Sunday Stealing
1. When was the last time you tried something new?
A. Yesterday. I learned how to use the spreadsheet program available with google.
2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?
A. Nancy Drew
3. What’s the most sensible thing you’ve ever heard someone say?
A. We all end up dead anyway.
4. What gets you excited about life?
A. Goals, projects, having my husband at home.
5. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?
A. All of them.
6. What do you wish you spent more time doing five years ago?
A. Well, it was more like six years ago now, but I wish I had listened to myself and not the doctors and tried to cure my gallbladder issues with diet, acupuncture, etc. before agreeing so readily to surgery.
7. Do you ask enough questions or do you settle for what you know?
A. I ask a LOT of questions.
8. Who do you love and what are you doing about it?
A. I love my husband. I do his laundry.
9. What’s a belief that you hold with which many people disagree?
A. That unregulated capitalism is evil. Note the adjective.
10. What can you do today that you were not capable of a year ago?
A. I can move around better.
11. Do you think crying is a sign of weakness or strength?
A. I think it is a sign of an upset person (or maybe a really happy one). It doesn't have anything to do with weakness or strength.
12. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
A. If I had the money, I'd go on and get my Ph.D. even though I'd in my 60s by the time I finished it.
13. Do you celebrate the things you do have?
A. I don't take them out for walks or anything, but I appreciate that I am more fortunate than some.
14. What is the difference between living and existing?
A. Living is understanding that you are part of the greater world around you, and that your place in it, miniscule though it may be, is special. Existing is just going through the motions.
15. If not now, then when?
A. When somebody makes a question #15 that makes sense.
16. Have you done anything lately worth remembering?
A. Yes, I have. I've been a good citizen.
17. What does your joy look like today?
A. It looks like blue skies and slightly greening grass.
18. Is it possible to lie without saying a word?
A. Of course.
19. If you had a friend who spoke to you in the same way that you sometimes speak to yourself, how long would you allow this person to be your friend?
A. Depends on how much I thought the person needed me.
20. Which activities make you lose track of time?
A. Writing, reading, video games, playing music.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them.
Sunday, March 24, 2019
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Saturday 9: Young and Beautiful
Saturday 9: Young and Beautiful (2013)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Lana Del Rey wrote this song for the soundtrack of The Great Gatsby. She wanted it to reflect the feelings of Daisy Buchanan. Have you read The Great Gatsby?
A. I read it in high school. I don't remember much about it, to be honest. I am thinking of going back and rereading the classics.
2) In the 1970s, Robert Redford portrayed Jay Gatsby. In the 2013 version, Leonardo di Caprio played the part. In real life, both "Gatsbys" have helped raised funds for the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). Are you careful about recycling and conserving water/electricity?
A. I recycle and I turn off the lights.
3) Lana Del Rey admits that she dropped out of college because she simply could not get the required math credits. When confronted with basic addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, do you do it in your head? Reach for pencil and paper? Or do you take advantage of the calculator that's on your desktop or phone?
A. These days I ask Alexa. Before that, though, I used a calculator or pencil and paper if I couldn't do it in my head. I can do most basic math in my head, though.
4) She enjoys Kurt Cobain, Eminem, Elvis and Sinatra. Which of those four gentlemen did you listen to most recently?
A. None of them.
5) Speaking of Sinatras, she has described her high maintenance look -- big hair, long nails, elaborate eye makeup, full lips -- as "Gangster Nancy Sinatra." How long does it take you, on an average day, to prepare to face the world?
A. If you mean showering, dressing, putting on makeup - about 45 minutes. If you mean the time it takes for me to wake up, have my medication kick in, and all of that - longer.
6) She's a big soccer fan, and her favorite team is Liverpool FC. Here in the US, college basketball fans are currently obsessed with March Madness. What's the last sporting event that you watched?
A. I watched a little basketball the other night.
7) Her younger sister, Caroline, studied photography and is responsible for some of Lana's publicity pictures. Have you ever gotten a job because of a relative?
A. Yes, when I was younger.
8) In 2013, when this song came out, Pope Francis became the first pope from a Latin American country. Latin America generally includes Mexico, most of Central and South America, and in the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. What's the farthest south that you've ever traveled?
A. Florida.
9) Random question -- What button would you prefer your life to have: rewind, fast forward or a pause?
A. I'd like a rewind and then a pause, please.
___________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Lana Del Rey wrote this song for the soundtrack of The Great Gatsby. She wanted it to reflect the feelings of Daisy Buchanan. Have you read The Great Gatsby?
A. I read it in high school. I don't remember much about it, to be honest. I am thinking of going back and rereading the classics.
