Light on Snow
By Anita Shreve
Copyright 2004
Audio book
6.5 hours
Read by Alyson Silverman
This is one of the better books I have read in a while. Twelve-year-old Nicky is dealing with a grieving father two years after her mother and her baby sister Clara were killed in a car wreck. Dad uprooted himself and his daughter and fled their life in New York, settling in a remote area of New Hampshire. He turned into a reclusive furniture maker who did not take a lot of baths.
Nicky settled into school and was doing her best to keep to a routine, even though her father would not allow TV or newspapers into the house (he feared bad news). They had a habit of walking in the woods after she came from school.
One snowy day in early December, they heard a cry. Following the sound, they came across an abandoned baby in a sleeping bag. Dad grabbed up the child and they hustled the little girl to a hospital.
Life took different turns from there, what with the attention of the rescue and the ensuing investigation. Also, Christmas was coming and Nicky was anticipating her grandmother's visit. A few people even dropped in to buy furniture for holiday presents.
Twelve is a strange age, a time of growing up. Add the complications of strangers and you have a coming-of-age story that should not be missed.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The Phoenix Bridge
This historic bridge is located about 2.6 miles from Eagle Rock in Botetourt County, Va. It is one lane across Craig's Creek on Rt. 685. The roadway is made of wood.
The bridge was constructed in 1887 and was one of the first steel bridges in this end of Virginia. It is called a Phoenix Bridge because it was built by The Phoenix Bridge Company of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania.
The bridge in on the National Register of Historic Places.
Iron instead of timber use in bridges began around 1840; two iron bridges were built across the Erie Canal in New York about that time.
In 1850 an iron railroad bridge collapsed, which set the use of iron back a bit.However, by the 1860s it was in demand and after the Civil War there was a boom in bridge-building.
Many companies formed to take advantage of the need, including the Phoenix Bridge Company.
The Phoenix Company's distinctive product was the Phoenix post, a compression member composed of four flanged segments riveted together, which is used in this bridge.
It is formed of rolled wrought iron.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Land of the Bought and Sold
In the Roanoke Times on August 27, 2009 on page 21 (I'm a subscriber), Michael Steele, chairman of the Republican National Committee, had an opinion piece that originally appeared in the Washington Post.
The opinion was about health care. It was titled, "Health care GOP style" and it talked about what is wrong with the Democrats' plan for an overhaul.
What struck me out of the whole thing was this sentence:
"Republicans oppose any new government entity overruling a doctor's decision about how to treat his patient."
Ah. But Republicans don't mind sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong in regards to health care, particularly where it pertains to women.
What about abortion? What about the woman who was raped who would have to carry an evil man's child to term under proposed anti-abortion law changes? What would happen then? If the doctor thought her depression from her situation was so severe that an abortion would save her life, you'd say... tough... wouldn't you Mr. Republican? Or if the incested 16-year-old slits her wrist because she's carrying her daddy's baby, I suppose you'd lock her up and force her to term, wouldn't you, Mr. Republican? Because we don't want that girl and her doctor making a decision about her body. It's okay to meddle then, or so you say.
And what about those rules about birth control? Particularly the ones that allow a pharmacist to become an "entity" sticking his nose between a doctor and his patient because he doesn't believe in birth control How about that, Mr. Republican? Maybe you didn't realize that birth control pills are handed out for many things that have nothing to do with birth control? They help many women balance their hormones. Women with endometriosis need them just to get through a day sometimes without searing pain - I know, I was one of them. But that sort of meddling is okay, right, Mr. Republican? So long as it serves the cause, it is okay to overrule.
What a bunch of B.S. The whole thing is a fiasco designed to put more money in other people's pocket. There is not a single politician out there who cares one bit if you or I live or die. Not a single one, not in any party. All they see are dollar signs.
Land of the free. Phtt. Land of the bought and sold, if you ask me.
The opinion was about health care. It was titled, "Health care GOP style" and it talked about what is wrong with the Democrats' plan for an overhaul.
What struck me out of the whole thing was this sentence:
"Republicans oppose any new government entity overruling a doctor's decision about how to treat his patient."
Ah. But Republicans don't mind sticking their nose in where it doesn't belong in regards to health care, particularly where it pertains to women.
What about abortion? What about the woman who was raped who would have to carry an evil man's child to term under proposed anti-abortion law changes? What would happen then? If the doctor thought her depression from her situation was so severe that an abortion would save her life, you'd say... tough... wouldn't you Mr. Republican? Or if the incested 16-year-old slits her wrist because she's carrying her daddy's baby, I suppose you'd lock her up and force her to term, wouldn't you, Mr. Republican? Because we don't want that girl and her doctor making a decision about her body. It's okay to meddle then, or so you say.
And what about those rules about birth control? Particularly the ones that allow a pharmacist to become an "entity" sticking his nose between a doctor and his patient because he doesn't believe in birth control How about that, Mr. Republican? Maybe you didn't realize that birth control pills are handed out for many things that have nothing to do with birth control? They help many women balance their hormones. Women with endometriosis need them just to get through a day sometimes without searing pain - I know, I was one of them. But that sort of meddling is okay, right, Mr. Republican? So long as it serves the cause, it is okay to overrule.
What a bunch of B.S. The whole thing is a fiasco designed to put more money in other people's pocket. There is not a single politician out there who cares one bit if you or I live or die. Not a single one, not in any party. All they see are dollar signs.
Land of the free. Phtt. Land of the bought and sold, if you ask me.
Welcome to Walmart. Get Your Stuff and Get Out.
Not long ago, I attended a free talk sponsored by the Arts Council of the Blue Ridge, on "Freelance Writing in this Market," meaning the Roanoke Valley.
Last month, after a talk on writing I came home energized and ready to move forward.
This time, I came home feeling despondent and thinking it must be time to go pick up my "Walmart Greeter" badge.
The gist of the talk was that you can't make a living as a freelance writer. I happen to know this isn't true, having done it for several years now. But it isn't easy.
"You can make $200 - $300 a month," the speaker said. Extra income, in other words. Payment in the valley ranges from $30 an article to about $150, maybe more for one single publication.
One of the editors there said there are about 26 different publications in the valley.
Let's see how many I can name off the top of my head (I'll put a star by the ones I've been published in):
Valley Business Front*
Roanoke Star Sentinel*
The Roanoke Times*
Blue Ridge Business Journal
The Fincastle Herald*
The Salem Times Register*
The New Castle Record*
The Vinton Messenger*
The Vinton Voice (this is a new start-up that hasn't yet hit the streets)
The Roanoke Co-Optimist (Roanoke Natural Foods)*
OurHealth magazine*
The Cave Spring Connection*
Roanoke Valley Home
City
Bella
Verve (put out by Carilion, I don't know if they use freelancers)
Senior News
The Roanoker*
Blue Ridge Country
Play by Play
Natural Awakenings
The Roanoke Tribune
Somewhere I have read statistics about writing income. I can't find anything online at the moment, but I recall something like 90 percent of writers make less than $1,000 a year. One of the editors at the talk on Tuesday said that only 2 percent of writers can pay their mortgage with their work, and that includes folks who are on staff at newspapers and magazines.
That kind of leaves the rest of us out in the cold, doesn't it?
So maybe it's time I send in my application to Walmart. As Walter (one of Jeff Dunham's puppets) says, "Welcome to Walmart. Get your shit and get out."
Or maybe it's time I say, "Screw you. I'll succeed despite your negativity." And then get back to my writing business.
Last month, after a talk on writing I came home energized and ready to move forward.
This time, I came home feeling despondent and thinking it must be time to go pick up my "Walmart Greeter" badge.
The gist of the talk was that you can't make a living as a freelance writer. I happen to know this isn't true, having done it for several years now. But it isn't easy.
"You can make $200 - $300 a month," the speaker said. Extra income, in other words. Payment in the valley ranges from $30 an article to about $150, maybe more for one single publication.
One of the editors there said there are about 26 different publications in the valley.
Let's see how many I can name off the top of my head (I'll put a star by the ones I've been published in):
Valley Business Front*
Roanoke Star Sentinel*
The Roanoke Times*
Blue Ridge Business Journal
The Fincastle Herald*
The Salem Times Register*
The New Castle Record*
The Vinton Messenger*
The Vinton Voice (this is a new start-up that hasn't yet hit the streets)
The Roanoke Co-Optimist (Roanoke Natural Foods)*
OurHealth magazine*
The Cave Spring Connection*
Roanoke Valley Home
City
Bella
Verve (put out by Carilion, I don't know if they use freelancers)
Senior News
The Roanoker*
Blue Ridge Country
Play by Play
Natural Awakenings
The Roanoke Tribune
Somewhere I have read statistics about writing income. I can't find anything online at the moment, but I recall something like 90 percent of writers make less than $1,000 a year. One of the editors at the talk on Tuesday said that only 2 percent of writers can pay their mortgage with their work, and that includes folks who are on staff at newspapers and magazines.
That kind of leaves the rest of us out in the cold, doesn't it?
So maybe it's time I send in my application to Walmart. As Walter (one of Jeff Dunham's puppets) says, "Welcome to Walmart. Get your shit and get out."
Or maybe it's time I say, "Screw you. I'll succeed despite your negativity." And then get back to my writing business.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Today I thought I'd take a look at national and local news items and make a few comments. Warning: my liberal thinking is showing.
1. Appalachian Power - yet another rate increase. In the last several years, APCO has appealed to the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which oversees the utility, for a number of rate increases. Most recently it received a 7.7 percent increase. Now it is asking for a 17 percent increase, and has another increase of 3.5 percent pending as well. I wish I could just go to some entity and say, "Hey, my stockholders want more money, gimme." I suggest we all try it and see how far we get. It would be one thing if there were reasons besides profit involved, but as best I can tell, that is the motive.
