Saturday 9: I Miss You (1997)
... because Smellyann suggested it
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
(Not to be an alarmist or anything, but that is one freaky video.)
1) In this song, Bjork knows what she's looking for in a mate, she just hasn't met him yet. If you are/were still looking for The One, what two qualities would you hope he/she possessed?
A. Intelligence and loyalty. I have both of those in my mate, so I am lucky.
2) The lyrics ask if you believe "that a dream can come true." Do you believe that dreams come true if you wish hard enough?
A. I believe dreams come true if you work hard enough. Sometimes things that you want to happen do simply happen, though. Serendipity and all that.
3) Bjork turns 50 this year. Do you treat "milestone" birthdays differently? Or to you, is your age just a number?
A. Generally, age is just a number, but I had a hard time turning 50. I dreaded it. (I personally think that is because I knew that something was wrong with me physically, it just had not yet manifested itself as a bad gallbladder.) My husband, bless him, knew I was nervous and threw me a birthday party. It was just a luncheon at the local pizza place with some friends, but I was really touched that he took the time to do that.
4) Bjork was always highly musical. At the tender age of 6 she began studying classical piano and flute. Sam is impressed because at the age of 6, she was still trying to master tying her shoes. Do you consider yourself musical?
A. I do, actually. I can manage to pick out a tune on a number of instruments, including piano, organ, accordion, flute, saxophone, piccolo, guitar, banjo, and bass guitar, though aside from the guitar it has been years since I played most of those instruments. I can also sing decently, though not well enough to make a profession of it.
5) She was born and raised in Reykjavik, Iceland. While the city is known for its bar scene, beer was banned there until 1995. How often do you drink beer?
A. Never.
6) 66ºNORTH is one of Iceland's biggest employers. This clothier makes quality outdoor wear and this time of year they sell a lot of durable rainwear. Do you have a raincoat?
A. I have an all-weather jacket.
7) In 1997, when this song was popular in clubs, Titanic was popular in theaters. Sam saw it and yes, she cried. How about you? Have you seen the saga of Jack and Rose? Did you enjoy it?
A. I have seen Titanic and yes, I enjoyed it. I don't recall if I cried or not.
8) Also in 1997, singer John Denver died. Name a John Denver song.
A. Annie. Take Me Home, Country Roads. He also wrote Leavin' On a Jet Plane, which was made famous by another group. One of my favorites of his is called Guess He'd Rather Be in Colorado. It's a beautiful song. Take two minutes and listen to it.
9) Random question: If you had the opportunity to sky dive, would you take it?
A. When I was 24, I went up in a hot air balloon. My husband thought I was crazy and even though the ride invitation was extended to him, he chose to remain with the chase crew, on the ground. It was one of the best adventures of my life. If I were healthy, yes, I would go. So ask me again when I am feeling a little better, and I'll give an enthusiastic yes.
Saturday, June 27, 2015
Friday, June 26, 2015
Just Thinking
This is a southern liberal's post, so if you're not of that mindset, you may want to move on. I am in a musing mood this afternoon. I also have a bad headache.
If you believe in a supreme deity, what do you think of this statement?
In light of all the horrible things that have happened to very good people, a supreme deity (God) cannot possibly be both all-powerful and all-compassionate and merciful. Thus, the supreme deity is either all power and not compassionate and merciful, or the supreme deity is not all-powerful, but is compassionate and merciful.
I know many try to get around this with the "we can't know the supreme deity's purpose for us" preaching, but I don't buy that line because it doesn't fit in with my idea of Free Will, which I think we have.
Free Will means you have the power to act without constraint, at your own discretion. If that is the case, then the deity can't have anything in mind for us.
Interference by a supreme deity, even for plans we cannot comprehend, means we do not have Free Will.
Two people were killed in a car wreck last night not far from my house. What sort of "plan" could that possibly entail? Or mercy?
What sort of plan could any merciful being have in mind for the horrible things that go on in this world? Shootings, beheadings, bombings, terrorist attacks, killings, incest, child abuse - what kind of deity would accept all of that just to fulfill some apocalyptic plan? Am I the only person who wonders about such questions?
Just thinking today.
Good week for liberals. Thank you SCOTUS, for bringing equality to the nation, and for keeping health care on the table.
Good riddance to flag worship, too.
If you believe in a supreme deity, what do you think of this statement?
In light of all the horrible things that have happened to very good people, a supreme deity (God) cannot possibly be both all-powerful and all-compassionate and merciful. Thus, the supreme deity is either all power and not compassionate and merciful, or the supreme deity is not all-powerful, but is compassionate and merciful.
I know many try to get around this with the "we can't know the supreme deity's purpose for us" preaching, but I don't buy that line because it doesn't fit in with my idea of Free Will, which I think we have.
Free Will means you have the power to act without constraint, at your own discretion. If that is the case, then the deity can't have anything in mind for us.
Interference by a supreme deity, even for plans we cannot comprehend, means we do not have Free Will.
Two people were killed in a car wreck last night not far from my house. What sort of "plan" could that possibly entail? Or mercy?
What sort of plan could any merciful being have in mind for the horrible things that go on in this world? Shootings, beheadings, bombings, terrorist attacks, killings, incest, child abuse - what kind of deity would accept all of that just to fulfill some apocalyptic plan? Am I the only person who wonders about such questions?
Just thinking today.
Good week for liberals. Thank you SCOTUS, for bringing equality to the nation, and for keeping health care on the table.
Good riddance to flag worship, too.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
Thursday Thirteen
Here are 13 sayings from Dove Dark Chocolate wraps:
1. Sleep late tomorrow.
2. Catch snowflakes on your tongue.
3. Be free. Be happy. Be you.
4. Don't settle for a spark . . . light a fire instead.
5. Feed your sense of anticipation.
6. Indulge your sense of enjoyment.
7. Satisfy your sense of surprise.
8. Feel free to be yourself.
9. Stay up until the sun rises.
10. Give a little love today.
11. Keep the promises you make to yourself.
12. Open your eyes to all the love around you.
13. Love every moment.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 401st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Sleep late tomorrow.
2. Catch snowflakes on your tongue.
3. Be free. Be happy. Be you.
4. Don't settle for a spark . . . light a fire instead.
5. Feed your sense of anticipation.
6. Indulge your sense of enjoyment.
7. Satisfy your sense of surprise.
8. Feel free to be yourself.
9. Stay up until the sun rises.
10. Give a little love today.
11. Keep the promises you make to yourself.
12. Open your eyes to all the love around you.
13. Love every moment.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 401st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
Monday, June 22, 2015
Two Years Ago Today, I Was Well
Tomorrow marks the anniversary of my trip to the emergency room in 2013. The ER doctors at Lewis Gale performed an ultrasound and decided I was having a gallbladder attack. They gave me a list of surgeons, suggested I contact them immediately, and sent me on my way.
My primary care doctor found a surgeon for me at Jefferson Surgical Clinic, and that doctor performed the surgery at Roanoke Memorial (Carilion). At first we were pleased with the choice, for the doctor had also operated on my nephew and had done a great job with him.
However, apparently young men receive better care than 50-year-old fat women. My husband overheard the surgeon saying he needed to hurry up and get my surgery over with because he had a tennis match. My post-op care was joke.
I am still paying for that tennis match. It's been two years, and my pain continues.
What kind of pain? Abdominal pain. Something happened in the surgery and/or healing process that left my muscles in my stomach in a perpetual Charlie horse. Imagine how that feels in the middle of the night when you wake up with one. Now think about that in your belly 24 hours a day. Constantly. Sometimes it eases a bit but it never lets up 100 percent.
