Why Osiris Organization?

By Bill R | May 4, 2010

May 7th, 2010,  Loving Mother, Irene Hoskins

Birth is a humbling, awesome experience to witness. A precious gift.

I am here a living and breathing because of my mother Irene.  Growing up I did not live with her. I did visit her and my siblings in Michigan during summer vacation from school.

Irene is the oldest daughter.  After giving birth to me in 1957 she later married, moved to Michigan and had six more children.

Why I stayed with my grandparents rather than go to Michigan with Irene is not important to me.  So many family members in Chicago showered me with love. Mother Irene and I know we love one another dearly. Long ago I’ve accepted that my aunts and grandparents cared for me very well.

I had sandy brown hair as baby.   “Sandy” is my nickname among family in Michigan.  I feel love and affection when I hear “Sandy”.  It just brings a big warm smile to my face.

Irene was the first in our family to get a degree from a university.  She worked in the Michigan school system. Her husband, Osbe Hoskins Sr. worked in the construction industry. My mother and I have a loving relationship to this day. It’s a special bond based on mutual respect.

My six siblings, Calvert, Joanne, Osbe Jr, Myron, Rose and Carol Lyn were great students and formidable athletes in high school and college.  Osbe Jr and I think that all of the athleticism in our family came from our grandfather and Irene.  My siblings were outstanding in the classroom as well as the field.  They were great in almost any sport that they participated in which included, football, baseball, volleyball and track and field.   They are in Halls of Fames in high school and in colleges.

Cal, Osbe Jr and Myron are wonderful fathers to their children.  I always try to call them on Father’s Day to express how proud I am of them as fathers. Great fathering is a family tradition.

I wasn’t as close to my sisters Joanne, Rose and Carol Lyn as we were growing up. But now that we have gotten older we all are much closer and I enjoy talking with them.

Even though I was not raised with my brothers and sisters, I have a very deep connection with all of them and they know that I love them.

Much love to the wonderful lady that gave me life, Irene Hoskins.

May 11th,  Searching outside of the family.

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Why Osiris Organization?

By Bill R | April 27, 2010

April 27th, 2010, My Loving Grandmother, “Minnie C. Roddy”

Grandmothers take great pleasure in enjoying every moment with their grandchildren. I have never known a grandparent who could look their grandchildren in the eye and say “NO”.

Grandchild: “Grandmother, could you take us hang gliding off Mount Kilimanjaro next week”?

Grandmother: “Ok honey, let me take a few pain pills to make sure my back holds up”. “Now grandma can only do this once, ok honey”?

Grandchild: “Ok, grandma, are we going to have some milk and cookies too”?

Grandmother: “Yes, honey, you know grandma can’t have you being hungry.

Grandchild: “Thanks grandma, we like coming to see you!”

Image living full time with your grandmother who loves you every moment.  This was my childhood.

Grandmother was born in 1919 in rural Arkansas. She married grandfather when she was just 15.  Traditional southern values system framed grandmother. If a guest arrived at our house they were always invited to eat. If it was Sunday morning you’d find her at church.

Grandmother’s most memorable statement to me was, “son always treat people the way you want to be treated”.  As I reflect on this it reminds me of Gandhi: “Be the change in the world that you want to see”.

She would teach me these things as I sat in the kitchen as she stirred her pots. I’d wait to eat the remaining cake batter out of the bowl. “Momma can I have the rest of the cake mixture”? She never said no.

I did not have a lot of clothes but Grandmother always made sure they were cleaned.  It seems to me that in those days working class folks were like that. Taking pride in taking care of what they had even though they didn’t have a lot. I don’t remember any keeping up with the Joneses mentality.

Grandmother would say, “son always remember acts of kindness”. Then I would go out and see a fight in our neighborhood over insignificant topics and acts of total cruelty.  To my young mind, this was so confusing. This consternation followed me through my high schools years as well.

To protect myself emotionally, I unconsciously sought out friends who seemed to have similar family values.

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Parenting

By Cortez | April 21, 2010

Being a parent to your child or children is very important. My mother did the best she could at a young age being a parent to me and my two siblings alone but the important things did not take place in our household. I love my mother a lot and I appreciate the things that she did for my siblings and I. However, my experiences within my household have made me a great father.

I took my five-year-old son Cordell out to dinner Saturday night and before we were done with dinner a total stranger approached us. She walked over to our table and said “ my friend and I are educators and we want to say that we appreciate that you are spending time with your son, it is very important.” I responded with “thank you” and it felt good to have someone recognize my son and I spending time together alone. It is not important for me to get “props” for being a father because it should be something that is expected but sadly there are so many kids today that do not have their father’s in their lives. I was one of those kids but it has made me a better parent as well.

