This is not a crop one normally sees planted in these parts.
I understand there is another field of this at the intersection of Haymaker Town and Lee's Road, at the Catawba Creek Bridge. You can see photos of it here.
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Crimson Clover
Within walking distance of my house is a field full of crimson clover.
This is not a crop one normally sees planted in these parts.
I understand there is another field of this at the intersection of Haymaker Town and Lee's Road, at the Catawba Creek Bridge. You can see photos of it here.
This is not a crop one normally sees planted in these parts.
I understand there is another field of this at the intersection of Haymaker Town and Lee's Road, at the Catawba Creek Bridge. You can see photos of it here.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Luck of the Irish
Earlier this week I found this four-leaf clover in my mother-in-law's yard.
It had been a long time since I'd found a four-leaf clover. For a long time, I found them everywhere I went, no matter the yard.
But then I stopped looking. So I didn't find them.
My husband says he has never found a four-leaf clover. But then, he has never really looked.
Perspective is all in what we make of it. If we look for four-leaf clovers, we will likely find them, provided we're looking in the right place.
Of course we won't find a four-leaf clover just waiting for us on the living room floor. But out in the yard, amongst the clover, odds are better that you might find what you're looking for.
If we look for bad things in people, then of course, bad things we will find. If we look for good, then we will find good.
The world is full of people who are quite willing to point out the bad things. You're lazy, you're fat, you're not fast enough, you're old, you're young, you're too skinny, you're a workaholic, you're too quick and don't think.
See, it's all a matter of perspective and in how you look at it. What's fat to you might be pleasing to someone else. Someone who's too old might be a fountain of wisdom to another.
I wonder what the world would be like if we all practiced looking for the good things. What if instead of telling people what was wrong with them, we told them what was right?
Perspective. Looking in the right place, at the right time, through the right lenses.
I have been accused of looking at the world through rose-colored glasses - from the perspective of someone else, I see too much promise in the world sometimes.
But the world needs a little promise, don't you think? Someone who looks for the four-leaf clovers - and finds them - and doesn't just trod them over and squash them beneath her heel.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
First Roses 2012
Friday I noticed that one of my roses had bloomed, and the others were following. Unfortunately it rained on them Saturday, so their beauty was short-lived. I am glad I took a few photos so I can share them and enjoy them longer!
Friday, April 27, 2012
Down in De Feet
You might remember that last year, I had a boo-boo in my right foot that necessitated wearing a funny little shoe for 8 weeks.
The problem never resolved itself completely, and ultimately, thanks to my pal arthritis, I have been forced into changing my shoe style completely. I can hardly walk in anything but a shoe with a very sturdy, inflexible sole. Other shoes cause me a considerable amount of pain.
Women's shoes with inflexible soles are difficult to find in Roanoke. And it's hard to order them online because, well, unless something absolutely says it has an inflexible sole I have no way to know. In the shoe stores you will find me bending shoes to see if they will work for me or not.
They are also incredibly expensive, these shoes.
So I am down to three pairs of shoes. One is pair of Patagonias that are made for rock climbing. The other is a pair of black hiking sandals that I recently found at Fleet Feet. And the third pair is a New Balance tan suede shoe that I found at Bush-Flora. This shoe is made for diabetics. It has a very stiff sole.
They have a suede or nubuck finish on them. I bought them in February to use as a substitute casual dress shoe. They have also been doubling as my walking shoe until I could find some other sturdy tennis shoe.
Yesterday I met my pal Di from Blue Ridge Gal in the big city so we could have lunch. I wore these shoes.
Di looked absolutely smashing; she's been on a successful diet and she literally glittered when she walked across the parking lot to meet me.
We sat down to enjoy a wonderful salad. I also had a panini sandwich and soup; Di had a shrimp dinner of some sort. It was all very good.
We were chatting away, catching up on this and that, when suddenly I felt something hit me in the foot, and then I had a coldness at my ankle.
The person cleaning up the table behind us had an accident and somehow a big container of an oily white dressing tumbled out.
It went all over my shoe. And my pants leg. And down in my shoe into my sock.
Looking down, I could see that the entire side of my right shoe was covered in this lovely sauce.
My heart sank. The shoes were new; they were also extremely important to me, being one of three pairs I owned that I could actually walk in.
Anyone who has ever owned suede knows how difficult it is to clean. And once soiled, it is never the same.
The staff was very apologetic; the waitress cleaned the sauce from my shoe. She called for a manager. He came over and I explained that my shoes were ruined.
He said he would be back. When he returned, he gave me his card and said I should take the shoes to the dry cleaners. If that didn't work, they would pay to replace them.
I told him I knew that the dry cleaners wouldn't be able to clean them, and I would most likely have to have them replaced. We had some discussion as I was concerned about the expense and inconvenience of this.
Finally he wrote a note on his card, noting the date and the damaged shoes.
He also gave us our meals free.
I called my husband and he said I should try to take care of it right away. "That guy might not be there tomorrow," he said. And then I would be out the cost of a pair of expensive shoes.
Cell phones are wonderful things. Before I did anything hasty, I called the dry cleaner I use. They did not clean suede shoes. Neither did the others I called, nor did they know of anyone who did.
I then went to the shoe store at Towers where I purchased the shoes originally. They also repair shoes. They looked at the soiled leather and told me they could do nothing for them. They confirmed they were ruined.
They also said they could not replace them. According to them, New Balance no longer makes that particular shoe. The shoe style that will replace them was not in stock and won't be in until some time in May.
I feared that if I waited, the restaurant might not make good on its promise to compensate me for the damaged shoes. So I went ahead and pre-purchased the shoes that were on order. They will also be a diabetic shoe, only in black, since the tan is no longer available. I can only hope they will fit and meet my needs.
Then I took the receipt back to the restaurant. The manager was not happy to see me, I think, but he did reimburse me.
Hopefully my new shoes will arrive soon so I will have something to wear.
In the meantime, my old shoes reek of garlic and smell like a salad. I am trying to figure out how to clean them so I can use them around the farm. They will be the most expensive pair of farm shoes I've ever had.
The problem never resolved itself completely, and ultimately, thanks to my pal arthritis, I have been forced into changing my shoe style completely. I can hardly walk in anything but a shoe with a very sturdy, inflexible sole. Other shoes cause me a considerable amount of pain.
Women's shoes with inflexible soles are difficult to find in Roanoke. And it's hard to order them online because, well, unless something absolutely says it has an inflexible sole I have no way to know. In the shoe stores you will find me bending shoes to see if they will work for me or not.
They are also incredibly expensive, these shoes.
So I am down to three pairs of shoes. One is pair of Patagonias that are made for rock climbing. The other is a pair of black hiking sandals that I recently found at Fleet Feet. And the third pair is a New Balance tan suede shoe that I found at Bush-Flora. This shoe is made for diabetics. It has a very stiff sole.
They have a suede or nubuck finish on them. I bought them in February to use as a substitute casual dress shoe. They have also been doubling as my walking shoe until I could find some other sturdy tennis shoe.
Yesterday I met my pal Di from Blue Ridge Gal in the big city so we could have lunch. I wore these shoes.
Di looked absolutely smashing; she's been on a successful diet and she literally glittered when she walked across the parking lot to meet me.
We sat down to enjoy a wonderful salad. I also had a panini sandwich and soup; Di had a shrimp dinner of some sort. It was all very good.
We were chatting away, catching up on this and that, when suddenly I felt something hit me in the foot, and then I had a coldness at my ankle.
The person cleaning up the table behind us had an accident and somehow a big container of an oily white dressing tumbled out.
It went all over my shoe. And my pants leg. And down in my shoe into my sock.
Looking down, I could see that the entire side of my right shoe was covered in this lovely sauce.
 |
| Di, who always has her camera, took this picture of my shoe after the sauce was removed. Note the sauce still on the floor, the chair, and around my other foot. The dark stains are where the sauce covered the shoe. |
My heart sank. The shoes were new; they were also extremely important to me, being one of three pairs I owned that I could actually walk in.
Anyone who has ever owned suede knows how difficult it is to clean. And once soiled, it is never the same.
The staff was very apologetic; the waitress cleaned the sauce from my shoe. She called for a manager. He came over and I explained that my shoes were ruined.
He said he would be back. When he returned, he gave me his card and said I should take the shoes to the dry cleaners. If that didn't work, they would pay to replace them.
I told him I knew that the dry cleaners wouldn't be able to clean them, and I would most likely have to have them replaced. We had some discussion as I was concerned about the expense and inconvenience of this.
Finally he wrote a note on his card, noting the date and the damaged shoes.
He also gave us our meals free.
I called my husband and he said I should try to take care of it right away. "That guy might not be there tomorrow," he said. And then I would be out the cost of a pair of expensive shoes.
Cell phones are wonderful things. Before I did anything hasty, I called the dry cleaner I use. They did not clean suede shoes. Neither did the others I called, nor did they know of anyone who did.
I then went to the shoe store at Towers where I purchased the shoes originally. They also repair shoes. They looked at the soiled leather and told me they could do nothing for them. They confirmed they were ruined.
They also said they could not replace them. According to them, New Balance no longer makes that particular shoe. The shoe style that will replace them was not in stock and won't be in until some time in May.
I feared that if I waited, the restaurant might not make good on its promise to compensate me for the damaged shoes. So I went ahead and pre-purchased the shoes that were on order. They will also be a diabetic shoe, only in black, since the tan is no longer available. I can only hope they will fit and meet my needs.
Then I took the receipt back to the restaurant. The manager was not happy to see me, I think, but he did reimburse me.
Hopefully my new shoes will arrive soon so I will have something to wear.
In the meantime, my old shoes reek of garlic and smell like a salad. I am trying to figure out how to clean them so I can use them around the farm. They will be the most expensive pair of farm shoes I've ever had.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Thursday Thirteen
Today, I bring you 13 ways to tell your fortune, based on bodily indications.* Everybody get a mirror!
1. Weakness of body is distinguished by a small, ill-proportioned head, narrow shoulders, soft skin, and melancholy complexion.
2. Signs of long life are strong teeth, a sanguine temperament, middle size, large deep and ruddy lines in the hand, large muscles, stooping shoulders, full chest, firm flesh, clear complexion, slow growth, , wide ears, and large eyelids. (I wonder if you have to have all of that, or just some?)
3. A short life is inferred from a thick tongue, the appearance of grinders before puberty, thin, straggling, and uneven teeth, confused lines in the hand, of a quick but small growth.
4. A good Genius may be expected from a thin skin, middle stature, blue bright eyes, fair complexion, straight and pretty strong hair, an affable aspect, the eyebrows joined, moderate in mirth, a cheerful countenance, and the temples a little concave.
5. A dunce may be known by a swollen neck, plump arms, sides, and loins, a round head, concave behind, a large fleshy forehead, pale eyes, a dull heavy look, small joints, snuffing nostrils, proneness to laughter, little hands, an ill proportioned head, either too big or too little, blubber lips, short fingers, and thick legs.
