on these group members pledged to not die. They pledged emotional support for the life of the group. This pledge held true for over a year. Blood brothers in their fight to live.

Ending Today’s Chaos And Repairing America

In our modern American society, we find ourselves amidst a disheartening breakdown, where chaos prevails. The dominance of a few corporations stifles diversity across numerous sectors of our economy. Complex and biased laws and tax systems cater to special interests, while the upbringing of many children and the quality of education are skewed towards wealthy areas. Moreover, our online platforms inundate us with fraudulent schemes, adding to the societal disarray.

This thought-provoking book offers a fresh perspective on historical change, presenting the idea that the Western world has undergone three distinct civilizations: the Greco-Roman, the Medieval, and the Enlightenment. With the passing of each civilization, we have witnessed a gradual deterioration of institutions and the erosion of social consensus. Examining the challenges we face today, the book delves into the concept of ‘Justice’ and questions what truly constitutes a fair society. It then presents a range of potential improvements to our current institutions, serving as a temporary measure until a new civilization emerges. Additionally, the book explores America’s place in the global context and delves into the complexities faced by other civilizations experiencing their own periods of institutional breakdown.

By offering a critical analysis of our present state and proposing alternative perspectives, this book provides a guiding light for navigating the turbulent waters of societal transformation. It inspires hope for a future where our institutions can be reimagined, fostering a more just and harmonious society.

Farm Story

Eddie Casson grew up on a farm in a small Indiana town where Church, family, and identity
were the unchanging signposts of an acceptable life. Conventionality was more than just
expected—it was the highest form of success. Art, music, and movies might have their place
here and there, but bonus was for boys to excel at traditional masculine
pursuits. Despite always feeling somehow different and apart from most of everyone else
around him, he worked hard to be the perfect image of a son, brother, and friend. Reared in a
household where perfection and faith were the two pillars of the family, he struggled to
understand his own identity as well as the currents of unhappiness—and change—that were
beginning to swirl around him and the outside world. Finding his way out of the straight jacket
of his past into a different kind of future was a long rock-covered road. He would find that his
choices would hurt people he loved along the way, but he also knew that living his true life
would be the only thing that would make it all worth it. And with a loving and forgiving heart,
he would be able to find his way back to people he loved while stumbling forward into his own
happier future.
This book is a memoir about growing up in Indiana in the ’60s and ’70s as a gay kid and young
man. It is a series of linked portraits and moments that weave the story through. Eddie
worked to really create a sense of what it was like in these particular places in the particular
time. The Midwest in those days had barely entered the modern era and his youth and life had
a truly gothic, otherworldly cast to it. It conveys not just the struggles of his experience, but
the poetry and soulfulness of it as well.

Forever True Love

In our modern, fast-paced world, we often find ourselves juggling work, family, and personal commitments. Amidst this whirlwind, it’s easy to lose sight of ourselves and our deepest desires, especially the yearning for a soulmate. To discover true happiness and love, it’s essential to shift our priorities and perspectives. Slowing down, being present, and cherishing the little moments can illuminate the path to profound connections. Just as a garden blooms with a variety of flowers, showcasing nature’s harmonious dance of life and love, our lives too can flourish. Embrace your journey, let love lead the way, and step forward without fear of the unknown.

From Zero to Infinity and Back- A full Circle

In order to find some love, partnership, companionship, and support, as any other young single divorcee, my search for a loving partner began on dating websites. At first in line with my spiritual beliefs of the Eastern tradition of Yoga and Meditation like DharmaMatch.com. I have been a practitioner of Yoga and meditation since my thirties, which I am blessed to have inherited from my ancestry. Going to Kirtans and meditation, Satsangs with my grandmother and living in a family with Yoga traditions, my father being a Raja Yoga practitioner, even as a child, living in Yoga came naturally to me.

At these dating websites I met some sociopaths, addicts, alcoholics and also some decent men sometimes in disharmonious timings in this dating journey. After being stolen from, surviving domestic violence, and also having some great learning dating adventures, I have come to arrive in this place. I am now thriving, being in oneness, in Yoga. This writing and art memoir are a result of this journey. I am sharing my story in the form of arts and writings inspired by the teachings of Vedanta and Buddhist teachings and values.

My abstract art is in its spontaneous presence, in the raw, elemental, primal and childlike innocence, with awe and wonder, a curious part of me. I do hope to awaken a presence in you that resonates this blissful state that I experienced while working on the art and poetry book project.