A child that doesn’t receive the proper parenting may not have the best life and as a parent you want the child to have the best life. There is not one way to parent a child; it all depends on the child that you are parenting. My son is only 5, so I have a long way to go, and I am still learning about how to be a better parent every day. However, I believe the foundation of being a parent starts when a child is first born and it never ends even when they become adults. I created a structure for my son that has been the same for years and it seems to be very affective. We eat our meals together, we talk about how our days were, we do planned activities weekly, and I spend time reading to him. We also do a lot of educational activities together. I cannot express how important it is to show your child or children that you love and care for them, it comes along with parenting. If I remember correctly parenting is defined as the care, love, and guidance given by a parent. Children have their slip-ups, which require some type of discipline. I chose early not to discipline my son physically; I chose the method of taking what he likes the most away from him, and explaining to him why it is not okay to do whatever he did wrong. Like I mentioned earlier, you cannot parent every child the same way, my method of disciplining my son happened to work for me. I can give my son that look that he is familiar with and he gets back in line.

I can go on and on about parenting and the importance of it. There is no one way or right ways of doing it but you have to find your way of doing it and master it.

~Cortez

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UPDATE : Get Osiris on your mobile device!

By Vann | April 15, 2010

Can’t get enough Osiris news and stories? Now you can get it properly formatted on your mobile device (provided you have an Iphone, Android, Palm Pre, or Blackberry Storm). Simply visit www.osirisorganization.org on your mobile device! Enjoy!

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Serious commitment

By Gail | April 14, 2010

April 14

I’m giving the keynote speech at a Mother’s Day event on May 1st. I’m asked to tell my story about being a mature woman assisting Mom navigate her elder years. Around 75 women, multi generational, are expected to attend the event. Many will relate to the general topic. That of course is the whole idea.

I’ve chosen one particular story to tell them. A funny, poignant story.

Whenever I agree to give a keynote I have a serious commitment to candidly tell my story. I’m excited…and filled with dread.

Candid? Maybe I should filter it. I could even make up a story. Something other than what actually happened. Something more palatable. Something less weird. I’m clever. I could create a fabulous tale omitting the inherent weirdness that is my life and times. The made-up tale would be safe. Most of the women would nod their heads in recognition of safe. Safe is good. Acceptable.

Who would know the difference?

Gail

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Why Osiris Organization?

By Bill R | April 13, 2010

April 13th, 2010


More Aunt Wisdom

Twins Samella and Rosella moved to Chicago in 1959 and 1961. Trained as nurses, Chicago offered better employment opportunities.

Aunt “Sam” is an angel, the definition of unconditional love. She offered lots of hugs during the times when I needed them the most. Most of them came after run ins with Aunt Ida over a dispute about a homework assignment she claimed I missed.

Aunt Sam had three sons, Wayne, Demetrius and Timothy. Her sons felt like brothers instead of cousins. Such was the bond we had as a family. Aunt Sam had her own apartment and was always gainfully employed.

Nursing fit Aunt Sam perfectly. She’d tell me of stories about her patients bonding with her and feeling sad to leave the hospital even though they were going home to their own families. She was our family’s Mother Teresa. Sam was the first to unconditionally help a family member or relative. She told me many stories of how at age 2 and 3 years of age I’d follow her and the rest of my aunts on the farm. It was difficult for me to pronounce her first name. She said I called her “Yam”.

Tagging along behind them my 3 year old legs fell behind. Afraid, I’d call out to her, “Don’t leave me ‘Yam.’” She’d stop whatever she was doing, come back and pick me up in her arms and carry me back to our house.

Every time she tells me that story, it literally bring tears to my eyes. I feel fortunate to have someone love me that much.

As an adolescent growing up in Chicago I always looked forward to spending weekends at her apartment. It seems like I knew when I needed to be with her. She always obliged.

It was not what she said to me during these years, it was how she made me feel as a person. With her I always felt the world was a safe place.

I wish everyone could have an Aunt “Yam”.

Aunt Rosella (“Ro”) arrived in Chicago in 1959. She to lived with a relatives; she too was trained as a nurse. Aunt Ro was very independent. She eventually had several kids of her own, Tony, Kenny, Sandra, Stephanie and Nicolis.

I did not spend as much time with Aunt Ro. She lived on the South Side of Chicago, busy working and taking care of her family.

There was many times when my grandfather and I took trips to her house on the South Side to make sure she was ok. I remember grandfather taking me along to help Ro move into increasingly better housing. The last move she purchased her home on the South Side of Chicago. She still lives in that same house.

One morning Ro called us to say that someone threw paint all over the front side of her house. This neighborhood was beginning to integrate. Apparently some of the “locals” did not want a young african american family living among them. Within a few years, more black families moved in seeking the American dream. The locals fled.