2. Exit 150 fixes. The issue? An interchange on Interstate 81 in Botetourt County at Daleville that is among the most used in the state. It is a connector link between US 220, US 460, US 11 and I-81. It is also pretty much the only way to get into Botetourt County (population 32,000). As such, the interchange has several hundred thousand vehicles routed through it on any given day. Traffic backups during peak use times are enormous. Tonight there is a meeting at Lord Botetourt High School offering several fixes. Some of those fixes include buying the truckstops (for about $15 million) that are enveloped in the interchange. Botetourt County created this mess by allowing those entities to build - one of the truckstops was put in in the 1990s, and there was already a traffic problem then. The county bears a lot of responsibility for this problem but I don't see anyone pointing that finger. Now that the problem exists, fixing it is on the scale of multiple millions. Bad decisions do have consequences.
3. The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. It is a shame that this endeavor has been mired in financial difficulties. I have been to the memorial, though not in a while, and it is very nice and well-done, if you like that sort of thing. Bedford, in case you don't know, allegedly lost more men per capita in the D-Day invasion than any other community in the United States, which is why the memorial is situated there.
4. Senator Edward Kennedy dies. Cancer took one of the last survivors of the nation's "Camelot" family. Kennedy was a Democrat of force and renown who in many instances actually worked for the people, a rarity among politicians. Cancer is a killer that knows no distinctions. Unfortunately, in the current health care climate, I do not believe it will ever be cured. There is too much money in it. Another reason for changing health care, something Kennedy wanted.
5. Regulations and rules. In this story, the IRS thinks it will have to cut the limit on contributions to 401(k) plans. I don't make enough money to ever worry about meeting the limits. However, I thought the goal of a 401(k) was to encourage savings.
6. Winning the dough. This fellow won $260 million and wants to do good with it. The MegaMillions is up to $325 million for the drawing Friday night. I have my ticket; do you have yours? What will you do with the money if you win?
7. Bill Maher (love to watch him) calls America "Stupid." I agree with him. On the whole, we are a very ignorant nation. Listen to his list of items that Americans don't know, the percents who think the sun revolves around the earth, etc. and reach your own conclusion. We're so self-absorbed we can't be bothered with "facts." As the country crumbles, ignorance is reaching a pinnacle. What will happen when we get there? (My apologies to anyone who is offended but really... don't you agree, deep down, that few people here are using their brain these days?)
8. Judge strikes "God" in law. This is a fascinating story. A judge ruled that a statue in the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security cannot say "very plainly that current citizens of the Commonwealth cannot be safe, neither now, nor in the future, without the aid of Almighty God. Even assuming that most of this nation's citizens have historically depended upon God, by choice, for their protection, this does not give the General Assembly the right to force citizens to do so now." The judge ruled that telling citizens to pray for help is establishing a religion. Of course it is. I am sure, though, that there will be many folks who will villianize this judge for following the Constitution.
9. Women are getting unhappier. This story by Madeline Bunting is rather eye-brow raising, particularly if you are a woman. She says that the 1999 West and Sweeting study of 15-year-olds shows an "incidence of common mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks and anhedonia (loss of capacity to experience pleasure)" was much higher in girls than in boys - 19% to 32% higher, than results of earlier years. And check this out: "an NHS study published this year showed that between 1993 and 2007 common mental disorders had risen by a fifth for women aged between 45 and 64 (there had been no change in men), and among the over-75s, they were twice as likely in women as men."
10. The Clone Wars are here: this story says the US will soon use an all-drone fighting force. Drones are already in use - 5,000 in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what happens when you turn real life-and-death into a video game? Talk about a moral issue.
11. Using terror for political purposes. Tom Ridge in an upcoming book says that President Bush pushed the terror alerts for his own means during the 2004 election. Was I the only person who already knew this? You would think so judging from the media attention this is getting. It was as plain as the oil companies' increases in gas prices during holiday weekends. But then again, this is America, where people (see #7 above) are easily scared.
12. A new milestone in Afghanistan. The new milestone is soldiers' deaths. I don't know why we are still in the Middle East fighting. Obviously this is over oil and resources. It has nothing to do with 911, nothing to do with vengeance. This is about securing oil. It is about making rich people richer from the blood of Middle Eastern people and American soldiers. The fact that we are still fighting is proof to me that this is a "1984" war. It will go on forever just so the people in power (and yes, in America, we have people in power) can play their games and earn their dollars. Trillions of debt? Bring the soldiers home and plug up that hole immediately. It would solve a lot of the money problems.
13. Lastly, we need government-run health care.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 105!
1. Appalachian Power - yet another rate increase. In the last several years, APCO has appealed to the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which oversees the utility, for a number of rate increases. Most recently it received a 7.7 percent increase. Now it is asking for a 17 percent increase, and has another increase of 3.5 percent pending as well. I wish I could just go to some entity and say, "Hey, my stockholders want more money, gimme." I suggest we all try it and see how far we get. It would be one thing if there were reasons besides profit involved, but as best I can tell, that is the motive.
2. Exit 150 fixes. The issue? An interchange on Interstate 81 in Botetourt County at Daleville that is among the most used in the state. It is a connector link between US 220, US 460, US 11 and I-81. It is also pretty much the only way to get into Botetourt County (population 32,000). As such, the interchange has several hundred thousand vehicles routed through it on any given day. Traffic backups during peak use times are enormous. Tonight there is a meeting at Lord Botetourt High School offering several fixes. Some of those fixes include buying the truckstops (for about $15 million) that are enveloped in the interchange. Botetourt County created this mess by allowing those entities to build - one of the truckstops was put in in the 1990s, and there was already a traffic problem then. The county bears a lot of responsibility for this problem but I don't see anyone pointing that finger. Now that the problem exists, fixing it is on the scale of multiple millions. Bad decisions do have consequences.
3. The National D-Day Memorial in Bedford. It is a shame that this endeavor has been mired in financial difficulties. I have been to the memorial, though not in a while, and it is very nice and well-done, if you like that sort of thing. Bedford, in case you don't know, allegedly lost more men per capita in the D-Day invasion than any other community in the United States, which is why the memorial is situated there.
4. Senator Edward Kennedy dies. Cancer took one of the last survivors of the nation's "Camelot" family. Kennedy was a Democrat of force and renown who in many instances actually worked for the people, a rarity among politicians. Cancer is a killer that knows no distinctions. Unfortunately, in the current health care climate, I do not believe it will ever be cured. There is too much money in it. Another reason for changing health care, something Kennedy wanted.
5. Regulations and rules. In this story, the IRS thinks it will have to cut the limit on contributions to 401(k) plans. I don't make enough money to ever worry about meeting the limits. However, I thought the goal of a 401(k) was to encourage savings.
6. Winning the dough. This fellow won $260 million and wants to do good with it. The MegaMillions is up to $325 million for the drawing Friday night. I have my ticket; do you have yours? What will you do with the money if you win?
7. Bill Maher (love to watch him) calls America "Stupid." I agree with him. On the whole, we are a very ignorant nation. Listen to his list of items that Americans don't know, the percents who think the sun revolves around the earth, etc. and reach your own conclusion. We're so self-absorbed we can't be bothered with "facts." As the country crumbles, ignorance is reaching a pinnacle. What will happen when we get there? (My apologies to anyone who is offended but really... don't you agree, deep down, that few people here are using their brain these days?)
8. Judge strikes "God" in law. This is a fascinating story. A judge ruled that a statue in the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security cannot say "very plainly that current citizens of the Commonwealth cannot be safe, neither now, nor in the future, without the aid of Almighty God. Even assuming that most of this nation's citizens have historically depended upon God, by choice, for their protection, this does not give the General Assembly the right to force citizens to do so now." The judge ruled that telling citizens to pray for help is establishing a religion. Of course it is. I am sure, though, that there will be many folks who will villianize this judge for following the Constitution.
9. Women are getting unhappier. This story by Madeline Bunting is rather eye-brow raising, particularly if you are a woman. She says that the 1999 West and Sweeting study of 15-year-olds shows an "incidence of common mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks and anhedonia (loss of capacity to experience pleasure)" was much higher in girls than in boys - 19% to 32% higher, than results of earlier years. And check this out: "an NHS study published this year showed that between 1993 and 2007 common mental disorders had risen by a fifth for women aged between 45 and 64 (there had been no change in men), and among the over-75s, they were twice as likely in women as men."
10. The Clone Wars are here: this story says the US will soon use an all-drone fighting force. Drones are already in use - 5,000 in Iraq and Afghanistan. But what happens when you turn real life-and-death into a video game? Talk about a moral issue.
11. Using terror for political purposes. Tom Ridge in an upcoming book says that President Bush pushed the terror alerts for his own means during the 2004 election. Was I the only person who already knew this? You would think so judging from the media attention this is getting. It was as plain as the oil companies' increases in gas prices during holiday weekends. But then again, this is America, where people (see #7 above) are easily scared.
12. A new milestone in Afghanistan. The new milestone is soldiers' deaths. I don't know why we are still in the Middle East fighting. Obviously this is over oil and resources. It has nothing to do with 911, nothing to do with vengeance. This is about securing oil. It is about making rich people richer from the blood of Middle Eastern people and American soldiers. The fact that we are still fighting is proof to me that this is a "1984" war. It will go on forever just so the people in power (and yes, in America, we have people in power) can play their games and earn their dollars. Trillions of debt? Bring the soldiers home and plug up that hole immediately. It would solve a lot of the money problems.
13. Lastly, we need government-run health care.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 105!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Definitions of the Day
It seems to me that a lot of folks, including the media, blogs and elsewhere, are using words and concepts without truly knowing the definition of what they are saying.
In the interest of clearing that up, at least in my mind, I thought I’d look up some things in my Shorter Oxford Dictionary.
torture - The infliction of severe physical or mental suffering; anguish, agony, torment; the infliction of severe bodily pain as a punishment or as a means of interrogation or persuasion; a form or instance of this.
socialism - a political and economic theory or policy of social organization which advocates that the community as a whole should own and control the means of production, capital, land, property, etc.
fascism - The principles and organization of the Italian Fascists, the Italian Fascist movement; a similar nationalist and authoritarian movement in another country; loosely, right-wing authoritarianism.