Add nausea to that, too, almost every day.
Now try to walk, lift things, bend over, do your chores, or sit for any length of time while you have that constant knot in your stomach. It isn't easy.
Over time, I've developed a significant limp, back pain, and ankle pain, as well as chronic weakness on the right side. Doctors attribute all of this to this "pelvic floor tension myalgia" or "chronic abdominal wall pain," which means, basically, they don't know what the heck is wrong with me. I've also been told it's IBS, pancreatitis, spasms, and a number of other things. I've been checked for AIDS, hepatitis, lupus, parasites, cancer, Lyme disease, and vitamin deficiencies.
Mostly, the doctors tell me it's a result of multiple surgeries and scar tissue from events that took place more than 20 years ago. As a young woman, I suffered from severe endometriosis, ultimately ending up with a hysterectomy at the age of 29. I received my records from that last surgery (the final in a series of six) and the notes indicated so many adhesions and scars that the doctors opted to leave things as they were for fear they'd make my insides worse if they tried to clear the scar tissue away.
The gallbladder surgeon was told of my previous surgeries, but I don't think he paid much attention to it. In fact, in a subsequent visit, he told my husband and me that he didn't believe in scar tissue (a statement that sends my physical therapist into orbit every time I mention it).
Unfortunately, after that gallbladder attack, I developed severe ulcers, which were diagnosed in October 2013. I am mostly recovered from those, but in the meantime my doctor determined I have fibromyalgia. It's also been hard to keep depression at bay because of the constant ache and inability to get around.
Two years later, things are improved over what they were in November 2013, but pain continues. I walk with a cane much of the time, particularly on uneven ground. Last week I had my second steroid shot in my ankle. It's bruised and swollen, and the doctor gave me a brace to try.
I have been in physical therapy for 14 months. For a long time I could only walk a whole 2 minutes on a treadmill before I bent over double in pain, and now I can do 10 minutes (sometimes 15!). It has taken a very long time to build up to that, and I am nowhere near as healthy as I was prior to the gallbladder attack. But I haven't given up.
Health care is not yet what it should be. Some doctors care a great deal and I am fortunate that my primary care physician is one of those people. So, too, is my physical therapist. The surgeon, however, was a doctor who practices making money by practicing medicine, and that is quite different from a doctor who practices medicine. The latter are gems; the former are all too common.
I don't write too much about my health. I try not to complain about it here or on social media often (my poor real-life friends get the brunt of my bitching, I'm afraid), but it has greatly impacted my life.
Prior to the surgery, I had big plans. By now, I had hoped to have secured a teaching gig at the local community college. I'd planned to be standing in front of a bunch of eager learners, teaching English 101 or something. I had even hoped to go back to school to work on my Ph.D.
Instead, I've spent my time in the last two years visiting doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and specialists. I am taking a lot of medication that I would rather not be taking. It's quite difficult to hold any kind of position when you have to go to see a health care provider of some kind two or three times a week.
If nothing else, I hope my story serves as a cautionary tale. The doctors said my gallbladder needed to come out; it had disease and stones, the post-operative report said. But I wonder, had I given myself a little time and made some dietary changes, could I have affected that organ and saved myself the pain and agony of the last two years?
One should listen to doctors, of course. We are taught to do that and I had three of them tell me to have the operation. My husband, too, was eager to see me out of pain. But sometimes I think we act to quickly. We're too eager to operate, in too much of a hurry to get better right away. Sometimes time is the greatest healer.
I can't put my gallbladder back now. I will never know what could have been.
Now I wait for time to heal me again, watching the years tick by.
My primary care doctor found a surgeon for me at Jefferson Surgical Clinic, and that doctor performed the surgery at Roanoke Memorial (Carilion). At first we were pleased with the choice, for the doctor had also operated on my nephew and had done a great job with him.
However, apparently young men receive better care than 50-year-old fat women. My husband overheard the surgeon saying he needed to hurry up and get my surgery over with because he had a tennis match. My post-op care was joke.
I am still paying for that tennis match. It's been two years, and my pain continues.
What kind of pain? Abdominal pain. Something happened in the surgery and/or healing process that left my muscles in my stomach in a perpetual Charlie horse. Imagine how that feels in the middle of the night when you wake up with one. Now think about that in your belly 24 hours a day. Constantly. Sometimes it eases a bit but it never lets up 100 percent.
Add nausea to that, too, almost every day.
Now try to walk, lift things, bend over, do your chores, or sit for any length of time while you have that constant knot in your stomach. It isn't easy.
Over time, I've developed a significant limp, back pain, and ankle pain, as well as chronic weakness on the right side. Doctors attribute all of this to this "pelvic floor tension myalgia" or "chronic abdominal wall pain," which means, basically, they don't know what the heck is wrong with me. I've also been told it's IBS, pancreatitis, spasms, and a number of other things. I've been checked for AIDS, hepatitis, lupus, parasites, cancer, Lyme disease, and vitamin deficiencies.
Mostly, the doctors tell me it's a result of multiple surgeries and scar tissue from events that took place more than 20 years ago. As a young woman, I suffered from severe endometriosis, ultimately ending up with a hysterectomy at the age of 29. I received my records from that last surgery (the final in a series of six) and the notes indicated so many adhesions and scars that the doctors opted to leave things as they were for fear they'd make my insides worse if they tried to clear the scar tissue away.
The gallbladder surgeon was told of my previous surgeries, but I don't think he paid much attention to it. In fact, in a subsequent visit, he told my husband and me that he didn't believe in scar tissue (a statement that sends my physical therapist into orbit every time I mention it).
Unfortunately, after that gallbladder attack, I developed severe ulcers, which were diagnosed in October 2013. I am mostly recovered from those, but in the meantime my doctor determined I have fibromyalgia. It's also been hard to keep depression at bay because of the constant ache and inability to get around.
Two years later, things are improved over what they were in November 2013, but pain continues. I walk with a cane much of the time, particularly on uneven ground. Last week I had my second steroid shot in my ankle. It's bruised and swollen, and the doctor gave me a brace to try.
I have been in physical therapy for 14 months. For a long time I could only walk a whole 2 minutes on a treadmill before I bent over double in pain, and now I can do 10 minutes (sometimes 15!). It has taken a very long time to build up to that, and I am nowhere near as healthy as I was prior to the gallbladder attack. But I haven't given up.
Health care is not yet what it should be. Some doctors care a great deal and I am fortunate that my primary care physician is one of those people. So, too, is my physical therapist. The surgeon, however, was a doctor who practices making money by practicing medicine, and that is quite different from a doctor who practices medicine. The latter are gems; the former are all too common.
I don't write too much about my health. I try not to complain about it here or on social media often (my poor real-life friends get the brunt of my bitching, I'm afraid), but it has greatly impacted my life.
Prior to the surgery, I had big plans. By now, I had hoped to have secured a teaching gig at the local community college. I'd planned to be standing in front of a bunch of eager learners, teaching English 101 or something. I had even hoped to go back to school to work on my Ph.D.
Instead, I've spent my time in the last two years visiting doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, and specialists. I am taking a lot of medication that I would rather not be taking. It's quite difficult to hold any kind of position when you have to go to see a health care provider of some kind two or three times a week.
