As I am sure you've heard by now, tomorrow is the day the earth ends. Or it's the rapture for Christians and those who believe (in Christ, in the rapture, or both) will rise up into the sky.
So I wanted to be sure to say goodbye to those of you who are my readers who may not be here come Sunday. I hope you have a good trip.
One report I read said Christians will rise from their graves and take a walk before heading up into the clouds. I find that a bit horrific and a little terrifying to think about, myself. They have to be pretty moldy or nothing but bones. I suppose some people find comfort in this notion, but I can't say that I do.
In any event, I do not plan to be among those who are rising upwards tomorrow, even though I have been baptised and thus might qualify. I just happen to think it isn't going to work like that, nor do I think the end of the world is a predictable date. I hope I am not surprised.
I am not poking fun. I think that people who believe this are completely serious. It bothers me, though, that these end of the world scenarios will not go away. What I find disturbing about it is that people want to leave their life so quickly. Does it mean nothing? That, to me, is very sad. I think it is quite a verdict on society, too, that so many people find so little happiness in this lifetime that they are eager to move on to the next. That there are so many who want to do this speaks poorly of our ability to care for one another.
I also wonder what happens to people who fervently believe such things and then are let down. Do they just decide they had a wrong date? Do they begin to question the things they've been taught? What happens when you believe something like this and it turns out to be false?
According to this article by the Guardian, ideas about the end of the world began in the 17th century. Thus one might blame modernization for these end time beliefs. Is it modern science, as the article states? Or is it the result of the more individualistic society in which we live, where we have little regard for our fellow man?
Some people think Christ has already come a second time and we are living in the hell that follows. I don't know about that. Poverty has been around for forever, as have diseases, illnesses, and other bad things. Seems like there might be something there to indicate a change of some sort had something like that happened.
The world will end one day. Maybe an asteroid will collide with the planet, or the sun will blow up, or the guys in suits who have their fingers on the nuclear buttons will have too much to drink one night and boom! there we all go. But I find I cannot live my life worrying about such things.
Anyway, whatever happens tomorrow, I hope that you find peace and happiness. Be blessed, be joyful, be kind to small animals.
Have a great day.
I'll be blogging again tomorrow.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
1. "Thog reached into the icy waters and took hold of the fabled Warclub of Goog and set forth to purge the hunting lands of the evil demon that was plaguing . . . " Park & Dulllemond, The Complete Guide to Writing Fantasy (page 13).
2. "Call today and learn how you can be 'Job Ready'" - National College ad. "We live in a world where life skills seldom count." - Me. (Ad on the back of a local publication without 13 pages).
3. "Don't know what she expected, Crystal marrying one of those highfalutin Atlanta Wentworths," was a consensus, if not the general one. - Anne River Siddons in Burnt Offerings (page 13).
4. "When the woman is a contemporary, a living but not directly present other, her claim to authority becomes even more fragile, for she cannot override by sheer force of character the typification "woman" by which she is stereotyped and diminished in male consciousness." - Lengermann & Niebrugge, The Women Founders (page 13).
5. "New shows roll in from over the mountains and the magician reappears unannounced from a fold in the curtain you never dreamed was an opening." - Anne Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (page 13).
6. "Managing Your Risk is More Important Now Than Ever" - Morgan Stanley ad. "When was it ever not important?" - Me. (Ad on the back of a local publication without 13 pages.)
7. "At the same time, Reitz notes that members of the governor's staff have indicated to him that Brownback is considering whether to exercise his line-item veto power to strip out whatever funding the legislature approves for the commission." - "Arts Crunch in Kansas," in Poets & Writers, May/June 2011 (page 13).
8. "Consequently, it is not perfectionism that is the problem but the discrepancy between perfectionist standards and perform." - Piers Steel, Ph.D., in The Procrastination Equation (page 13).
9. "It's important to know when an author used the protagonist's name and when we was just referred to as "he."' - N. M. Kelby, The Constant Art of Being a Writer (page 13).
10. "Have you ever accidentally left your notes or diary behind on a train or plane and bemoaned the loss of what certainly had been your best work?" - Betsy Lerner, The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers (page 13).
11. "She would love to see what the inside looked like. She just didn't think she had any right to." - Sarah Addison Allen, The Peach Keeper (page 13).
12. "If the situation calls for it, offer flexibility when talking with customers." "What's Being Done About Customer Service" in Valley Business Front, April 2011 (page 13).
13. "You just don't want to get tied up in somebody else's vision." - Nikki Giovanni in "A Conversation with Nikki Giovanni" by Chapman Hood Frazier in The Writer's Chronicle, March/April 2011 (page 13).
Today's Thursday Thirteen comes from the 13th page (or the last page, in two instances) of publications that are within my reach without getting up. These are mostly items that I am in the process of reading or they are in my "read this when you have time" pile.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 191st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. "Call today and learn how you can be 'Job Ready'" - National College ad. "We live in a world where life skills seldom count." - Me. (Ad on the back of a local publication without 13 pages).
3. "Don't know what she expected, Crystal marrying one of those highfalutin Atlanta Wentworths," was a consensus, if not the general one. - Anne River Siddons in Burnt Offerings (page 13).
4. "When the woman is a contemporary, a living but not directly present other, her claim to authority becomes even more fragile, for she cannot override by sheer force of character the typification "woman" by which she is stereotyped and diminished in male consciousness." - Lengermann & Niebrugge, The Women Founders (page 13).
5. "New shows roll in from over the mountains and the magician reappears unannounced from a fold in the curtain you never dreamed was an opening." - Anne Dillard, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (page 13).
6. "Managing Your Risk is More Important Now Than Ever" - Morgan Stanley ad. "When was it ever not important?" - Me. (Ad on the back of a local publication without 13 pages.)
7. "At the same time, Reitz notes that members of the governor's staff have indicated to him that Brownback is considering whether to exercise his line-item veto power to strip out whatever funding the legislature approves for the commission." - "Arts Crunch in Kansas," in Poets & Writers, May/June 2011 (page 13).
8. "Consequently, it is not perfectionism that is the problem but the discrepancy between perfectionist standards and perform." - Piers Steel, Ph.D., in The Procrastination Equation (page 13).
9. "It's important to know when an author used the protagonist's name and when we was just referred to as "he."' - N. M. Kelby, The Constant Art of Being a Writer (page 13).
10. "Have you ever accidentally left your notes or diary behind on a train or plane and bemoaned the loss of what certainly had been your best work?" - Betsy Lerner, The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers (page 13).