In the interest of clearing that up, at least in my mind, I thought I’d look up some things in my Shorter Oxford Dictionary.
torture - The infliction of severe physical or mental suffering; anguish, agony, torment; the infliction of severe bodily pain as a punishment or as a means of interrogation or persuasion; a form or instance of this.
socialism - a political and economic theory or policy of social organization which advocates that the community as a whole should own and control the means of production, capital, land, property, etc.
fascism - The principles and organization of the Italian Fascists, the Italian Fascist movement; a similar nationalist and authoritarian movement in another country; loosely, right-wing authoritarianism.
fascist - A member of a body of Italian nationalists which was organized in 1919 to oppose Communism in Italy and controlled the country from 1922 to 1943; a member of any similar nationalist and authoritarian organization in another country; loosely, any person with right-wing authoritarian political views.
authoritarian - favoring or characterized by obedience to (esp. political) authority as opp. to personal liberty; tyrannical, dictatorial
right-wing - Orig. those members of comparatively conservative opinions in a Continental legislature, by custom seated on the right of the president. Now the views and aims of any party or political group favouring conservative views. Also, the more conservative section of a philosophical, religious, etc., group.
conservative - characterized by a tendency to preserve or keep intact and unchanged; characterized by caution, moderation, or reluctance to make changes; avoiding extremes
nationalist - a person devoted to his or her nation
liberal - free in giving, generous, open-handed, unprejudiced, open-minded, esp. free from bigotry or unreasonable prejudice in favor of traditional opinions or established institutions, open to the reception of new ideas; holding opinions less traditional than those accepted as orthodox; favorable or respectful of individual rights and freedoms, esp. favoring free trade and gradual political and social reform that tends towards individual freedom or democracy.
left-wing - the radical or socialist section of a group or political party; the more liberal or progressive section of a right-wing or conservative group or political party.
oligarchy - a form of government by a small group of people
republic - the state in which supreme power is held by the people or their elected representatives as opp. to by a monarch, etc.; a commonwealth.
democracy - government by the people; a form of government in which the power resides in the people and is exercised by them either directly or by means of a elected representatives; a form of society which favours equal rights, the ignoring of hereditary class distinctions, and tolerance of minority views.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Kreativ Blogger Award!
Amy over at The Virginia Scribe gave me a Kreativ Blogger Award.
The Kreativ Award states that I need to list seven things about myself that people might find interesting. Amy listed 10 so I will try to match her. This may only be things you don't know about me, however.
Here goes:
1. I have an Associate Degree in General Studies from Virginia Western. I graduated with honor from the 2-year college in 1989. I actually had been eligible to graduate for a few years and no one told me. I thought I was still a few classes short when I transferred to Hollins.
2. I mixed up a soy protein shake once and added fresh blueberries and kiwi fruit in it and it made my throat swell up. To my knowledge I am not allergic to any of the three but the combination apparently was too much for me.
3. I once had a white poodle named Major. He died when I was 17; he was chasing my car and keeled over. My brother saw him die; I didn't find out about
it until I returned home. This was before cell phones.
4. I keep my fingernails clipped extremely short so that I won't bite them. They drive me crazy once they hit a certain length, which is to say, any length at all.
5. I hate to argue.
6. My favorite name is "Susan." I have no idea why. I just think it is a lovely name.
7. When I fiddle with tarot cards online or elsewhere, the Hermit card ALWAYS comes up. Apparently I like and need my solitude.
8. I try really hard not to eat chocolate after 2 p.m.
9. I hate to sweat unless I can immediately take a bath. Then it is not so bad.
10. I have a crooked toe on my right foot. It used to be straight, though. I am not sure why it is crooked now.
I am not going to award this to anyone; if you want the award, take it, and if you list things about yourself, let me know!
The Kreativ Award states that I need to list seven things about myself that people might find interesting. Amy listed 10 so I will try to match her. This may only be things you don't know about me, however.
Here goes:
1. I have an Associate Degree in General Studies from Virginia Western. I graduated with honor from the 2-year college in 1989. I actually had been eligible to graduate for a few years and no one told me. I thought I was still a few classes short when I transferred to Hollins.
2. I mixed up a soy protein shake once and added fresh blueberries and kiwi fruit in it and it made my throat swell up. To my knowledge I am not allergic to any of the three but the combination apparently was too much for me.
3. I once had a white poodle named Major. He died when I was 17; he was chasing my car and keeled over. My brother saw him die; I didn't find out about
it until I returned home. This was before cell phones.
4. I keep my fingernails clipped extremely short so that I won't bite them. They drive me crazy once they hit a certain length, which is to say, any length at all.
5. I hate to argue.
6. My favorite name is "Susan." I have no idea why. I just think it is a lovely name.
7. When I fiddle with tarot cards online or elsewhere, the Hermit card ALWAYS comes up. Apparently I like and need my solitude.
8. I try really hard not to eat chocolate after 2 p.m.
9. I hate to sweat unless I can immediately take a bath. Then it is not so bad.
10. I have a crooked toe on my right foot. It used to be straight, though. I am not sure why it is crooked now.
I am not going to award this to anyone; if you want the award, take it, and if you list things about yourself, let me know!
The Old Guy
I've know him now for about 10 years, this old man.
He was old when I met him, but still spry. Still working full time, even though he was hitting 80. He was writing a book and needed an all-around girl, an editor/typist/go-for who would help him out with this years-long project.
The day I went to meet him, I arrived at his house. I was smartly dressed, and courteous. I called him "Sir" and "Mr."because he had earned those titles and I have a deep respect for my elders. As we sat talking about his project, his wife came in and told me she'd backed into my car.
My brand new car, a 1999 Ford Taurus. The rest of the interview is a blur in my mind as I wondered what kind of damage was done. I do remember he wanted to start working immediately, as in, right that minute, when I thought I was only there for an interview. I gamely settled into what would quickly become our routine.
He sat on the couch, books spread all over the coffee table, while I perched in a winged-tipped chair. It was very Victorian, the way we were working. He didn't like a laptop between us and insisted on dictating while I wrote it all down by hand. His thinking was slow and deliberate, and there would be long pauses between sentences. I don't mean seconds, but minutes, enough time that I sometimes would wake with a jerk when he said something because I might drowse in the warm house.
Sometimes he took so long I would check to make sure he was breathing. I took in every inch of the living room. I stared hard at a bizarre picture over the fireplace mantle, a scribble that ultimately depicted the manager scene, complete with bowed heads and angels, if you could finally figure it out. I puzzled over an oil painting of an old woman. The painting was dark and black, the colors so faded you could scarcely tell they were there. I decided at some point that the woman was the old guy's mother. The two pictures did not go together at all. One was modern "art" and the other was not.
We worked this way almost twice a week for about seven years. He thought and occasionally dictated while I sat poised with my pen, ready to write, and prayed I did not fall asleep. It was not solid, not every week, and there were times we skipped months. He took a long break to recover from heart surgery. I had my annual illnesses in spring and fall. He agreeably waited until I was well enough to get back to work.
Occasionally we strayed and he would work on another writing project, an opinion letter for the local daily, something like that.
He continued to go into his office every day. I admired him for his efforts, working when he really didn't need to. Not giving in and giving up.
We had one spat during the course of working, when I was going through something and found my patience thin. We'd work for three hours and sometimes only come up with two or three paragraphs. It frustrated me. It was painstaking, deliberate work and sometimes as I waited for the next sentence I simply wanted to yank the words right out of him.
He seemed to comprehend that I was, truthfully, bored, and he made an effort to be more ready for me, to have his thoughts together better, and our hours planned so we could proceed. I gave myself a talking to about my attitude and we moved on, him thinking, me waiting, and eventually the book, all 600 pages of it, became a reality.
When our work was complete I did not hear from him much. I did not think about him growing old and feeble. I saw him as he was when I left him. I did not remember that old age is a wicked taskmaster, and at some point the crack of the whip breaks every one.
I saw him over Christmas, and he was looking much older. He was using a cane, and I could tell his vision, which had always been bad, was worse. He was still driving but I had long thought he should have handed over his keys. His is 90 years old, after all.
He called me this week to tell me he had a little project. He needed his girl for about 10 hours of work.
I found him much changed. He is confined now to a wheelchair, his eyes gone so that he cannot read unless something is in 24 point type, and even then he struggles. He hasn't shaved in about two months, I guess because he can no longer see to do it. His voice is still strong and he still has his wits, his sense of humor, and his desire to be a part of the human race. He has enough money that he can hire someone to stay with him and his wife, who is also quite unwell, and he can bring in someone to read to him, and call for me when he needs a hand.
But even the wealthy cannot stay the hand of time, and it has caught up with him.
It makes me sad, but happy, in a way, because he is still fighting. He will not go gentle into the night, this old guy. He seems to have accepted his blindness and the lack of use of his legs, but he is still fighting.
I wish I could tell you his name.*
*I have too much respect for him and his privacy to reveal who he is.
He was old when I met him, but still spry. Still working full time, even though he was hitting 80. He was writing a book and needed an all-around girl, an editor/typist/go-for who would help him out with this years-long project.
The day I went to meet him, I arrived at his house. I was smartly dressed, and courteous. I called him "Sir" and "Mr."because he had earned those titles and I have a deep respect for my elders. As we sat talking about his project, his wife came in and told me she'd backed into my car.
My brand new car, a 1999 Ford Taurus. The rest of the interview is a blur in my mind as I wondered what kind of damage was done. I do remember he wanted to start working immediately, as in, right that minute, when I thought I was only there for an interview. I gamely settled into what would quickly become our routine.
He sat on the couch, books spread all over the coffee table, while I perched in a winged-tipped chair. It was very Victorian, the way we were working. He didn't like a laptop between us and insisted on dictating while I wrote it all down by hand. His thinking was slow and deliberate, and there would be long pauses between sentences. I don't mean seconds, but minutes, enough time that I sometimes would wake with a jerk when he said something because I might drowse in the warm house.
