Saturday 9: Thinking Out Loud

Saturday 9: Thinking Out Loud (2014)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This week's featured artist, Ed Sheeran, was discovered by Elton John. Tell us your favorite Elton John song.

A. Gosh, I don't know if I can name only one. Candle in the Wind, Your Song, Tiny Dancer, Rocket Man . . . he's had a lot of hits. He was the last singer I saw in concert, and that's been 10 years ago or more.

2) Ed's arms are covered in tattoos, so clearly he doesn't suffer from trypanophobia, or the fear of needles. Do you get nervous when the doctor gives you a shot?

A. Not when I get a shot, but I have tiny, rolling veins and the blood vampires have a terrible time drawing blood or installing an IV. Once it took 10 tries to get an IV in me. I looked like a pincushion.

3) One of his tattoos depicts a Heinz Tomato Ketchup label. What condiments are in your kitchen right now?

A. Heinz Ketchup, which is the only kind my husband will use, French's mustard, Miracle Whip, Duke's Mayonnaise.

4) Spotify named Sheeran the most-streamed artist in the world for 2014. Do you use Spotify? Pandora?

A. I use Pandora. I also listen to the old-fashioned radio stations that still play music around here.

5) Ed celebrated his success by purchasing a farm near Suffolk, England. Would you prefer to live in a rural, suburban or urban area?

A. I live in a rural area and generally like it, but as I age I think I will need to move closer to services. That 45-minute drive to the city gets old.

6) In this song, Ed sings about kissing "under the light of one thousand stars." Were you able to see the stars last night? Or was it it too cloudy or overcast?

A. It was partly cloudy and breezy, so I could occasionally see a twinkle.

7) Ed is a natural red head, a trait he shares with only about 2% of the population. Does red hair run in your family? 

A. No, it does not.

8) One of Clairol's most popular shades is a red (Nice 'n Easy Natural Light Auburn). Have you/would you dye your hair?

A. I highlighted my hair a time or two but I react to the chemicals so I have simply allowed the gray to come on through. I call it a "soft white" gray and it blends in with my lighter brown.

9) Random question: Look at the windows in the room you're in. Are they covered in curtains or blinds?

A. I have a valance with a blind over each window. The valance for the color, the blind because the sun shines straight in one window in the morning and straight in the other in the evening.

Thursday Thirteen

Last week I did bad habits, so I thought this week I'd see if I could come up with 13 "good" habits. I strongly suspect I will find this more difficult.

1. I shower daily. You might think, so what, but if you've ever been around someone who doesn't, then you know this is kind of important.

2. I moisturize. This is important for good skin health. I use a jojoba oil on major body parts. It is odorless and I am allergic to most fragrances.

3. I care about others. I don't have a huge cadre of friends, but I have a fair number, and I worry about them all. I also worry about people I don't know and make donations to worthy causes that I have investigated and found to be helpful to others.

4. I am honest. Of course I am going to tell you that you look good in that horrid puke green, but little white lies like that don't count. Aside from common courtesy like the example above, I am an honest and decent soul.

5. I have a good work ethic. If I say I'm going to do something, 99 percent of the time, it will get done. If it doesn't get done, you can be assured I have had a car breakdown or experienced some other major inconvenience that kept me from doing my work.

6. I am punctual. Being late is not something I find attractive in myself or others. I am usually five minutes early, and will sit in the car listening to an audio book to be right on time.

7. I like learning. I enjoy learning new things and having my brain challenged. Once you stop learning, you might as well stop living, is my motto. So I try to learn something new all the time.

8. I keep a clean house. This has become harder since my health issues but I still try to keep the place as clean as I can. It isn't up to my standards at the moment but it is the best I can do right now.

9. I try to eat healthy foods. Well, aside from chocolate. I have a terrible time with chocolate. But otherwise, I do okay. I don't eat fried foods hardly at all, and I don't indulge in cookies and cakes and such very often. Even so, I am overweight and while I know some of this is caused by a hormone issue, it is still frustrating.