6. A good memory is commonly attached to those persons who are smaller, yet better formed in the upper than the lower parts, not fat, but fleshy, of a fair delicate skin, with the poll of the head uncovered, crooked nose, teeth thick set, large ears, with plenty of cartilage.
7. A bad memory is observable in persons who are larger in their superior than inferior parts, fleshy, though dry and bald. This is contrary to the opinion of Aristotle, who says, that the superior parts being larger than the inferior, signify good memory, and vice versa.
8. A good imagination and thoughtful disposition is distinguished by a large prominent forehead, a fixed and attentive look, slow respiration, and an inclination of the head.
9. Irascibility is accompanied by erect posture, clear skin, solemn voice, open nostrils, moist temples, displaying superficial veins, thick neck, equal use of both hands, quick pace, blood-shot eyes, large, unequal, ill-ranged teeth, and choleric disposition.
10. Melancholy is denoted by a wrinkled countenance, dejected eyes, meeting eyebrows, slow pace, fixed look, and deliberate respiration.
11. Gaiety attends a serene open forehead, rosy agreeable countenance, a sweet musical tone of voice, an agile body, and soft flesh.
12. Envy appears with a wrinkled forehead, frowning, dejected and squinting look, a pale melancholy countenance, and a dry rough skin.
13. Bashfulness by moist eyes, never wide open, eyebrows frequently lowered, blushing cheeks, moderate pace, slow and submissive speech, bent body, and glowing ears of a purple hue.
*All of this information was taken from A Handbook of Dreams and Fortune-Telling, by Zadkiel and Sibly, originally published in 1888. A 2005 reprint is available on Amazon.
When I was nine years old, I purchased for 35 cents a little Dell Purse Book called The Book of Dreams: a guide to the mystic meaning of your dreams. I've used the thing for all of these years (I am quite a vivid dreamer). A while back I noticed that it said it was abridged from Zadkiel's Book of Dreams & Fortune Telling so I looked up the book. I was surprised to find the book above available and ordered it. The fortune-telling part has been most interesting.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 239th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Weakness of body is distinguished by a small, ill-proportioned head, narrow shoulders, soft skin, and melancholy complexion.
2. Signs of long life are strong teeth, a sanguine temperament, middle size, large deep and ruddy lines in the hand, large muscles, stooping shoulders, full chest, firm flesh, clear complexion, slow growth, , wide ears, and large eyelids. (I wonder if you have to have all of that, or just some?)
3. A short life is inferred from a thick tongue, the appearance of grinders before puberty, thin, straggling, and uneven teeth, confused lines in the hand, of a quick but small growth.
4. A good Genius may be expected from a thin skin, middle stature, blue bright eyes, fair complexion, straight and pretty strong hair, an affable aspect, the eyebrows joined, moderate in mirth, a cheerful countenance, and the temples a little concave.
5. A dunce may be known by a swollen neck, plump arms, sides, and loins, a round head, concave behind, a large fleshy forehead, pale eyes, a dull heavy look, small joints, snuffing nostrils, proneness to laughter, little hands, an ill proportioned head, either too big or too little, blubber lips, short fingers, and thick legs.
6. A good memory is commonly attached to those persons who are smaller, yet better formed in the upper than the lower parts, not fat, but fleshy, of a fair delicate skin, with the poll of the head uncovered, crooked nose, teeth thick set, large ears, with plenty of cartilage.
7. A bad memory is observable in persons who are larger in their superior than inferior parts, fleshy, though dry and bald. This is contrary to the opinion of Aristotle, who says, that the superior parts being larger than the inferior, signify good memory, and vice versa.
8. A good imagination and thoughtful disposition is distinguished by a large prominent forehead, a fixed and attentive look, slow respiration, and an inclination of the head.
9. Irascibility is accompanied by erect posture, clear skin, solemn voice, open nostrils, moist temples, displaying superficial veins, thick neck, equal use of both hands, quick pace, blood-shot eyes, large, unequal, ill-ranged teeth, and choleric disposition.
10. Melancholy is denoted by a wrinkled countenance, dejected eyes, meeting eyebrows, slow pace, fixed look, and deliberate respiration.
11. Gaiety attends a serene open forehead, rosy agreeable countenance, a sweet musical tone of voice, an agile body, and soft flesh.
12. Envy appears with a wrinkled forehead, frowning, dejected and squinting look, a pale melancholy countenance, and a dry rough skin.
13. Bashfulness by moist eyes, never wide open, eyebrows frequently lowered, blushing cheeks, moderate pace, slow and submissive speech, bent body, and glowing ears of a purple hue.
*All of this information was taken from A Handbook of Dreams and Fortune-Telling, by Zadkiel and Sibly, originally published in 1888. A 2005 reprint is available on Amazon.
When I was nine years old, I purchased for 35 cents a little Dell Purse Book called The Book of Dreams: a guide to the mystic meaning of your dreams. I've used the thing for all of these years (I am quite a vivid dreamer). A while back I noticed that it said it was abridged from Zadkiel's Book of Dreams & Fortune Telling so I looked up the book. I was surprised to find the book above available and ordered it. The fortune-telling part has been most interesting.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 239th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
A New Baby
Yesterday around noon, a cow had her calf near the house. I had noticed her out there by herself and was keeping an eye on her, but missed the actual birthing event.
Welcome to the world, little one!
It's your big moment. Are you ready?
Yippee! I can kick up my heels!
Welcome to the world, little one!
Let's clean you up a little bit before we present you to the world.
It's your big moment. Are you ready?
Ta Da! I can stand up mamma! I can stand up!
Yippee! I can kick up my heels!
Now I do what mamma does!
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
The Precious
Today, the FedEx truck brought me a present.
It is my class ring. I declare today my own personal "ring day."
This signet ring has the Hollins University seal on it. On the sides it has the year (2012) and "MA" for my master's degree. My initials are on the inside.
The Hollins motto is Levavi Oculos, which means "lift thine eyes." That is from the 121st Psalm: "I will lift up mine eyes until the hills."
I did not purchase a class ring from Hollins College when I was an undergraduate. I always regretted that, particularly after the college changed its name to Hollins University not long after I finally finished up in 1993. I was not going to make the same mistake this time, so I saved my pennies in order to make this purchase.
My graduation is May 20, not quite a month away. It took me 19 years to finish this degree
I wonder what the next 19 years will bring?
It is my class ring. I declare today my own personal "ring day."
This signet ring has the Hollins University seal on it. On the sides it has the year (2012) and "MA" for my master's degree. My initials are on the inside.
I did not purchase a class ring from Hollins College when I was an undergraduate. I always regretted that, particularly after the college changed its name to Hollins University not long after I finally finished up in 1993. I was not going to make the same mistake this time, so I saved my pennies in order to make this purchase.
My graduation is May 20, not quite a month away. It took me 19 years to finish this degree
I wonder what the next 19 years will bring?
| The Psalms |
| 121 |
The LORD Is Thy Keeper | ||||
| ||||
| 1 | I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills,
| |||
| 2 | My help cometh from the LORD,
| |||
| 3 | He will not suffer thy foot to be moved:
| |||
| 4 | Behold, he that keepeth Israel
| |||
| 5 | The LORD is thy keeper:
| |||
| 6 | The sun shall not smite thee by day,
| |||
| 7 | The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil:
| |||
| 8 | The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in
| |||
Monday, April 23, 2012
Books: The Little Prince
The Little Prince
By Antoine De Saint-Expurery
Translated by Richard Howard
Copyright 1943
83 pages
This is not, I think, a children's book, though I suspect it is often considered to be one.
I believe it is an adult fable. It's about loneliness, heartache, and love. Perhaps it is also about finding yourself and how, really, in the end, only you can accomplish that task.
The book has lovely drawings in it, to illustrate the words.
The story begins with a narrator who has grown up and is not an artist. He wanted to be an artist, but he was surrounded by adults who had no imagination.
He would draw a picture of an elephant inside a boa constrictor's body, but the adults all said he was drawing a hat.
So he studied math and geography instead of art, so that he would be doing something useful (we can't be studying liberal arts, you know).
He grows up to be an airplane pilot. He crashes his plane in the desert, and the next day he is startled by the voice of a child. And The Little Prince comes into his life.
The Little Prince comes from another world. He is on a quest, of sorts, and has been to several different planets. Now he is on earth.
His own planet is so small that The Little Prince can see the sun rise or set over 200 times a day, if he only moves his chair. His planet has three volcanoes and one lovely and very selfish flower. The flower is the reason he leaves home.
The story is rich in allegory and pathos. It is truly quite lovely.
You can read this story in its entirety, and see the illustrations, at this link.
By Antoine De Saint-Expurery
Translated by Richard Howard
Copyright 1943
83 pages
This is not, I think, a children's book, though I suspect it is often considered to be one.
I believe it is an adult fable. It's about loneliness, heartache, and love. Perhaps it is also about finding yourself and how, really, in the end, only you can accomplish that task.
The book has lovely drawings in it, to illustrate the words.
The story begins with a narrator who has grown up and is not an artist. He wanted to be an artist, but he was surrounded by adults who had no imagination.
He would draw a picture of an elephant inside a boa constrictor's body, but the adults all said he was drawing a hat.
So he studied math and geography instead of art, so that he would be doing something useful (we can't be studying liberal arts, you know).
He grows up to be an airplane pilot. He crashes his plane in the desert, and the next day he is startled by the voice of a child. And The Little Prince comes into his life.
The Little Prince comes from another world. He is on a quest, of sorts, and has been to several different planets. Now he is on earth.
His own planet is so small that The Little Prince can see the sun rise or set over 200 times a day, if he only moves his chair. His planet has three volcanoes and one lovely and very selfish flower. The flower is the reason he leaves home.
The story is rich in allegory and pathos. It is truly quite lovely.
You can read this story in its entirety, and see the illustrations, at this link.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
No Warm Fuzzies
Last week I attended another budget hearing on the local county budget. The county supervisors put forth a tax increase of 7 cents per $100 value on real estate and 8 cents on personal property. The administrators figure that will cost every household an average of an additional $200 annually.
At the first public input meeting on the budget, back in March, the supervisors were talking about cutting library hours, canceling sports programs in the schools, closing an elementary school, and other draconian cuts to services. They were $3.6 million short.
About 500 people turned out to tell the supervisors that they want those programs. Many said they supported a tax increase to pay for them.
During that first meeting, the vibe in the room was positive. It was full of hope. I had a warm fuzzy afterwards.
The most recent budget hearing was attended by less than 60 people, and since many of those were county employees and journalists, the number of citizens was probably around 30.
About half that number spoke.
There were no warm fuzzies. I was glad the auditorium was too large for this crowd as the space helped keep the negative vibes from becoming overpowering.