If nothing else, I hope my story serves as a cautionary tale. The doctors said my gallbladder needed to come out; it had disease and stones, the post-operative report said. But I wonder, had I given myself a little time and made some dietary changes, could I have affected that organ and saved myself the pain and agony of the last two years?
One should listen to doctors, of course. We are taught to do that and I had three of them tell me to have the operation. My husband, too, was eager to see me out of pain. But sometimes I think we act to quickly. We're too eager to operate, in too much of a hurry to get better right away. Sometimes time is the greatest healer.
I can't put my gallbladder back now. I will never know what could have been.
Now I wait for time to heal me again, watching the years tick by.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Sunday Stealing: Get It All Down
From Sunday Stealing
Get It All Down Meme
1. Are you a good dancer?
A. I dance like Elaine on Seinfield. So, no.
2. Are you a good singer?
A. I can carry a tune.
3. Are you a good cook?
A. I can cook well enough to keep us fed and fat. I am not a cook in a healthy sense of the word, nor in a Julia Child sense of the word.
4. Are you a good artist?
A. If writing, music, and photography are included in the arts, then I am a good artist. If you are speaking only of drawing, then I am not.
5. Are you a good listener?
A. Having been a newspaper reporter for 30 years, learning to listen has been a cultivated skill. Sometimes it is the nuances that lead to the next question, not the words spoken.
6. What's your favorite clean word?
A. Um. You mean like Ajax or Tide? Or just a favorite word? I hate it when I don't understand the question.
7. What's your favorite swear word?
A. The F-word seems to come out from between my lips with great ease, so I will go with that one.
8. What's your least favorite word?
A. I don't know that I have one.
9. What was the last film you saw?
A. True Lies. It was the only thing on Friday night that seemed to be worth watching.
10. What football team do you support?
A. I root for the University of Virginia for college sports. Mostly because everyone else around here roots for Virginia Tech.
11. Have you ever been bobbing for apples?
A. Not since I was about nine years old.
12. What's your most expensive piece of clothing?
A. My sneakers. Those things cost $150 every six months, and I have to have them because of my problems with my feet.
13. What's the last thing you took a picture of?
A. A doe and her fawn.
14. What's the last thing you drew a picture of?
A. I have no idea. I don't draw much.
15. Have you ever bought anything from eBay?
A. Yes, some parts for the recliner chairs on the sofa.
16. Have you ever invented a fairly unique meal or drink?
A. No, I have not. Although I will report that I never make meatloaf the same way twice.
17. Do you have any secret family recipes?
A. My grandmother's recipe for chocolate lush is considered the family secret. It's a kind of cake and pudding concoction that involves a lot of coco. Best with Cool Whip dressing on top and served warm.
_______________
Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there, including my own.
Get It All Down Meme
1. Are you a good dancer?
A. I dance like Elaine on Seinfield. So, no.
2. Are you a good singer?
A. I can carry a tune.
3. Are you a good cook?
A. I can cook well enough to keep us fed and fat. I am not a cook in a healthy sense of the word, nor in a Julia Child sense of the word.
4. Are you a good artist?
A. If writing, music, and photography are included in the arts, then I am a good artist. If you are speaking only of drawing, then I am not.
5. Are you a good listener?
A. Having been a newspaper reporter for 30 years, learning to listen has been a cultivated skill. Sometimes it is the nuances that lead to the next question, not the words spoken.
6. What's your favorite clean word?
A. Um. You mean like Ajax or Tide? Or just a favorite word? I hate it when I don't understand the question.
7. What's your favorite swear word?
A. The F-word seems to come out from between my lips with great ease, so I will go with that one.
8. What's your least favorite word?
A. I don't know that I have one.
9. What was the last film you saw?
A. True Lies. It was the only thing on Friday night that seemed to be worth watching.
10. What football team do you support?
A. I root for the University of Virginia for college sports. Mostly because everyone else around here roots for Virginia Tech.
11. Have you ever been bobbing for apples?
A. Not since I was about nine years old.
12. What's your most expensive piece of clothing?
A. My sneakers. Those things cost $150 every six months, and I have to have them because of my problems with my feet.
13. What's the last thing you took a picture of?
A. A doe and her fawn.
14. What's the last thing you drew a picture of?
A. I have no idea. I don't draw much.
15. Have you ever bought anything from eBay?
A. Yes, some parts for the recliner chairs on the sofa.
16. Have you ever invented a fairly unique meal or drink?
A. No, I have not. Although I will report that I never make meatloaf the same way twice.
17. Do you have any secret family recipes?
A. My grandmother's recipe for chocolate lush is considered the family secret. It's a kind of cake and pudding concoction that involves a lot of coco. Best with Cool Whip dressing on top and served warm.
_______________
Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there, including my own.
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Saturday 9: Daddy's Little Man
Saturday 9: Daddy's Little Man (1969)
... because it's Father's Day weekend
1) This song is about an afternoon visit between a father and son. What are your plans for Saturday afternoon?
A. Don't have any. Plan to rest up and maybe if I'm lucky my husband will take me out to dinner. If not, I will fix us a salad.
2) The lyrics talks about enjoying an ice cream cone. Do you have any ice cream in your freezer right now?
A. I have frozen yogurt. Does that count?
A. This morning. I stepped down on my foot that the day before had received a steroid shot and said a few choice words at the pain. Takes those shots a few days to settle in.
4) In a recent ranking of movie dads, Mufasa (Lion King) and Atticus (To Kill a Mockingbird) got very high marks. Who is your favorite movie or TV father?
A. Obi Wan Kenobi, although he was a mentor, not a father. Gandalf the Grey also was not a father but he was a great mentor. I don't believe you actually have to shoot out the sperm to be a dad.
5) Sam's own father often traveled for business, and always remembered to bring her the little complimentary soaps, shampoos or body lotion he got from the hotel. When you take a trip, do you bring back souvenirs?
A. I like to buy postcards of places we've visited, but generally hotel soaps are smelly and I only use unscented products. So I leave them for someone else.
6) Back when Sam was in high school, it was her father who gave her driving lessons. Who taught you how to drive?
A. A groping coach at the high school. We had "driver's ed" as a course way back then, and we all rotated through it when we hit 15. The coach was well-known for putting his hands on girls legs whilst they were driving, the ol' leech.
A. I don't really care, so long as somebody remembers me. Although in these days of having too much stuff, I suppose cash might be the preferable thing. I could use it toward a vacation or something.
8) For family barbecues, Sam's dad dons his "Kiss the Chef" apron and mans the Weber. What's the last thing you cooked on the grill?
A. Hot dogs.
9) Sam's father satisfies his afternoon sugar craving with an almost endless stream of Butter Rum Lifesavers. When you crave a snack, do you usually want something sweet or salty?
A. I always want chocolate. But sometimes chips or pretzels do the deed.
______________________________________________
Today is my mother's birthday. She would have been 71 years old, but she died 15 years ago at the age of 56 - just four years older than I am now. Time does make it easier and changes the way we look at things, especially in retrospect, but a woman wonders what might have been.
... because it's Father's Day weekend
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) This song is about an afternoon visit between a father and son. What are your plans for Saturday afternoon?
A. Don't have any. Plan to rest up and maybe if I'm lucky my husband will take me out to dinner. If not, I will fix us a salad.
2) The lyrics talks about enjoying an ice cream cone. Do you have any ice cream in your freezer right now?
A. I have frozen yogurt. Does that count?
3) Sam's father hates it when she swears. When is the last time you cursed?
A. This morning. I stepped down on my foot that the day before had received a steroid shot and said a few choice words at the pain. Takes those shots a few days to settle in.