In my household we did not preach hate. So baffling to my young self that people felt and acted upon such hatred and cruelty! I was naïve (young). Chicago had a way of waking you up to the real world.

Aunt Ro worked hard and sent all of her kids to private catholic schools in Chicago. All my aunts lived our parent’s values: Education, reading, independence and self reliance.

I strive to live those values too.


April 20th Grandmother “Minnie C. Roddy”

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Cash vs. Credit Cards

By Cortez | April 7, 2010

I was never taught about credit cards before or after I left off to college and the average American doesn’t. I had to learn about credit cards the hard way. I thought making the minimum payments each month would be fine but that was the problem, I did not pay them on time. Before I knew it I was a broke college student in debt.

After doing some research I learned that consumers either use credit because its convenient or they use it if they lose their job to make everyday purchases. According to Richard (2010), when college students develop bad habits for using credit cards in college they can carry that bad habit over into their every day life. For every myth there is a truth behind it. The truth is according to Dave Ramsey (2009), there is no positive side to credit card use, and you will spend more if you use credit cards.

Using cash is better than using credit cards. When you use cash in a sense you can feel your income leaving from you. Using cash also helps you manage your money better, example: you can not spend what you do not have, compared to with a credit card you can spend what you do not have and regret it once your statement comes at the end of the month.

Credit cards are not 100% bad in my opinion; they can be used as a tool to help build your credit rating. Using your credit card(s) to pay a few monthly bills is fine as long as you pay the card(s) off in full when the bills come.

At the end of the day cash is always king!

~Cortez

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Why Osiris Organization?

By Bill R | April 6, 2010

April 6th

School Years, Our Values, My Aunts

Aunt Betty:

Aunt Ida and I bumped heads daily. I’d ask myself, “Why is Aunt Ida so hard on me? Why should I have to do all this hard work when all my friends are at the play ground playing baseball and tag?”

Aunt Betty was the ultimate counselor to me. She was raising her own son, Juan and daughter Yvonne came later. She treated me like her third child. In a loving voice, Aunt Betty would explain all that Aunt Ida was doing but explained it in a way that made sense to me. Betty was Ida’s older sister and they had great respect for one another. I’ve only seen them argue once.

Betty explained to me that Daddy and Mamma wanted a better life for us. They wanted their children to accomplished more than what they were permitted to accomplish. She further explained the conditions in the segregated South and what they had to deal with it. I was too young in the late 50′s and early 60′s to even know what was going on.

One day Daddy took some of our crops into town, downtown Marvell, Arkansas, thinking he would get a fair price. He came home disappointed with the prices he received from the white southerners wholesalers. Daddy worked so hard to keep what we made. I think this is why he taught us to never trust anyone outside of family.

How Aunt Betty knew all of this was startling to me as a young boy! At times, I felt like it was information overload, too much for a young kid to handle. I’d listen but usually I just wanted to go out and play baseball with my friends.

But I did often wonder what it felt like to work 13 hours a day on a farm, take your produce to market for sale and never get a fair price. How long could you do this without your pride taking a beating? Aunt Betty said it was not so much about the money. Afterall, our farm provided everything we needed. But for Daddy it was the sense of pride he felt working the fields, producing the crops, and reaping the harvest. How did Daddy handle the disrespect, hearing the fair price exchanged between the wholesalers and the white farmers who brought their crops to market? “Take pride in the work you do. Never hate anyone.” Daddy told us this all the time.

Aunt Betty had a wonderful way of making sense out of everything in my life. I don’t know if she knows how her wisdom impacted my young mind.

Oh, she was preparing for me for much more to come!


April 13th , School Years, Our Values, My Aunts

Aunt Samella:

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Why Osiris Organization?

By Bill R | March 30, 2010

3/30/2010, Elementary & Middle School Years, Value System Set, My Aunts

Aunt Ida:

I’m not sure if my grandfather assigned my Aunt Ida the task of making sure I completed my homework and did well in school. Ida was his youngest daughter. Ida was a “warrior” type personality. Direct yet loving. There was no misunderstanding Aunt Ida. She meant what she said and didn’t care if it hurt your feelings. I knew she took her mentoring seriously. I had to put the work in or there was going to be a price to pay. Ida made sure after coming home from school I did all of my homework and read a half-hour everyday regardless of my homework assignments before I went out to play with my friends. Did she give my grandfather a progress report? I don’t know but the thought of facing my Aunt Ida was enough to keep me focused and motivated in school. Aunt Ida was like the Klingons in Star Trek when they conquered another race in battle. Take no prisoners! This was Aunt Ida!