A couple of the speakers took the supervisors to task for mismanaging money. They were familiar faces who tend to say the same things every year.
I do not believe there has been mismanagement. The county has done a good job with what it has. It is only mismanagement if you don't think the county should be paying for certain things, like parks or libraries. If, like me, you think government's role is to provide services for the citizenry (because let's face it, in a capitalistic society, who is going to provide a park for free besides government?), then there is no mismanagement. Sometimes they do things I don't agree with, too, but that is not necessarily mismanagement.
Others said they could not afford the tax increase. I confess I didn't really believe them. It has been my experience at these types of meetings that the people who really can't afford to pay higher local taxes don't come. They are so busy trying to survive that they don't have the time or the will to show up.
I do believe there are people in the county who cannot afford a tax increase. I know there are folks who are barely getting by. According to the 2010 census, the county has a 5.6 percent poverty level; that is relatively low (it's 10.3 percent for the state). It works out to about 2,000 people in the county, given the 33,000 population. That is still too many, for sure. I do not believe that a country as rich as this one should have anyone living in poverty. But that's another rant.
I don't think the impoverished folks will have a $200 tax increase; if they are renters, they will have something like a $20 increase in the tax on a vehicle, depending on what they own. That is not a lot to pay and still have a deputy show up at your door if you are robbed or have your child attend school. I also know there are some homeowners who live in poverty but own their homes, especially older folks. They might have some problems.
However, the county already has a system in place to help those people. If you scroll down this page, you'll see that the county has relief in place for the elderly, disabled, and disabled veterans. Those folks can apply for, and receive, a break on the amounts they pay.
I was struck by the different feeling of these two meetings, one positive, the other negative. One supportive, and the other not.
One of the speakers at the most recent meeting said the schools should not be air conditioned. Let the kids sweat it out. Another said close the libraries. Or close a school. Put more people in jail! (So the county could collect the funds, I guess.) Or close the jail (that person was confused as to what they wanted, or perhaps I misheard). Sell the county's industrial park. Don't add more emergency service workers. Stop every initiative except for essential services (and even then I guess there would be arguments about what those should be).
At the first meeting, people wanted good schools (I would guess with air conditioning, though that didn't come up at the first meeting). They wanted the libraries open. They wanted security (but no one mentioned filling up the jail). They wanted emergency services. They wanted the things that a civilized society needs and utilizes.
There is a lot I can say about the difference at these two meetings, but I think I'll just end it here and let you, dear reader, think on it.
At the first public input meeting on the budget, back in March, the supervisors were talking about cutting library hours, canceling sports programs in the schools, closing an elementary school, and other draconian cuts to services. They were $3.6 million short.
About 500 people turned out to tell the supervisors that they want those programs. Many said they supported a tax increase to pay for them.
During that first meeting, the vibe in the room was positive. It was full of hope. I had a warm fuzzy afterwards.
The most recent budget hearing was attended by less than 60 people, and since many of those were county employees and journalists, the number of citizens was probably around 30.
About half that number spoke.
There were no warm fuzzies. I was glad the auditorium was too large for this crowd as the space helped keep the negative vibes from becoming overpowering.
A couple of the speakers took the supervisors to task for mismanaging money. They were familiar faces who tend to say the same things every year.
I do not believe there has been mismanagement. The county has done a good job with what it has. It is only mismanagement if you don't think the county should be paying for certain things, like parks or libraries. If, like me, you think government's role is to provide services for the citizenry (because let's face it, in a capitalistic society, who is going to provide a park for free besides government?), then there is no mismanagement. Sometimes they do things I don't agree with, too, but that is not necessarily mismanagement.
Others said they could not afford the tax increase. I confess I didn't really believe them. It has been my experience at these types of meetings that the people who really can't afford to pay higher local taxes don't come. They are so busy trying to survive that they don't have the time or the will to show up.
I do believe there are people in the county who cannot afford a tax increase. I know there are folks who are barely getting by. According to the 2010 census, the county has a 5.6 percent poverty level; that is relatively low (it's 10.3 percent for the state). It works out to about 2,000 people in the county, given the 33,000 population. That is still too many, for sure. I do not believe that a country as rich as this one should have anyone living in poverty. But that's another rant.
I don't think the impoverished folks will have a $200 tax increase; if they are renters, they will have something like a $20 increase in the tax on a vehicle, depending on what they own. That is not a lot to pay and still have a deputy show up at your door if you are robbed or have your child attend school. I also know there are some homeowners who live in poverty but own their homes, especially older folks. They might have some problems.
However, the county already has a system in place to help those people. If you scroll down this page, you'll see that the county has relief in place for the elderly, disabled, and disabled veterans. Those folks can apply for, and receive, a break on the amounts they pay.
I was struck by the different feeling of these two meetings, one positive, the other negative. One supportive, and the other not.
One of the speakers at the most recent meeting said the schools should not be air conditioned. Let the kids sweat it out. Another said close the libraries. Or close a school. Put more people in jail! (So the county could collect the funds, I guess.) Or close the jail (that person was confused as to what they wanted, or perhaps I misheard). Sell the county's industrial park. Don't add more emergency service workers. Stop every initiative except for essential services (and even then I guess there would be arguments about what those should be).
At the first meeting, people wanted good schools (I would guess with air conditioning, though that didn't come up at the first meeting). They wanted the libraries open. They wanted security (but no one mentioned filling up the jail). They wanted emergency services. They wanted the things that a civilized society needs and utilizes.
There is a lot I can say about the difference at these two meetings, but I think I'll just end it here and let you, dear reader, think on it.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Thursday Thirteen
I saw a list the other day of 20 "useless" degrees. Not too surprisingly, my undergraduate degree in English is on there, as is my soon-to-be-received masters degree. (That's a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies in the Humanities (Literature)).
Most of the degrees listed as "useless" are life-enhancing degrees. They make life better for individuals and for society. They're thinking degrees or one kind or another.
I found another article that talks about liberal arts and careers. Apparently if an eduction doesn't lead to a job, it is worthless.
I disagree with that. But there is no denying that the liberal arts are at a disadvantage in a society that values the ability to make money more than it does the ability to think about *why* one must make money.
Anyway, here are few a few off-the-wall thoughts about the liberal arts and life.
1. The presumption about liberal arts for some is "We don't need them anymore." Can this be true? We don't need to know history? We don't need to read Shakespeare or other great works of literature? We don't need to study and understand pieces of art? We don't need to understand our society, or learn philosophy? We don't need to study and really understand religion? I guess thinking is so last century.
2. Apparently what we do need more of are ... techie people. Social media managers. Medical Records specialists. More UPS and FedEx drivers. That's according to this article and a few similar ones I looked at. Nobody listed plumbers but I can't see that getting fixed from India, so I will add them to the list.
3. If we have no journalists (one of the "useless" degrees), what happens to truth? I suppose everyone will be quite happy with the press releases issued by the government - there will be no news of job losses, corruption, pollution, food recalls, etc. We'll live in a nice little bubble where we go "falala" and all is well. We don't need no stinkin' truth around here, anyway.
4. What happens to all of these people who deal with the liberal arts when there are no jobs for them? Do we just warehouse them away in trailer parks, because of their useless thinking skills? Will we have whole sections set aside for useless librarians? Will they squat on the trailer steps day after day, comparing notes and quoting passages from Catch-22?
5. If everyone depends upon a single skill to survive - if they can't think their way out of a paper box - what happens to innovation? To creativity? What happens to poetry, to good books (apparently we'll read anything, judging from the crap I see on the Internet), to artwork, to humanity? Will we even BE human anymore?
6. What does "useless" mean, anyway? The dictionary definition is no practical of beneficial use. Is an ability to think through a problem, to create a piece of art, to invent something, really useless? Is reading with comprehension a useless skill? In the context of the so-called study in my opening sentence, doesn't useless really mean "lack of profit?"
7. Is everything, then, to be determined by a monetary value? If I love the view, does it have to be a million dollar one? If I love a tree, is its value only in its lumber? What good is a cloud, then, if it doesn't produce rain? Is there no room for beauty anymore?
8. What would life be like if there were MORE liberal arts majors? What if MORE people could look at what is happening in the world and see the ridiculousness that is taking place? What if MORE people could understand the true nature of politics, the true economic status of the one percent, the true nature of religion? Is this learning and understanding what we're really afraid of? What if knowing stuff was NORMAL and EXPECTED? What if everybody did their own thinking for a change? How surreal would that be!
9. Is it possible that the liberal arts will one day make itself available to everyone - with information so free on the Internet - could EVERYONE in fact have their own self-made liberal arts degree? Could the world become a place where learning itself holds value?
10. Does it matter if no one learns Latin or ancient Arabic or Yiddish or whatever anymore? Do we care what the Bible REALLY says, or are we happy to have it spewed out of the mouths of our "betters" who rewrite and tell us what they want to hear, not what the Good Book actually has to say?
11. What if you're a person who doesn't want to learn how to create the latest and greatest widget, who loves books, who loves to learn, who loves languages and arts and all of those things? What is that person supposed to do with herself? Is her misery at the loss of the things she loves the price we pay for a society that grinds everyone down to the lowest common denominator, leaving only room for a few to stand on the hearts of the rest? Does not every single person matter?
12. Do we all WANT to become parts of an assembly line? Is that all we're good for? Are we not the voice of the universe, the poetry of the heart, the thoughts of the world? Aren't human beings more than that?
13. Would it be better to have a different degree? To have majored in computer science? Wouldn't I be a different person? Someone completely unlike me? Would the world even notice?
Mark my words, there will come a day when everyone wonders what the hell happened. When the educational system has collapsed, and we're all left standing with our thumbs up our collective you-know-whats. And we won't know what hit us, because we won't be able to think about it because we won't have the skills to use that part of our brain. Instead we'll stand there waiting on someone else to tell us what to think. We won't be able to read the US Constitution and see that some of the words have been changed.
We'll be like the animals in Animal Farm (only we won't even understand that allusion because we won't know the book) - a few of us will read the document and think something has been left out, but the majority will shrug and go back to their assembly line.
God help you if this is the world you want. This kind of unenlightened Dark Age scares me to death, but there are lots of people out there who think this is fine.
Don't count me as one of them.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 238th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
**The idea for this Thursday Thirteen came from a Facebook discussion I saw on a friend's page. She has a blog here, though she doesn't update it much. But I did want to give credit for the idea and, I am sure, some of the thoughts contained in this little entry. One cannot read interesting discussion without absorbing something.**
Most of the degrees listed as "useless" are life-enhancing degrees. They make life better for individuals and for society. They're thinking degrees or one kind or another.
I found another article that talks about liberal arts and careers. Apparently if an eduction doesn't lead to a job, it is worthless.
I disagree with that. But there is no denying that the liberal arts are at a disadvantage in a society that values the ability to make money more than it does the ability to think about *why* one must make money.