4) In a recent ranking of movie dads, Mufasa (Lion King) and Atticus (To Kill a Mockingbird) got very high marks. Who is your favorite movie or TV father?
A. Obi Wan Kenobi, although he was a mentor, not a father. Gandalf the Grey also was not a father but he was a great mentor. I don't believe you actually have to shoot out the sperm to be a dad.
5) Sam's own father often traveled for business, and always remembered to bring her the little complimentary soaps, shampoos or body lotion he got from the hotel. When you take a trip, do you bring back souvenirs?
A. I like to buy postcards of places we've visited, but generally hotel soaps are smelly and I only use unscented products. So I leave them for someone else.
6) Back when Sam was in high school, it was her father who gave her driving lessons. Who taught you how to drive?
A. A groping coach at the high school. We had "driver's ed" as a course way back then, and we all rotated through it when we hit 15. The coach was well-known for putting his hands on girls legs whilst they were driving, the ol' leech.
7) Sam's own father is easy to buy for: every year he wants a new pair of loafers, so every year for Father's Day she gives him a DSW gift card. Would you rather receive a gift that someone chose, even though it might not be just right, or do you prefer a gift card or cash so you can get exactly what you want?
A. I don't really care, so long as somebody remembers me. Although in these days of having too much stuff, I suppose cash might be the preferable thing. I could use it toward a vacation or something.
8) For family barbecues, Sam's dad dons his "Kiss the Chef" apron and mans the Weber. What's the last thing you cooked on the grill?
A. Hot dogs.
9) Sam's father satisfies his afternoon sugar craving with an almost endless stream of Butter Rum Lifesavers. When you crave a snack, do you usually want something sweet or salty?
A. I always want chocolate. But sometimes chips or pretzels do the deed.
______________________________________________
Today is my mother's birthday. She would have been 71 years old, but she died 15 years ago at the age of 56 - just four years older than I am now. Time does make it easier and changes the way we look at things, especially in retrospect, but a woman wonders what might have been.
Friday, June 19, 2015
Another Shooting, But Move Along. Nothing to See Here
I was saddened yesterday to read about yet another mass shooting in my native country.
How many more people must be gunned down by before somebody stands up and says, "Enough?" How many more young people of all colors and ages must die on our streets before somebody says, "Enough?"
Must we swim in blood before our elected officials get their heads out of their collective asses?
Why is it okay to be the nation that leads the world in violence?
Even the U.S. President, exasperated and frustrated, said yesterday that he didn't know how to stop this endless parade of stupid and irresponsible deaths. Wrong political climate. Too much power in the wrong places.
"At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries," Barack Obama said in response to the killings in Charleston - his 14th such address to the nation in the last six year. "It doesn't happen in other places with this kind of frequency."
And of course people dismissed this fact; I saw it happen several times on Facebook yesterday, but it is true. Among wealthy, first-world nations, we have three times as many homicides as other nationalities. We have more than Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Spain, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Italy - more than 30 other countries that are considered wealthy and civilized.
Does that make us the least civilized of the 30? I think so. In fact, I think we have become a nation of lunatics, apparently bred from wrong-thinking stock sent over long ago, with the fruitcakiness now oozing its way out of our brains and becoming mainstream, mistaken for some semblance of sanity.
I mean, why is your right to kill me greater than my right to live? Because basically that is what gun advocates think. They think their right to carry a piece outweighs my right to live a peaceful, tranquil life. They think it outweighs my right to breath and continue living.
Well let me tell you, buddy, it doesn't. You can take your gun and shove it where the sun don't shine, up there with the heads of those idiotic politicians. We need gun regulations and we need them now.
And guess what? If you already believe that mentally ill people and convicted felons should not have guns, you believe in gun control, too.
So what do we do, us citizens who "want to take our country back" but not in the way that the people who usually say that mean? Those of us who still have some sanity left and want to see a land of the free that is peaceful, with well-maintained infrastructure, and happiness for most instead of just a measly one percent? What do we do?
Here are a few ideas:
And guess what, I've disabled comments so you can't fuss at me, because unless you agree with me, I don't care what you think. And guess what again, I own guns. I can shoot guns and have shot guns. I live on a farm and I think guns are necessary at various times and places.
But I also think you should have to pass a stringent background check before you own one.
Let me repeat this one point so that it goes deep inside your brain:
If you already believe that mentally ill people and convicted felons should not have guns, you believe in gun control, too.
For a similar point of view, and interesting comments about how much guns are actually used in self-defense, check out Dan's Smith's commentary here.
How many more people must be gunned down by before somebody stands up and says, "Enough?" How many more young people of all colors and ages must die on our streets before somebody says, "Enough?"
Must we swim in blood before our elected officials get their heads out of their collective asses?
Why is it okay to be the nation that leads the world in violence?
Even the U.S. President, exasperated and frustrated, said yesterday that he didn't know how to stop this endless parade of stupid and irresponsible deaths. Wrong political climate. Too much power in the wrong places.
"At some point, we as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries," Barack Obama said in response to the killings in Charleston - his 14th such address to the nation in the last six year. "It doesn't happen in other places with this kind of frequency."
And of course people dismissed this fact; I saw it happen several times on Facebook yesterday, but it is true. Among wealthy, first-world nations, we have three times as many homicides as other nationalities. We have more than Turkey, Germany, Switzerland, Greece, Spain, the Czech Republic, the United Kingdom, Italy - more than 30 other countries that are considered wealthy and civilized.
Does that make us the least civilized of the 30? I think so. In fact, I think we have become a nation of lunatics, apparently bred from wrong-thinking stock sent over long ago, with the fruitcakiness now oozing its way out of our brains and becoming mainstream, mistaken for some semblance of sanity.
I mean, why is your right to kill me greater than my right to live? Because basically that is what gun advocates think. They think their right to carry a piece outweighs my right to live a peaceful, tranquil life. They think it outweighs my right to breath and continue living.
Well let me tell you, buddy, it doesn't. You can take your gun and shove it where the sun don't shine, up there with the heads of those idiotic politicians. We need gun regulations and we need them now.
And guess what? If you already believe that mentally ill people and convicted felons should not have guns, you believe in gun control, too.
So what do we do, us citizens who "want to take our country back" but not in the way that the people who usually say that mean? Those of us who still have some sanity left and want to see a land of the free that is peaceful, with well-maintained infrastructure, and happiness for most instead of just a measly one percent? What do we do?
Here are a few ideas:
- Get money out of politics (bye bye Citizens United)
- Make voting mandatory
- Reinstate the draft
- Elect people with common sense instead of idiots
- Do away with the electoral college
- Dismantle corporate monopolies
- Stop watching Faux News & listening to hate-talk radio
- Bring back the space program so that people have something in which to have national pride
- Change the educational system so that it is focused on individuals and not lemmings. Add back art, music, philosophy, and civics courses.
- Institute a jobs program to upgrade the public infrastructure
- Tax the churches since they have become political
- Write letters to your elected representatives
- Write letters to media suggesting that hate-filled TV shows be replaced with things that teach morality (think Andy Griffith)
- Write letters to sponsors of TV shows that advocate for violence and extremism
- Don't watch that kind of stuff on TV
- Stop advocating foreign policies that do more harm than good (i.e., military intervention)
- Upgrade and improve our mental health system and stop using the penitentiary to warehouse people who are mentally ill.