2) In the 1970s, Robert Redford portrayed Jay Gatsby. In the 2013 version, Leonardo di Caprio played the part. In real life, both "Gatsbys" have helped raised funds for the NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council). Are you careful about recycling and conserving water/electricity?
A. I recycle and I turn off the lights.
3) Lana Del Rey admits that she dropped out of college because she simply could not get the required math credits. When confronted with basic addition, subtraction, multiplication or division, do you do it in your head? Reach for pencil and paper? Or do you take advantage of the calculator that's on your desktop or phone?
A. These days I ask Alexa. Before that, though, I used a calculator or pencil and paper if I couldn't do it in my head. I can do most basic math in my head, though.
4) She enjoys Kurt Cobain, Eminem, Elvis and Sinatra. Which of those four gentlemen did you listen to most recently?
A. None of them.
5) Speaking of Sinatras, she has described her high maintenance look -- big hair, long nails, elaborate eye makeup, full lips -- as "Gangster Nancy Sinatra." How long does it take you, on an average day, to prepare to face the world?
A. If you mean showering, dressing, putting on makeup - about 45 minutes. If you mean the time it takes for me to wake up, have my medication kick in, and all of that - longer.
6) She's a big soccer fan, and her favorite team is Liverpool FC. Here in the US, college basketball fans are currently obsessed with March Madness. What's the last sporting event that you watched?
A. I watched a little basketball the other night.
7) Her younger sister, Caroline, studied photography and is responsible for some of Lana's publicity pictures. Have you ever gotten a job because of a relative?
A. Yes, when I was younger.
8) In 2013, when this song came out, Pope Francis became the first pope from a Latin American country. Latin America generally includes Mexico, most of Central and South America, and in the Caribbean, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. What's the farthest south that you've ever traveled?
A. Florida.
9) Random question -- What button would you prefer your life to have: rewind, fast forward or a pause?
A. I'd like a rewind and then a pause, please.
___________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Friday, March 22, 2019
Yard Flowers
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| No clue what this is. I consider it a weed. After it's bloomed, it sends out spikes when you touch it. |
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| Who doesn't love a daffodil? |
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| Not sure what this is, either. Maybe a bluet. |
Thursday, March 21, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
I read Facebook more than I post on it. I have to stop myself from responding most days. It is better to simply move on than engage.
But that doesn't mean I can't respond here, in my spot that's a bit more of my own.
1. On the post where VA Governor Northam signs a bill knocking off the tax off of feminine hygiene products, a man asks who doesn't have access to feminine hygiene products and who can't pay for them? Answer: poor women who have to choose between feeding their kids, or medication, or whatever, and using tampons or folding up a washcloth and hoping nothing bad happens. Until you've had the embarrassment of having blood-soaked pants or having menstrual blood flow down your leg, you, mister, have no say in this matter.
2. To the 1,000+ commenters on a story about vandalism at a Jewish cemetery: have some respect for the dead. Arguing over whether or not the vandalism can be laid at #45s feet because it is "anti-sematic" overlooks the fact that it is vandalism, pure and simple, and a total disrespect for humanity.
3. To the male commenters denying that the first female winner of the Nobel Prize in Math is actually a woman - what the hell is wrong with you? Are you so insecure that you can't see a woman winning a math prize? Are you that arrogant and so sure of yourselves? Did your mother not teach you that being a judgmental asshole is a sure sign of insecurity and a small penis?
4. To the sarcastic and on-the-spot commenters on a story about the New Zealand ban on semi-automatic assault rifles following a horrible mass shooters - the ones who wonder why that government didn't just offer up "thoughts and prayers" and move on: bravo to you.
5. To the people who think it's perfectly fine to be disrespectful at Auschwitz: How quickly we forget. Reverence is necessary. Thinking is mandatory. Figure it out.
6. Bravo to San Francisco for banning the sale of plastic bottles, although I am the first to raise my hand and say I use them. I recycle them, though. I don't send them to the landfill.
7. On the story about Virginia now having less smokers than the national average: it's about damn time.
8. Applause to this quote:
I am highly amused that this came up as I am offering my own opinion on issues. The irony is not lost on me.
9. To the people questioning if Arkansas will also offer courses on the Quran, the Torah, or other religions if requested after Arkansas passed a bill allowing public schools to teach Christianity: thank you for remembering that we are not a singular religious nation and that we are multi-faceted and separate of church and state serves a real purpose. It's not just a line. To the ones applauding the decision: think!
10. To the people laughing at a study that says Congress would be better if they had pay raises - applause. To the ones saying what we need is an entirely new Congress: agreed!