Anyway, here are few a few off-the-wall thoughts about the liberal arts and life.
1. The presumption about liberal arts for some is "We don't need them anymore." Can this be true? We don't need to know history? We don't need to read Shakespeare or other great works of literature? We don't need to study and understand pieces of art? We don't need to understand our society, or learn philosophy? We don't need to study and really understand religion? I guess thinking is so last century.
2. Apparently what we do need more of are ... techie people. Social media managers. Medical Records specialists. More UPS and FedEx drivers. That's according to this article and a few similar ones I looked at. Nobody listed plumbers but I can't see that getting fixed from India, so I will add them to the list.
3. If we have no journalists (one of the "useless" degrees), what happens to truth? I suppose everyone will be quite happy with the press releases issued by the government - there will be no news of job losses, corruption, pollution, food recalls, etc. We'll live in a nice little bubble where we go "falala" and all is well. We don't need no stinkin' truth around here, anyway.
4. What happens to all of these people who deal with the liberal arts when there are no jobs for them? Do we just warehouse them away in trailer parks, because of their useless thinking skills? Will we have whole sections set aside for useless librarians? Will they squat on the trailer steps day after day, comparing notes and quoting passages from Catch-22?
5. If everyone depends upon a single skill to survive - if they can't think their way out of a paper box - what happens to innovation? To creativity? What happens to poetry, to good books (apparently we'll read anything, judging from the crap I see on the Internet), to artwork, to humanity? Will we even BE human anymore?
6. What does "useless" mean, anyway? The dictionary definition is no practical of beneficial use. Is an ability to think through a problem, to create a piece of art, to invent something, really useless? Is reading with comprehension a useless skill? In the context of the so-called study in my opening sentence, doesn't useless really mean "lack of profit?"
7. Is everything, then, to be determined by a monetary value? If I love the view, does it have to be a million dollar one? If I love a tree, is its value only in its lumber? What good is a cloud, then, if it doesn't produce rain? Is there no room for beauty anymore?
8. What would life be like if there were MORE liberal arts majors? What if MORE people could look at what is happening in the world and see the ridiculousness that is taking place? What if MORE people could understand the true nature of politics, the true economic status of the one percent, the true nature of religion? Is this learning and understanding what we're really afraid of? What if knowing stuff was NORMAL and EXPECTED? What if everybody did their own thinking for a change? How surreal would that be!
9. Is it possible that the liberal arts will one day make itself available to everyone - with information so free on the Internet - could EVERYONE in fact have their own self-made liberal arts degree? Could the world become a place where learning itself holds value?
10. Does it matter if no one learns Latin or ancient Arabic or Yiddish or whatever anymore? Do we care what the Bible REALLY says, or are we happy to have it spewed out of the mouths of our "betters" who rewrite and tell us what they want to hear, not what the Good Book actually has to say?
11. What if you're a person who doesn't want to learn how to create the latest and greatest widget, who loves books, who loves to learn, who loves languages and arts and all of those things? What is that person supposed to do with herself? Is her misery at the loss of the things she loves the price we pay for a society that grinds everyone down to the lowest common denominator, leaving only room for a few to stand on the hearts of the rest? Does not every single person matter?
12. Do we all WANT to become parts of an assembly line? Is that all we're good for? Are we not the voice of the universe, the poetry of the heart, the thoughts of the world? Aren't human beings more than that?
13. Would it be better to have a different degree? To have majored in computer science? Wouldn't I be a different person? Someone completely unlike me? Would the world even notice?
Mark my words, there will come a day when everyone wonders what the hell happened. When the educational system has collapsed, and we're all left standing with our thumbs up our collective you-know-whats. And we won't know what hit us, because we won't be able to think about it because we won't have the skills to use that part of our brain. Instead we'll stand there waiting on someone else to tell us what to think. We won't be able to read the US Constitution and see that some of the words have been changed.
We'll be like the animals in Animal Farm (only we won't even understand that allusion because we won't know the book) - a few of us will read the document and think something has been left out, but the majority will shrug and go back to their assembly line.
God help you if this is the world you want. This kind of unenlightened Dark Age scares me to death, but there are lots of people out there who think this is fine.
Don't count me as one of them.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 238th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
**The idea for this Thursday Thirteen came from a Facebook discussion I saw on a friend's page. She has a blog here, though she doesn't update it much. But I did want to give credit for the idea and, I am sure, some of the thoughts contained in this little entry. One cannot read interesting discussion without absorbing something.**
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
A Day to Remember
Today is one of those historic days, the kind you tell young people about when you're (ahem) older.
It's not a national day, but more local. Five years ago today a gunman went on a rampage at Virginia Tech. Thirty-two people died. My best friend's son was a student on campus and one of the people killed was close to him.
I was at home, working on the computer. I was still working for the newspaper then. Something came across in my email, I think, alerting me to the possibility of a shooting. At first it seemed like a routine incident, then the numbers began to climb. One person, two people ... more. Twenty-two. I remember that number; it took my breath. I switched on the local news to watch the coverage. I was scared for my friend's son. Terrified, actually. And then I remembered that my husband's best childhood friend was a professor there. And I was terrified for him, too.
Fortunately both were not physically hurt, though they were scarred nonetheless.
I did not go to Virginia Tech, but as a citizen of the community - of the nation - I was stunned by the atrocity. As upset and saddened as everyone else.
It is such a shame that we have learned very little in the ensuing years. Instead of seeking to help people so that such things do not happen again, we've only turned inward, toward our fears, instead of reaching out. We've become a closed-off congregation of individuals, not a society that helps one another. I find it a painful turn of events.
I desperately want to see us become a country where we reach out to one another, in love and understanding. A place of acceptance, where differences, whether physical or emotional, are not problems to be ashamed of but are embraced as evidence of our humanity. A place where we resolve our differences not with guns and violence but with hugs and sympathy.
A land of love. A land of kindness. A land of joy.
It's not a national day, but more local. Five years ago today a gunman went on a rampage at Virginia Tech. Thirty-two people died. My best friend's son was a student on campus and one of the people killed was close to him.
I was at home, working on the computer. I was still working for the newspaper then. Something came across in my email, I think, alerting me to the possibility of a shooting. At first it seemed like a routine incident, then the numbers began to climb. One person, two people ... more. Twenty-two. I remember that number; it took my breath. I switched on the local news to watch the coverage. I was scared for my friend's son. Terrified, actually. And then I remembered that my husband's best childhood friend was a professor there. And I was terrified for him, too.
Fortunately both were not physically hurt, though they were scarred nonetheless.
I did not go to Virginia Tech, but as a citizen of the community - of the nation - I was stunned by the atrocity. As upset and saddened as everyone else.
It is such a shame that we have learned very little in the ensuing years. Instead of seeking to help people so that such things do not happen again, we've only turned inward, toward our fears, instead of reaching out. We've become a closed-off congregation of individuals, not a society that helps one another. I find it a painful turn of events.
I desperately want to see us become a country where we reach out to one another, in love and understanding. A place of acceptance, where differences, whether physical or emotional, are not problems to be ashamed of but are embraced as evidence of our humanity. A place where we resolve our differences not with guns and violence but with hugs and sympathy.
A land of love. A land of kindness. A land of joy.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Books: Forty Thorns
Forty Thorns
By Judy Light Ayyildiz
Copyright 2011
335 pages
I am pleased to tell you about this novel by my friend, Judy Ayyildiz.
Forty Thorns is a fictionalized story of Adalet, a progressive woman who grew up in Turkey during a period of great change in that country's history. She lived through the fall fo the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Turkish Republic, enduring a war and the changing face of a country.
The story is based on the life of Ayyildiz's mother-in-law. The author researched Turkish history in great detail and links Adalet's journey through life to the historic changes in Turkey.
The heroine was born in Thrace in 1901. The novel gets its name from an incident early in Adalet's life. She is called upon to perform a heroic act to save her sister's wedding. She must remove 40 evil thorns from a wedding gown cape so that the nuptials can move forward. While she is disposing of this evil, she catches the eye of her future husband.
In many ways this story is a coming-of-age novel, for Adalet grows up as the reader moves through the tale. This heroine has great courage and must face many hardships as she embraces the new republic and its changing ideals for women. She defies her parents to marry, and must live with the consequences of having a mind of her own at a time when such activities were frowned upon.
This is very much a women's book, and a feminist's one, at that. Americans will find it filled with information about a part of world history that they no little of, and will find themselves rethinking every stereotype of Middle Eastern culture that they believe they know.
For ultimately, Adalet is a strong woman, encompassing the roles of women of all nationalities. She is wife, mother, daughter - she gives and loves, feels pain, and finds her inner strength when she thinks she will not have hope again.
It is no mistake that "Adalet" also means "justice," in the woman's native language. For she seeks justice throughout the book, not only for herself, but for her country.
The book has received much acclaim in Turkey. Ayylidiz in interviews has found the reception less ardent in the United States but is hopeful that will turn around. She took 19 years to write the book; her mother-in-law asked her to write her life's story as she neared death. After hearing the tale, Ayylidiz felt compelled to move forward with the request.
At the end of the book, Adalet tells her sister that she wants a book written about her life. Her sister laughs and says:
"We've had small and average lives."
"Nations come from wombs like mine," Adalet answered, feeling again like the teacher. "Our hands keep fires while wars rage. We clean the burnt homes, help re-stack the rocks, gather the suffering ruin to our breasts and hide what we can."
Indeed, the story of women is a powerful one, and Ayylidiz has made certain that this woman's life will not be lost to the winds of time. Her history will endure, and the author should be thanked for this.
***
I have known Judy for many years. I interviewed her for an article in the late 1980s, and we have spent time together in writing groups and in arts and letters organizations. I am very pleased to recommend her work and I thank her for giving me the opportunity to read this fine work.
By Judy Light Ayyildiz
Copyright 2011
335 pages
I am pleased to tell you about this novel by my friend, Judy Ayyildiz.
Forty Thorns is a fictionalized story of Adalet, a progressive woman who grew up in Turkey during a period of great change in that country's history. She lived through the fall fo the Ottoman Empire and the rise of the Turkish Republic, enduring a war and the changing face of a country.
The story is based on the life of Ayyildiz's mother-in-law. The author researched Turkish history in great detail and links Adalet's journey through life to the historic changes in Turkey.
The heroine was born in Thrace in 1901. The novel gets its name from an incident early in Adalet's life. She is called upon to perform a heroic act to save her sister's wedding. She must remove 40 evil thorns from a wedding gown cape so that the nuptials can move forward. While she is disposing of this evil, she catches the eye of her future husband.
In many ways this story is a coming-of-age novel, for Adalet grows up as the reader moves through the tale. This heroine has great courage and must face many hardships as she embraces the new republic and its changing ideals for women. She defies her parents to marry, and must live with the consequences of having a mind of her own at a time when such activities were frowned upon.