11. "She would love to see what the inside looked like. She just didn't think she had any right to." - Sarah Addison Allen, The Peach Keeper (page 13).
12. "If the situation calls for it, offer flexibility when talking with customers." "What's Being Done About Customer Service" in Valley Business Front, April 2011 (page 13).
13. "You just don't want to get tied up in somebody else's vision." - Nikki Giovanni in "A Conversation with Nikki Giovanni" by Chapman Hood Frazier in The Writer's Chronicle, March/April 2011 (page 13).
Today's Thursday Thirteen comes from the 13th page (or the last page, in two instances) of publications that are within my reach without getting up. These are mostly items that I am in the process of reading or they are in my "read this when you have time" pile.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 191st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Early Spring
Redbud tree
Dogwood
Dogwood up close
I did get out and shoot a few pictures of spring when things were blooming and beautiful. We've about morphed into summer now, and the trees are full of leaves. Things are green and growing.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Cash or Nothing
Yesterday I had occasion to make copies at Staples, an office supply store.
To my consternation, copy machines there no longer take cash.
They take credit cards.
I am not a fan of plastic. I am a cash-and-carry kind of girl. I also have a thing about electronic fingers reaching into my accounts and having access. I just don't like it.
The helpful salesclerk told me the only way I could pay cash was to go to a machine that converts cash into a plastic card, like a gift card.
It only took dollar bills.
So I ended up with a plastic card with 87 cents left on it, which they would not refund into cash.
What a racket for the company, eh? Because they know most people are going to toss the card with less than a $1 on it. So they get my 87 cents for doing nothing but insisting that I must use plastic and not cash.
So my choice for making copies was to allow a machine unlimited access to my credit card, lose change on their plastic, or go elsewhere.
Next time, I will go elsewhere.
Did you know that in 2006, companies raked in over $8 billion in unused plastic gift cards? Using these plastic cards is like walking into a store and handing them a $100 bill just for fun.
Scrip, is what they used to call it, and it once had a bad name in our history. Companies, particularly mining and logging companies, would issue scrip instead of cash for employee wages. The scrip would be redeemable at the company store for goods. The company would mark up prices, keeping the employees poor and in a terrible economic cycle. Neighboring places that were not company owned rarely exchanged the scrip at a 1:1 ration. It is a form of economic enslavement.
This still goes on. I was in a large corporate retail store one day and an employee told me they are paid with a credit card that is only good at the corporate stores, and you can convert it to cash only if you pay a fee. How are these people supposed to pay their other bills?
The company store fell into disfavor in the early 1900s because of child labor laws and other regulations that helped workers free themselves from this type of entrapment. Companies have not abandoned the practice, though. They've just grown more creative with their euphemisms. Call it a gift card if you want; it's still scrip. And it doesn't do a darned thing for you.
To my consternation, copy machines there no longer take cash.
They take credit cards.
I am not a fan of plastic. I am a cash-and-carry kind of girl. I also have a thing about electronic fingers reaching into my accounts and having access. I just don't like it.
The helpful salesclerk told me the only way I could pay cash was to go to a machine that converts cash into a plastic card, like a gift card.
It only took dollar bills.
So I ended up with a plastic card with 87 cents left on it, which they would not refund into cash.
What a racket for the company, eh? Because they know most people are going to toss the card with less than a $1 on it. So they get my 87 cents for doing nothing but insisting that I must use plastic and not cash.
So my choice for making copies was to allow a machine unlimited access to my credit card, lose change on their plastic, or go elsewhere.
Next time, I will go elsewhere.
Did you know that in 2006, companies raked in over $8 billion in unused plastic gift cards? Using these plastic cards is like walking into a store and handing them a $100 bill just for fun.
Scrip, is what they used to call it, and it once had a bad name in our history. Companies, particularly mining and logging companies, would issue scrip instead of cash for employee wages. The scrip would be redeemable at the company store for goods. The company would mark up prices, keeping the employees poor and in a terrible economic cycle. Neighboring places that were not company owned rarely exchanged the scrip at a 1:1 ration. It is a form of economic enslavement.
This still goes on. I was in a large corporate retail store one day and an employee told me they are paid with a credit card that is only good at the corporate stores, and you can convert it to cash only if you pay a fee. How are these people supposed to pay their other bills?
The company store fell into disfavor in the early 1900s because of child labor laws and other regulations that helped workers free themselves from this type of entrapment. Companies have not abandoned the practice, though. They've just grown more creative with their euphemisms. Call it a gift card if you want; it's still scrip. And it doesn't do a darned thing for you.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Thursday Thirteen #190
1. I read this morning on a Facebook page that the Dali Lama said this: "Some people automatically associate morality and altruism with a religious vision of the world. But I believe it is a mistake to think that morality is an attribute only of religion. We can imagine two types of spirituality: one tied to religion, while the other arises spontaneously in the human heart as an expression of love for our neighbors and a desire to do them good." I don't know if he really said this, but I like the sentiment.
2. Tillie Olsen in 1972 said this: "How much it takes to become a writer . . . circumstances, time, development of craft - but beyond that: how much conviction as to the importance of what one has to say, one's right to say it. . . . Difficult for any male not born into a class that breeds such confidence. Almost impossible for a girl, a woman." She was a feminist writer.
3. In my sociology class, one or two young women argued that they are as free and equal as their male counterpoints in all areas of life. Here's a statistic: The median weekly earnings of women who were full-time wage and salary workers was $657, or 80 percent of men’s $819. When comparing the median weekly earnings of persons aged 16 to 24, young women earned 93 percent of what young men earned ($424 and $458, respectively). Still think things are equal?