Sometimes he took so long I would check to make sure he was breathing. I took in every inch of the living room. I stared hard at a bizarre picture over the fireplace mantle, a scribble that ultimately depicted the manager scene, complete with bowed heads and angels, if you could finally figure it out. I puzzled over an oil painting of an old woman. The painting was dark and black, the colors so faded you could scarcely tell they were there. I decided at some point that the woman was the old guy's mother. The two pictures did not go together at all. One was modern "art" and the other was not.
We worked this way almost twice a week for about seven years. He thought and occasionally dictated while I sat poised with my pen, ready to write, and prayed I did not fall asleep. It was not solid, not every week, and there were times we skipped months. He took a long break to recover from heart surgery. I had my annual illnesses in spring and fall. He agreeably waited until I was well enough to get back to work.
Occasionally we strayed and he would work on another writing project, an opinion letter for the local daily, something like that.
He continued to go into his office every day. I admired him for his efforts, working when he really didn't need to. Not giving in and giving up.
We had one spat during the course of working, when I was going through something and found my patience thin. We'd work for three hours and sometimes only come up with two or three paragraphs. It frustrated me. It was painstaking, deliberate work and sometimes as I waited for the next sentence I simply wanted to yank the words right out of him.
He seemed to comprehend that I was, truthfully, bored, and he made an effort to be more ready for me, to have his thoughts together better, and our hours planned so we could proceed. I gave myself a talking to about my attitude and we moved on, him thinking, me waiting, and eventually the book, all 600 pages of it, became a reality.
When our work was complete I did not hear from him much. I did not think about him growing old and feeble. I saw him as he was when I left him. I did not remember that old age is a wicked taskmaster, and at some point the crack of the whip breaks every one.
I saw him over Christmas, and he was looking much older. He was using a cane, and I could tell his vision, which had always been bad, was worse. He was still driving but I had long thought he should have handed over his keys. His is 90 years old, after all.
He called me this week to tell me he had a little project. He needed his girl for about 10 hours of work.
I found him much changed. He is confined now to a wheelchair, his eyes gone so that he cannot read unless something is in 24 point type, and even then he struggles. He hasn't shaved in about two months, I guess because he can no longer see to do it. His voice is still strong and he still has his wits, his sense of humor, and his desire to be a part of the human race. He has enough money that he can hire someone to stay with him and his wife, who is also quite unwell, and he can bring in someone to read to him, and call for me when he needs a hand.
But even the wealthy cannot stay the hand of time, and it has caught up with him.
It makes me sad, but happy, in a way, because he is still fighting. He will not go gentle into the night, this old guy. He seems to have accepted his blindness and the lack of use of his legs, but he is still fighting.
I wish I could tell you his name.*
*I have too much respect for him and his privacy to reveal who he is.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Humming Bee Moth
When I was on the Farm Tour a few weeks ago, several us spied this insect while we were sitting on the front porch of the Fincastle Winery.
I had never seen one of these before. According to this Wiki article, it's a type of hawkmoth.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Jeff Dunham in Roanoke
Sunday afternoon found my husband and I at the Jeff Dunham comedy show.
We had great seats - Row 6, seats 17 and 18. We were about 25 to 30 feet from the stage, so we could watch the man in person and have a clear view.
I scored those tickets buying them online the second they went on sale.
My husband loves Jeff Dunham and his puppets.
In the row ahead of us sat the woman who made the Peanut puppet, which was kind of cool.
We left home at 2:30 p.m. for a 5 p.m. show. The parking lot at the Roanoke Civic Center was just starting to fill up when we arrived. For anyone who does not know, parking at the Civic Center is awful. There isn't enough of it, and routing in and out seems to be done by a child with blocks.
Anyway, we arrived, parked, and walked over to McDonalds, where we ate some french fries and my husband had a milk shake. The doors to the coliseum opened at 4 p.m.
There was the obligatory ransacking of my pocketbook to make sure I wasn't a terrorist, while my husband waltzed right in, never mind the gun strapped to his leg. Just kidding, he doesn't carry a gun, but he could have. It's a generally sexist thing the Civic Center has going on there and I complain about it every chance I get.
One guy who had a big pocket knife literally sticking out of his pants pocket did get stopped. The woman told him to put it in the bushes and retrieve it when he came back out. He declined that strange suggestion and left to put it in his car.
I was also dismayed to see that they were allowing point and shoot cameras (but nothing else) because I had thought about bringing a small camera but figured they wouldn't allow photography. Bummer. I guess with cell phones and all it is next to impossible to police that these days.
Channel 7 has some video here. After you access that link if you hit "videos" at the top and then check the menu you will find the video for Jeff Dunham. I tried to link it directly but couldn't get it to work.
Anyway, soon we were in the building.
The place was mobbed. I don't do crowds very well - in part because of my allergies. All that perfume and people reeking of cigarette smoke even if they're not smoking, that sort thing.
I was surprised to see that you could buy beer and wine at the Civic Center. I did not know you could do that.
The Jeff Dunham merchandise was expensive - $50 for a little doll. We didn't even bother to stop at the booth.
We found our great seats and settled in. The coliseum filled with people and it grew very warm in there.
Shots of Dunham and his puppets appeared on the big screen and entertained us for a long time. You can see a video of that here. Not sure why someone would post the pre-made stuff and nothing from the guy's actual show but oh well.
Brian Haner opened the act. Dunham fans know him better as "Guitar Guy." He was very funny and he is a damned fine guitar player. I enjoyed listening to him play.
It was 6 p.m. before Dunham arrived on stage. He offered up new material - for which I was grateful, having seen the old stuff many times on DVD - and my husband and I both laughed and laughed. Husband laughed more than I did because Dunham can be a bit raunchy and sexist on occasion and I don't find the sexist jokes quite as funny as husband does, being a bit of a feminist and all. But most of it was okay.
He performed for almost an hour and a half. Had the coliseum air conditioning worked better I think everyone would have enjoyed it more. It must have hit 85 - 90 degrees in there at one point and I hoped people weren't passing out. This is just another reason why Roanoke will never be more than an afterthought for most people.
It was so hot the concrete sweated and the floor was sopping wet when we all stood up to leave.
We did not get back home until about 8:30 p.m. It was a long afternoon but I was very happy to have spent the time with my fellow. And it is always good to watch him laugh.
We had great seats - Row 6, seats 17 and 18. We were about 25 to 30 feet from the stage, so we could watch the man in person and have a clear view.
I scored those tickets buying them online the second they went on sale.
My husband loves Jeff Dunham and his puppets.
In the row ahead of us sat the woman who made the Peanut puppet, which was kind of cool.
We left home at 2:30 p.m. for a 5 p.m. show. The parking lot at the Roanoke Civic Center was just starting to fill up when we arrived. For anyone who does not know, parking at the Civic Center is awful. There isn't enough of it, and routing in and out seems to be done by a child with blocks.
Anyway, we arrived, parked, and walked over to McDonalds, where we ate some french fries and my husband had a milk shake. The doors to the coliseum opened at 4 p.m.
There was the obligatory ransacking of my pocketbook to make sure I wasn't a terrorist, while my husband waltzed right in, never mind the gun strapped to his leg. Just kidding, he doesn't carry a gun, but he could have. It's a generally sexist thing the Civic Center has going on there and I complain about it every chance I get.
One guy who had a big pocket knife literally sticking out of his pants pocket did get stopped. The woman told him to put it in the bushes and retrieve it when he came back out. He declined that strange suggestion and left to put it in his car.
I was also dismayed to see that they were allowing point and shoot cameras (but nothing else) because I had thought about bringing a small camera but figured they wouldn't allow photography. Bummer. I guess with cell phones and all it is next to impossible to police that these days.
Channel 7 has some video here. After you access that link if you hit "videos" at the top and then check the menu you will find the video for Jeff Dunham. I tried to link it directly but couldn't get it to work.
Anyway, soon we were in the building.
The place was mobbed. I don't do crowds very well - in part because of my allergies. All that perfume and people reeking of cigarette smoke even if they're not smoking, that sort thing.
I was surprised to see that you could buy beer and wine at the Civic Center. I did not know you could do that.
The Jeff Dunham merchandise was expensive - $50 for a little doll. We didn't even bother to stop at the booth.
We found our great seats and settled in. The coliseum filled with people and it grew very warm in there.
Shots of Dunham and his puppets appeared on the big screen and entertained us for a long time. You can see a video of that here. Not sure why someone would post the pre-made stuff and nothing from the guy's actual show but oh well.
Brian Haner opened the act. Dunham fans know him better as "Guitar Guy." He was very funny and he is a damned fine guitar player. I enjoyed listening to him play.
It was 6 p.m. before Dunham arrived on stage. He offered up new material - for which I was grateful, having seen the old stuff many times on DVD - and my husband and I both laughed and laughed. Husband laughed more than I did because Dunham can be a bit raunchy and sexist on occasion and I don't find the sexist jokes quite as funny as husband does, being a bit of a feminist and all. But most of it was okay.
He performed for almost an hour and a half. Had the coliseum air conditioning worked better I think everyone would have enjoyed it more. It must have hit 85 - 90 degrees in there at one point and I hoped people weren't passing out. This is just another reason why Roanoke will never be more than an afterthought for most people.
It was so hot the concrete sweated and the floor was sopping wet when we all stood up to leave.
We did not get back home until about 8:30 p.m. It was a long afternoon but I was very happy to have spent the time with my fellow. And it is always good to watch him laugh.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Post 1001
Yesterday's photo was post number 1,000 and I didn't even realize it until this morning!
So here I am posting at number 1,001 to celebrate.
A thousand posts of pictures and words. It is a book, I suppose. A book of my life, if nothing else. If I were a national leader or a politician it would have historical significance, but since I'm just a lowly female who lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia I doubt it means much.