10. I exercise. Right now that too is limited by a health issue, but I am doing my physical therapy exercises and that counts. I need a cane on uneven ground which means walking around the farm is out for the moment, but maybe things will improve. I keep hoping.

11. I kiss and hug my husband. I think touch is something vital to our well-being and in the U.S., people don't get enough of it. We're not a touchy-feely people but I think we need to be. There is healing in the hands of everyone.

12. I am grateful for what I have. I try very hard not to want more than I need and be grateful for all I do have. My health makes me grumble but even so I am still standing upright and not bedridden, so it could be worse. We are not millionaires but we are paying the bills. I am grateful for all that I do have and try to remember to be thankful daily.

13. I respect the environment. I don't litter, I recycle, and I plant things. We practice best methods of farming on the farm, and have worked hard to improve the water quality and run-off issues that come from having cattle on hilly pastures. I also complain about pollution issues and write my legislatures (which is a useless endeavor because most of mine are Republicans but I do it anyway) about the things that concern me.


Not as hard as thought it would be. Had to puzzle out the last few but there you go. It is good to remind myself that I have my good qualities. How about you? What are your good habits?


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 388th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Turkeys in the . . . Front Yard

Turkey Dance

Turkey Tail!

You talkin' to me?

You never listen, anyway.

Turkey love

Turkey Gangsters!

Turkey Strut!

Turkey Indignation.

A Little Yellow

Working the Cows

My husband corralled the cows yesterday so he can "work" them this morning. Working the cows means giving them the shots required by the state in order to sell them and putting tags on them so we can keep track of them. Some will be hauled off to market this morning, as well. That is how it goes on a farm.

I took these shots last night when we stopped by to make sure the animals had plenty of water. I was using my "car camera," which is a Nikon Coolpix S3200 that I picked up for about $50 on a Black Friday sale several years ago. It's a tiny little camera but very handy for having something to take pictures with when my good cameras are at home.

Sunday Stealing: I I I

From Sunday Stealing

The I Meme

I am . . . smarter than the average bear.

I want . . . social and class equality.

I have . . . been resilient in overcoming misfortune.

I wish . . . people would learn to disagree without being hateful, mean, and spiteful.

I hate . . . feeling like I am worthless.

I fear . . . growing old and not accomplishing anything worthwhile.

I hear . . . the ticking of clocks.

I search . . . for answers to questions that have no response.

I wonder . . . if the world really exists, or is merely the figment of some other being's imagination.

I regret . . . not taking better care of my body when I was younger.

I love . . . my husband.

I never . . . expected to end up unable to work at my age.

I ache . . . for the sister I never had.

I always . . . believe in the best in people.

I usually . . . discover that my good intentions fall flat.

I am not . . . the best at reading the needs of others.

I dance . . . when no one is watching, and then I do it badly.

I sing . . . songs from the 1970s.

I sometimes . . . walk into a room and forget what I went in there for.

I cry . . . when I see man's inhumanity to man.

I am not always . . . happy.

I lose . . . my temper, sometimes.

I am confused . . . when people give me mixed signals.

I need . . . a hug!

I should . . . stop saying "I should."

Saturday 9: It's Not Unusual

Saturday 9: It's Not Unusual (1965)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Check here.

1) In this song, Tom sings that "it's not unusual to go out at any time." Will you be "out and about" this weekend?

A. As I write this, I think we will probably go out to dinner once this weekend, and I may make an impromptu run to the market.

2) Before his music career took off, Tom supported himself and his young family by working as a vacuum cleaner salesman. Could the room you're in right now benefit from a thorough cleaning with a vacuum?

A. My whole house could benefit from a thorough cleaning with a vacuum. I live on a farm and dirt accumulates within an hour after dusting.

3) You can purchase a verified Tom Jones autograph on eBay for $299 (or the best offer). When you were growing up, did you collect signatures and sayings from your friends? (Autograph book? Yearbook? Cast?)

