 |
| My niece, Zoe, learning photography tricks! |
 |
| My father helping Trey with his jacket. |
 |
| My brother with his children. |
 |
| My brother, Trey, and my father. |
 |
| Helping with the tie. That's my sister-in-law in the background. |
Sunday, May 06, 2012
My Nephew Goes to the Prom
My brother's son, Trey, went to the prom for James River High School last night. I was asked to come over and shoot photos, which I gladly did. It was wonderful to see my nephew in his spiffy clothes, looking so grown up and young all at the same time. What a handsome young fellow he has turned out to be.
Saturday, May 05, 2012
Friday, May 04, 2012
Columbine
I think it is sad that the name of such a lovely flower tends to evoke memories of a terrible event in our country's history.
These grow next to my deck. I've had a hard time getting them to bloom this year because the deer keep eating the them.
The flowers originally came from Ikenberry Orchards. They have a great greenhouse. Columbines are perennials so they come back year after year. They also spread well, so be aware. They will choke out other plants.
Thursday, May 03, 2012
Thursday Thirteen #240
May is National Asthma Awareness Month in the United States and May 1 was World Asthma Day. I have asthma, so I thought I'd share some facts.
Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system, thought to be chronic inflammation. It is often associated with allergies. Symptoms include wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing, and chest tightness. Severe asthma can lead to death.
Untreated asthma or asthma that does not respond well to treatment can severely limit functioning.
1. More than 25 million Americans have asthma. That figure includes 7 million children.
2. Medical expenses associated with asthma are estimated at $50 billion annually.
3. Death rates for asthma is highest in those over the age of 65.
4. Asthma appears to be on the increase. The prevalence rose from 7.3 percent of the population in 2001 to 8.4 percent in 2010.
5. So far, doctors have been unable to find either a cure or cause for asthma.
6. Asthma can be controlled and treated. Treatments range from nebulizers to steroid inhalers, along with the use of drugs for allergies, allergy shots, and other methods.
7. Most people with asthma also have allergies.
8. Lung function tests are used to determine if a person has asthma. The most common of these is called spirometry. It measures the amount of air a person can blow in and out.
9. Asthma triggers include allergens (dust, pet hair, pollen), environmental irritants (cigarette smoke, perfume), medications, sulfites in food (wine, cheeses), respiratory infections, and physical activity.
10. Stress, poor health, and sleep apnea can also cause asthma sufferers to have attacks.
11. Current asthma treatment involves controller medications (such as inhaled corticosteroids) and emergency inhalers, such as albuterol. Additionally, trigger avoidance is very important. Doctors create asthma action plans for their patients. You can download a free action plan here.
12. Asthma sufferers should learn to use a peak flow meter so that they can keep track of their breathing and know when to seek help.
13. A new thought on asthma is that, in some instances, it is actually a case of a smoldering infection that can be cleared up with long-term antibiotics. You can read about that here, here, and here (more links below). The theory is that these people are actually suffering from a form of pneumonia that lingers and causes inflammation.
After I learned about this possible link in February, I contacted my primary care doctor and asked her to look into it. I explained to her that I wanted to consider the long-term antibiotics if she thought it was viable. I always had felt I could breathe better after I have been on antibiotics.
I had also run into problems using the inhaled corticosteroids; they made me break out in a severe rash.
After she researched the issues (she's a good doctor), she agreed it was worth trying.
I was on an antibiotic called azithromycin for 24 days. During that time, my peak flow meter numbers rose from 360 to 460 - unheard of on the other medications I was taking at the time. After the second day on the antibiotic, I no longer experienced chest pain and tightness.
I have been off the antibiotic for a month now and my peak flow numbers are still good. Not 460 good but 440 good and I'm not complaining about that! I am able to exercise, walk up hills, and climb steps without getting out of breath. I haven't had chest pain since I took the antibiotics.
Cured? I don't know. Better? You bet. Will I take antibiotics again if my asthma becomes a problem? Yes indeed.
I have read some reports that the asthma symptoms will return if the antibiotic wasn't continued long enough. Apparently this particular pneumonia is hard to eradicate completely. So I am monitoring my breathing carefully still.