And guess what, I've disabled comments so you can't fuss at me, because unless you agree with me, I don't care what you think. And guess what again, I own guns. I can shoot guns and have shot guns. I live on a farm and I think guns are necessary at various times and places.
But I also think you should have to pass a stringent background check before you own one.
Let me repeat this one point so that it goes deep inside your brain:
If you already believe that mentally ill people and convicted felons should not have guns, you believe in gun control, too.
For a similar point of view, and interesting comments about how much guns are actually used in self-defense, check out Dan's Smith's commentary here.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Thursday Thirteen #400
I'm celebrating a big day in my world of Thursday Thirteen. Four hundred posts. Almost eight years of not missing a single Thursday in making a list of 13 things.
And I thought I couldn't stick with anything. Guess I was wrong, huh?
What kind of wondrous post could I make for such an occasion? I thought about listing my favorite older posts, but I like them all (even the dull ones).
So, since I am officially older than dirt at the age of 52, at least according to my brother, I thought I'd offer up some life lessons. I've learned many things in that long period of time.
There are more than 13, though. Forgive my impertinence at taking this leeway today.
In no particular order:
1. Fulfilling needs is one thing, fulfilling wants and desires is something else again.
2. Happiness is a full belly, a decent environment, not having to pee, well-spent leisure time, not being too dirty, not being in pain, and spending time with friends and family. Material comfort is important, but once basic needs are met, great wealth has no relevance to a good life.
3. Once one of your needs go unmet, it is difficult to regain your balance. It can take a long time to find your equilibrium. An acronym I have found helpful is HALT - don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
4. If you are an adult, you really don't have to do anything you don't want to. You think you do, but you don't. You always have a choice. Even if someone locks you in a cell with your hands tied behind you, you have a choice in how you respond. You don't have to go to work today. You might lose your job, but you don't have to go if you are willing to pay the consequences.
5. Death by flies should be avoided at all costs.
6. No one is perfect. Everyone has people who dislike them for reasons known and unknown.
7. At the moment you are born, no one is any better or worse a person than you are. But the things that follow after that first breath can make you or break you. Regardless of your life experience, though, all lives matter.
8. There are no new stories.
9. Sometimes you need to get out of your own way. You cannot control everything.
10. Exercising makes you sweat.
11. Get a life that looks out on a beautiful view.
12. A good bed makes a big difference in how you sleep.
13. Don't scrimp on your education, and don't waste time on skills you don't need.
Extras:
The people you love will always disappoint you.
Dreams without action are fatal to the heart.
You can make your own family.
Time is our most precious commodity.
Live in the gray areas of life. Black and white are too contrasting and only bring about turmoil and conflict.
______
Thank you for reading and being a part of my life, Thursday Thirteeners! Many blessings to you all.
Thursday Thirteen is played by many people; you can learn more about it here. This is number 400 for me.
And I thought I couldn't stick with anything. Guess I was wrong, huh?
What kind of wondrous post could I make for such an occasion? I thought about listing my favorite older posts, but I like them all (even the dull ones).
So, since I am officially older than dirt at the age of 52, at least according to my brother, I thought I'd offer up some life lessons. I've learned many things in that long period of time.
There are more than 13, though. Forgive my impertinence at taking this leeway today.
In no particular order:
1. Fulfilling needs is one thing, fulfilling wants and desires is something else again.
2. Happiness is a full belly, a decent environment, not having to pee, well-spent leisure time, not being too dirty, not being in pain, and spending time with friends and family. Material comfort is important, but once basic needs are met, great wealth has no relevance to a good life.
3. Once one of your needs go unmet, it is difficult to regain your balance. It can take a long time to find your equilibrium. An acronym I have found helpful is HALT - don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.
4. If you are an adult, you really don't have to do anything you don't want to. You think you do, but you don't. You always have a choice. Even if someone locks you in a cell with your hands tied behind you, you have a choice in how you respond. You don't have to go to work today. You might lose your job, but you don't have to go if you are willing to pay the consequences.
5. Death by flies should be avoided at all costs.
6. No one is perfect. Everyone has people who dislike them for reasons known and unknown.
7. At the moment you are born, no one is any better or worse a person than you are. But the things that follow after that first breath can make you or break you. Regardless of your life experience, though, all lives matter.
8. There are no new stories.
9. Sometimes you need to get out of your own way. You cannot control everything.
10. Exercising makes you sweat.
11. Get a life that looks out on a beautiful view.
12. A good bed makes a big difference in how you sleep.
13. Don't scrimp on your education, and don't waste time on skills you don't need.
Extras:
The people you love will always disappoint you.
Dreams without action are fatal to the heart.
You can make your own family.
Time is our most precious commodity.
Live in the gray areas of life. Black and white are too contrasting and only bring about turmoil and conflict.
______
Thank you for reading and being a part of my life, Thursday Thirteeners! Many blessings to you all.
Thursday Thirteen is played by many people; you can learn more about it here. This is number 400 for me.
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Take That, Amazon
About five years ago, Google/Blogger joined with Amazon and created a way for you to link easily in your blog posts.
I used it for book reviews. I liked having pictures of the book covers on the reviews. Then it went away and if I wanted the picture I had to do some convoluted hunting around on the Amazon Associates site to find what I needed. Sometimes I did that if I really liked a book.
While I have been an Amazon Associate for six years or so, I have not once received any money from this endeavor. It's a good thing I wasn't counting on it to eat or anything.
Every month I receive an email from Amazon Associates telling me that while lots of people received money this month, I was not one of them, and any money in my account under a certain sum would be retained until such time as I implemented appropriate strategies to bring in more revenue.
I have ignored this email for years.
Recently I received a note from Amazon Associates demanding that I upgrade all of my links to a different code. If I didn't, I'd have loads of broken links in my blog that went nowhere. They were no longer servicing older Amazon Associate ads.
So I spent over two hours today going through my blog(s) and removing Amazon ads. I had no desire to implement the changes on every page and it was easier to do away with it.
The good thing is I noted my blog pages loaded faster with each ad removal. The little pictures are gone, but I don't suppose anyone but me cared about that, anyway.
I have no plans to do anything else with my Amazon Associates account. I wasn't using it as a revenue enhancer, anyway.
But I did want to go Phttt to Amazon for making me spend my precious time ridding my blog of their code.
So Phttt to Amazon.
I used it for book reviews. I liked having pictures of the book covers on the reviews. Then it went away and if I wanted the picture I had to do some convoluted hunting around on the Amazon Associates site to find what I needed. Sometimes I did that if I really liked a book.
While I have been an Amazon Associate for six years or so, I have not once received any money from this endeavor. It's a good thing I wasn't counting on it to eat or anything.
Every month I receive an email from Amazon Associates telling me that while lots of people received money this month, I was not one of them, and any money in my account under a certain sum would be retained until such time as I implemented appropriate strategies to bring in more revenue.
I have ignored this email for years.
Recently I received a note from Amazon Associates demanding that I upgrade all of my links to a different code. If I didn't, I'd have loads of broken links in my blog that went nowhere. They were no longer servicing older Amazon Associate ads.
So I spent over two hours today going through my blog(s) and removing Amazon ads. I had no desire to implement the changes on every page and it was easier to do away with it.
The good thing is I noted my blog pages loaded faster with each ad removal. The little pictures are gone, but I don't suppose anyone but me cared about that, anyway.
I have no plans to do anything else with my Amazon Associates account. I wasn't using it as a revenue enhancer, anyway.