I've been posting in this blog for just a little over three years now. That is a long time. I have often chastised myself for not being able to commit to a lengthy project but I think I need to rethink that. Obviously this blog has been a lengthy project and I have committed to it with heart and soul. So I don't think I can say that I cannot commit anymore.
Thanks again folks for hanging in here with me! I appreciate each and every one of you.
So here I am posting at number 1,001 to celebrate.
A thousand posts of pictures and words. It is a book, I suppose. A book of my life, if nothing else. If I were a national leader or a politician it would have historical significance, but since I'm just a lowly female who lives on a farm in southwestern Virginia I doubt it means much.
I've been posting in this blog for just a little over three years now. That is a long time. I have often chastised myself for not being able to commit to a lengthy project but I think I need to rethink that. Obviously this blog has been a lengthy project and I have committed to it with heart and soul. So I don't think I can say that I cannot commit anymore.
Thanks again folks for hanging in here with me! I appreciate each and every one of you.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
I won something!
On Tuesday, I received a letter in the mail from the Smth-Bland Regional Library. I was pleased to learn that I had won first place for short-story writing in the adult division of the 2009 Sherwood Anderson Short Story Contest. The competition is one of the longest-running writing contests in Virginia.
The contest was introduced in 1976 to celebrate the life of Sherwood Anderson, editor of two Virginia newspapers and author of Winesburg, Ohio, a collection of short stories published in 1919 that has become one of the most influential works of American literature. The purpose of the competition is to encourage writers who are interested in the same themes of small town life that captivated Anderson throughout his literary career.
My short story, The Last Cutting, is about a farmer, a dog and the hard choices families sometimes must make. An awards ceremony will be held in Marion, Virginia on September 12, one day before Sherwood Anderson's birthday 133 years ago.
The contest was introduced in 1976 to celebrate the life of Sherwood Anderson, editor of two Virginia newspapers and author of Winesburg, Ohio, a collection of short stories published in 1919 that has become one of the most influential works of American literature. The purpose of the competition is to encourage writers who are interested in the same themes of small town life that captivated Anderson throughout his literary career.
My short story, The Last Cutting, is about a farmer, a dog and the hard choices families sometimes must make. An awards ceremony will be held in Marion, Virginia on September 12, one day before Sherwood Anderson's birthday 133 years ago.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Farm Tour 2009, Part 3
The last stop on the farm tour last Friday was the Jeter Farm.
This farm is located on US 460 and many of you have probably seen this big red barn on the side of the highway. It was built in 1871.
Below is our host, Ned Jeter. He farms the land with his sons. They have 400 cattle and a vegetable operation. They have 370+ acres around their house and then rent acreage all down the highway.
We had lunch here, sandwiches provided by Bellacino's. Most of the folks then went on a hay ride. I chose to stay in the shade and drink lemonade since I am allergic to hay and it was hot.
Below is my cousin Trudy (on the right) and her mother, Mrs. Lee. Trudy's father was my grandfather's first cousin. I am not sure what that makes us, something like 1st cousin twice removed I guess. We went to school together.
This ol' hound dog made a fool of himself over potato chips. Dreama K. and I had a good laugh as we watched him.
The bus driver (below) and I chatted for a while as we waited on the hay riders to return. He has been driving buses forever and told me that until he retired he always had to work weekends and holidays and take his vacation in the wintertime.
And this is my friend Meg. Without her, I would not have made the farm tour!
And that's the end of the farm tour.
This farm is located on US 460 and many of you have probably seen this big red barn on the side of the highway. It was built in 1871.
Below is our host, Ned Jeter. He farms the land with his sons. They have 400 cattle and a vegetable operation. They have 370+ acres around their house and then rent acreage all down the highway.
We had lunch here, sandwiches provided by Bellacino's. Most of the folks then went on a hay ride. I chose to stay in the shade and drink lemonade since I am allergic to hay and it was hot.
Below is my cousin Trudy (on the right) and her mother, Mrs. Lee. Trudy's father was my grandfather's first cousin. I am not sure what that makes us, something like 1st cousin twice removed I guess. We went to school together.
This ol' hound dog made a fool of himself over potato chips. Dreama K. and I had a good laugh as we watched him.
The bus driver (below) and I chatted for a while as we waited on the hay riders to return. He has been driving buses forever and told me that until he retired he always had to work weekends and holidays and take his vacation in the wintertime.
And this is my friend Meg. Without her, I would not have made the farm tour!
And that's the end of the farm tour.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Today I write about minor (or maybe major) aggravations...
1. about:tabs. Every time I want to go to a new website in Internet Explorer, there it is. Those words show up in the URL area. Sometimes you can go over them without issue, other times you have to stop and delete them. What is up with that?
2. Check-out clerks who hand you your candy bars. What is the deal with this? If I buy one candy bar, they give it to me immediately. Do I look like I'm having a chocolate attack right there? Do they think I can't wait until I get in the car? I know I'm overweight but sheesh. I notice that it is only female clerks who do this. I've never once had it happen with a male check-out clerk.
3. No backwards compatibility. Windows keeps evolving and Microsoft apparently has decided to not care about programs that were created a long time ago. It was bad enough losing all my DOS games but now even Windows games, created for those long-ago operating systems of Windows 3x, Windows 98, and even Windows ME, will not work. That started with Windows XP and is dramatic in Vista. What am I supposed to do with these games?
4. Supposed improvements in software. I wonder how much lost productivity has occurred because Microsoft changed Word 2007 so dramatically? I've been using word processing programs since the 1980s, starting with something called Wordstar. From there I went to WordPerfect (still my favorite) and then finally to MS Word simply because I had to. Word 2007 is substantially different, so much so that for the first time since I switched over I felt compelled to buy a Dummies book to figure it out.
5. Things that don't work very long. My dryer conked out on Saturday. It is a Whirlpool, purchased in 2006. Just three years ago. Fortunately my husband is a great handyman. He tore it apart and found that the heater element had burned in two. He beat the closing time for the parts store and $125 later had the thing running again. We bought it to replace a dryer that I bought in 1983. It ran for 23 years and went through a flood. We only replaced it because we couldn't get parts for it anymore.
6. The weather. This has been the weirdest summer. Cool days, rain. Lots of fog in August which is supposed to mean something about snow in January.
7. Things that don't work like they're supposed to. My printer is an HP Officejet Pro K5400. It is supposed to be able to print front and back on the paper, but I have never been able to get it to work. It always jams up when I try duplex printing.
8. Leftover food. I keep leftovers think I will serve them another day. Sometimes I do, but just as often they end up pushed to the back of the refrigerator. I try not to fix so much food that leftovers are necessary but sometimes it happens.
9. Phone calls from politicians. During the last election I thought I'd go nuts with the phones calls, mostly from Democrats, about the congressional election. Now I'm getting phone calls all the time from Republicans about the governor's race. At least I am annoyed by both parties.
10. Emotional thinking, which isn't really thinking, it is only reacting. This is all the place in the media and this is how our politics are run these days. Whatever happened to rational thinking? When did this become normal?
11. Rising gas prices. What, there's a Labor Day holiday coming up? Of course, let's creep those gas prices higher and higher so that we're at $3 when folks want to travel. Do the oil companies think we don't notice?
12. People who call and don't leave a message. I was in the shower yesterday when the phone rang. The machine kicked in before I could answer. No message. I cancelled call waiting a while back. And I wanted to know who was calling!
13. Ink pens that stop writing even though they have ink. I don't know why this happens. Thankfully it doesn't happen often. I use a specific pen - a Pilot G2 05 (extra fine). I don't care if the ink is blue or black, but I won't use any other kind of pen. Occasionally they just stop writing for no apparent reason.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 104!
1. about:tabs. Every time I want to go to a new website in Internet Explorer, there it is. Those words show up in the URL area. Sometimes you can go over them without issue, other times you have to stop and delete them. What is up with that?
2. Check-out clerks who hand you your candy bars. What is the deal with this? If I buy one candy bar, they give it to me immediately. Do I look like I'm having a chocolate attack right there? Do they think I can't wait until I get in the car? I know I'm overweight but sheesh. I notice that it is only female clerks who do this. I've never once had it happen with a male check-out clerk.
3. No backwards compatibility. Windows keeps evolving and Microsoft apparently has decided to not care about programs that were created a long time ago. It was bad enough losing all my DOS games but now even Windows games, created for those long-ago operating systems of Windows 3x, Windows 98, and even Windows ME, will not work. That started with Windows XP and is dramatic in Vista. What am I supposed to do with these games?
4. Supposed improvements in software. I wonder how much lost productivity has occurred because Microsoft changed Word 2007 so dramatically? I've been using word processing programs since the 1980s, starting with something called Wordstar. From there I went to WordPerfect (still my favorite) and then finally to MS Word simply because I had to. Word 2007 is substantially different, so much so that for the first time since I switched over I felt compelled to buy a Dummies book to figure it out.
5. Things that don't work very long. My dryer conked out on Saturday. It is a Whirlpool, purchased in 2006. Just three years ago. Fortunately my husband is a great handyman. He tore it apart and found that the heater element had burned in two. He beat the closing time for the parts store and $125 later had the thing running again. We bought it to replace a dryer that I bought in 1983. It ran for 23 years and went through a flood. We only replaced it because we couldn't get parts for it anymore.
6. The weather. This has been the weirdest summer. Cool days, rain. Lots of fog in August which is supposed to mean something about snow in January.
7. Things that don't work like they're supposed to. My printer is an HP Officejet Pro K5400. It is supposed to be able to print front and back on the paper, but I have never been able to get it to work. It always jams up when I try duplex printing.
8. Leftover food. I keep leftovers think I will serve them another day. Sometimes I do, but just as often they end up pushed to the back of the refrigerator. I try not to fix so much food that leftovers are necessary but sometimes it happens.
9. Phone calls from politicians. During the last election I thought I'd go nuts with the phones calls, mostly from Democrats, about the congressional election. Now I'm getting phone calls all the time from Republicans about the governor's race. At least I am annoyed by both parties.