This is very much a women's book, and a feminist's one, at that. Americans will find it filled with information about a part of world history that they no little of, and will find themselves rethinking every stereotype of Middle Eastern culture that they believe they know.
For ultimately, Adalet is a strong woman, encompassing the roles of women of all nationalities. She is wife, mother, daughter - she gives and loves, feels pain, and finds her inner strength when she thinks she will not have hope again.
It is no mistake that "Adalet" also means "justice," in the woman's native language. For she seeks justice throughout the book, not only for herself, but for her country.
The book has received much acclaim in Turkey. Ayylidiz in interviews has found the reception less ardent in the United States but is hopeful that will turn around. She took 19 years to write the book; her mother-in-law asked her to write her life's story as she neared death. After hearing the tale, Ayylidiz felt compelled to move forward with the request.
At the end of the book, Adalet tells her sister that she wants a book written about her life. Her sister laughs and says:
"We've had small and average lives."
"Nations come from wombs like mine," Adalet answered, feeling again like the teacher. "Our hands keep fires while wars rage. We clean the burnt homes, help re-stack the rocks, gather the suffering ruin to our breasts and hide what we can."
Indeed, the story of women is a powerful one, and Ayylidiz has made certain that this woman's life will not be lost to the winds of time. Her history will endure, and the author should be thanked for this.
***
I have known Judy for many years. I interviewed her for an article in the late 1980s, and we have spent time together in writing groups and in arts and letters organizations. I am very pleased to recommend her work and I thank her for giving me the opportunity to read this fine work.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Thursday Thirteen
We just finished with Easter, and finally that means less chocolate in the aisles of the supermarkets.
I am, I confess, a chocoholic.
So here are 13 favorite chocolates. These are not specialty chocolates or anything; I'm not very picky about my candy.
1. Milky Way Midnight. This is my favorite candy bar. I love the dark chocolate and the nougat.
2. Cadbury Creme Eggs. I do not care for any but the original, but I absolutely adore those.
3. Hershey's Milk Chocolate Eggs. These football-shaped little pieces of milk chocolate are delish.
4. Three Musketeers Bar. Another long-time favorite.
5. Cella's Chocolate Covered Cherries. Another holiday favorite; on of the best things about winter!
6. Chocolate covered strawberries.
7. Chocolate covered blueberries (I sense a theme. Fruit and chocolate.)
8. Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate.
9. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels. This is what my mother always used in her toll-house chocolate chip cookies. And they are what I use.
10. Cadbury's Royal Dark Chocolate bars.
11. Nutella. This is an odd thing to include, really, as it is a nut thing and not a candy bar, but I learned of it from another blogger and it is terrific stuff.
12. Chocolate lush. This is an old family recipe, a kind of cake and pudding concoction that involves a lot of coco. Best with Cool Whip dressing on top and served warm.
13. Whitman's Sampler. I don't like *everything* in one of these, but I like most of the pieces.
And yes, I am supposed to be on a diet. Certainly not eating chocolate!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 237th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
I am, I confess, a chocoholic.
So here are 13 favorite chocolates. These are not specialty chocolates or anything; I'm not very picky about my candy.
1. Milky Way Midnight. This is my favorite candy bar. I love the dark chocolate and the nougat.
2. Cadbury Creme Eggs. I do not care for any but the original, but I absolutely adore those.
3. Hershey's Milk Chocolate Eggs. These football-shaped little pieces of milk chocolate are delish.
4. Three Musketeers Bar. Another long-time favorite.
6. Chocolate covered strawberries.
7. Chocolate covered blueberries (I sense a theme. Fruit and chocolate.)
8. Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate.
9. Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels. This is what my mother always used in her toll-house chocolate chip cookies. And they are what I use.
11. Nutella. This is an odd thing to include, really, as it is a nut thing and not a candy bar, but I learned of it from another blogger and it is terrific stuff.
12. Chocolate lush. This is an old family recipe, a kind of cake and pudding concoction that involves a lot of coco. Best with Cool Whip dressing on top and served warm.
13. Whitman's Sampler. I don't like *everything* in one of these, but I like most of the pieces.
And yes, I am supposed to be on a diet. Certainly not eating chocolate!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 237th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Wildflowers
I am never certain I have the names of wildflowers correct, so feel free to correct me if you see something in need of change.
 |
| Dew Drop |
 |
| Some kind of violet. |
 |
| Trillium |
 |
| More trillium. |
 |
| Spring Beauty (name of the flower, not what it is!) |
 |
| Trillium |
 |
| Spring Beauty. |
Monday, April 09, 2012
The County Chorus
The Botetourt County Chorus in the first weekend in April put on their spring performance. I went to the one at Lord Botetourt on a Sunday afternoon.
They were singing Broadway tunes.
The whole group settling in for their songs.
My brother and father. My brother doesn't look too thrilled, does he?
My brother during a solo.
My brother and others singing "Footloose."
I thought they did a nice job. They had a good crowd of listeners, too, for which I was glad. It is good to support local things and efforts.
They were singing Broadway tunes.
The whole group settling in for their songs.
My brother and father. My brother doesn't look too thrilled, does he?
My brother during a solo.
My brother and others singing "Footloose."
I thought they did a nice job. They had a good crowd of listeners, too, for which I was glad. It is good to support local things and efforts.
Sunday, April 08, 2012
Books: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
By Mark Twain
Audio read by Carl Reiner
I don't know how I missed reading this Mark Twain classic when I was younger, but I did.
This is the story of a factory worker from Connecticut who, in the late 1800s, is conked on the head. The resulting blow sends him back in time to the 500s, when King Arthur was head of Britain.
Hilarity ensues as the Boss, as he comes to call himself, up-ends Britain and its society. He brings about factories, electricity, telephones, and other modern marvels, all of which he ultimately destroys.
The story is a great fantasy, and we're all familiar with the notion as there are many movies today that follow this line of thinking. I've seen a number of them where someone for some reason ends up backwards in time in the Age of Chivalry.
The story also had a great deal to say about society, class, and progress.
Smart guy, that Twain.
By Mark Twain
Audio read by Carl Reiner
I don't know how I missed reading this Mark Twain classic when I was younger, but I did.
This is the story of a factory worker from Connecticut who, in the late 1800s, is conked on the head. The resulting blow sends him back in time to the 500s, when King Arthur was head of Britain.
Hilarity ensues as the Boss, as he comes to call himself, up-ends Britain and its society. He brings about factories, electricity, telephones, and other modern marvels, all of which he ultimately destroys.
The story is a great fantasy, and we're all familiar with the notion as there are many movies today that follow this line of thinking. I've seen a number of them where someone for some reason ends up backwards in time in the Age of Chivalry.
The story also had a great deal to say about society, class, and progress.
Smart guy, that Twain.
Saturday, April 07, 2012
Yes, It's This Green
Our early spring continues, though we are having a bit of a cold snap.
The trees are already dressed in their finest greens. They are a month early; I don't usually see leaves like this until late April.
The trees are already dressed in their finest greens. They are a month early; I don't usually see leaves like this until late April.
Friday, April 06, 2012
Thursday, April 05, 2012
Thursday Thirteen
The other day on Facebook someone posted a list of 12 things not to say or do to introverts. Oh,I thought, I could add one more and have a Thursday Thirteen.
Of course I did not take care of it then and when I went back I couldn't remember who had posted it and I could not find it.
But I liked the idea so now I am going to talk about introverts anyway, even if it may not be 13 ways to take care of your introvert.
1. A lot of people are introverts, but no one knows how many. Some people say 1/4 of the population, others say just under half. I found a quote that says introverts are "a minority in the regular population but a majority in the gifted population." I like that one.
2. So what is an introvert, anyway? It is not, as you might think, shyness or depression. They are not socially inept. Instead it is a personality trait. The introvert generally does not find other people energizing; they find being away from people energizing. They work well on solo projects, in other words. They like to think about things before they speak. They are idea people.
3. Introverts generally do not talk a lot, nor or they in the public eye. You won't find many introverts in politics, for example. Extroverts think by talking, introverts think before talking.
4. Words that describe introverts include reflective, independent, level-headed, refined, sensitive, contemplative, etc. They are the daydreamers, the readers, the writers, the artists of the world. They are also inventors, engineers, and others upon whom the feet of society tend to walk. People might want to look down every now and then.
5. Studies using brain images indicate that the brain activity of introverts take place in the frontal lobes. These areas are activated with solitary activities and at that time, introverts find their energy and expend it in solving problems, introspection, and complex thinking.
Extroverts think with the back of their brain. These areas process information from the external world, so they need stimulus from outside of themselves. They seek out other people and thrive on these interactions.
6. If you really want to make an introvert happy, try not to talk so much. Skip the small chats and go straight to something serious and amazing. Introverts don't care much what happens in Hollywood, but ask them what they think about Pluto no longer being a planet, or their thoughts on some major hot button issue, and you'll have an interesting conversation. Though you might find it a little heated at time, so be careful. Introverts like deep conversation.
7. Keep it short. While you might be able to carry on for hours at a party or an event, such things wear on introverts. They grow weary and need their alone time to recharge. I myself have been known to seek personal space in bathrooms or by taking a quick walk outside when I'm at crowded events.
8. Don't constantly ask your introverted friend if everything is okay. Being quiet doesn't mean something is wrong. Just give them space. They'll be okay.
9. Let your introvert stay in what you perceive as her shell. It's not really a shell, it's where she is in her comfort zone, and most likely she's happy there. If she asks you for help of course that's another matter entirely.
10. Help your introvert find her focus. Sometimes introverts have so many thoughts running around in their heads, they can't keep them straight. You can best do that by listening when she does talk, instead of talking over her. Don't tell her what you think she should do, listen to what she is saying and help her figure it out herself. She'll be much happier that way.
11. Myers-Briggs test indicate what kind of personality you have. You can take a free test here and see what it says about you.
12. As for me, I tend to score 100 percent on the "introverted" part of these tests. Depending on the test, I am either an INTP or an INTJ - with the latter coming up as I've aged. This was predicated when I first took the Myers-Briggs in the 1980s and it has come true. But I score so evenly in the latter number that I am not sure it matters where I am concerned.
13. As an INTJ (my score on the test this morning), I am a MASTERMIND. "Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than one to two percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead.... their aim is always maximum efficiency.
Yes, world, I am an INTROVERT. Thank you very much.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 236th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Of course I did not take care of it then and when I went back I couldn't remember who had posted it and I could not find it.
But I liked the idea so now I am going to talk about introverts anyway, even if it may not be 13 ways to take care of your introvert.
1. A lot of people are introverts, but no one knows how many. Some people say 1/4 of the population, others say just under half. I found a quote that says introverts are "a minority in the regular population but a majority in the gifted population." I like that one.
2. So what is an introvert, anyway? It is not, as you might think, shyness or depression. They are not socially inept. Instead it is a personality trait. The introvert generally does not find other people energizing; they find being away from people energizing. They work well on solo projects, in other words. They like to think about things before they speak. They are idea people.