But I did want to go Phttt to Amazon for making me spend my precious time ridding my blog of their code.
So Phttt to Amazon.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
A Skin Too Few
The other day one of my email pals told me that I have "a skin too few," which is the British way of telling me I'm thin-skinned.
That's not a compliment in today's world. People with thin skin are thought to be overly sensitive to insult and criticism. Apparently, being appalled by bad manners, crude comments, misogynistic and masochistic behaviors and immorality makes you a silly person who should develop a thick skin and get over it.
Why, though, should I develop a rind of callousness when it is so easy to be nice? What is really going on is that people want to be able to say and do what they will without worrying if they are offending anyone. And if they offend someone, they want to put it back on the person offended, not take responsibility for their own behavior.
It is easy to be nice, moral, and kind. I don't understand why people aren't. Instead they have chosen to be mean, cruel and vicious.
This has long been a problem for me, this thin skin I wear. My father in particular was always telling me to buck up, to grin and bear it, to grow a thicker hide. As if being sensitive is some crime, some aspect of my personality of which I should be ashamed.
It is the thick-skinned people who should be ashamed. They should be ashamed of their callousness, their immorality, their cruelty. But our society applauds them and denigrates those like me.
Commentators use the term "thin-skinned" to denigrate people they don't like. Conservatives use it toward progressives with great enthusiasm. Bill Maher calls Bill Clinton thin-skinned; Bill O'Reilly calls President Obama thin-skinned.
I guarantee they weren't calling those leaders "thin skinned" to be nice. Neither Maher or O'Reilly are very nice people.
However, the thin-skinned people of the world make society a better place. Because the thin-skinned people eventually say, stop making me bleed. Stop scraping away at my scabs and wounds. Eventually, someone finds the strength to say, ENOUGH, DAMN IT. And then they set about creating change so that those wounds can heal.
That's part of the social network that many people find so abhorrent these days. Social Security was put in place so that thin-skinned people could see that the elderly survived and did not live in poor houses. Unions came into being so that workers could be employed with dignity and fair wages. Thin-skinned people brought about the 40-hour work week and gave people a life outside of working for meager wages.
Thin skinned people don't accept the status quo because they know, in their hearts, that society and the world could be a better place if the thick-skinned numbskulls who want to be able to defecate in the park without offending anyone would only mind their manners and be more human and humane.
Thin skinned people are thought to be the half of the world that has trouble fitting in. A simple search will bring up lots of comments on thin-skinned people and their need for political correctness.
There's even a psychology about it. Thin-skinned folks suffer more from depression and chronic illnesses. They react more strongly to sensory stimuli (bright lights, smells). They remember more and were greatly affected by the things that happened in their childhood. They have low immune systems and allergies. (This comes from this website called Your Emotional Type. There's an online test you can take at the link that tells you how thin or thick your skin is, and this article at psychcentral.com also talks about the book and being thin-skinned.)
I think the thick-skinned people are the problem, though. Thick-skinned people need to have more empathy and sympathy for their fellow human beings. They need to be less self-absorbed and consider the world around them. They need to realize it isn't all about them and what goes on in their watermelon rinds.
They're loud mouths who want the freedom to ridicule and rub people the wrong way. But you know what? Free speech doesn't mean you have to be cruel. You think I'm P.C.? Yeah. I'm P.C. I don't think you have to be mean to be kind. I think you have to be kind to be kind. I think the world would be a better place if you over there with the thick skin would stop and think before you open your mouth. Thank goodness not everybody has thick skin. Because without us thin-skinned folks to jerk you back from the precipices, you would destroy the world.
That's not a compliment in today's world. People with thin skin are thought to be overly sensitive to insult and criticism. Apparently, being appalled by bad manners, crude comments, misogynistic and masochistic behaviors and immorality makes you a silly person who should develop a thick skin and get over it.
Why, though, should I develop a rind of callousness when it is so easy to be nice? What is really going on is that people want to be able to say and do what they will without worrying if they are offending anyone. And if they offend someone, they want to put it back on the person offended, not take responsibility for their own behavior.
It is easy to be nice, moral, and kind. I don't understand why people aren't. Instead they have chosen to be mean, cruel and vicious.
This has long been a problem for me, this thin skin I wear. My father in particular was always telling me to buck up, to grin and bear it, to grow a thicker hide. As if being sensitive is some crime, some aspect of my personality of which I should be ashamed.
It is the thick-skinned people who should be ashamed. They should be ashamed of their callousness, their immorality, their cruelty. But our society applauds them and denigrates those like me.
Commentators use the term "thin-skinned" to denigrate people they don't like. Conservatives use it toward progressives with great enthusiasm. Bill Maher calls Bill Clinton thin-skinned; Bill O'Reilly calls President Obama thin-skinned.
I guarantee they weren't calling those leaders "thin skinned" to be nice. Neither Maher or O'Reilly are very nice people.
However, the thin-skinned people of the world make society a better place. Because the thin-skinned people eventually say, stop making me bleed. Stop scraping away at my scabs and wounds. Eventually, someone finds the strength to say, ENOUGH, DAMN IT. And then they set about creating change so that those wounds can heal.
That's part of the social network that many people find so abhorrent these days. Social Security was put in place so that thin-skinned people could see that the elderly survived and did not live in poor houses. Unions came into being so that workers could be employed with dignity and fair wages. Thin-skinned people brought about the 40-hour work week and gave people a life outside of working for meager wages.
Thin skinned people don't accept the status quo because they know, in their hearts, that society and the world could be a better place if the thick-skinned numbskulls who want to be able to defecate in the park without offending anyone would only mind their manners and be more human and humane.
Thin skinned people are thought to be the half of the world that has trouble fitting in. A simple search will bring up lots of comments on thin-skinned people and their need for political correctness.
There's even a psychology about it. Thin-skinned folks suffer more from depression and chronic illnesses. They react more strongly to sensory stimuli (bright lights, smells). They remember more and were greatly affected by the things that happened in their childhood. They have low immune systems and allergies. (This comes from this website called Your Emotional Type. There's an online test you can take at the link that tells you how thin or thick your skin is, and this article at psychcentral.com also talks about the book and being thin-skinned.)
I think the thick-skinned people are the problem, though. Thick-skinned people need to have more empathy and sympathy for their fellow human beings. They need to be less self-absorbed and consider the world around them. They need to realize it isn't all about them and what goes on in their watermelon rinds.
They're loud mouths who want the freedom to ridicule and rub people the wrong way. But you know what? Free speech doesn't mean you have to be cruel. You think I'm P.C.? Yeah. I'm P.C. I don't think you have to be mean to be kind. I think you have to be kind to be kind. I think the world would be a better place if you over there with the thick skin would stop and think before you open your mouth. Thank goodness not everybody has thick skin. Because without us thin-skinned folks to jerk you back from the precipices, you would destroy the world.
Monday, June 15, 2015
Fortune Cookie Sayings
Life to you is a dashing and bold adventure.
Wisdom is only found in truth.
Every friend joys in your success.
(Found these on my desk whilst doing a little cleaning.)
Wisdom is only found in truth.
Every friend joys in your success.
(Found these on my desk whilst doing a little cleaning.)