4. “In one of her extraordinary essays, “The Space Crone,” Ursula Le Guin wrote that old women would make the best space explorers. Free from the daily tasks of rearing helpless children, free to see and comprehend without vanity, loving life because we know we may have to leave it soon, we would embark on our journey to the stars not for ego or planting flags but only for information to transmit back to our grandchildren for their future explorations. We know by then that we are part of the flow of life.” — An Adventurous Woman: Erica Jong reviews Somewhere Towards the End, by Diana Athill (this quote found at this link on Ursula Le Guin's website)
5. "In fact that is why the lives of most women are so vaguely unsatisfactory. They are always doing secondary and menial things (that do not require all their gifts and ability)for others and never anything for themselves. Society and husbands praise them for it (when they get too miserable or have nervous breakdowns) though always a little perplexedly and half-heartedly and just to be consoling. . . . But inwardly women know that something is wrong. They sense that if you are always doing something for others, like a servant or nurse, and never anything for yourself, you cannot do others any good . . . you cannot affect them spiritually in any way at all. For to teach, encourage, cheer up, console, amuse, stimulate or advise a husband or children or friends, you have to be something yourself." -- Brenda Ueland (writer)
6. "All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail." -- Dorothea Brande (writer)
7. "There is no female mind. The brain is not an organ of sex. Might as well speak of a female liver." - Charlotte Perkins Gilman (writer and feminist)
8. "You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." -- Anne Lamott (writer)
9. "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." -- Charlotte Whitton (Canadian feminist)
10. "I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute." --Rebecca West, "Mr Chesterton in Hysterics: A Study in Prejudice," The Clarion, 14 Nov 1913, reprinted in The Young Rebecca, 1982. (Rebecca West was a writer and feminist)
11. "Women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors." -- Evelyn Cunningham (civil rights journalist)
12. "Instead of getting hard ourselves and trying to compete, women should try and give their best qualities to men - bring them softness, teach them how to cry." -- Joan Baez, "Sexism Seen but not Heard," Los Angeles Times, 1974 (folksinger, songwriter and activist)
13. "Feminism is the radical notion that women are people." -- Cheris Kramarae and Paula Treichler (writers and feminists)
~ I started this Thursday Thirteen as an eclectic thing, with no theme in mind, but it turned out to be rather thematic, I think. At least these things are all connected in my mind. ~
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 190th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
2. Tillie Olsen in 1972 said this: "How much it takes to become a writer . . . circumstances, time, development of craft - but beyond that: how much conviction as to the importance of what one has to say, one's right to say it. . . . Difficult for any male not born into a class that breeds such confidence. Almost impossible for a girl, a woman." She was a feminist writer.
3. In my sociology class, one or two young women argued that they are as free and equal as their male counterpoints in all areas of life. Here's a statistic: The median weekly earnings of women who were full-time wage and salary workers was $657, or 80 percent of men’s $819. When comparing the median weekly earnings of persons aged 16 to 24, young women earned 93 percent of what young men earned ($424 and $458, respectively). Still think things are equal?
4. “In one of her extraordinary essays, “The Space Crone,” Ursula Le Guin wrote that old women would make the best space explorers. Free from the daily tasks of rearing helpless children, free to see and comprehend without vanity, loving life because we know we may have to leave it soon, we would embark on our journey to the stars not for ego or planting flags but only for information to transmit back to our grandchildren for their future explorations. We know by then that we are part of the flow of life.” — An Adventurous Woman: Erica Jong reviews Somewhere Towards the End, by Diana Athill (this quote found at this link on Ursula Le Guin's website)
5. "In fact that is why the lives of most women are so vaguely unsatisfactory. They are always doing secondary and menial things (that do not require all their gifts and ability)for others and never anything for themselves. Society and husbands praise them for it (when they get too miserable or have nervous breakdowns) though always a little perplexedly and half-heartedly and just to be consoling. . . . But inwardly women know that something is wrong. They sense that if you are always doing something for others, like a servant or nurse, and never anything for yourself, you cannot do others any good . . . you cannot affect them spiritually in any way at all. For to teach, encourage, cheer up, console, amuse, stimulate or advise a husband or children or friends, you have to be something yourself." -- Brenda Ueland (writer)
6. "All that is necessary to break the spell of inertia and frustration is this: Act as if it were impossible to fail." -- Dorothea Brande (writer)
7. "There is no female mind. The brain is not an organ of sex. Might as well speak of a female liver." - Charlotte Perkins Gilman (writer and feminist)
8. "You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do." -- Anne Lamott (writer)
9. "Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult." -- Charlotte Whitton (Canadian feminist)
10. "I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is: I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a door mat or a prostitute." --Rebecca West, "Mr Chesterton in Hysterics: A Study in Prejudice," The Clarion, 14 Nov 1913, reprinted in The Young Rebecca, 1982. (Rebecca West was a writer and feminist)
11. "Women are the only oppressed group in our society that lives in intimate association with their oppressors." -- Evelyn Cunningham (civil rights journalist)
12. "Instead of getting hard ourselves and trying to compete, women should try and give their best qualities to men - bring them softness, teach them how to cry." -- Joan Baez, "Sexism Seen but not Heard," Los Angeles Times, 1974 (folksinger, songwriter and activist)
13. "Feminism is the radical notion that women are people." -- Cheris Kramarae and Paula Treichler (writers and feminists)
~ I started this Thursday Thirteen as an eclectic thing, with no theme in mind, but it turned out to be rather thematic, I think. At least these things are all connected in my mind. ~
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 190th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Monday, May 09, 2011
Almost Done
I have my last class for the semester tonight.
Whew.
It's tough going back to school when you're old and those brain cells don't fire quite as fast as they used to! I have spent the last several days finishing up a final project and I have one more final paper to complete and turn in by Thursday. And THEN I can say I will be done for this semester.
However, I really enjoy school. I like to learn, and I love the interaction with fellow students and the professors. I love the environment of a college campus. I really liked my sociology class this semester and I got a lot out of that.
I am thinking I really missed my calling. I should have been a college professor. I could have taught history or something. But early on I was rammed into these ideas of what I should be and who I should be, and I think I've fought against them all my life. I missed opening a few doors, too.
Classes will begin for the summer on June 20. I've already signed up and even have my books here on the desk. How's that for being an eager student, eh?
Whew.
It's tough going back to school when you're old and those brain cells don't fire quite as fast as they used to! I have spent the last several days finishing up a final project and I have one more final paper to complete and turn in by Thursday. And THEN I can say I will be done for this semester.
However, I really enjoy school. I like to learn, and I love the interaction with fellow students and the professors. I love the environment of a college campus. I really liked my sociology class this semester and I got a lot out of that.
I am thinking I really missed my calling. I should have been a college professor. I could have taught history or something. But early on I was rammed into these ideas of what I should be and who I should be, and I think I've fought against them all my life. I missed opening a few doors, too.
Classes will begin for the summer on June 20. I've already signed up and even have my books here on the desk. How's that for being an eager student, eh?
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Thursday, May 05, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
Since it's the first Thursday in May, I will take a look back at April and recount 13 good things about the previous month. It's my positive 13!
1. My grades are really good! In fact, as far as I know, I have straight As in both classes.
2. My allergies, while not great, are not as bad as they could be, and I am thankful for that. At least this year I have not been bedridden with them.
3. I walked on the treadmill 17 days last month. That's slightly better than walking every other day. Still not what I want but getting better.
4. My flower garden received a little attention from me over the course of several days. I put down mulch, weeded, cut the roses, fed the plants. I love getting a little dirt on my gloves.