A. I seem to recall having some kind of little autograph book when I was around 8 or 9. And I have my yearbooks, which have some signatures and sayings in them, but not many. I was not "Miss Popularity" though the teachers loved me.

4) At the height of his popularity, female fans would throw their panties onstage at Tom Jones. Sam can't imagine doing this, and not just because she's not that crazy about Tom Jones. She'd be embarrassed because her underwear drawer could use a serious refresh. If you could choose one new article of clothing to add to your wardrobe today, what would it be?

 

A. A really nice warm coat. The one I wore this winter fell apart.

5) "Tom Jones" is also the name of character in a famous 18th century novel. Tell us about a character from a book you wish you were friends with in real life.

A. I would like to be friends with Gandalf. He is the wizard in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit. Gandalf is wise and ancient. He has seen a lot of things but yet he has a great sense of humor and knows that he doesn't know everything. He is a humble wizard. I would like to know him and have him come and drink tea with me in my backyard on a warm summer's evening, and hear his tales and legends. Who knows, maybe he'd teach me a little wizardry.

 
6) When this song was popular in March 1965, Sarah Jessica Parker of Sex and the City fame was born. Do you share your birthday with anyone famous?

A. Frank Lloyd Wright.

7) Also in 1965, when this song was a hit, Americans were riveted by the Gemini space program and children all over the country wanted to be astronauts. Think back to your childhood: When you were in first or second grade, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A. At various times I wanted to be an archeologist or a geologist. At one point, my career goal was to grow up and fly or sail across the Bermuda Triangle until I disappeared so I could solve the mystery. Writing, however, has always been my main career goal. I told my mother when I was about 10 that I would grow up to write for the local newspaper, and so I did. I also wanted to write Nancy Drew novels or something similar, and be a hack like Carolyn Keene, but that has yet to happen. I have never really wanted to write the Great American Novel but I do feel like people expect me to write the Great American Novel. It's a lot of pressure, particularly when all you really want to do is make a living telling stories, somehow or another. I'd still like to be a hack. Anybody know how you go about being a lucrative fiction hack?

8) Fifty years ago, the most popular headache reliever was aspirin, and you could buy a bottle of 200 tablets for just $1. Do you have any aspirin in your medicine chest right now?

A. I keep a bottle of aspirin in my bedside dresser expressly for heart attack emergencies. I buy a fresh bottle once a year or so. Otherwise, we take acetaminophen.

9) Random question: You've just entered a public restroom. Would you rather find a paper towel dispenser or hot air hand dryer?

A. Paper towel dispenser, along with a trash can for disposal. I used to think hot air hand dryers were better until I read a study that said they harbored tons of germs.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

My grandmother on my father's side turns 95 years old today. She lives in California

This is, I think, a picture my father took of her yesterday. I swiped it from my brother's Facebook page.

This picture was taken I think 5 years ago, when she turned 90. I think she looks younger at 95!

My grandmother grew up in West Virginia and married when she was very young (still in her teens). She had four children, two of whom have already passed on. I honestly don't know how many grandchildren and great grandchildren she has. She may even have great-great grandchildren.

She and my grandfather, along with my father's two brothers and his sister, moved to California when I was six months old. I have only been to California once to see them, and that was when I was 12. When my grandfather was alive, they traveled back here several times. However, I have not seen my grandmother in person since about 1989, so I am sorry to say I don't know her as well as I would have liked, nor do I know all of my cousins.

My grandmother and I used to talk on the phone frequently, until she lost her hearing; now I send her cards and notes, though I never know if she gets them or if someone reads them to her at the nursing home. I hope so.

Anyway, I hope she has a special day. Not everyone reaches the age of 95.