3. Introverts generally do not talk a lot, nor or they in the public eye. You won't find many introverts in politics, for example. Extroverts think by talking, introverts think before talking.
4. Words that describe introverts include reflective, independent, level-headed, refined, sensitive, contemplative, etc. They are the daydreamers, the readers, the writers, the artists of the world. They are also inventors, engineers, and others upon whom the feet of society tend to walk. People might want to look down every now and then.
5. Studies using brain images indicate that the brain activity of introverts take place in the frontal lobes. These areas are activated with solitary activities and at that time, introverts find their energy and expend it in solving problems, introspection, and complex thinking.
Extroverts think with the back of their brain. These areas process information from the external world, so they need stimulus from outside of themselves. They seek out other people and thrive on these interactions.
6. If you really want to make an introvert happy, try not to talk so much. Skip the small chats and go straight to something serious and amazing. Introverts don't care much what happens in Hollywood, but ask them what they think about Pluto no longer being a planet, or their thoughts on some major hot button issue, and you'll have an interesting conversation. Though you might find it a little heated at time, so be careful. Introverts like deep conversation.
7. Keep it short. While you might be able to carry on for hours at a party or an event, such things wear on introverts. They grow weary and need their alone time to recharge. I myself have been known to seek personal space in bathrooms or by taking a quick walk outside when I'm at crowded events.
8. Don't constantly ask your introverted friend if everything is okay. Being quiet doesn't mean something is wrong. Just give them space. They'll be okay.
9. Let your introvert stay in what you perceive as her shell. It's not really a shell, it's where she is in her comfort zone, and most likely she's happy there. If she asks you for help of course that's another matter entirely.
10. Help your introvert find her focus. Sometimes introverts have so many thoughts running around in their heads, they can't keep them straight. You can best do that by listening when she does talk, instead of talking over her. Don't tell her what you think she should do, listen to what she is saying and help her figure it out herself. She'll be much happier that way.
11. Myers-Briggs test indicate what kind of personality you have. You can take a free test here and see what it says about you.
12. As for me, I tend to score 100 percent on the "introverted" part of these tests. Depending on the test, I am either an INTP or an INTJ - with the latter coming up as I've aged. This was predicated when I first took the Myers-Briggs in the 1980s and it has come true. But I score so evenly in the latter number that I am not sure it matters where I am concerned.
13. As an INTJ (my score on the test this morning), I am a MASTERMIND. "Masterminds are rare, comprising no more than one to two percent of the population, and they are rarely encountered outside their office, factory, school, or laboratory. Although they are highly capable leaders, Masterminds are not at all eager to take command, preferring to stay in the background until others demonstrate their inability to lead.... their aim is always maximum efficiency.
Yes, world, I am an INTROVERT. Thank you very much.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 236th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 04, 2012
Books: Grimm's Fairy Tales
Grimm's Fairy Tales
Read by Sheila Hancock
1983
This adaptation of Grimm's Fairy Tales includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, The Frog Prince, Cinderella, Rupelstiltskin, Tom Thumb, Sleeping Beauty, and The Brave Little Tailor.
Grimm's tales have been softened up and watered down so much over the centuries that it is hard to know what you're listening to. I suspect these versions were of the watered down variety, but without comparing I do not know that for sure.
It was a joy to listen to these tales of my childhood, even if they seemed a little different than I recall. My favorites of the ones listed above are Tom Thumb and The Brave Little Tailor. I learned the the latter as "Seven at One Blow" some time ago and recall it fondly.
National Geographic offers a dozen Grimm Fairy Tales at this website.
Some of them have audio.
You can find other fairy tales all over the Internet. There are over 200 of these stories; we're only familiar with less than half of those.
These tales resonate still today. A good background in fairy tales is very helpful in reading, research, movie-watching, and writing.
Try something a little different!
Read by Sheila Hancock
1983
This adaptation of Grimm's Fairy Tales includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, The Frog Prince, Cinderella, Rupelstiltskin, Tom Thumb, Sleeping Beauty, and The Brave Little Tailor.
Grimm's tales have been softened up and watered down so much over the centuries that it is hard to know what you're listening to. I suspect these versions were of the watered down variety, but without comparing I do not know that for sure.
It was a joy to listen to these tales of my childhood, even if they seemed a little different than I recall. My favorites of the ones listed above are Tom Thumb and The Brave Little Tailor. I learned the the latter as "Seven at One Blow" some time ago and recall it fondly.
National Geographic offers a dozen Grimm Fairy Tales at this website.
Some of them have audio.
You can find other fairy tales all over the Internet. There are over 200 of these stories; we're only familiar with less than half of those.
These tales resonate still today. A good background in fairy tales is very helpful in reading, research, movie-watching, and writing.
Try something a little different!
Tuesday, April 03, 2012
Monday, April 02, 2012
When the Dogwood Blooms
We are having quite an early spring this year. It is not unheard of for dogwoods to bloom in March, but generally April is normal.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Books: War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
By H. G. Wells
Radio Play by Orsen Wells
1939
Audio
It has been a long time since I read this book. I ran across an audio of the 1938 radio drama by Orsen Wells in the library the other day, and I snatched it up.
The story tells how big machines from Mars attack the world and begin to take over the planet. They have a heat ray gun and some kind of dark gas that destroys people. However, just like the native tribes in North America 400 years ago, the Martians have no immunity to our various diseases. These plagues save the world from annihilation and/or enslavement.
The radio dramatization was put on by Mercury Broadcast Theatre and the Columbia Broadcasting System. The first 2/3 of the play take place in the form of news broadcasts, supposedly interrupting symphony play.
The last third is from the point of view of an astronomer, Richard Pierson, who visited the first landing site and somehow survived the initial blasts and gassings.
Reportedly, during and after the original broadcast (which took place on Halloween), some people believed it to be real and thought aliens really were invading the United States. There was a public outcry about this alleged hoax.
It is important to remember the time period. This was a few years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor; World War II had not yet broken out but tensions were high.
Listening to this radio drama reminded me of two things. The first was September 11, 2001. I do not know why this reminded me of the attacks on the Twin Towers, but it did.
The second was an incident that occurred in 1933 here in Botetourt County. Around Christmas that year, the county allegedly came under a series of "mad gasser" attacks.
Local newspapers wrote many stories about these attacks, and my great-aunt remembered one of them happening just down the road from her home. The gas emitted by the Martians reminded me of this odd bit of history.
I am sure I listened to this radio dramatization when I was in school, but it was interesting listening to it in the 21st century. It remains surprisingly current.
By H. G. Wells
Radio Play by Orsen Wells
1939
Audio
It has been a long time since I read this book. I ran across an audio of the 1938 radio drama by Orsen Wells in the library the other day, and I snatched it up.
The story tells how big machines from Mars attack the world and begin to take over the planet. They have a heat ray gun and some kind of dark gas that destroys people. However, just like the native tribes in North America 400 years ago, the Martians have no immunity to our various diseases. These plagues save the world from annihilation and/or enslavement.
The radio dramatization was put on by Mercury Broadcast Theatre and the Columbia Broadcasting System. The first 2/3 of the play take place in the form of news broadcasts, supposedly interrupting symphony play.
The last third is from the point of view of an astronomer, Richard Pierson, who visited the first landing site and somehow survived the initial blasts and gassings.
Reportedly, during and after the original broadcast (which took place on Halloween), some people believed it to be real and thought aliens really were invading the United States. There was a public outcry about this alleged hoax.
It is important to remember the time period. This was a few years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor; World War II had not yet broken out but tensions were high.
Listening to this radio drama reminded me of two things. The first was September 11, 2001. I do not know why this reminded me of the attacks on the Twin Towers, but it did.
The second was an incident that occurred in 1933 here in Botetourt County. Around Christmas that year, the county allegedly came under a series of "mad gasser" attacks.
Local newspapers wrote many stories about these attacks, and my great-aunt remembered one of them happening just down the road from her home. The gas emitted by the Martians reminded me of this odd bit of history.
I am sure I listened to this radio dramatization when I was in school, but it was interesting listening to it in the 21st century. It remains surprisingly current.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Thursday Thirteen #235
I was fiddling around on the 'net and came across a civics site for the Virginia Standards of Learning. I found it interesting and wondered if I could come up with 13 things one should be aware with regard to civic duties and citizenship.
What does citizenship mean, anyway? If we are citizens of the United States, or any other nation, what are we supposed to be doing?
1. Obey the laws. Laws are the cornerstones of our civilization. They are society, or all of us, gathering together to say murder is wrong, extortion is wrong, jaywalking is wrong. Of course, not everyone agrees with the law, which is why we have spirited debate about various topics.
2. Pay taxes. Yep, it's your civic duty, your responsibility as a citizen, to pay up. That's your cost for living here, whatever that might be. The world may not owe you a living but you do owe the government taxes.
3. Serve in the armed forces if called. Being a pacifist I have trouble with this one, but I also understand it. I am anti-war and do not believe in killing, but if I were drafted and they could find a place for me that didn't involve killing, perhaps I could work it out in my conscience though it would be difficult to support something I find so abhorrent.
4. Serve on a jury or as a witness in court. I think this is a great honor, myself. I've been called but I am never asked to serve. Apparently writers and people who think are not welcome on juries.
5. Contribute to the common good. How does one do this? By holding a job and paying taxes. By volunteering. By serving on committees. By picking up trash in the park. What is the common good? Well, that's a pretty in depth discussion, but I found a good article on it here. Here are a few excepts:
And this:
6. Register and vote. This is one of the most important civic duties, and I am always aghast at the number of people I come across who say they do not vote. I am no fan of Calvin Coolidge, but I cannot say this any better:
And
Thoughtful stuff, that.
7. Hold elective office or an appointed position. I do not believe our forefathers meant for a political office to become a life-long career. I think everyone of us should serve in some capacity. I served on the local library board, for example. That is not an elected position, it was appointed, but it counts. It was a service to my community and I am proud to have done it. There are many different community boards; contact your local officials and see how you may serve.
8. Communicate with government officials. If you agree or disagree with a political leader, at whatever level, you have a duty as a citizen to let him or her know. Writing to your congressman, therefore, is not just a privilege. It is, in fact, a duty. It's easy these days with email - go to his or her website today and let them know how they are doing.
9. Keep informed. I personally think this is an important duty. If you don't know what is going on, you cannot make an intelligent vote. Unfortunately, I think we're seeing the result of voting via emotional gut feelings as opposed to rational, well-thought reasoning.
10. Respect other people. This is severely lacking in today's society. I see it at all levels, from young to old. I have as much right to my opinion as you do to yours, but people are so busy shouting out their thoughts that they never take time to listen to the other side. On TV, all you hear are people shouting at each other. No one is listening. It's rather scary.