11. And … once again I'm out of time. I really need to stop waiting until Thursday morning to do this.
12. So I am off because I have an appointment.
13. But there's a list of 13 here. It's just a little incomplete.
----------------------------
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 596th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
But that doesn't mean I can't respond here, in my spot that's a bit more of my own.
1. On the post where VA Governor Northam signs a bill knocking off the tax off of feminine hygiene products, a man asks who doesn't have access to feminine hygiene products and who can't pay for them? Answer: poor women who have to choose between feeding their kids, or medication, or whatever, and using tampons or folding up a washcloth and hoping nothing bad happens. Until you've had the embarrassment of having blood-soaked pants or having menstrual blood flow down your leg, you, mister, have no say in this matter.
2. To the 1,000+ commenters on a story about vandalism at a Jewish cemetery: have some respect for the dead. Arguing over whether or not the vandalism can be laid at #45s feet because it is "anti-sematic" overlooks the fact that it is vandalism, pure and simple, and a total disrespect for humanity.
3. To the male commenters denying that the first female winner of the Nobel Prize in Math is actually a woman - what the hell is wrong with you? Are you so insecure that you can't see a woman winning a math prize? Are you that arrogant and so sure of yourselves? Did your mother not teach you that being a judgmental asshole is a sure sign of insecurity and a small penis?
4. To the sarcastic and on-the-spot commenters on a story about the New Zealand ban on semi-automatic assault rifles following a horrible mass shooters - the ones who wonder why that government didn't just offer up "thoughts and prayers" and move on: bravo to you.
5. To the people who think it's perfectly fine to be disrespectful at Auschwitz: How quickly we forget. Reverence is necessary. Thinking is mandatory. Figure it out.
6. Bravo to San Francisco for banning the sale of plastic bottles, although I am the first to raise my hand and say I use them. I recycle them, though. I don't send them to the landfill.
7. On the story about Virginia now having less smokers than the national average: it's about damn time.
8. Applause to this quote:
I am highly amused that this came up as I am offering my own opinion on issues. The irony is not lost on me.
9. To the people questioning if Arkansas will also offer courses on the Quran, the Torah, or other religions if requested after Arkansas passed a bill allowing public schools to teach Christianity: thank you for remembering that we are not a singular religious nation and that we are multi-faceted and separate of church and state serves a real purpose. It's not just a line. To the ones applauding the decision: think!
10. To the people laughing at a study that says Congress would be better if they had pay raises - applause. To the ones saying what we need is an entirely new Congress: agreed!
11. And … once again I'm out of time. I really need to stop waiting until Thursday morning to do this.
12. So I am off because I have an appointment.
13. But there's a list of 13 here. It's just a little incomplete.
----------------------------
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 596th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Monday, March 18, 2019
What the #$@# is an ASP.NET?
Last night my computer suddenly went bonkers on me, and reverted itself back to the tiled desktop of Windows 8.1.
My computer updated on March 13, so I assume it had something to do with the update, but I'm not sure.
At any rate, I realized my computer was showing a new account called ASP.NET machine account. Ever heard of that?
Me neither.
Apparently this is some kind of developer thing that has shown up as a problem for folks since Windows XP. Yep, that far back, and apparently Windows still has issues with it.
Really, Microsoft?
This is what Microsoft says about it: "ASP.NET Machine Account is created when the 1.1 is installed onto a Windows machine."
I don't know what the 1.1 is, nor do I know how to install it or uninstall it. I don't even know what that sentence means.
After snooping around and looking at various responses to other concerns about this issue, I decided first to try removing the account in my settings. That didn't help.
I rebooted a couple of times. That didn't help either.
The instructions to fix this issue talks about going into the REGSTRY to make changes. I am not big on doing that, though I have.
One thing I do that many people do not do is I set a restore point every time Microsoft tells me it is going to update my computer. I learn that the update is on its way either by a message from Microsoft that says "Hi, we have an update for you that will take place at such-and-such a time" or by noticing when I go to shut down my computer that it says "Update and shut down." There is no option not to accept an update from Microsoft anymore.
What I do when an update is imminent is this: I go into the control panel and create a restore point. You can figure out how to do this by typing "create restore point" in Cortana if you're using Windows 10. It is easier on older operating systems like Windows 7. I honestly don't know if all Windows 10 users can create a restore point or if I can do it because I upgraded from Windows 8.1.
Anyway, since I had a restore point from March 13, I simply went back to that to restore the system, and when it finished sometime around 2 a.m. this morning (when I woke up and checked), things looked normal. I shut the computer down and when I woke the first thing I did was double check my backups on documents and photos.