Thursday Thirteen - Bad Habits

We all have them - bad habits. They're the crazy things we do that we know we shouldn't, but it seems we can't stop. I started wondering if I had 13 bad habits, so let's see what I can name:

1. Nail biting. Yep. I have chewed those suckers ever since I was a wee lass. Nowadays I keep them clipped close and try not to bite them but let me get a little hang nail and see how fast that fingernail finds my teeth. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to break this habit.

2. Overeating. I'm a stress eater, and I tend to reach for something when I am alone and feeling bored. Give me a great article to work on and a deadline, and I can work all day without thinking about eating, but on days when the things to do are boring and unappealing, then the 'tater chips beckon.

3. Procrastination. I think sometimes I am the Queen of Procrastinators. I have a long list of things I should be doing but I don't do them. Mostly I don't write on long projects that I think I should be doing, but don't.

4. Avoidance. I prefer not to engage in angry anythings, including arguments, fistfights, or yelling of any kind. I stay away from difficult topics not because I don't have an opinion but because I don't want to have to stand up for myself. I mean, isn't it enough that I exist? Why should I have to defend what I think, too?

5. Playing video games. This probably falls under the procrastination and avoidance umbrellas, but I also really enjoy video games. I am particularly prone to play games that have puzzles to solve. Quests also intrigue me. However, I have been known to put the video game first and the housework second.

6. Not exercising. I have always been sedentary. Even in elementary school, I seldom made the straight "A" honor roll because I always received a "B" in gym. These days my exercise is physical therapy whilst we try to straighten out my issues from my 2013 surgery - going on two years now. I am doing better with the exercising at the moment. I hope it's not a phase.

7. Cursing. Yep. I have a foul mouth. I come by it honestly - both of my parents, at least when I was growing up, tended to curse like sailors. My mother in particular could let loose a string of words that would make the Pope run and hide. I try very hard to control this but let me get a little angry or worked up and the words roll out like a wave in a hurricane.

8. Sniffling. I am afraid I do this more than I care to admit, and maybe more than I realize. I have horrible allergies and while I keep tissues with me at all times, it seems there is an uncontrollable urge to sniff the stuff back up. This is especially true when I'm driving or both of my hands are otherwise occupied (such as typing).

9. Checking the curling iron. This probably is a bit of an obsessive compulsive behavior, but I always have to come back in the house and make sure I've turned off the curling iron. I do this even though I have a curling iron that turns itself off! Sometimes I have driven a mile away before I turn around and come back to check. It is always unplugged.

10. Buying (and eating) chocolate. I go to the store with no intention of buying chocolate, but it ends up in the basket anyway. It's like a magic beast follows me around and slips it into the cart.

11. Trying to be perfect. This is another lifelong issue. I have tried all of my life to be the perfect daughter, the perfect sister, the perfect student, the perfect wife, the perfect employee - you name it, and I've tried to be perfect at it. I hope I am getting over this one, because obviously I am not perfect, and the idea of "perfect" is subjective, anyway. Still, perfectionism often leads me down the path to procrastination. I can't mess it up if I don't do it to start with.

12. Negative self talk. I can cut myself to pieces in a heartbeat without even thinking about. My inner voice fusses at me constantly. "Why haven't you done the dishes? So what if you're in pain? Get up and do it?" And yes, there are curse words in there.

13. Taking too long to make a decision. I can think about something until the issue has past, if I am not careful. I listen to all sides, weigh the consequences. It's like when I play solitaire on the computer, I sit and figure out the moves to seven or eight places before I decide if I should move a card. I win most of the games but my deliberation is a sight to see.

How about you? What are your bad habits?


Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 387th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Sunshine Week

This is Sunshine Week, which a period when newspapers and other media point out that open government is good government.

Unfortunately, in spite of the internet and what seems to be an overflow of information, we really live in a time of great secrecy when it comes to how individuals and groups deal with public funds. I see it at the local, state, and federal levels. Monies change hands and the public remains unaware.