5. I read (or listened to) these books: Ruth Benedict, by Margaret Caffrey (for class), Home to Holly Spring, by Jan Karon, Sizzlin' Sixteen, by Janet Evanovich, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Ablom.
6. I had two massages in the month of April. I usually only have one but one was on the 1st and the other near the end of the month. To only have 30 days, April seemed especially long this year, but I think it was just the way the days fell on the calendar.
7. I had lunch with old friends and new. I am so grateful and thankful for my friends. What would I do without them? I also lunched with my aunt just this week.
8. I worked a little on my thesis. Not as much as I had hoped but some, and I get credit for that!
9. We have had absolutely beautiful weather - not too hot, not too cold - and that makes for favorite days.
10. I bought a planner this week. It is an effort to get my time back because it feels like I am not as well organized and in control as I used to be and want to be at this time in my life. We'll see how that works out.
11. I was the class clown one night in sociology class, and made an idiot of myself, but it doesn't seem to have hurt me any, and it slowly working its way into becoming a fond memory. You know, one of those "remember that time when you said "screw you" to the professor in the course of explaining what synergy in society is?" things.
12. I learned about some very interesting women in sociology and would like to make a study of some of them - in particular, Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict. I have put that on my "to do" list.
13. I saw my niece and my two of my three nephews and talked to the third (he's in college) online. I love those kids!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 189th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. My grades are really good! In fact, as far as I know, I have straight As in both classes.
2. My allergies, while not great, are not as bad as they could be, and I am thankful for that. At least this year I have not been bedridden with them.
3. I walked on the treadmill 17 days last month. That's slightly better than walking every other day. Still not what I want but getting better.
5. I read (or listened to) these books: Ruth Benedict, by Margaret Caffrey (for class), Home to Holly Spring, by Jan Karon, Sizzlin' Sixteen, by Janet Evanovich, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Ablom.
6. I had two massages in the month of April. I usually only have one but one was on the 1st and the other near the end of the month. To only have 30 days, April seemed especially long this year, but I think it was just the way the days fell on the calendar.
7. I had lunch with old friends and new. I am so grateful and thankful for my friends. What would I do without them? I also lunched with my aunt just this week.
8. I worked a little on my thesis. Not as much as I had hoped but some, and I get credit for that!
9. We have had absolutely beautiful weather - not too hot, not too cold - and that makes for favorite days.
10. I bought a planner this week. It is an effort to get my time back because it feels like I am not as well organized and in control as I used to be and want to be at this time in my life. We'll see how that works out.
11. I was the class clown one night in sociology class, and made an idiot of myself, but it doesn't seem to have hurt me any, and it slowly working its way into becoming a fond memory. You know, one of those "remember that time when you said "screw you" to the professor in the course of explaining what synergy in society is?" things.
12. I learned about some very interesting women in sociology and would like to make a study of some of them - in particular, Margaret Mead and Ruth Benedict. I have put that on my "to do" list.
13. I saw my niece and my two of my three nephews and talked to the third (he's in college) online. I love those kids!
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 189th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Life Planning
Yesterday I bought a new planner. I am not sure why, since I have very little to schedule these days, but I decided to try something different.
In the 1990s I used a planner with great effect for a while, but then I started putting my appointments in MS Outlook, along with tasks and everything else, and found that I really didn't need a pen-and-ink planner anymore.
After watching the days of my life spin around like a top set loose on linoleum for the last year, I spent last month trying to get some oomph and pizazz back into my life (otherwise known as a kick in the ass, I think), and found what I had been using just wasn't working for me at this time.
My days still spun dizzyingly around and while I was working hard on my college classes, everything else seemed to be flying off into infinity and beyond.
So I thought I'd try something different yet a bit familiar. Thus, the planner, even though I have nothing to plan but the rest of my life.
I bought a Daytimer starter kit. I looked at the Franklin Coveys and the Day Runner starter kits, but decided that for the money the Daytimer seemed to suit my needs. They also offer planners now for mixes of home and office use, but they were just too cutesy for me. I like my scheduling to look like I'm all business.
Plus the Daytimer planner cover was a really soft brown leather that felt wonderful in my hands. It smells good, too. But it is not cutesy.
I like the 5 1/2 x 8" size, too. I tried several different ones 20 years ago and that was the size I settled on then, and it is the size I settled on this time, too. Someone told me once that the small planners breed small thinking. The ones that are larger are simply too bulky for me. Like Goldilocks, I need the one that is just right.
Trying to get the planner to work for me - and for me to do the work I want to be doing but keep not doing - will be my focus beginning Monday, when I expect to have this semester under my belt. That'll give me just over a month to have things in hand when I start back to school in June.
Wish me luck, won't you?
In the 1990s I used a planner with great effect for a while, but then I started putting my appointments in MS Outlook, along with tasks and everything else, and found that I really didn't need a pen-and-ink planner anymore.
After watching the days of my life spin around like a top set loose on linoleum for the last year, I spent last month trying to get some oomph and pizazz back into my life (otherwise known as a kick in the ass, I think), and found what I had been using just wasn't working for me at this time.
My days still spun dizzyingly around and while I was working hard on my college classes, everything else seemed to be flying off into infinity and beyond.
So I thought I'd try something different yet a bit familiar. Thus, the planner, even though I have nothing to plan but the rest of my life.
I bought a Daytimer starter kit. I looked at the Franklin Coveys and the Day Runner starter kits, but decided that for the money the Daytimer seemed to suit my needs. They also offer planners now for mixes of home and office use, but they were just too cutesy for me. I like my scheduling to look like I'm all business.
Plus the Daytimer planner cover was a really soft brown leather that felt wonderful in my hands. It smells good, too. But it is not cutesy.
I like the 5 1/2 x 8" size, too. I tried several different ones 20 years ago and that was the size I settled on then, and it is the size I settled on this time, too. Someone told me once that the small planners breed small thinking. The ones that are larger are simply too bulky for me. Like Goldilocks, I need the one that is just right.
Trying to get the planner to work for me - and for me to do the work I want to be doing but keep not doing - will be my focus beginning Monday, when I expect to have this semester under my belt. That'll give me just over a month to have things in hand when I start back to school in June.
Wish me luck, won't you?
Tuesday, May 03, 2011
May Flowers
Giant Columbine
First Red Roses
Violas
Purple Violas
Giant Columbine
Yellow Iris
Yellow Iris (up close and personal)
Purple Iris
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Books: Stuck
Stuck
By Becky Mushko
199 pages
Copyright 2011
Cedar Creek Publishing
Stuck is a quick-reading coming-of-age story about young Jacie, who must grow up quickly at a tender age because of her mother's illness and subsequent passing.