This thing of downloading updates just to update is getting old. I have made peace with Windows 10 after its second or third upgrade made it more stable, but it remains a source of aggravation. I don't need development codes or things to code or whatever. I just use software on the computer like most people and do my writing on it. This kind of update should be optional for us normal folks who don't care to be developmental IT engineers.
My computer updated on March 13, so I assume it had something to do with the update, but I'm not sure.
At any rate, I realized my computer was showing a new account called ASP.NET machine account. Ever heard of that?
Me neither.
Apparently this is some kind of developer thing that has shown up as a problem for folks since Windows XP. Yep, that far back, and apparently Windows still has issues with it.
Really, Microsoft?
This is what Microsoft says about it: "ASP.NET Machine Account is created when the 1.1 is installed onto a Windows machine."
I don't know what the 1.1 is, nor do I know how to install it or uninstall it. I don't even know what that sentence means.
After snooping around and looking at various responses to other concerns about this issue, I decided first to try removing the account in my settings. That didn't help.
I rebooted a couple of times. That didn't help either.
The instructions to fix this issue talks about going into the REGSTRY to make changes. I am not big on doing that, though I have.
One thing I do that many people do not do is I set a restore point every time Microsoft tells me it is going to update my computer. I learn that the update is on its way either by a message from Microsoft that says "Hi, we have an update for you that will take place at such-and-such a time" or by noticing when I go to shut down my computer that it says "Update and shut down." There is no option not to accept an update from Microsoft anymore.
What I do when an update is imminent is this: I go into the control panel and create a restore point. You can figure out how to do this by typing "create restore point" in Cortana if you're using Windows 10. It is easier on older operating systems like Windows 7. I honestly don't know if all Windows 10 users can create a restore point or if I can do it because I upgraded from Windows 8.1.
Anyway, since I had a restore point from March 13, I simply went back to that to restore the system, and when it finished sometime around 2 a.m. this morning (when I woke up and checked), things looked normal. I shut the computer down and when I woke the first thing I did was double check my backups on documents and photos.
This thing of downloading updates just to update is getting old. I have made peace with Windows 10 after its second or third upgrade made it more stable, but it remains a source of aggravation. I don't need development codes or things to code or whatever. I just use software on the computer like most people and do my writing on it. This kind of update should be optional for us normal folks who don't care to be developmental IT engineers.
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Sunday Stealing: Cookies!
Sunday Stealing
1. Do you eat Oreos?
A. Not often. I can't recall the last time I had any.
2. If you eat Oreos, which are your favorite – original, double stuff, golden original, golden double stuff, Oreo brownies, Oreo ice cream?
A. I would guess the double stuff, since that is what I like about an Oreo.
3. Do you twist your Oreos apart?
A. Yes, and then I eat the inside and throw away the rest.
4. Are you able to pass by a plate of cookies and not take one or are you a bit of a 'Cookie Monster'?
A. I can pass, usually.
5. Tell us about your favorite cookie. Crunchy, soft, chewy, crumbly, other?
A. Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie is my favorite, slightly chewy, a little crumbly and uncommonly good.
6. Have your tastes changed since you were a kid?
A. Apparently I still have the palate of a five year old child.
7. Enquiring minds want to know if you are a dunker and, if so, do you dunk in milk, coffee, or tea?
A. Not a dunker.
8. It is that time of year and they are selling them on every corner and in front of every store! Do you buy Girl Scout cookies and if you do, which is your favorite?