As newspapers in particular have fallen by the wayside, with few readers and fewer reporters, local governments in particular have no watchdog to keep them on their toes. No one is attending the local council meetings at towns, for instance, where hundreds of thousands of dollars are being used for . . . whatever. Hopefully for the public good, but without someone to pay attention, how does anyone know?

One nearby town in recent years learned that a trusted employee had embezzled a great deal of money. That's a singular example, but how does anyone know that someone isn't writing a check for $200 for a tire but actually pocketing $50 of it? Without oversight and accountability, the public doesn't know.

And then there are plans and improvements and other uses that the public rarely or barely has a say in. Maybe you don't want a statue in the courthouse yard, but suddenly there it is. Or maybe you want more money for the library, but instead you find that there are no new books being purchased for the year because money has been diverted to sports or something.

Newspapers in the old days (which makes me sound old, good grief), were considered "the fourth estate." Newspapers held significant power to point out and advocate for change. The local newspaper was the "paper of record" and supposedly everything of importance was recorded in the paper. The local reporters kept an eye on things, questioned what was going on, and raised a ruckus when something didn't look right.

I have always been a strong advocate of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) laws, and have had to use those laws at various times. In one county I covered (not where I live and work now), the FOIA became a vital resource for citizens as a school board went amuck with public funding. So too when a local official used public funds to keep her house from foreclosure.

Little by little, though, the legislatures at the state and federal levels are chipping away at the public's right to know. Virginia's FOIA has a lot of exceptions that allow local and state officials to go into "closed" meetings, where the public has no idea what is discussed. It takes a level of trust to keep from wondering if they really do "discuss only what we went into the meeting to discuss" during those talks behind closed doors.

I, for one, never trust a politician, so I always take those promises with a shrug. I have no way to disprove their word, though later events might make me question when, exactly, did they talk about thus and such. By then, though, the deeds are done and it is too late.

If you believe the public has a right to know, I urge you to become familiar with your state's FOIA laws. You can learn more about Virginia's FOIA by visiting the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council website.

Ask your local representatives to abide by existing FOIA laws, and urge them to always consider open government to be a good thing. Remember, nothing absolutely has to be discussed in closed session. That is a choice your elected officials make.

Sunday Stealing: One Thing

From Sunday Stealing

The One Thing Meme

One Thing . . .
 
 that makes you smile:

A.  My husband coming in the door after work.

 that makes you cry:

A. The part near the end of Return of the King when Aragon bows down to the Hobbits and says, "My friends, you bow to no one," and everyone else bows before the Hobbits, too. You can see a clip of it here (I can't even watch the little clip without tearing up!)
 
 that you love to do on the weekends:

A. Go out to dinner with my husband.
 
 that you do for only yourself:

A. Have my hair cut.
 
 that you have in your underwear drawer that's NOT underwear:

A. That's all that is in my underwear drawer. Sorry.
 
 that you do before going to sleep:

A. Turn out the light beside the bed.
 
 that you do within the first 15 minutes after waking:

A. Take medication.
 
 that's in your purse:

A. Tissues.
 
 that you actually LIKE to clean:

A. I don't mind doing the laundry.
 
 that you DETEST cleaning:

A. The toilets.
 
 that other people would find odd about you:

A. I'm a little nerdy and very much into Lord of the Rings.
 
 that you would buy if I handed you a $100 bill:

A. Dinner for me and three other people.
 
 that you feel you HAVE to do before you die:

A. Clear some clutter out of the house.

Saturday 9: Mysterious Ways

Saturday 9: Mysterious Ways (1991)Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In honor of St. Patrick's Day (this coming Tuesday), we're featuring one of Ireland's most successful exports, U2. What else is Ireland famous for?

A. Potato famines, leprechauns, druids, and lack of snakes.

2) The Dublin studio where U2 recorded this song (and all of Achtung, Baby) is now a music store called Claddagh Records. U2 pilgrims from all over the world travel to the spot (Celia Street, Dublin 2). If we were to visit your neighborhood, are there any landmarks you could direct us to?