As her father moves forward with his life, Jacie must adapt. She must deal with a bully, learn to ride a horse, and figure out what to do about a stepmother. However, she feels stuck (hence the book's name) even though she is really moving on. She just can't accept the changes yet.
The book has an intriguing paranormal component wherein Jacie meets a ghost and helps her to cross over.
The locale will appeal to Virginia readers who will be interested in the Smith Mountain Lake descriptions. I always enjoy reading books set in the area, and this was no exception.
Since the book deals with horses and ghosts, I believe most any young girl (ages 10-14) would enjoy this book. The focus on horses in particular should be highly appealing. I remember when I was that age, I loved to read books with horses in it, and I can't imagine this has changed much.
This book was a delight to read, with well-written characters and a fast-moving plot that kept me engaged.
Becky was a teacher and so her book offers a study guide at the end that educators and parents will find useful. She also is a friend of mine - we are in the Roanoke Valley Branch of the National League of American Pen Women together - and she recently asked me to read this, her new middle grade novel. I am happy to recommend it to all!
Becky has a blog, called Peevish Pen. Do visit her there!
By Becky Mushko
199 pages
Copyright 2011
Cedar Creek Publishing
Stuck is a quick-reading coming-of-age story about young Jacie, who must grow up quickly at a tender age because of her mother's illness and subsequent passing.
As her father moves forward with his life, Jacie must adapt. She must deal with a bully, learn to ride a horse, and figure out what to do about a stepmother. However, she feels stuck (hence the book's name) even though she is really moving on. She just can't accept the changes yet.
The book has an intriguing paranormal component wherein Jacie meets a ghost and helps her to cross over.
The locale will appeal to Virginia readers who will be interested in the Smith Mountain Lake descriptions. I always enjoy reading books set in the area, and this was no exception.
Since the book deals with horses and ghosts, I believe most any young girl (ages 10-14) would enjoy this book. The focus on horses in particular should be highly appealing. I remember when I was that age, I loved to read books with horses in it, and I can't imagine this has changed much.
This book was a delight to read, with well-written characters and a fast-moving plot that kept me engaged.
Becky was a teacher and so her book offers a study guide at the end that educators and parents will find useful. She also is a friend of mine - we are in the Roanoke Valley Branch of the National League of American Pen Women together - and she recently asked me to read this, her new middle grade novel. I am happy to recommend it to all!
Becky has a blog, called Peevish Pen. Do visit her there!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
Today I thought I'd make a list of 13 people who are no longer with us (at least not physically) who I would like to have interviewed at one time or another, and what I might ask.
1. Jesus. Obviously, the Son of God needs to be interviewed! I would ask him about the importance of religion and why it is necessary. Also, God, could you explain once and for all why there must be evil and suffering?
2. Shakespeare. I would ask the greatest playwrite of all time how he came up with his ideas and where he found the time to write. And tell me, Sir William, what do you think the future holds for your profession?
3. Joan of Arc. She has always fascinated me and I would love to know what those voices really said. How did it feel to lead armies, Joan, when you were but a child?
4. Amelia Earhart. Lady daredevil and interesting woman. Tell me, Mrs. Earhart, exactly what did happen to you when you attempted to fly around the world, and then vanished?
5. Mother Teresa. She was a vision of purity and goodness, ministering to the sick and the impoverished. Mother Teresa, how does one obtain a truly spiritual existence?
6. Thomas Jefferson. He was a brilliant, if eccentric, man, full of many ideas and enlightened thoughts. As one of the writers and signers of the US Constitution, he has a lot to answer for. Mr. President, can you tell us exactly what was meant with the first and second amendments?
7. Mary, Queen of Scots. As ruler of Scotland in the 16th century, and enemy of the Queen of England, who ultimately beheaded her, Mary had a life of intrigue. Like Joan of Arc, she led armies into battle. What do you most regret, Madam Queen?
8. Leonardo DaVinci. As one of the most famous thinkers ever, he would certainly have something to say! He was a great inventor and painter. So tell us, Leo, just who posed for the Mona Lisa?
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt. As the president who implemented the New Deal and lead the US during World War II, he was either a pretty smart fellow or a great statesman, or both. So FDR, what do you think of the country now?
10. J.R.R. Tolkien. The creator and author of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit ushered in quite an era of fantasy. Mr. Tolkien, can you tell us where your ideas came from, and how do you feel about folks who continue to use worlds that look very much like Middle Earth in other works?
11. Ludwig Van Beethoven. There must be some music in my life somewhere, and what better place to start than with a master? Mr. Beethoven, how were you able to continue to compose even after you lost your hearing?
12. Jane Austen. This great author would be a delight to speak with, I am sure. Ms. Austen, what do you think of current stories that have reworked your own work?
13. Jane Addams. Jane founded Hull House in Chicago and was a famous sociologist and social reformer. She recognized the need for shared responsibilites in society and advocated for the good of all, not just a wealthy few. Ms. Addams, what do you think of our society today?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 188th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Jesus. Obviously, the Son of God needs to be interviewed! I would ask him about the importance of religion and why it is necessary. Also, God, could you explain once and for all why there must be evil and suffering?
2. Shakespeare. I would ask the greatest playwrite of all time how he came up with his ideas and where he found the time to write. And tell me, Sir William, what do you think the future holds for your profession?
3. Joan of Arc. She has always fascinated me and I would love to know what those voices really said. How did it feel to lead armies, Joan, when you were but a child?
4. Amelia Earhart. Lady daredevil and interesting woman. Tell me, Mrs. Earhart, exactly what did happen to you when you attempted to fly around the world, and then vanished?
5. Mother Teresa. She was a vision of purity and goodness, ministering to the sick and the impoverished. Mother Teresa, how does one obtain a truly spiritual existence?
6. Thomas Jefferson. He was a brilliant, if eccentric, man, full of many ideas and enlightened thoughts. As one of the writers and signers of the US Constitution, he has a lot to answer for. Mr. President, can you tell us exactly what was meant with the first and second amendments?
7. Mary, Queen of Scots. As ruler of Scotland in the 16th century, and enemy of the Queen of England, who ultimately beheaded her, Mary had a life of intrigue. Like Joan of Arc, she led armies into battle. What do you most regret, Madam Queen?
8. Leonardo DaVinci. As one of the most famous thinkers ever, he would certainly have something to say! He was a great inventor and painter. So tell us, Leo, just who posed for the Mona Lisa?