11. Know your rights. But also know that other people have these same rights. For example, your right to practice your religion ends when it infringes upon my right to practice mine. People don't understand this. But rights are like cigarette smoke. If you want to smoke in your house, go for it, but don't blow it in my face.
12. Participate in the process. Helping with political campaigns, serving in various democratic institutions, belonging to organizations - these things matter. Unfortunately, I don't think organizations such as the League of Women Voters have the clout they once did. I'm not even sure we have one, locally. I should check into that.
13. Be trustworthy, honest, and courteous. That should not be hard, but apparently it is.
If you do these things, you will be a good citizen. This does not mean that you don't fight for what you believe in, or that you roll over and let others walk all over you. It means that you are active in the process. You do not let others think for you.
Be active.
Be a good citizen.
Make a difference!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 235th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
What does citizenship mean, anyway? If we are citizens of the United States, or any other nation, what are we supposed to be doing?
1. Obey the laws. Laws are the cornerstones of our civilization. They are society, or all of us, gathering together to say murder is wrong, extortion is wrong, jaywalking is wrong. Of course, not everyone agrees with the law, which is why we have spirited debate about various topics.
2. Pay taxes. Yep, it's your civic duty, your responsibility as a citizen, to pay up. That's your cost for living here, whatever that might be. The world may not owe you a living but you do owe the government taxes.
3. Serve in the armed forces if called. Being a pacifist I have trouble with this one, but I also understand it. I am anti-war and do not believe in killing, but if I were drafted and they could find a place for me that didn't involve killing, perhaps I could work it out in my conscience though it would be difficult to support something I find so abhorrent.
4. Serve on a jury or as a witness in court. I think this is a great honor, myself. I've been called but I am never asked to serve. Apparently writers and people who think are not welcome on juries.
5. Contribute to the common good. How does one do this? By holding a job and paying taxes. By volunteering. By serving on committees. By picking up trash in the park. What is the common good? Well, that's a pretty in depth discussion, but I found a good article on it here. Here are a few excepts:
... an expert on bioethics, argues that solving the current crisis in our health care system--rapidly rising costs and dwindling access--requires replacing the current "ethic of individual rights" with an "ethic of the common good".
And this:
Examples of particular common goods or parts of the common good include an accessible and affordable public health care system, and effective system of public safety and security, peace among the nations of the world, a just legal and political system, and unpolluted natural environment, and a flourishing economic system. Because such systems, institutions, and environments have such a powerful impact on the well-being of members of a society, it is no surprise that virtually every social problem in one way or another is linked to how well these systems and institutions are functioning.
6. Register and vote. This is one of the most important civic duties, and I am always aghast at the number of people I come across who say they do not vote. I am no fan of Calvin Coolidge, but I cannot say this any better:
But the right to vote is conferred upon our citizens not only that they may exercise it for their own benefit, but in order that they may exercise it also for the benefit of others. Persons who have the right to vote are trustees for the benefit of their country and their countrymen. They have no right to say they do not care. They must care! They have no right to say that whatever the result of the election they can get along. They must remember that their country and their countrymen cannot get along, cannot remain sound, cannot preserve its institutions, cannot protect its citizens, cannot maintain its place in the world, unless those who have the right to vote do sustain and do guide the course of public affairs by the thoughtful exercise of that right on election day. They do not hold a mere privilege to be exercised or not, as passing fancy may move them. They are charged with a great trust, one of the most important and most solemn which can be given into the keeping of an American citizen. It should be discharged thoughtfully and seriously, in accordance with its vast importance.
And
The people of our country are sovereign. If they do not vote they abdicate that sovereignty, and they may be entirely sure that if they relinquish it other forces will seize it, and if they fail to govern themselves some other power will rise up to govern them. The choice is always before them, whether they will be slaves or whether they will be free. The only way to be free is to exercise actively and energetically the privileges, and discharge faithfully the duties which make freedom. It is not to be secured by passive resistance. It is the result of energy and action.
Thoughtful stuff, that.
7. Hold elective office or an appointed position. I do not believe our forefathers meant for a political office to become a life-long career. I think everyone of us should serve in some capacity. I served on the local library board, for example. That is not an elected position, it was appointed, but it counts. It was a service to my community and I am proud to have done it. There are many different community boards; contact your local officials and see how you may serve.
8. Communicate with government officials. If you agree or disagree with a political leader, at whatever level, you have a duty as a citizen to let him or her know. Writing to your congressman, therefore, is not just a privilege. It is, in fact, a duty. It's easy these days with email - go to his or her website today and let them know how they are doing.
9. Keep informed. I personally think this is an important duty. If you don't know what is going on, you cannot make an intelligent vote. Unfortunately, I think we're seeing the result of voting via emotional gut feelings as opposed to rational, well-thought reasoning.
10. Respect other people. This is severely lacking in today's society. I see it at all levels, from young to old. I have as much right to my opinion as you do to yours, but people are so busy shouting out their thoughts that they never take time to listen to the other side. On TV, all you hear are people shouting at each other. No one is listening. It's rather scary.
11. Know your rights. But also know that other people have these same rights. For example, your right to practice your religion ends when it infringes upon my right to practice mine. People don't understand this. But rights are like cigarette smoke. If you want to smoke in your house, go for it, but don't blow it in my face.
12. Participate in the process. Helping with political campaigns, serving in various democratic institutions, belonging to organizations - these things matter. Unfortunately, I don't think organizations such as the League of Women Voters have the clout they once did. I'm not even sure we have one, locally. I should check into that.
13. Be trustworthy, honest, and courteous. That should not be hard, but apparently it is.
If you do these things, you will be a good citizen. This does not mean that you don't fight for what you believe in, or that you roll over and let others walk all over you. It means that you are active in the process. You do not let others think for you.
Be active.
Be a good citizen.
Make a difference!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 235th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Thank You, Botetourt
The stars aligned last night as Jupiter and Venus shone out across a brilliant sky.
Inside the auditorium of Lord Botetourt High School, 500 people settled in for a lesson in numbers, economics, and finance.
Botetourt County faces a $3.6 million budget shortfall, and the supervisors have said no program is sacred. School athletics, libraries, senior programs - all are on the chopping block.
Thirty-seven people spoke, and the vast majority of those love the services the county provides.
It may not have been a love fest, exactly, but I was impressed. People love their libraries. They love their athletics. They love the walking trails. They love their schools.
They love this community. And they said so last night.
It was the first time in a very long time that I did not feel so alone in my desire to see the county - the country - move forward in a positive manner.
A few of the "no taxes" crowd showed up, the usual naysayers who seem able only to spew negativity and hatefulness these days. The audience basically turned their backs on them, moving on to private conversations while those folks ranted. But they listened attentively as others begged the supervisors not to cut their favorite programs.
Young men and women, juniors and seniors in the high schools, asked that the Governor's School be saved. One young man, who said high school athletics literally saved him, compared the county's situation to the one that FDR faced in the Great Depression.
"Save the humanity of this county," he said, his voice faltering.
One person threatened to move away if the schools cut programs. "I would rather pay more taxes than a real estate agent," he said.
Most heartbreaking were the pleas of several senior citizens. The county offers a senior van service, for a fee, that older residents use. For some, it is the only way they can get to the doctor or the grocery store.
Their voices broke as they stated their case, offering personal, heartfelt stories of need. Tears came to my eyes when one woman said the senior van was the only way her husband could receive dialysis three times a week; she can't take him because of her cancer. Others wiped at their cheeks, too.
This was, finally, a vision of democracy that I could relate to. I heard people saying yes, I want the rescue squad to come when I need it. Yes, please, fund the firefighters so my house won't burn down. Yes, give us good schools and good teachers. Yes, we want the libraries to stay open, filled with books and magazines. Yes, we love our parks and the recreation programs.
Yes, we want our county to move forward, to grow, to prosper. Yes, we know there is a community here, something greater than our individual selves.
Yes, it is worth preserving.
Thank God. It is worth preserving.
I don't know what the supervisors will do. Today they have budget meetings and the school board has meetings tomorrow. The schools, by law, must present a budget to the supervisors by April 1, and the state is still dancing about on its budget figures. Nothing is set in stone until the General Assembly is done.
The cuts still may come. The supervisors may say that they're sorry, but they aren't raising taxes - they are all conservative, after all, and they have only lowered taxes, not raised them - and the programs will be lost. I suspect if they do that, they will not be pleased with the public outcry.
I expect they will raise taxes. I don't know by how much. It may not be enough to save everything. The senior van program, at least the last year I looked at the budget, basically pays for itself and should be the last thing on the cutting block. Those poor old folks need that service and it would be cruel - inhuman, even - to take that from them. We should revere our elders, not make them feel a burden. They are the bones upon which we all stand.
Perhaps the supervisors will fund athletics and close the libraries. Perhaps they will find enough money to keep everything as well as they can, making trims and cuts here and there to an already-lean bone. If they go that route there will still be a loss of services but perhaps it will be bearable. Perhaps the nick will not go the marrow, leeching life.
Do not back down, Botetourt. Send emails, make phone calls. Let them know that this county is important. Let them know that you are paying attention, and that you believe in the greater good.
I am so proud of my fellow citizens for their actions last night. I am so pleased to know that you, too, love this county.
It feels good, this love.
Inside the auditorium of Lord Botetourt High School, 500 people settled in for a lesson in numbers, economics, and finance.
Botetourt County faces a $3.6 million budget shortfall, and the supervisors have said no program is sacred. School athletics, libraries, senior programs - all are on the chopping block.
Thirty-seven people spoke, and the vast majority of those love the services the county provides.
It may not have been a love fest, exactly, but I was impressed. People love their libraries. They love their athletics. They love the walking trails. They love their schools.
They love this community. And they said so last night.
It was the first time in a very long time that I did not feel so alone in my desire to see the county - the country - move forward in a positive manner.
A few of the "no taxes" crowd showed up, the usual naysayers who seem able only to spew negativity and hatefulness these days. The audience basically turned their backs on them, moving on to private conversations while those folks ranted. But they listened attentively as others begged the supervisors not to cut their favorite programs.
Young men and women, juniors and seniors in the high schools, asked that the Governor's School be saved. One young man, who said high school athletics literally saved him, compared the county's situation to the one that FDR faced in the Great Depression.
"Save the humanity of this county," he said, his voice faltering.
One person threatened to move away if the schools cut programs. "I would rather pay more taxes than a real estate agent," he said.
Most heartbreaking were the pleas of several senior citizens. The county offers a senior van service, for a fee, that older residents use. For some, it is the only way they can get to the doctor or the grocery store.
Their voices broke as they stated their case, offering personal, heartfelt stories of need. Tears came to my eyes when one woman said the senior van was the only way her husband could receive dialysis three times a week; she can't take him because of her cancer. Others wiped at their cheeks, too.