10. Emotional thinking, which isn't really thinking, it is only reacting. This is all the place in the media and this is how our politics are run these days. Whatever happened to rational thinking? When did this become normal?
11. Rising gas prices. What, there's a Labor Day holiday coming up? Of course, let's creep those gas prices higher and higher so that we're at $3 when folks want to travel. Do the oil companies think we don't notice?
12. People who call and don't leave a message. I was in the shower yesterday when the phone rang. The machine kicked in before I could answer. No message. I cancelled call waiting a while back. And I wanted to know who was calling!
13. Ink pens that stop writing even though they have ink. I don't know why this happens. Thankfully it doesn't happen often. I use a specific pen - a Pilot G2 05 (extra fine). I don't care if the ink is blue or black, but I won't use any other kind of pen. Occasionally they just stop writing for no apparent reason.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 104!
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Farm Tour 2009, Part 2
After the farm tour left Blue Ridge Poultry, we headed just a few miles down the road to the Fincastle Vineyard and Winery.
Here the Sawyers grow a variety of grapes for their wines. I learned that some grapes need warmer air so they are planted higher on the hill so the cold doesn't get them. Variety matters.
Below our host Richard Sawyer explained how he started the vineyard in 1995. It was Botetourt's first winery.
This is the tasting room. It is cozy and comfortable inside. The place is also a bed and breakfast. The attached house features a great porch complete with shade, a breeze and rocking chairs.
There is also a little pool for atmosphere. The sound of the waterfall nearly lulled me to sleep.
Join me Friday for Part 3.
Here the Sawyers grow a variety of grapes for their wines. I learned that some grapes need warmer air so they are planted higher on the hill so the cold doesn't get them. Variety matters.
Below our host Richard Sawyer explained how he started the vineyard in 1995. It was Botetourt's first winery.
This is the tasting room. It is cozy and comfortable inside. The place is also a bed and breakfast. The attached house features a great porch complete with shade, a breeze and rocking chairs.
There is also a little pool for atmosphere. The sound of the waterfall nearly lulled me to sleep.
Join me Friday for Part 3.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Farm Tour 2009, Part 1
Friday morning at 8 a.m., I was at Lord Botetourt High School ready to board a tour bus with my friend Meg, who is also editor of the Salem-Times Register.
The Cooperative Extension Office was offering up a farm tour, and we decided to go. Well, actually Meg decided we would go and I agreed. Since I live on a farm and I am allergic to things like chickens and hay, I wasn't sure it was a good idea but I went along anyway.
I knew five other people who were on the tour, and it was nice to see them, too.
Our first stop was at Blue Ridge Poultry Farm. It is located in the Nace/Camp Bethel area of Botetourt County.
The house is one of the county's older homes, built in the 1800s (I think they said 1842 but I wasn't taking notes). The bricks were fired right on the premises.
About 60 people were on the tour. My friend Cathy from The Botetourt View came to take pictures and do a story.
Below is Angie Lenoire, our host at Blue Ridge Poultry.
She and Patricia Whitt raise chickens. The birds are raised in a pasture and not kept cooped up like chickens in large establishments.
This is how she keeps the chickens. She does not keep them over the winter so they don't really need a place to stay warm.
The birds are slaughtered and their feathers plucked with a feather-plucking machine. The birds are sold to folks who want to support this kind of farming.
Angie also sells her chickens at the Botetourt Farmers' Market at Ikenberry Orchards on Saturday.
Join me tomorrow for Part 2.
The Cooperative Extension Office was offering up a farm tour, and we decided to go. Well, actually Meg decided we would go and I agreed. Since I live on a farm and I am allergic to things like chickens and hay, I wasn't sure it was a good idea but I went along anyway.
I knew five other people who were on the tour, and it was nice to see them, too.
Our first stop was at Blue Ridge Poultry Farm. It is located in the Nace/Camp Bethel area of Botetourt County.
The house is one of the county's older homes, built in the 1800s (I think they said 1842 but I wasn't taking notes). The bricks were fired right on the premises.
About 60 people were on the tour. My friend Cathy from The Botetourt View came to take pictures and do a story.
Below is Angie Lenoire, our host at Blue Ridge Poultry.
She and Patricia Whitt raise chickens. The birds are raised in a pasture and not kept cooped up like chickens in large establishments.
This is how she keeps the chickens. She does not keep them over the winter so they don't really need a place to stay warm.
The birds are slaughtered and their feathers plucked with a feather-plucking machine. The birds are sold to folks who want to support this kind of farming.
Angie also sells her chickens at the Botetourt Farmers' Market at Ikenberry Orchards on Saturday.
Join me tomorrow for Part 2.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Sultry August day
A storm just blew past. It chugged down from the Catawba Valley, skirting the mountains, unleashing its fury in batches as it neared my house.
Rain struck the windows like a million fingers tapping for entry. Thunder angrily told me that the humidity and heat had reached a boiling point. Lightning tumbled across the sky like a million mean pixies hellbent on vengeance.
I huddled by the window, taking it all in. Within moments the weather cleared and the rain stopped, but not before it dumped a 1/4 inch in my rain gauge.
Moments ago, I stepped outside to get a better view of a doe and her fawn and almost gasped at the temperature change. At 11:30 a.m. when I looked at temperature gauge it said 112 degrees in the sun.
Now it's a pleasant, if slightly damp, 75 degrees.
I wonder if it will heat back up and do it all again.
Today I gave myself permission to stop worrying for a while. I have worried since May 1 pretty much nonstop. What would I do to replace my main client? What about our income? How will I get the house my mother left me rented back out when no one seems to want it? How can it be that I am 46 years old and yet again having to reinvent myself? What are my goals? What is my passion? Do I even have a passion? Would it be enough just to be my husband's wife, and nothing else? What else do I need? What do I want? How can I go after something when I don't even know what the something is?
At least for the morning, I ditched all of those questions. I plunked myself down in front of my old computer, which still works but not like it once did, and played Dungeon Siege. It's an old game and I'd played it before but it had been so long I scarcely remembered it. I'd been playing it in small time increments for a few days prior; this morning into lunch time it was an hours-long marathon of hacking and slashing my way through lava terrors and something called a slek in hopes of gaining the ultimate gamer's victory - the screen that says "you win" and then the game credits. The absorption was such that those worries went the way of the evildoers in the Kingdom of Ehb. Everything was in little bitty pieces and seemed much less threatening that way.
My lunch of chicken salad and the tomato from my garden tastes a lot better when it isn't tainted with concern.
Ah, the sun returns. The wet grass is actually starting to steam as it heats up. It's 2:15 p.m., and the day still has many hours.
I think today I will be the husband's wife, and go and tend the laundry.
Rain struck the windows like a million fingers tapping for entry. Thunder angrily told me that the humidity and heat had reached a boiling point. Lightning tumbled across the sky like a million mean pixies hellbent on vengeance.
I huddled by the window, taking it all in. Within moments the weather cleared and the rain stopped, but not before it dumped a 1/4 inch in my rain gauge.
Moments ago, I stepped outside to get a better view of a doe and her fawn and almost gasped at the temperature change. At 11:30 a.m. when I looked at temperature gauge it said 112 degrees in the sun.
Now it's a pleasant, if slightly damp, 75 degrees.
I wonder if it will heat back up and do it all again.
Today I gave myself permission to stop worrying for a while. I have worried since May 1 pretty much nonstop. What would I do to replace my main client? What about our income? How will I get the house my mother left me rented back out when no one seems to want it? How can it be that I am 46 years old and yet again having to reinvent myself? What are my goals? What is my passion? Do I even have a passion? Would it be enough just to be my husband's wife, and nothing else? What else do I need? What do I want? How can I go after something when I don't even know what the something is?
At least for the morning, I ditched all of those questions. I plunked myself down in front of my old computer, which still works but not like it once did, and played Dungeon Siege. It's an old game and I'd played it before but it had been so long I scarcely remembered it. I'd been playing it in small time increments for a few days prior; this morning into lunch time it was an hours-long marathon of hacking and slashing my way through lava terrors and something called a slek in hopes of gaining the ultimate gamer's victory - the screen that says "you win" and then the game credits. The absorption was such that those worries went the way of the evildoers in the Kingdom of Ehb. Everything was in little bitty pieces and seemed much less threatening that way.
My lunch of chicken salad and the tomato from my garden tastes a lot better when it isn't tainted with concern.
Ah, the sun returns. The wet grass is actually starting to steam as it heats up. It's 2:15 p.m., and the day still has many hours.
I think today I will be the husband's wife, and go and tend the laundry.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Do your homework. Or, writer beware.
Back around July 4, I applied to an advertisement I found on various websites for a contract writer's job in Roanoke.
It was for something called examiner.com. They are still advertising.
When I first saw the ad back in early June, I, of course, visited the website. It appeared to be a type of blog portal, with the focus being writing about your community or topics of interest. There were things about TV shows. Comic books. Politics. News.
I did not apply. The ad kept popping up, and I kept hesitating. I think I did a google search and found nothing on them. Or maybe I did find it and forgot about it.
Finally I answer the ad and asked for more information. I received a prompt reply back. It had a link to a TV news clip on this endeavor. The TV news said a Denver billionaire was creating this site. It gave it legitimacy, so I decided to apply. The application was detailed and they asked for a writing sample and other credentials. That also lended an air of legitimacy to the endeavor.
It was, I figured, a "pay per click" kind of thing. I did not think I would receive much money but thought there may be some potential. It was hard to judge.
I took an afternoon and filled out the application. Then I waited for four weeks for them to get back to me.
When I was finally accepted, I was also told I would have to undergo a background check. I did not like this - giving out my SSN, my driver's license number, etc. etc. but I went ahead and did it anyway.
A week later I was given the "welcome letter" and a URL and password to get into their site.
Before you can sign into the site, you must agree to their independent contractors agreement and license.