A. Santillane in Fincastle is an old antebellum home where Judith Hancock, who married William Clark, lived. The Judith River in Montana, discovered (by white men) and named during the Corps of Discovery Expedition, bears her legacy. Fincastle itself is worthy of a tour. The town was established in 1772 and has quite a few 1800-era structures remaining.

3) Lead singer Bono is rarely seen without his trademark sunglasses because he suffers from glaucoma. How is your vision? 20/20?

A. I wish. I've been told one of my eyes has reached its peak as far as correction with lenses goes. I wear progressive lenses now and my declining vision has affected my reading for about the last seven years. I don't read as much as I once did simply because I have to strain more to see and my eyes dry out and tire.

4) Bono and wife Alison were married in 1982 and are still together today. Who is the longest-married couple you know?

A. There are some 50+ year marriages on my Facebook page, but at the moment I would give that honor to Faye and Porter Caldwell (not knowing how long anyone else has been married.) They were married in 1958, which is longer than I have been alive. They are interesting folks who set their own path and who are well known in the community. In the past, they did arts and crafts and Porter's copper work is on display and for sale in Colonial Williamsburg.

5) When Bono inducted Frank Sinatra into the Grammy Hall of Fame, he applauded the older man's "swagger." Do you think you have swagger?

A. Nope. I have a droop.

6) Bono has been honored by world leaders, including President Obama and Nelson Mandela and the Pope, for his philanthropy. Here's your turn to brag: tell us something you have received praise for recently.

A. My physical therapist said "That's good, Anita" when I didn't fall over when she pushed me really hard while I was standing on some bouncy foam. I also recently had a photo of the moon on TV, and the pictures received a lot of thumbs up on Facebook. And my editor said, "well done" regarding the picture, too.

7) Clearly Bono is the most famous member of U2. Who else is in the band?

A. I have absolutely no idea. I have never been a big U2 fan.

8) On St. Patrick's Day, will you wear green?

A. If I remember, but it is not important to me that I do, even though I am Irish in heritage.

9) Will you enjoy a glass of green beer or maybe a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's?

A. Nope. I do plan to eat Chinese with a friend that day, though. Maybe I'll eat some salad. That would be green.

Thursday Thirteen

Over the years, I have frequently experienced what some may call "writer's block." I never call it that; instead I refer to it as procrastination. I think for some it is fear, either of the process itself, or potential success or failure.

I have tried many different ways to stop my procrastination. Some of them work for a while. Nothing has been perfect and I am still trying to find ways to force myself to do the thing that I most want to do. Sometimes it feels like drowning even though I know how to swim.

Anyway, here are 13 ways to over come procrastination (or writer's block, if you prefer).

1. Do a notebook dump. This is most useful when you're writing nonfiction and have taken notes by hand. Typing up the notes from an interview or meeting usually will lend itself to a beginning paragraph. Generally, I never get all of my notes typed because I switch over to the writing process and begin the work.

2. Read a passage from another book and then take that to start your work. Using someone else's writing to get started is fine, so long as you go back eventually and change it. No plagiarizing in final drafts, please.

3. Write in a journal. Sometimes when I am stuck on a piece of writing, I write about the process of writing. Why might this particular part of a project be holding me up? What would make the story stronger?

4. Take a walk. While this sounds very much like procrastinating, and I suppose it is, sometimes you need to stop worrying over what you're writing and give your mind a break. A little exercise can do wonders for the thought process.

5. Perform your little rituals before you sit down. I know some writers have to have a clean space, or pencils lined up in a row, or their favorite T-shirt on. Whatever it is that brings your muse to you, make sure you have it ready.

6. Turn off all distractions, including the Internet. You don't need to look at Facebook every hour nor do you need to know when your email comes in. If necessary, go buy a typewriter. Yes, I am talking old school! Or use a piece of paper and a pen.