9. Franklin D. Roosevelt. As the president who implemented the New Deal and lead the US during World War II, he was either a pretty smart fellow or a great statesman, or both. So FDR, what do you think of the country now?
10. J.R.R. Tolkien. The creator and author of the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit ushered in quite an era of fantasy. Mr. Tolkien, can you tell us where your ideas came from, and how do you feel about folks who continue to use worlds that look very much like Middle Earth in other works?
11. Ludwig Van Beethoven. There must be some music in my life somewhere, and what better place to start than with a master? Mr. Beethoven, how were you able to continue to compose even after you lost your hearing?
12. Jane Austen. This great author would be a delight to speak with, I am sure. Ms. Austen, what do you think of current stories that have reworked your own work?
13. Jane Addams. Jane founded Hull House in Chicago and was a famous sociologist and social reformer. She recognized the need for shared responsibilites in society and advocated for the good of all, not just a wealthy few. Ms. Addams, what do you think of our society today?
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 188th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
House for Rent
I have an older farmhouse type home available for rent. If you know of anyone interested, please send them to this page!
The house has over 1,700 square feet. It is private and sits on two acres of land.
The house has over 1,700 square feet. It is private and sits on two acres of land.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Books: The Five People You Meet in Heaven
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
by Mitch Albom
Copyright 2003
Unabridged adiobook read by Erik Singer
5 hours
Meet Eddie. He is 83 years old and the head of maintenance at Ruby Park, an amusement pier along a beach somewhere in the northern U.S. On his birthday, he is killed when a car from a ride plunges to the ground and lands on him as he tries to pull a little girl from harm's way.
Eddie goes to heaven. He finds it is not the Garden of Eden but instead a place where one must revisit his life in order to understand the things that happened on earth before the soul can move on.
His life is explained to him by five different people, some close loved ones and some people he hardly knew. Each, though, contributed to major turning points in his life.
All of his life, Eddie considered himself a "done nothing" who made few contributions to society. He was raised by a loving mother and a neglectful and physicially abusive father. Aside from marrying his beloved Marguerite, he felt he had little to show for his 83 years. And she had died young, at the age of 47, so his last years he had spent alone.
If nothing else, the book indicates that all lives are worth living, and that no one is a "done nothing." As John Donne said, "No man is an island," and this book emphasizes that type of thinking - that we are all connected, we are all in this together, we are ultimately none of us alone even though loneliness can sometimes be overwhelming and it feels like the entire focus of our existence is forestalling that empty feeling.
This is not something I would have sat down to read, but I am glad I listened to it whilst driving (which is when I listen to all of my audio books). It is a book that made me think, for sure.
Albom is the author of Tuesdays with Morrie. Folks might be a little more familiar with that book.
by Mitch Albom
Copyright 2003
Unabridged adiobook read by Erik Singer
5 hours
Meet Eddie. He is 83 years old and the head of maintenance at Ruby Park, an amusement pier along a beach somewhere in the northern U.S. On his birthday, he is killed when a car from a ride plunges to the ground and lands on him as he tries to pull a little girl from harm's way.
Eddie goes to heaven. He finds it is not the Garden of Eden but instead a place where one must revisit his life in order to understand the things that happened on earth before the soul can move on.
His life is explained to him by five different people, some close loved ones and some people he hardly knew. Each, though, contributed to major turning points in his life.
All of his life, Eddie considered himself a "done nothing" who made few contributions to society. He was raised by a loving mother and a neglectful and physicially abusive father. Aside from marrying his beloved Marguerite, he felt he had little to show for his 83 years. And she had died young, at the age of 47, so his last years he had spent alone.
If nothing else, the book indicates that all lives are worth living, and that no one is a "done nothing." As John Donne said, "No man is an island," and this book emphasizes that type of thinking - that we are all connected, we are all in this together, we are ultimately none of us alone even though loneliness can sometimes be overwhelming and it feels like the entire focus of our existence is forestalling that empty feeling.
This is not something I would have sat down to read, but I am glad I listened to it whilst driving (which is when I listen to all of my audio books). It is a book that made me think, for sure.
Albom is the author of Tuesdays with Morrie. Folks might be a little more familiar with that book.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
View of the Farm
My husband and I took a walk today out across the hill on the farm. This is a little video showing you the scenic views. Enjoy!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Meme Thing
I found this over at Sweet Virginia Breeze and thought I'd play along. It's a holiday Saturday and I'm tired from cleaning house, but wanted to put up a post! It's an alphabet meme.
A. Age: 47
B. Bed: queen
C. Chore you dislike: cleaning the toilets
D. Dogs: None at the moment, but I had oodles (and poodles!) growing up and one as an adult.
E. Essential start of your day: a cup of tea, a walk on the treadmill, a shower.
F. Favorite color: purple
G. Gold or silver: silver
H. Height: Apparently I'm shrinking, but the last check was 5' 2". Very short.
I. Instruments you play: It's been a while so I might not be very good at these any more, but in my time I have played piano, guitar, flute, banjo, mandolin, saxophone, piccolo, dobro, dulcimer.
J. Job title: freelance writer, college student, homemaker
K. Kids: None
L. Live: Southwest Virginia
M. Mom's name: Mom!
N. Nicknames: None that I will admit to.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Age 5 to remove a large mole, 6 times for operations for "female trouble," culminating in a hysterectomy at the tender age of 29, once for e-coli, once for chest pains, once to remove a lodged piece of hot dog from my esophagus. The last three were spent in the ER but I was there for almost 24 hours each time.
P. Pet peeves: people who say they are going to do something and then do not.
Q. Quote from a movie: "What's taters, Precious? What's taters?"
R. Righty or lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: One brother
T. Time you wake up: The alarm goes off at 6 a.m. every morning.
U. Underwear: Yes. Eewww if you don't.
V. Vegetables you don't like: rhubarb, okra, chives, rutabagas
W. What makes you run late: very little. I'm generally early.
X. X-rays you've had: Dental x-rays, MRI, arm, legs, esophagus - lots. It's a wonder I don't glow.
Y. Yummy food you make: chocolate lush from my grandmother's secret recipe
Z. Zoo animal favorites: lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!
A. Age: 47
B. Bed: queen
C. Chore you dislike: cleaning the toilets
D. Dogs: None at the moment, but I had oodles (and poodles!) growing up and one as an adult.
E. Essential start of your day: a cup of tea, a walk on the treadmill, a shower.
F. Favorite color: purple
G. Gold or silver: silver
H. Height: Apparently I'm shrinking, but the last check was 5' 2". Very short.
I. Instruments you play: It's been a while so I might not be very good at these any more, but in my time I have played piano, guitar, flute, banjo, mandolin, saxophone, piccolo, dobro, dulcimer.