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Sunday Stealing: Would You Rather, II
From Sunday Stealing
Would You Rather Meme, part two
1. Would you rather go to a movie or to dinner alone?
A. It doesn't matter.
2. Would you rather always say everything on your mind or never speak again?
A. Can I vote for this as weirdest question in a while?
3. Would you rather make a phone call or send a text?
A. Make a phone call. I don't text.
4. Would you rather read an awesome book or watch a good movie?
A. Read the book, then see the movie.
5. Would you rather be the most popular person at work or school or the smartest?
A. The smartest. Popularity is highly overrated.
6. Would you rather put a stop to war or end world hunger?
A. If we had no wars and put that money toward helping people, as we should, we would probably manage both goals.
7. Would you rather spend the night in a luxury hotel room or camping surrounded by beautiful scenery?
A. I live in beautiful scenery but I am not pampered much, so I think I'll go with the luxury hotel.
8. Would you rather explore space or the ocean?
A. Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages . . . Speaking of which, if you're not keeping up with the New Horizons and Pluto, you are missing out. You can read more about it at the NASA website at this link. This is super cool stuff and we should all be excited about it. I mean, Pluto! Dang.
9. Would you rather go deep sea diving or bungee jumping?
A. How about neither.
10.Would you rather be a kid your whole life or an adult your whole life?
A. Okay, maybe this gets the nomination for next weirdest question. But if I had to be stuck at a certain age, as I have said before, I'd like it to be my late 30s or early 40s. Still young but wiser.
11. Would you rather go on a cruise with friends or with your spouse?
A. With my spouse. However, he is a landlubber so I don't see it happening.
12. Would you rather lose your keys or your cell phone?
A. Neither. But I can do without the cell phone, the aged ol' thing.
13. Would you rather eat a meal of cow tongue or octopus?
A. Oh good grief. I'll go you one better and tell you to go eat mountain oysters.
14. Would you rather have x-ray vision or magnified hearing?
A. I already have too many super senses. I mean, I can smell snakes, for heaven's sake. And I hear frequencies others don't. My eyes are poor, though, so how about just normal eyesight?
15. Would you rather work in a group or work alone?
A. Alone. Good thing I chose writing as my occupation, huh.
I had a nice birthday. My husband took me out for baked spaghetti, the first I'd had in a year (thanks to ulcers). It was delicious. I bought myself the sneakers I wanted, and had cards and calls from friends and family. One of my friends visited and gave me an interesting Tarot reading.
Later in the week, I had breakfast with one friend and lunch with another.
So a good birthday week for me. Thanks for all the good wishes.
Would You Rather Meme, part two
1. Would you rather go to a movie or to dinner alone?
A. It doesn't matter.
2. Would you rather always say everything on your mind or never speak again?
A. Can I vote for this as weirdest question in a while?
3. Would you rather make a phone call or send a text?
A. Make a phone call. I don't text.
4. Would you rather read an awesome book or watch a good movie?
A. Read the book, then see the movie.
5. Would you rather be the most popular person at work or school or the smartest?
A. The smartest. Popularity is highly overrated.
6. Would you rather put a stop to war or end world hunger?
A. If we had no wars and put that money toward helping people, as we should, we would probably manage both goals.
7. Would you rather spend the night in a luxury hotel room or camping surrounded by beautiful scenery?
A. I live in beautiful scenery but I am not pampered much, so I think I'll go with the luxury hotel.
8. Would you rather explore space or the ocean?
A. Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages . . . Speaking of which, if you're not keeping up with the New Horizons and Pluto, you are missing out. You can read more about it at the NASA website at this link. This is super cool stuff and we should all be excited about it. I mean, Pluto! Dang.
9. Would you rather go deep sea diving or bungee jumping?
A. How about neither.
10.Would you rather be a kid your whole life or an adult your whole life?
A. Okay, maybe this gets the nomination for next weirdest question. But if I had to be stuck at a certain age, as I have said before, I'd like it to be my late 30s or early 40s. Still young but wiser.
11. Would you rather go on a cruise with friends or with your spouse?
A. With my spouse. However, he is a landlubber so I don't see it happening.
12. Would you rather lose your keys or your cell phone?
A. Neither. But I can do without the cell phone, the aged ol' thing.
13. Would you rather eat a meal of cow tongue or octopus?
A. Oh good grief. I'll go you one better and tell you to go eat mountain oysters.
14. Would you rather have x-ray vision or magnified hearing?
A. I already have too many super senses. I mean, I can smell snakes, for heaven's sake. And I hear frequencies others don't. My eyes are poor, though, so how about just normal eyesight?
15. Would you rather work in a group or work alone?
A. Alone. Good thing I chose writing as my occupation, huh.
I had a nice birthday. My husband took me out for baked spaghetti, the first I'd had in a year (thanks to ulcers). It was delicious. I bought myself the sneakers I wanted, and had cards and calls from friends and family. One of my friends visited and gave me an interesting Tarot reading.
Later in the week, I had breakfast with one friend and lunch with another.
So a good birthday week for me. Thanks for all the good wishes.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Saturday 9: American Pie
Saturday 9: American Pie (1971)
... because Country Dew suggested it
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
One of my favorite songs! (I even know most of the words, and it's a long song.)
Thank you, Sam, for using my song!
1) In the lyrics, Don McLean refers to having once been a paper boy. When you were a kid, what job or household chores did you do for spending money?
A. I lived on a farm, so I had many chores, and I did not necessarily get an allowance as such for them. I looked after my brother, who was three years younger than I, I fed chickens, I bottle-fed calves, I carried in firewood, I started dinner, washed dishes . . . but my favorite memory of making money has nothing to do with the farm. It was the summer we stayed my grandmother's house in Salem every day. One day I looked down the street and saw that they were getting ready to asphalt the road on a hot summer's day. I talked my grandmother into letting me, my brother, and my young uncle set up a lemonade stand, because I knew those men would spend money on something cold to drink. When the fellows got close, I held up a sign that said "ICE COLD LEMONADE" and the dimes flowed into our pockets. They drank all we could carry out to them.
2) Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye. What's the last drink you ordered?
A. A root beer. I don't drink alcohol, so I only have a boring answer for that one.
3) He drove to the levee but it was dry. When is the last time it rained where you are?
A. Apparently it rained yesterday (Friday) while I was out, which only made things hot and muggy. We are a little low on moisture for the year and have concerns about our hay-making program.
4) When McLean was working on the song, he wrote the lyrics out in long hand. It took him 16 pages of lined notebook paper. Today it's a laptop/smartphone/tablet world, and Sam can't remember the last time she hand wrote anything longer than a sign on her front door that read, "Bell broken. Plz knock." What about you? What's the last thing you wrote with pen or pencil?
A. I keep a journal that I write in long hand. I also still take notes for newspaper articles in long hand, depending on the story. And I love to work on poetry in pencil.
But the very last thing I wrote was a telephone message for my husband.
5) McLean's most recent CD is called "Addicted to Black," in reference to Olivia in The Twelfth Night. Quick! Without looking it up, name another character from Shakespeare.
A. Othello. Macbeth. Hamlet.
6) Don was born in New Rochelle, New York, which was named one of The Best Walking Cities in America by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). What about your neighborhood? Is it easily walkable?
A. Nope. We are rural and have no sidewalks. We don't even have a neighborhood, really. Uneven fields make for difficult walking. Plus there are cow pies.
7) In 1971, the year this song was popular, Walt Disney World officially opened. Have you ever been to DisneyLand or Disney World?
A. In 1993, to celebrate my graduation from college, my husband and I went to Disney in Orlando, Florida. Epcot had not been open long. We went in early June and it was incredibly hot.
8) Also in 1971, Mattel introduced Malibu Barbie. This doll was a "sun-loving California girl" and had a distinct tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed?