This has been my experience. I do not know if it is typical. But if you are an asthma sufferer, I hope you research the issue before you dismiss it out of hand.
Again, this might not help everyone. People should consult with their doctors.
Here are some additional links about asthma:
Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Asthma Awareness Month
Asthma Increases to Record Levels, Deaths Among Baby Boomers Highest
Information from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Asthma: Searching for a Cure (antibiotics)
Antibiotics Cure for Severe Asthma
Antibiotics Could Treat Asthma
Asthma Story: How One Man Cured His Asthma
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 240th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system, thought to be chronic inflammation. It is often associated with allergies. Symptoms include wheezing, difficulty breathing, coughing, and chest tightness. Severe asthma can lead to death.
Untreated asthma or asthma that does not respond well to treatment can severely limit functioning.
1. More than 25 million Americans have asthma. That figure includes 7 million children.
2. Medical expenses associated with asthma are estimated at $50 billion annually.
3. Death rates for asthma is highest in those over the age of 65.
4. Asthma appears to be on the increase. The prevalence rose from 7.3 percent of the population in 2001 to 8.4 percent in 2010.
5. So far, doctors have been unable to find either a cure or cause for asthma.
6. Asthma can be controlled and treated. Treatments range from nebulizers to steroid inhalers, along with the use of drugs for allergies, allergy shots, and other methods.
7. Most people with asthma also have allergies.
8. Lung function tests are used to determine if a person has asthma. The most common of these is called spirometry. It measures the amount of air a person can blow in and out.
9. Asthma triggers include allergens (dust, pet hair, pollen), environmental irritants (cigarette smoke, perfume), medications, sulfites in food (wine, cheeses), respiratory infections, and physical activity.
10. Stress, poor health, and sleep apnea can also cause asthma sufferers to have attacks.
11. Current asthma treatment involves controller medications (such as inhaled corticosteroids) and emergency inhalers, such as albuterol. Additionally, trigger avoidance is very important. Doctors create asthma action plans for their patients. You can download a free action plan here.
12. Asthma sufferers should learn to use a peak flow meter so that they can keep track of their breathing and know when to seek help.
13. A new thought on asthma is that, in some instances, it is actually a case of a smoldering infection that can be cleared up with long-term antibiotics. You can read about that here, here, and here (more links below). The theory is that these people are actually suffering from a form of pneumonia that lingers and causes inflammation.
After I learned about this possible link in February, I contacted my primary care doctor and asked her to look into it. I explained to her that I wanted to consider the long-term antibiotics if she thought it was viable. I always had felt I could breathe better after I have been on antibiotics.
I had also run into problems using the inhaled corticosteroids; they made me break out in a severe rash.
After she researched the issues (she's a good doctor), she agreed it was worth trying.
I was on an antibiotic called azithromycin for 24 days. During that time, my peak flow meter numbers rose from 360 to 460 - unheard of on the other medications I was taking at the time. After the second day on the antibiotic, I no longer experienced chest pain and tightness.
I have been off the antibiotic for a month now and my peak flow numbers are still good. Not 460 good but 440 good and I'm not complaining about that! I am able to exercise, walk up hills, and climb steps without getting out of breath. I haven't had chest pain since I took the antibiotics.
Cured? I don't know. Better? You bet. Will I take antibiotics again if my asthma becomes a problem? Yes indeed.
I have read some reports that the asthma symptoms will return if the antibiotic wasn't continued long enough. Apparently this particular pneumonia is hard to eradicate completely. So I am monitoring my breathing carefully still.
This has been my experience. I do not know if it is typical. But if you are an asthma sufferer, I hope you research the issue before you dismiss it out of hand.
Again, this might not help everyone. People should consult with their doctors.
Here are some additional links about asthma:
Statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on Asthma Awareness Month
Asthma Increases to Record Levels, Deaths Among Baby Boomers Highest
Information from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
Asthma: Searching for a Cure (antibiotics)
Antibiotics Cure for Severe Asthma
Antibiotics Could Treat Asthma
Asthma Story: How One Man Cured His Asthma
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 240th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, May 02, 2012
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.
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