Thankfully, I took the time to read this document. Here are two (and there are more) of the objectionable parts:
And the most objectionable of them all:
I did not press the "I agree" button. Instead, I decided I needed to think long and hard about this. I do not need a self-promotion platform or my name on the web. It's already out there. I need new clients but I like to be paid for my work. If I am going to work for free then I prefer it be for non-profit organizations that I support.
I did visit their "reference and questions" part, which didn't require pushing any "I agree" buttons, and discovered that the money is really in referring other writers to the site. For $50 a pop, if I urge others to sign up, I could become a wealthy woman.
I have never liked things that require referrals. To me these are pyramid schemes; the people at the top get rich, while everyone else ... doesn't. My feeling is, if something is that great, then I should want to share it without compensation.
I called my friend Jules and asked her opinion of the agreement. She's a webmaster. She did not think much of it.
Then I contacted my friend Becky over at Peevish Pen. Becky has a nose for ferreting out things that are unfair to writers. She sent me a link that I wish I had seen before I applied:
http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/005364_05132009.html
According to this, most writers for this website earn pennies, something along the lines of $2.49 an article or less. Unless you are writing articles that only take five minutes, in which case you are not writing anything that requires thought or competence, you are earning a great deal less than minimum wage.
I suppose if you are writing on a national topic which has the potential to draw in readers from all over the U.S., you might make money. But if, like me, you are a small niche writer, the odds are against you.
The fact is, if I want to write for pennies, I can write this blog (because google ads don't pay much) or I can create other blogs, or I can create my own website, and at least have a little control over the thing.
If this is the future of journalism, or the future of paid writing, then I need a new career.
It was for something called examiner.com. They are still advertising.
When I first saw the ad back in early June, I, of course, visited the website. It appeared to be a type of blog portal, with the focus being writing about your community or topics of interest. There were things about TV shows. Comic books. Politics. News.
I did not apply. The ad kept popping up, and I kept hesitating. I think I did a google search and found nothing on them. Or maybe I did find it and forgot about it.
Finally I answer the ad and asked for more information. I received a prompt reply back. It had a link to a TV news clip on this endeavor. The TV news said a Denver billionaire was creating this site. It gave it legitimacy, so I decided to apply. The application was detailed and they asked for a writing sample and other credentials. That also lended an air of legitimacy to the endeavor.
It was, I figured, a "pay per click" kind of thing. I did not think I would receive much money but thought there may be some potential. It was hard to judge.
I took an afternoon and filled out the application. Then I waited for four weeks for them to get back to me.
When I was finally accepted, I was also told I would have to undergo a background check. I did not like this - giving out my SSN, my driver's license number, etc. etc. but I went ahead and did it anyway.
A week later I was given the "welcome letter" and a URL and password to get into their site.
Before you can sign into the site, you must agree to their independent contractors agreement and license.
Thankfully, I took the time to read this document. Here are two (and there are more) of the objectionable parts:
In consideration of the Services, you will be provided exposure of your
name and the Web Page. You understand that you will not initially
receive any other compensation for performance of the Services.
However, if the Web Page obtains traffic levels and/or other performance metrics determined by Examiner.com from time to time, you may be eligible for a performance-based incentive (“Incentive”), which would be paid according to a formula and metrics to be provided to you by Examiner.com, as modified by
Examiner.com from time to time in its sole discretion.
And the most objectionable of them all:
You hereby grant to Examiner.com a non-exclusive, perpetual,
irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide license to:
i) copy, reproduce, distribute, perform, modify, adapt, create derivative works, use, transmit, and display the Works or any part thereof, in any in any manner, media or format now existing or hereafter devised, whether fixed or interactive, including without limitation in print, audio, on the Internet, via wireless network, in databases
and compilations, via MP3 players and other devices capable of playing audio content, via cell phones and PDAs, in CD-ROMs and DVDs, and in the websites and print newspapers of Examiner.com and Affiliates;
ii) use, copy, transmit, display and otherwise promote your name, image, likeness, and biographic information in connection with the exercise of the rights granted herein, including without limitation in connection with the advertising, promotion, and publication of the Works in any manner, media or format now existing or hereafter devised; and
iii) sublicense, syndicate, or otherwise grant third parties any of the rights described in this subsection 7(b), without any obligation of notice or compensation to you.
I did not press the "I agree" button. Instead, I decided I needed to think long and hard about this. I do not need a self-promotion platform or my name on the web. It's already out there. I need new clients but I like to be paid for my work. If I am going to work for free then I prefer it be for non-profit organizations that I support.
I did visit their "reference and questions" part, which didn't require pushing any "I agree" buttons, and discovered that the money is really in referring other writers to the site. For $50 a pop, if I urge others to sign up, I could become a wealthy woman.
I have never liked things that require referrals. To me these are pyramid schemes; the people at the top get rich, while everyone else ... doesn't. My feeling is, if something is that great, then I should want to share it without compensation.
I called my friend Jules and asked her opinion of the agreement. She's a webmaster. She did not think much of it.
Then I contacted my friend Becky over at Peevish Pen. Becky has a nose for ferreting out things that are unfair to writers. She sent me a link that I wish I had seen before I applied:
http://writersweekly.com/the_latest_from_angelahoycom/005364_05132009.html
According to this, most writers for this website earn pennies, something along the lines of $2.49 an article or less. Unless you are writing articles that only take five minutes, in which case you are not writing anything that requires thought or competence, you are earning a great deal less than minimum wage.
I suppose if you are writing on a national topic which has the potential to draw in readers from all over the U.S., you might make money. But if, like me, you are a small niche writer, the odds are against you.
The fact is, if I want to write for pennies, I can write this blog (because google ads don't pay much) or I can create other blogs, or I can create my own website, and at least have a little control over the thing.
If this is the future of journalism, or the future of paid writing, then I need a new career.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Thursday Thirteen
Today, I give you 13 four-letter words.
1. Love. Of course this is the number one favorite four-letter word! What else were you thinking when I wrote "four-letter words," hm? "Love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave." - The Song of Solomon viii. 6
2. Blue. My favorite color. Blue is the sky, it is the water. It is symbolic of the air we breathe. It's the color of eyes and flowers. It describes my mood a lot these days. It's a great word.
3. Pink. Okay, it's another color but it is a nice color. It's the morning sky sometimes, it's baby skin, it's kissable lips, it's my eyes after a bad night's sleep.
4. List. As in a Thursday Thirteen! What would I do without my to-do list? My list of groceries? My list of days.
5. Tear. That's "tear" as in the stuff that falls from your eye, not the ripping of paper. A tear, O! A drop of salt water from the eyes of the one you love brings heartache and compassion. A tear is a cleansing, a symbol, a sign of the soul. How can someone watch another sob and not be moved?
6. Eyes. The soul appears when the eyes are open. Look deeply into my eyes and what do you see there? Maybe nothing at all, maybe the depths of the world. Maybe heartache and toil, maybe laughter and smiles. Maybe, if you look long enough, you will see everything you need to see and you will see me as I truly am.
7. What. Ah, a word that means a question. And questions are the way we learn, the way we grow, the way we know we are thinking. If you aren't questioning the world around you, asking "what?" at every opportunity, then you aren't truly using your noodle. My questions these days include "What if I just read a book, will it be the end of the world?" and "What is wrong with this Congress, why aren't they doing anything that makes any sense?" and "What happened to Tuesday?"
8. Talk. Communication is key, and if we don't talk, we don't learn. We don't understand, we don't get it. Talking is how I listen ... by keeping my mouth shut I learn what you need and desire, want, feel or thin. When I talk I am expressing how I feel, my wants, my needs. Sometimes I talk too much. I am pretty sure I don't talk too little.
9. Feel. The things that the world seems to run on these days, feelings. How I feel about something as opposed to how I think about it. I would rather people thought more and felt less about many things, to be honest; that is how we're in the mess we're in nationwide, too much emotion and not enough thinking. But feelings in personal relationships of course are quite necessary. I wouldn't want to go to bed every night with someone for whom I felt nothing, that is certain. They just don't belong in national debates.
10. Feet. Actually this is not a favorite word; I am not a foot fan. My feet have been ignored most of my life and I think most feet are, well, shall we say, not pretty. Having ignored said feet for 46 years, they now complain daily so they are on my mind more than I would like.
11. Will. Nope, not short for "William," but the will of mankind... of me. The power of my mind over what goes on around me. My intentions, my purpose. Dreams and destiny, maybe. What will be will be... but maybe not.
12. Word. Of course something to do with writing has to be on this list! And where we would be without words? Certainly not reading this blog entry, or talking, or doing anything much. Words make us human, whether those words are spoken or unspoken. Yay for words!
13. Poem. I love poetry though I don't read much of it anymore. There was a time when I thought I might become a poetess, but something instead turned me toward nonfiction. My poetry is good when I work at it, lackluster when I don't. My favorite modern poet is Sharon Olds. One of my favorite poems (which has lots of good four-letter words in it) is:
The Passionate Shepherd to his Love
By C. Marlowe
COME live with me and be my Love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That hills and valleys, dale and field,
And all the craggy mountains yield.
There will we sit upon the rocks
And see the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.
There will I make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle.
A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull,
Fair linèd slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold.
A belt of straw and ivy buds
With coral clasps and amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me and be my Love.
Thy silver dishes for thy meat
As precious as the gods do eat,
Shall on an ivory table be
Prepared each day for thee and me.
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my Love.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 104!
1. Love. Of course this is the number one favorite four-letter word! What else were you thinking when I wrote "four-letter words," hm? "Love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave." - The Song of Solomon viii. 6
2. Blue. My favorite color. Blue is the sky, it is the water. It is symbolic of the air we breathe. It's the color of eyes and flowers. It describes my mood a lot these days. It's a great word.
3. Pink. Okay, it's another color but it is a nice color. It's the morning sky sometimes, it's baby skin, it's kissable lips, it's my eyes after a bad night's sleep.
4. List. As in a Thursday Thirteen! What would I do without my to-do list? My list of groceries? My list of days.
5. Tear. That's "tear" as in the stuff that falls from your eye, not the ripping of paper. A tear, O! A drop of salt water from the eyes of the one you love brings heartache and compassion. A tear is a cleansing, a symbol, a sign of the soul. How can someone watch another sob and not be moved?