J. Job title: freelance writer, college student, homemaker
K. Kids: None
L. Live: Southwest Virginia
M. Mom's name: Mom!
N. Nicknames: None that I will admit to.
O. Overnight hospital stays: Age 5 to remove a large mole, 6 times for operations for "female trouble," culminating in a hysterectomy at the tender age of 29, once for e-coli, once for chest pains, once to remove a lodged piece of hot dog from my esophagus. The last three were spent in the ER but I was there for almost 24 hours each time.
P. Pet peeves: people who say they are going to do something and then do not.
Q. Quote from a movie: "What's taters, Precious? What's taters?"
R. Righty or lefty: Righty
S. Siblings: One brother
T. Time you wake up: The alarm goes off at 6 a.m. every morning.
U. Underwear: Yes. Eewww if you don't.
V. Vegetables you don't like: rhubarb, okra, chives, rutabagas
W. What makes you run late: very little. I'm generally early.
X. X-rays you've had: Dental x-rays, MRI, arm, legs, esophagus - lots. It's a wonder I don't glow.
Y. Yummy food you make: chocolate lush from my grandmother's secret recipe
Z. Zoo animal favorites: lions and tigers and bears! Oh my!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Books: Sizzling Sixteen
Sizzling Sixteen
by Janet Evanovich
Read by Lorelei King
Copyright 2010
Playing time: 7 hours
Unabridged
Janet Evanovich seems to have returned to form with Sizzling Sixteen, or else I'd just been away from the books long enough to find them entertaining again. Since Twelve Sharp I'd felt something was missing from the books, some unspoken spark, but I did not feel that so keenly this time. Publisher's Weekly calls this one "tepid," and reviewers on Amazon blast it to pieces. So maybe I am feeling generous at the moment.
Stephanie Plum must rescue Vinnie, her boss and cousin, as he has gotten himself into deep trouble. She has also inherited a "lucky bottle" that she is carrying around. For some reason this one thing reminded me of Wicked Appetite, another Evanovich book that I listened to recently (and confused at times with the Plum series).
There is a lot of Lula and Connie in this book. While I was rather glad to see more of Connie, Lula grew a bit tiresome. However, she's a fun character so I didn't mind it too much.
Stephanie and Lula run into an alligator, there are stink bombs, a funeral home, fire bombs, and dead people.
Basically, business as usual.
Ranger and Morelli make appearances, but if you're looking for resolution to Stephanie's love life, you won't find it here.
Take the book for what it is: light-hearted entertainment.
by Janet Evanovich
Read by Lorelei King
Copyright 2010
Playing time: 7 hours
Unabridged
Janet Evanovich seems to have returned to form with Sizzling Sixteen, or else I'd just been away from the books long enough to find them entertaining again. Since Twelve Sharp I'd felt something was missing from the books, some unspoken spark, but I did not feel that so keenly this time. Publisher's Weekly calls this one "tepid," and reviewers on Amazon blast it to pieces. So maybe I am feeling generous at the moment.
Stephanie Plum must rescue Vinnie, her boss and cousin, as he has gotten himself into deep trouble. She has also inherited a "lucky bottle" that she is carrying around. For some reason this one thing reminded me of Wicked Appetite, another Evanovich book that I listened to recently (and confused at times with the Plum series).
There is a lot of Lula and Connie in this book. While I was rather glad to see more of Connie, Lula grew a bit tiresome. However, she's a fun character so I didn't mind it too much.
Stephanie and Lula run into an alligator, there are stink bombs, a funeral home, fire bombs, and dead people.
Basically, business as usual.
Ranger and Morelli make appearances, but if you're looking for resolution to Stephanie's love life, you won't find it here.
Take the book for what it is: light-hearted entertainment.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Thursday Thirteen
Last night I was thinking about the many things that have changed in my lifetime. Admittedly, that is a number of years - not quite 50 but getting closer - but it seems a very short time when I look back on it. However, the world is certainly a lot different now. I wish I could name a single most important thing that has changed, but I am not sure I can.
1. Attitudes. I think if I were to name a big one, this would be it, although I think the attitudes have been there, just not quite so vocal. I think the thing that strikes me most in the current era as opposed to previous one is how pervasive and all-encompassing the fear seems to be. Everyone is afraid of everything anymore. This loss of courage has manifested itself as a resistance to change and a strong move toward individualism, which has resulted in a great loss of community and connectedness.
2. TV. When I was growing up, I could only watch one channel - ABC. It was all the TV would pick up. Now I have a satellite dish and it has 250 channels on it and nothing to watch.
3. The Internet. I could break this down into 13 things alone - paying bills online, email, online communications, etc. This has been a major change in the way people relate to one another and I personally believe has helped with #1 above. The Internet can promote fear and isolationism. It doesn't have to but it does. On the other hand, the Internet is good for the same reasons - it can be a very helpful tool. This technology has shrunk the world.
4. The loss of independent media. While I know some people think the media is liberal and left-leaning, I believe it is right-leaning and has been for the last 20 years or so. Media is now about profit, not news, and as a result the real stories, the ones that matter and effect change in a society, are not being told. The loss of the media as government watchdog has a direct correlation to all of the corruption in government today. If no one is paying attention, they can do what they want. And our media is not paying attention. Maybe in the long run this will be a good thing, but I don't see how.
5. Computers. This probably goes along with the Internet but actually computers do a lot more than allow Internet access. Computers are great for many daily tasks - organizing schedules, word processing, accounting, playing solitaire. It is being dumbed down to "apps" but a good computer and a strong program can be one of the best tools a business person has, if used properly.
6. On a smaller level, video games came into being in my lifetime. Pong was invented in 1972 and look where we are now - games that encompass entire worlds and take on lives of their own. I am not sure this is a good thing, to be sure - video games are a big issue in psychological circles, where it is recognized as an addiction and lots of playing is symptomatic of other issues. While I am not a psychologist, as a journalist I have heard many of stories of older workers who find young people don't want to work, they only want to play video games, and resent any time spent away from their screens.
7. Changes in way of life from rural to industrial and now to service. Fifty years ago, life was a bit more rural, and there were more farmers. There wasn't an "eat local" movement because stuff was local. But that soon changed and the small farmer lost importance as big business and corporations took over. As with media, when it became all about the money instead of about feeding people and caring for the land, the lifestyle and focus changed. I don't know if this is better or worse, but it has changed.