This was, finally, a vision of democracy that I could relate to. I heard people saying yes, I want the rescue squad to come when I need it. Yes, please, fund the firefighters so my house won't burn down. Yes, give us good schools and good teachers. Yes, we want the libraries to stay open, filled with books and magazines. Yes, we love our parks and the recreation programs.
Yes, we want our county to move forward, to grow, to prosper. Yes, we know there is a community here, something greater than our individual selves.
Yes, it is worth preserving.
Thank God. It is worth preserving.
I don't know what the supervisors will do. Today they have budget meetings and the school board has meetings tomorrow. The schools, by law, must present a budget to the supervisors by April 1, and the state is still dancing about on its budget figures. Nothing is set in stone until the General Assembly is done.
The cuts still may come. The supervisors may say that they're sorry, but they aren't raising taxes - they are all conservative, after all, and they have only lowered taxes, not raised them - and the programs will be lost. I suspect if they do that, they will not be pleased with the public outcry.
I expect they will raise taxes. I don't know by how much. It may not be enough to save everything. The senior van program, at least the last year I looked at the budget, basically pays for itself and should be the last thing on the cutting block. Those poor old folks need that service and it would be cruel - inhuman, even - to take that from them. We should revere our elders, not make them feel a burden. They are the bones upon which we all stand.
Perhaps the supervisors will fund athletics and close the libraries. Perhaps they will find enough money to keep everything as well as they can, making trims and cuts here and there to an already-lean bone. If they go that route there will still be a loss of services but perhaps it will be bearable. Perhaps the nick will not go the marrow, leeching life.
Do not back down, Botetourt. Send emails, make phone calls. Let them know that this county is important. Let them know that you are paying attention, and that you believe in the greater good.
I am so proud of my fellow citizens for their actions last night. I am so pleased to know that you, too, love this county.
It feels good, this love.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Books: The Elegance of the Hedgehog
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
By Muriel Barbery
Copyright 2006
325 pages
What can I say about this book of ideas that has not already been said?
It's a terrific book. On its surface, it's a story of an older woman, Renee, who is a concierge at a rich apartment-like dwelling in France, and a young girl who becomes her friend.
But oh, it is so much more than that. This is book about thinking, about living in your mind, about being in that space that only you can occupy.
It is also a book about society, about social class, about age and gender and the differences and lack thereof between human beings.
The thing had pages and pages of wonderful lines; I wish I had underlined them so I could put them here (but I hate to mark up my books).
Here are a few random lines:
"When we push open a door, we transform a place in a very insidious way. We offend its full extension, and introduce a disruptive and poorly proportioned obstacle. If you think about it carefully, there is nothing uglier than an open door." (152)
I think this was my favorite paragraph:
"... grammar is a way to attain beauty. When you speak, or read, or write, you can tell if you've said or read or written a fine sentence. You can recognize a well-turned phrase or an elegant style. But when you are applying the rules of grammar skillfully, you ascend to another level of the beauty of language. When you use grammar you peel back the layers, to see how it is all put together, see it quite naked, in a way. And that's where it becomes wonderful . . ." (158)
Sigh. How could I not love that?
Some reviews call this a "fable of love, friendship and the beauty of Art." Others call it "succinct, unusual, light yet erudite." They use words like "charming, intelligent, extraordinary."
One French review (in the front of the book) says that a Parisian psychotherapist prescribes the book to her patients, calling it a "real toolbox that one can look into to resolve one's problems."
The book has no real action. Renee goes about her life trying to hide her intelligence (concierges are supposed to be idiots, apparently) and the young girl wants to kill herself because she thinks her family hates her.
They both learn very big lessons before the book ends, proving that you are never the old dog who cannot learn, nor too young to understand at least some of the complexities of life.
This is a book I plan to read again. I do not say that about books often.
This was my book club read for March, and in discussion, I was the only person who took the ending as a negative. Others took it as a positive affirmation. I won't give anything away, but I do think there are two ways to look at it, and both are right.
By Muriel Barbery
Copyright 2006
325 pages
What can I say about this book of ideas that has not already been said?
It's a terrific book. On its surface, it's a story of an older woman, Renee, who is a concierge at a rich apartment-like dwelling in France, and a young girl who becomes her friend.
But oh, it is so much more than that. This is book about thinking, about living in your mind, about being in that space that only you can occupy.
It is also a book about society, about social class, about age and gender and the differences and lack thereof between human beings.
The thing had pages and pages of wonderful lines; I wish I had underlined them so I could put them here (but I hate to mark up my books).
Here are a few random lines:
"When we push open a door, we transform a place in a very insidious way. We offend its full extension, and introduce a disruptive and poorly proportioned obstacle. If you think about it carefully, there is nothing uglier than an open door." (152)
I think this was my favorite paragraph:
"... grammar is a way to attain beauty. When you speak, or read, or write, you can tell if you've said or read or written a fine sentence. You can recognize a well-turned phrase or an elegant style. But when you are applying the rules of grammar skillfully, you ascend to another level of the beauty of language. When you use grammar you peel back the layers, to see how it is all put together, see it quite naked, in a way. And that's where it becomes wonderful . . ." (158)
Sigh. How could I not love that?
Some reviews call this a "fable of love, friendship and the beauty of Art." Others call it "succinct, unusual, light yet erudite." They use words like "charming, intelligent, extraordinary."
One French review (in the front of the book) says that a Parisian psychotherapist prescribes the book to her patients, calling it a "real toolbox that one can look into to resolve one's problems."
The book has no real action. Renee goes about her life trying to hide her intelligence (concierges are supposed to be idiots, apparently) and the young girl wants to kill herself because she thinks her family hates her.
They both learn very big lessons before the book ends, proving that you are never the old dog who cannot learn, nor too young to understand at least some of the complexities of life.
This is a book I plan to read again. I do not say that about books often.
This was my book club read for March, and in discussion, I was the only person who took the ending as a negative. Others took it as a positive affirmation. I won't give anything away, but I do think there are two ways to look at it, and both are right.
Monday, March 26, 2012
More on Local Budget Cuts
I served on the Botetourt County Library Board of Trustees for nine years, with my time there ending under the organization's bylaws this past December. I am a library lover. I enjoyed the time I spent serving the community in that appointed position.
The county is currently facing a $3.7 million budget deficit. As I understand it, this is a result of state mandates, for the most part, and not a failure of management on the part of the county administration.
There will be a public meeting about this issue on Tuesday, March 27, at 6 p.m. at Lord Botetourt High School. If you read the "associated document" at this public notice, you will see a long list of items that may be cut due to lack of funds.
The potential budget cuts to the library:
35 hours a week (the libraries are open evenings and Saturdays, as well, at present)
cut all part-time employees (the library system uses a lot of young adults and students in these positions)
end most of the children's programs, including the summer reading program
cut one full-time position
cut the book budget so there will be few new materials, no magazines, and no newspaper
end or strictly limit the bookmobile service
The library is one of the few services the county offers that benefits everyone, if they wish to take advantage it. There is a nominal charge for the meeting rooms (some of which are not available except when the libraries are open, so those will have limited access) but many of the programs are free or nearly so. Anyone can use the computers, and many do. The branches are usually rocking at all hours of the day with people looking for jobs online, or reading, or browsing the stacks.
I am very unhappy about these proposed cuts.
Other potential cuts to the county budget are listed here at a story from The Fincastle Herald. This does not include the schools: they too are considering drastic cuts that include closing an elementary school and eliminating the high school and middle school athletic programs. Since my nephew will be a senior at JRHS next year, and he has hopes of wrestling, I hope these cuts do not happen, as well.
To be fair, potential cuts will be made in most departments. But the library cuts will affect me the most.
Botetourt County has always run a fairly tight governmental operation and I have never been unhappy with the amount of money they spend.
I guess when it comes down to it, people will have to decide if $150 or so they might keep in their pocket (if there is no tax increase) is worth more to them than the services the local government will no longer offer.
I know for me, I check out way more than $150 worth of books from the library, so I would rather pay higher taxes than have to buy more books.
Also, I imagine if there are fees imposed to play sports, those could add up quickly and would be significantly more than the taxes.
The county's tax rate is $0.65 per $100 value. In 1999, the tax rate was $0.75 per $100 value. It should never have been reduced; the county would not be in the pickle it is in now had the tax rate been left alone. I think it should be raised back up to this level, but given the conservative lean of the county supervisors, I don't expect them to do this unless there is a public outcry for the services.
So if you want the services, tell your supervisor.
You can read more about this issue here, here (Leffel says he opposes school closure), and here (Moorman says tax rate lowered twice since 1999).
The county is currently facing a $3.7 million budget deficit. As I understand it, this is a result of state mandates, for the most part, and not a failure of management on the part of the county administration.
There will be a public meeting about this issue on Tuesday, March 27, at 6 p.m. at Lord Botetourt High School. If you read the "associated document" at this public notice, you will see a long list of items that may be cut due to lack of funds.
The potential budget cuts to the library:
35 hours a week (the libraries are open evenings and Saturdays, as well, at present)
cut all part-time employees (the library system uses a lot of young adults and students in these positions)
end most of the children's programs, including the summer reading program
cut one full-time position
cut the book budget so there will be few new materials, no magazines, and no newspaper
end or strictly limit the bookmobile service
The library is one of the few services the county offers that benefits everyone, if they wish to take advantage it. There is a nominal charge for the meeting rooms (some of which are not available except when the libraries are open, so those will have limited access) but many of the programs are free or nearly so. Anyone can use the computers, and many do. The branches are usually rocking at all hours of the day with people looking for jobs online, or reading, or browsing the stacks.
I am very unhappy about these proposed cuts.
Other potential cuts to the county budget are listed here at a story from The Fincastle Herald. This does not include the schools: they too are considering drastic cuts that include closing an elementary school and eliminating the high school and middle school athletic programs. Since my nephew will be a senior at JRHS next year, and he has hopes of wrestling, I hope these cuts do not happen, as well.
To be fair, potential cuts will be made in most departments. But the library cuts will affect me the most.
Botetourt County has always run a fairly tight governmental operation and I have never been unhappy with the amount of money they spend.
I guess when it comes down to it, people will have to decide if $150 or so they might keep in their pocket (if there is no tax increase) is worth more to them than the services the local government will no longer offer.
I know for me, I check out way more than $150 worth of books from the library, so I would rather pay higher taxes than have to buy more books.
Also, I imagine if there are fees imposed to play sports, those could add up quickly and would be significantly more than the taxes.
The county's tax rate is $0.65 per $100 value. In 1999, the tax rate was $0.75 per $100 value. It should never have been reduced; the county would not be in the pickle it is in now had the tax rate been left alone. I think it should be raised back up to this level, but given the conservative lean of the county supervisors, I don't expect them to do this unless there is a public outcry for the services.
So if you want the services, tell your supervisor.
You can read more about this issue here, here (Leffel says he opposes school closure), and here (Moorman says tax rate lowered twice since 1999).
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