6. Eyes. The soul appears when the eyes are open. Look deeply into my eyes and what do you see there? Maybe nothing at all, maybe the depths of the world. Maybe heartache and toil, maybe laughter and smiles. Maybe, if you look long enough, you will see everything you need to see and you will see me as I truly am.
7. What. Ah, a word that means a question. And questions are the way we learn, the way we grow, the way we know we are thinking. If you aren't questioning the world around you, asking "what?" at every opportunity, then you aren't truly using your noodle. My questions these days include "What if I just read a book, will it be the end of the world?" and "What is wrong with this Congress, why aren't they doing anything that makes any sense?" and "What happened to Tuesday?"
8. Talk. Communication is key, and if we don't talk, we don't learn. We don't understand, we don't get it. Talking is how I listen ... by keeping my mouth shut I learn what you need and desire, want, feel or thin. When I talk I am expressing how I feel, my wants, my needs. Sometimes I talk too much. I am pretty sure I don't talk too little.
9. Feel. The things that the world seems to run on these days, feelings. How I feel about something as opposed to how I think about it. I would rather people thought more and felt less about many things, to be honest; that is how we're in the mess we're in nationwide, too much emotion and not enough thinking. But feelings in personal relationships of course are quite necessary. I wouldn't want to go to bed every night with someone for whom I felt nothing, that is certain. They just don't belong in national debates.
10. Feet. Actually this is not a favorite word; I am not a foot fan. My feet have been ignored most of my life and I think most feet are, well, shall we say, not pretty. Having ignored said feet for 46 years, they now complain daily so they are on my mind more than I would like.
11. Will. Nope, not short for "William," but the will of mankind... of me. The power of my mind over what goes on around me. My intentions, my purpose. Dreams and destiny, maybe. What will be will be... but maybe not.
12. Word. Of course something to do with writing has to be on this list! And where we would be without words? Certainly not reading this blog entry, or talking, or doing anything much. Words make us human, whether those words are spoken or unspoken. Yay for words!
13. Poem. I love poetry though I don't read much of it anymore. There was a time when I thought I might become a poetess, but something instead turned me toward nonfiction. My poetry is good when I work at it, lackluster when I don't. My favorite modern poet is Sharon Olds. One of my favorite poems (which has lots of good four-letter words in it) is:
The Passionate Shepherd to his Love
By C. Marlowe
COME live with me and be my Love,
And we will all the pleasures prove
That hills and valleys, dale and field,
And all the craggy mountains yield.
There will we sit upon the rocks
And see the shepherds feed their flocks,
By shallow rivers, to whose falls
Melodious birds sing madrigals.
There will I make thee beds of roses
And a thousand fragrant posies,
A cap of flowers, and a kirtle
Embroider'd all with leaves of myrtle.
A gown made of the finest wool
Which from our pretty lambs we pull,
Fair linèd slippers for the cold,
With buckles of the purest gold.
A belt of straw and ivy buds
With coral clasps and amber studs:
And if these pleasures may thee move,
Come live with me and be my Love.
Thy silver dishes for thy meat
As precious as the gods do eat,
Shall on an ivory table be
Prepared each day for thee and me.
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing
For thy delight each May-morning:
If these delights thy mind may move,
Then live with me and be my Love.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; you can learn more about it here. My other Thursday Thirteens are here. This is number 104!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Happy anniversary, an award and post no. 991
Three years ago today, I started started this blog. I had no idea what I wanted to do with it except use it as a different venue for writing other than newspaper articles. A creative outlet, as it were.
I knew this anniversary was coming up and I had hoped this would be post 1,000 but I am a few short. So I am celebrating with post number 991. I guess next week I will hit 1,000.
Stopping this blog is not an option. I enjoy writing it, even if sometimes I scratch my head over what to put on here. I have made many friends and have met in person some wonderful ladies I would not have met otherwise. Or maybe I would have - like does attract like. At any rate, I wish to thank you, dear reader, whoever you are. I know many of you don't leave comments and I hope that I don't disappoint you when you visit.
Amy Tate over at The Virginia Scribe earlier this week honored me and my blog with the Premios Dardos Award. This is "an award for bloggers who distinguish themselves for showing cultural values, ethics, great and fun writing skills, as well as individual values, through their creative writing."
I am very grateful to her for nominating my blog for this award. I met Amy in person at a Roanoke Pen Women meeting in June. She is a delightful soul and I wish her much success in her publishing endeavors.
Amy nominated several other blogs I read for the award, blogs that I would have elected to nominate as well. For example, I would have nominated my friend Becky over at Peevish Pen.
At least one blog I would nominate (The Blue Ridge Gal), doesn't accept awards. So I am going to suggest that you, dear reader, slip over to read her blog and also landuvmilknhoney, Loose Leaf Notes and the Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl, which are three blogs I think worthy of this award. But most of the blogs listed on my blog are good reading.
If you read my blog and would like this award because you think your work meets the qualifications, please accept it and let me know that you have done so. I would like to read your work too, if I don't already!
And as for me, I will be busy thinking about tomorrow, and my next Thursday Thirteen.
I knew this anniversary was coming up and I had hoped this would be post 1,000 but I am a few short. So I am celebrating with post number 991. I guess next week I will hit 1,000.
Stopping this blog is not an option. I enjoy writing it, even if sometimes I scratch my head over what to put on here. I have made many friends and have met in person some wonderful ladies I would not have met otherwise. Or maybe I would have - like does attract like. At any rate, I wish to thank you, dear reader, whoever you are. I know many of you don't leave comments and I hope that I don't disappoint you when you visit.
Amy Tate over at The Virginia Scribe earlier this week honored me and my blog with the Premios Dardos Award. This is "an award for bloggers who distinguish themselves for showing cultural values, ethics, great and fun writing skills, as well as individual values, through their creative writing."
I am very grateful to her for nominating my blog for this award. I met Amy in person at a Roanoke Pen Women meeting in June. She is a delightful soul and I wish her much success in her publishing endeavors.
Amy nominated several other blogs I read for the award, blogs that I would have elected to nominate as well. For example, I would have nominated my friend Becky over at Peevish Pen.
At least one blog I would nominate (The Blue Ridge Gal), doesn't accept awards. So I am going to suggest that you, dear reader, slip over to read her blog and also landuvmilknhoney, Loose Leaf Notes and the Blue Ridge Blue Collar Girl, which are three blogs I think worthy of this award. But most of the blogs listed on my blog are good reading.
If you read my blog and would like this award because you think your work meets the qualifications, please accept it and let me know that you have done so. I would like to read your work too, if I don't already!
And as for me, I will be busy thinking about tomorrow, and my next Thursday Thirteen.
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Review: Momma Mia
Momma Mia, with Glen Close - I mean Meryl Streep - has been playing on HBO.
I watched the movie in its entirety the night it debuted and I've seen pieces of it several times since then.
Some of the singing is off key. However it is a fun movie with a fairy tale ending. Kind of a modern Cinderella story with a twist, if you will.
The musical features songs by ABBA, and since they were one of my favorite bands growing up, I know every song. That is part of what makes this show so fun. Who hasn't heard those songs?
This is one of two movies I've seen this year that I think were made for sleep overs for women ages 40 and up. Not that I know of women who have sleepovers like that, but if we all did then this is one of the movies I'd offer up. The other is the Sex in the City movie.
The story line for Momma Mia goes like this: young girl on eve of wedding wants to know who her daddy is. She reads Mom's diary and decides it can be one of three guys, so she invites all three to the wedding. They arrive, Mom freaks. Young girl's beau is perturbed. Friends arrive to help out. Wedding day arrives, things don't go quite as planned, lovely happy ending.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlPMEdQKzJc
This is my favorite part of the movie. It won't let you embed it. Click it and watch it, though.
I watched the movie in its entirety the night it debuted and I've seen pieces of it several times since then.
Some of the singing is off key. However it is a fun movie with a fairy tale ending. Kind of a modern Cinderella story with a twist, if you will.
The musical features songs by ABBA, and since they were one of my favorite bands growing up, I know every song. That is part of what makes this show so fun. Who hasn't heard those songs?
This is one of two movies I've seen this year that I think were made for sleep overs for women ages 40 and up. Not that I know of women who have sleepovers like that, but if we all did then this is one of the movies I'd offer up. The other is the Sex in the City movie.
The story line for Momma Mia goes like this: young girl on eve of wedding wants to know who her daddy is. She reads Mom's diary and decides it can be one of three guys, so she invites all three to the wedding. They arrive, Mom freaks. Young girl's beau is perturbed. Friends arrive to help out. Wedding day arrives, things don't go quite as planned, lovely happy ending.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlPMEdQKzJc
This is my favorite part of the movie. It won't let you embed it. Click it and watch it, though.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
The Captain's Helmet
My husband turned 50 on June 2 and I threw him a party at the fire station.
But I did not give him his present because it had yet to arrive.
Yesterday, finally, his helmet (ordered in April) came in.
It is nice and shiny but once it has been in a fire it won't be that for long. It meets all the certifications and specifications for safety and security.
That long thing hanging down is to protect my husband's neck. He has a scar on his neck from a burn he received during an apartment fire about 20 years. A piece of burning wood fell down between his helmet and collar and singed him rather badly.
I hope this new helmet will keep my sweetie safe until he retires, which is still a few years away.
But I did not give him his present because it had yet to arrive.
Yesterday, finally, his helmet (ordered in April) came in.
It is nice and shiny but once it has been in a fire it won't be that for long. It meets all the certifications and specifications for safety and security.
That long thing hanging down is to protect my husband's neck. He has a scar on his neck from a burn he received during an apartment fire about 20 years. A piece of burning wood fell down between his helmet and collar and singed him rather badly.
I hope this new helmet will keep my sweetie safe until he retires, which is still a few years away.
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