While hovering over me many evenings and afterschool, one of the most profound statement aunt Ada made to me was, “Boy, learn to read, this is the key to getting a good education. If you can read there is no stopping how far you can go. Do you think Momma and Daddy are going to work everyday for nothing? They didn’t have the chance like we have today, they were denied the opportunities when they were young growing up in the South. They expect more out of us!”

All my friends in our inner city community had family members that truly cared for us. It was common during open houses at school that both parents attended and even relatives would come as well. My grandfather and grandmother sent Aunt Betty or Aunt Ida and they would report back to my grandparents. All of my friends took pride in getting good grades in school. Believe it or not there was always competition among the boys; who got the most A’s or B’s on report cards, who won the spelling quizzes that week. We loved sports but sports was not an obsession as it is today.

Aunt Ida had several kids herself while living with us, Gwen and Matthew. I felt like I was one of her kids. As the first grandchild of my grandparents , Aunt Ida made sure that I was not going to demonstrate any behavior that was different from our grandparents work ethic. During my high school years, Ida’s mentoring and discipline along with the love of reading, helped me excel in High School. Aunt Ida. Tough love. Much love.

As I reflect on my life during these present times, I remember the civil rights movement, hearing Dr. King speak as a young man, the speeches from Malcolm X, the Vietnam War and the protesting it brought, the stories of my aunts talking about Rosa Parks stood up for all of us when she refused to give up her seat and move to the “back of the bus”, and Mohammed Ali. I can remember Ernest and I talking about the importance of his conviction on not going to fight in the vietnam war warming up for one of baseball games.

For young kids, that was a “deep” conversation at the time. But we were aware of the social movements of the era. It was an era of fighting for equal opportunities and education. Very important to our generation. As young kids we knew the sacrifices our parents were making and we could see that in the civil right movement. Their struggle consumed us all.

This is why our parents and grandparents during the 60s made sure that “READING” was so important to their kids in our generation. It was denied to them for a variety of reasons previous but they made sure we were not going to be denied this important attribute!

It took my Aunt Betty to explain all of this to me that made sense!

Much love to my Aunt Ida! I often wonder what direction my life would have taken without her being in my life during those years?

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Good education is good business

By Vann | March 26, 2010

Judging from the title of this post you might think that I’m correlating a relationship between having a good business with a prerequisite of having a good education. That’s partially true, but that’s not what we’re going to discuss today; today I want to expand on the idea of educating your customers and clients on your products and services. I believe that it should be a requirement for all business and organizations [or ones that want to achieve success] to make training and education a mandatory process when selling their products or services. You may be thinking,.. “but Vann, why is that necessary?, what does my customer care if I educate them or not?”. Here’s some reasons why:

  • If you sell a service, it’s advantageous that you keep your customers as sharp as they can be when they utilize it, it keeps your services valuable.
  • Even if you’re selling something trivial, maybe tea or coffee or even gum, if you take the time to educate your customer on the process and the ingredients that it takes to make it, there’s a good chance they’ll appreciate it and come back for more, I know I would.
  • The ability to empower your customers is sometimes more important than the product/service itself.

Not the craftsman that I'm talking about

I believe that if you don’t educate your customers with your products, the results can be disastrous. I know this based on previous experiences with poorly designed educational material in products. When I first bought my home, I had to buy a lawnmower, so I went to the nearest Home Depot and picked up a cheap Craftsman lawnmower. I took it home, un-boxed, assembled it, and put fuel in it. It wasn’t long after I just completed the first lap of mowing the lawn when it completely shut off on me, I was perplexed, I couldn’t believe it, a brand new lawnmower just died and I still have 90% of the yard to do! I attempted to fire it up again,… and again… no luck. It wouldn’t even spin. It was just clicking. I frantically ran back to the packaging to see what the warranty and return policies were and ended up re-reading the manual again. Assemble this, assemble that, OK I did everything it asked me to! I flipped back to the index of the manual in frustration and threw it back in the box, upon closing the lid to the box I discovered a picture of a old school oil can with a slash through it, kinda like a no smoking sign only this one had an oil can instead of a cigarette there were no words, no description, just a picture. It was like Craftsman hired the IKEA manual designer to do just that one part, and not just any part, the most important step of all, ADD OIL BEFORE YOU START UP THE LAWNMOWER! I attempted to return it, but Home Depot blamed it on user error and could not take it, so I was out a couple hundred dollars and feeling especially bitter. Needless to say, that was the first and last Craftsman product I buy, that to me is what the power of good education in your products or in this case poorly executed education in a product can do.

So next time you’re developing a product or service, think to yourself,.. “what would I want to know if someone was to introduce or sell me on this product?” With all the technology we are overwhelmed with now, it’s more important than ever to educate your customers on how to use what they receive from you.

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