7. Read the newspaper and write a piece of fiction about whatever news item catches your attention.

8. Take a shower. Some of my best ideas come to me in the shower, I have no idea why. Maybe your ideas come to you when you vacuum or do the dishes. Again, spur on that muse.

9. Write in a different genre. If you're writing a mystery, try a little fantasy. If you're working on nonfiction, try some poetry.

10. Do something creative that doesn't involve writing. Maybe painting or photography is your thing. Do you play guitar? Blow the trumpet? Step away from the keyboard and see if playing a little Dylan will free up a few brain cells.

11. Look at photographs or painted pictures and write about what you see. How does the picture make you feel? What would it make your character feel?

12. Don't finish the sentence before you stop for the next day. This works well for me if I'm working on a long piece. I leave the sentence half written, and then I absolutely have to finish it the next time I sit down to work. And that is often enough to get me started on the next line or paragraph, and then I'm off into the story.

13. Create an outline. Outlines can be helpful because, like a notebook dump, they give you something to work with besides the images in your brain. You already have words on the paper.

And here's an extra:

Dictate your story. I recently bought a digital tape recorder and started using it to talk to myself when things cross my mind about stories. Then I go back and listen, take notes on anything good or interesting, and ditch the file.

Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 386th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Whistling Cardinal

I was disappointed in these photos of a cardinal I took around 8:30 a.m. this morning. He was whistling to beat the band and I set up the tripod and used the digital zoom. However, I think the light was not right as none of the pictures turned out as well as I thought they might when I downloaded them.

Birds are hard to photograph and my Nikon needs a lot of light for their constant movements.

Question 10

One of my favorite old books is called The Book of Questions, by Gregory Stock, Ph.D. My version is copyright 1985. I see on Amazon that it has been revised and updated as of 2013, and is available for Kindle.

The book is what the title claims. It offers up 200 philosophical and moral questions. One could simply answer "yes" or "no" to many of the queries, but the idea is to think about it and explain the answer.

Since today is the 10th day of March, I thought I'd open the book up to question 10. Given that Sunday was International Women's Day, this seems an appropriate sort of question:

Q. Which sex do you think has it easier in our culture? Have you ever wished you were a member of the opposite sex?

My answer to this question would be that males, specifically white males, have it easier in our culture. This is because white males dominate the political landscape and we are a patriarchal culture and have been for thousands of years.

A patriarchal culture is one in which males hold the power: they are heads of household, leaders of groups, leaders in government, bosses in the workplace. To me this is clearly the case in most segments of U.S. society. Women do not have equality here. (Yes, I am a feminist; I believe this is wrong and should be changed.)

Most studies show that women are paid 77 cents for every dollar a man earns when performing the same work. This is often "explained away" as necessary because women require more leave to care for family obligations, to have children, etc. However, even a single woman who has no children or other family to tend to earns less than a male doing the same job. Of course there are always exceptions, but they are not the rule.

This wage gap means that women, on average, earn the median yearly pay for women who are employed full time is $11,084 less than men doing the same work. That's a lot of cash to lose simply because you are female.

Discrimination against women still exists. I've experienced it myself many times. These days I find it most strongly in health care, where male doctors simply look at me and want to prescribe Valium simply because I'm a woman. How dare I take up their valuable time? I have no doubt that if my husband presented with a similar problem, he'd received a great deal more attention and had more testing.

Regarding the second part of the question, I don't recall ever wanting to be a man as an adult. I'm sure as a young girl that I probably did. It was obvious to me from an early age that I was considered inferior by some of the males in my life simply because I had to sit down to pee. I am sure that led to some youthful magical thinking.

I have mostly been happy as a woman. I think my career has suffered from my gender, unfortunately, because a lot of my health problems have been related to my female plumbing. But perhaps had I been born a male, I'd have had different health issues. Some people are simply sickly.

I do think, though, that women are dismissed and short-changed in many industries in this country. When women are seen as people, and not as "something less-than," I will consider us equals.

Undoubtedly, that will not happen in my lifetime.