A. I tried it one time, and became so claustrophobic that I had to get out of there. I felt like a vampire in her coffin.
9) American Pie is also the name of a 1999 movie. Have you seen it?
A. I have seen parts of it when my husband has had it on. But I've not watched the whole thing.
... because Country Dew suggested it
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
One of my favorite songs! (I even know most of the words, and it's a long song.)
Thank you, Sam, for using my song!
1) In the lyrics, Don McLean refers to having once been a paper boy. When you were a kid, what job or household chores did you do for spending money?
A. I lived on a farm, so I had many chores, and I did not necessarily get an allowance as such for them. I looked after my brother, who was three years younger than I, I fed chickens, I bottle-fed calves, I carried in firewood, I started dinner, washed dishes . . . but my favorite memory of making money has nothing to do with the farm. It was the summer we stayed my grandmother's house in Salem every day. One day I looked down the street and saw that they were getting ready to asphalt the road on a hot summer's day. I talked my grandmother into letting me, my brother, and my young uncle set up a lemonade stand, because I knew those men would spend money on something cold to drink. When the fellows got close, I held up a sign that said "ICE COLD LEMONADE" and the dimes flowed into our pockets. They drank all we could carry out to them.
2) Them good old boys were drinking whiskey and rye. What's the last drink you ordered?
A. A root beer. I don't drink alcohol, so I only have a boring answer for that one.
3) He drove to the levee but it was dry. When is the last time it rained where you are?
A. Apparently it rained yesterday (Friday) while I was out, which only made things hot and muggy. We are a little low on moisture for the year and have concerns about our hay-making program.
4) When McLean was working on the song, he wrote the lyrics out in long hand. It took him 16 pages of lined notebook paper. Today it's a laptop/smartphone/tablet world, and Sam can't remember the last time she hand wrote anything longer than a sign on her front door that read, "Bell broken. Plz knock." What about you? What's the last thing you wrote with pen or pencil?
A. I keep a journal that I write in long hand. I also still take notes for newspaper articles in long hand, depending on the story. And I love to work on poetry in pencil.
But the very last thing I wrote was a telephone message for my husband.
5) McLean's most recent CD is called "Addicted to Black," in reference to Olivia in The Twelfth Night. Quick! Without looking it up, name another character from Shakespeare.
A. Othello. Macbeth. Hamlet.
6) Don was born in New Rochelle, New York, which was named one of The Best Walking Cities in America by the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA). What about your neighborhood? Is it easily walkable?
A. Nope. We are rural and have no sidewalks. We don't even have a neighborhood, really. Uneven fields make for difficult walking. Plus there are cow pies.
7) In 1971, the year this song was popular, Walt Disney World officially opened. Have you ever been to DisneyLand or Disney World?
A. In 1993, to celebrate my graduation from college, my husband and I went to Disney in Orlando, Florida. Epcot had not been open long. We went in early June and it was incredibly hot.
8) Also in 1971, Mattel introduced Malibu Barbie. This doll was a "sun-loving California girl" and had a distinct tan. Have you ever used a tanning bed?
A. I tried it one time, and became so claustrophobic that I had to get out of there. I felt like a vampire in her coffin.
9) American Pie is also the name of a 1999 movie. Have you seen it?
A. I have seen parts of it when my husband has had it on. But I've not watched the whole thing.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Books: The Paying Guests, by Sarah Waters
The Paying Guests
by Sarah Waters
Copyright 2014
Kindle Edition Version 1
(560 pages)
Looking at the nearly 1,500 reviews on Amazon, I see a mix of reviews about this book.
If I must give it stars, I give it three stars. This is not a five star book. It was on the New York Times bestseller list and it has received rave reviews, but I am not quite sure why.
To be sure, it's well written. At the end the author lists a pile of resources she checked for historical accuracy. The book is set after the War (although to be honest, I don't know if it was WWI or WWII, because ultimately it didn't really seem to matter that much). If the research is in this book, I am not sure where it is.
I felt manipulated almost from the beginning as I read. The author wanted me to think and feel a certain way, I'm sure, but using third-person limited omniscient to do that seems deceitful on the part of the author. The narrator was not the most reliable and I have never been one to like unreliable narrator books. I could not relate to the main character much, though I think the author wanted us to really like and feel sorry for Frances.
Generally, though, I found her tiresome, and when the book ended with a dull thud, I wished the woman had jumped off the bridge upon which she sat at the end.
Frances and her mother must take in borders because her father frittered away their money, something they learn after his passing. She also lost several brothers to the war, and has forgone a relationship to care for her mother.
The new borders, Lillian and Leonard (note to author - names really should not be so alike, unless you really want readers to mix them up. Couldn't one of them been called something that didn't start with an "L"?), are carefree and different. They are the "clerk class" and as such a lower breed than the upper crust from which Frances and her mother have fallen.
I found it difficult to like any of these characters from the start, and never really warmed up to them. Had my book club not been reading this book, I am not sure I would have finished it. I like internal monologue as much as the next person, but there was too much of it in this long book. I would have like to have seen more of London in the time period, but what little was there was not drawn well and I really had no sense of place as I read. I might have well have been reading about a Martian family after some war on the Red Planet, so little sense of place did I feel after I read this.
Waters is a new author to me, and she is much acclaimed. I must have missed something or perhaps this story came to me at a bad time and I am not able to appreciate its depth and quality. I am sure if that is the case, my book club members will set me straight in a few weeks.
by Sarah Waters
Copyright 2014
Kindle Edition Version 1
(560 pages)
Looking at the nearly 1,500 reviews on Amazon, I see a mix of reviews about this book.
If I must give it stars, I give it three stars. This is not a five star book. It was on the New York Times bestseller list and it has received rave reviews, but I am not quite sure why.
To be sure, it's well written. At the end the author lists a pile of resources she checked for historical accuracy. The book is set after the War (although to be honest, I don't know if it was WWI or WWII, because ultimately it didn't really seem to matter that much). If the research is in this book, I am not sure where it is.
I felt manipulated almost from the beginning as I read. The author wanted me to think and feel a certain way, I'm sure, but using third-person limited omniscient to do that seems deceitful on the part of the author. The narrator was not the most reliable and I have never been one to like unreliable narrator books. I could not relate to the main character much, though I think the author wanted us to really like and feel sorry for Frances.
Generally, though, I found her tiresome, and when the book ended with a dull thud, I wished the woman had jumped off the bridge upon which she sat at the end.
Frances and her mother must take in borders because her father frittered away their money, something they learn after his passing. She also lost several brothers to the war, and has forgone a relationship to care for her mother.
The new borders, Lillian and Leonard (note to author - names really should not be so alike, unless you really want readers to mix them up. Couldn't one of them been called something that didn't start with an "L"?), are carefree and different. They are the "clerk class" and as such a lower breed than the upper crust from which Frances and her mother have fallen.
I found it difficult to like any of these characters from the start, and never really warmed up to them. Had my book club not been reading this book, I am not sure I would have finished it. I like internal monologue as much as the next person, but there was too much of it in this long book. I would have like to have seen more of London in the time period, but what little was there was not drawn well and I really had no sense of place as I read. I might have well have been reading about a Martian family after some war on the Red Planet, so little sense of place did I feel after I read this.
Waters is a new author to me, and she is much acclaimed. I must have missed something or perhaps this story came to me at a bad time and I am not able to appreciate its depth and quality. I am sure if that is the case, my book club members will set me straight in a few weeks.
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