8. Health care. The days of receiving an aspirin in exchange for a basket of eggs have long been gone, and I'm not sure they even existed in my day. What did exist was health care that actually cared about you and not your wallet. I had a doctor for 20 years who was an old-fashioned fellow who would listen, hold my hand, give me a shot if I needed it, and who generally took good care of me. He spent more than 10 minutes with you and tried to help. I have been hard-pressed to find another since he retired. I think American health care is terrible and have for years. However, there has been some progress, such as ways to save heart attack victims, so I can't degrade the whole process.
9. Pharmaceutical advertising. This used to be against the law, but that changed (must have been too much regulation for some, I guess), and now we're bombarded with ads every day for purple pills and other remedies.
10. Books are still with us, but now we have e-books. I don't have an e-reader yet but I suspect I will in the near future. Books have changed in price - they cost a lot more now - and they have changed in quality, too. For example, my textbook came with the pages uncut on the bottom. Very poor production quality. Many books go to market with typing errors, too. You used to never see this kind of thing but somewhere along the way someone decided that quality didn't matter to the bottom line. The poor quality is definitely not better. I think in the long run I will like e-books, though.
11. Music. To my surprise, my young nephews listen to MY music. They don't seem to have music of their own. At the local ball games, the teams and spectators hear "We will rock you" or some other Queen song over the loudspeakers. Music apparently has evolved into something that the current generation cannot grasp and absorb as its own. Also, there is a loss of connection because no one listens to the same thing anymore. Music helped create community when I was growing up, because we all listened to American Top 40 and heard the same songs. With iPods and CDs and all, no one need listen to the same thing, so music is no longer a major topic of conversation.
12. Cellphones. I can remember talking on a party line when I was a child - we had to wait until other people - the neighbors down the street - were off the phone to use it. Now everyone has their own telephone and can be reached any hour of the day. I confess, I leave mine in the car. I prefer to be reached only when I want to be.
13. Education. I hate to say it, but I think we're not as smart as we used to be. Fewer people are in college and have degrees. I am not sure why this is.
There you go. Thirteen things that have changed in the last five decades.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 187th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
1. Attitudes. I think if I were to name a big one, this would be it, although I think the attitudes have been there, just not quite so vocal. I think the thing that strikes me most in the current era as opposed to previous one is how pervasive and all-encompassing the fear seems to be. Everyone is afraid of everything anymore. This loss of courage has manifested itself as a resistance to change and a strong move toward individualism, which has resulted in a great loss of community and connectedness.
2. TV. When I was growing up, I could only watch one channel - ABC. It was all the TV would pick up. Now I have a satellite dish and it has 250 channels on it and nothing to watch.
3. The Internet. I could break this down into 13 things alone - paying bills online, email, online communications, etc. This has been a major change in the way people relate to one another and I personally believe has helped with #1 above. The Internet can promote fear and isolationism. It doesn't have to but it does. On the other hand, the Internet is good for the same reasons - it can be a very helpful tool. This technology has shrunk the world.
4. The loss of independent media. While I know some people think the media is liberal and left-leaning, I believe it is right-leaning and has been for the last 20 years or so. Media is now about profit, not news, and as a result the real stories, the ones that matter and effect change in a society, are not being told. The loss of the media as government watchdog has a direct correlation to all of the corruption in government today. If no one is paying attention, they can do what they want. And our media is not paying attention. Maybe in the long run this will be a good thing, but I don't see how.
5. Computers. This probably goes along with the Internet but actually computers do a lot more than allow Internet access. Computers are great for many daily tasks - organizing schedules, word processing, accounting, playing solitaire. It is being dumbed down to "apps" but a good computer and a strong program can be one of the best tools a business person has, if used properly.
6. On a smaller level, video games came into being in my lifetime. Pong was invented in 1972 and look where we are now - games that encompass entire worlds and take on lives of their own. I am not sure this is a good thing, to be sure - video games are a big issue in psychological circles, where it is recognized as an addiction and lots of playing is symptomatic of other issues. While I am not a psychologist, as a journalist I have heard many of stories of older workers who find young people don't want to work, they only want to play video games, and resent any time spent away from their screens.
7. Changes in way of life from rural to industrial and now to service. Fifty years ago, life was a bit more rural, and there were more farmers. There wasn't an "eat local" movement because stuff was local. But that soon changed and the small farmer lost importance as big business and corporations took over. As with media, when it became all about the money instead of about feeding people and caring for the land, the lifestyle and focus changed. I don't know if this is better or worse, but it has changed.
8. Health care. The days of receiving an aspirin in exchange for a basket of eggs have long been gone, and I'm not sure they even existed in my day. What did exist was health care that actually cared about you and not your wallet. I had a doctor for 20 years who was an old-fashioned fellow who would listen, hold my hand, give me a shot if I needed it, and who generally took good care of me. He spent more than 10 minutes with you and tried to help. I have been hard-pressed to find another since he retired. I think American health care is terrible and have for years. However, there has been some progress, such as ways to save heart attack victims, so I can't degrade the whole process.
9. Pharmaceutical advertising. This used to be against the law, but that changed (must have been too much regulation for some, I guess), and now we're bombarded with ads every day for purple pills and other remedies.
10. Books are still with us, but now we have e-books. I don't have an e-reader yet but I suspect I will in the near future. Books have changed in price - they cost a lot more now - and they have changed in quality, too. For example, my textbook came with the pages uncut on the bottom. Very poor production quality. Many books go to market with typing errors, too. You used to never see this kind of thing but somewhere along the way someone decided that quality didn't matter to the bottom line. The poor quality is definitely not better. I think in the long run I will like e-books, though.
11. Music. To my surprise, my young nephews listen to MY music. They don't seem to have music of their own. At the local ball games, the teams and spectators hear "We will rock you" or some other Queen song over the loudspeakers. Music apparently has evolved into something that the current generation cannot grasp and absorb as its own. Also, there is a loss of connection because no one listens to the same thing anymore. Music helped create community when I was growing up, because we all listened to American Top 40 and heard the same songs. With iPods and CDs and all, no one need listen to the same thing, so music is no longer a major topic of conversation.
12. Cellphones. I can remember talking on a party line when I was a child - we had to wait until other people - the neighbors down the street - were off the phone to use it. Now everyone has their own telephone and can be reached any hour of the day. I confess, I leave mine in the car. I prefer to be reached only when I want to be.
13. Education. I hate to say it, but I think we're not as smart as we used to be. Fewer people are in college and have degrees. I am not sure why this is.
There you go. Thirteen things that have changed in the last five decades.
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 187th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.
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