A. I do not generally buy them. No one ever offers to sell me any.
9. Raw cookie dough. Yay or Nay?
A. Yay, if I'm making it myself. I don't (generally) eat the raw cookie dough that is from the store.
10. Do you like cookies with filling?
A. So long as someone else has made them, yes.
11. Do you prefer organic cookies?
A. I have no preference, although I can't say I've actually eaten an "organic" cookie that tastes good.
12. Large cookies, or small cookies?
A. Small cookies.
13. Do you like familiar flavours in cookies?
A. Yes.
14. Do you make your own cookies, or buy them?
A. Both.
15. Please tell us something random about your week!!
A. Monday I had a meeting with local officials because I was unhappy with the way they were conducting the public's business. I was pleasantly surprised when they took my concerns seriously. We had a 45-minute discussion about various issues relating to FOIA and the wording of motions and closed-session meeting requirements, and in addressing my concerns I have been assured there will be a few policy changes and the officials will be more cognizant of how the public perceives what they do and when and why they do it. It was very stressful and quite difficult to speak out even though I've done it before when I was a news reporter. This time I had no news media standing behind me; it was just me, a citizen. It is hard to speak out against the system and I know why people simply go along and allow things to happen, because it is hard to say something. Sometimes, though, one must examine the conscious and take action. I could not in good conscious not say anything about issues that I felt were, if not actually a violation of the law, at least actions that looked suspect. I want my county government to be a bright shining star of virtuous governmental goodness amongst the stench that surrounds us at the state and federal level, and that will only happen when people such as myself raise their hands and speak up if they have concerns. It's part of being a good citizen and being an adult.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them. (#275)
1. Do you eat Oreos?
A. Not often. I can't recall the last time I had any.
2. If you eat Oreos, which are your favorite – original, double stuff, golden original, golden double stuff, Oreo brownies, Oreo ice cream?
A. I would guess the double stuff, since that is what I like about an Oreo.
3. Do you twist your Oreos apart?
A. Yes, and then I eat the inside and throw away the rest.
4. Are you able to pass by a plate of cookies and not take one or are you a bit of a 'Cookie Monster'?
A. I can pass, usually.
5. Tell us about your favorite cookie. Crunchy, soft, chewy, crumbly, other?
A. Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip cookie is my favorite, slightly chewy, a little crumbly and uncommonly good.
6. Have your tastes changed since you were a kid?
A. Apparently I still have the palate of a five year old child.
7. Enquiring minds want to know if you are a dunker and, if so, do you dunk in milk, coffee, or tea?
A. Not a dunker.
8. It is that time of year and they are selling them on every corner and in front of every store! Do you buy Girl Scout cookies and if you do, which is your favorite?
A. I do not generally buy them. No one ever offers to sell me any.
9. Raw cookie dough. Yay or Nay?
A. Yay, if I'm making it myself. I don't (generally) eat the raw cookie dough that is from the store.
10. Do you like cookies with filling?
A. So long as someone else has made them, yes.
11. Do you prefer organic cookies?
A. I have no preference, although I can't say I've actually eaten an "organic" cookie that tastes good.
12. Large cookies, or small cookies?
A. Small cookies.
13. Do you like familiar flavours in cookies?
A. Yes.
14. Do you make your own cookies, or buy them?
A. Both.
15. Please tell us something random about your week!!
A. Monday I had a meeting with local officials because I was unhappy with the way they were conducting the public's business. I was pleasantly surprised when they took my concerns seriously. We had a 45-minute discussion about various issues relating to FOIA and the wording of motions and closed-session meeting requirements, and in addressing my concerns I have been assured there will be a few policy changes and the officials will be more cognizant of how the public perceives what they do and when and why they do it. It was very stressful and quite difficult to speak out even though I've done it before when I was a news reporter. This time I had no news media standing behind me; it was just me, a citizen. It is hard to speak out against the system and I know why people simply go along and allow things to happen, because it is hard to say something. Sometimes, though, one must examine the conscious and take action. I could not in good conscious not say anything about issues that I felt were, if not actually a violation of the law, at least actions that looked suspect. I want my county government to be a bright shining star of virtuous governmental goodness amongst the stench that surrounds us at the state and federal level, and that will only happen when people such as myself raise their hands and speak up if they have concerns. It's part of being a good citizen and being an adult.
__________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Sunday Stealing posts and leave a comment. Cheers to all us thieves who love memes, however we come by them. (#275)
Saturday, March 16, 2019
Saturday 9: Molly Malone
Saturday 9: Molly Malone
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) Are you of Irish descent?
A. I thought I was, but my brother did his DNA test and it came back 53% Great Britain and only 13% Irish. So I may be a wee bit Irish, but apparently I'm more of Her Majesty's Subject than I ever knew.
2) Legend has it that the heroine of this week's Irish ballad was a real lass. 17th century birth and burial records confirm that a woman with that name lived in Dublin. Can you think of another song about a real historic figure?
A. The first thing that comes to mind is Molly Turgish, which is a song they sang on Green Acres about a woman who was ugly, and I suppose the whole thing was fictional. But there is also Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley, though I'm not sure he was real but I think he was.
3) Molly sold fish from a cart that she wheeled through the streets. What's the last seafood you ate?
A. It has been years since I ate fish. I started developing a reaction to fish and shell food products around 2012 and I stopped eating them.
4) The lyrics tell us that, after her death, her ghost continues to wander the streets of Dublin with her wheel barrow. Do you believe in ghosts?
A. I think there are things that go in the world that we know nothing about. Whether they are ghosts or dimensional portals or alternate universes that have seeped through - who knows?
5) This week's featured band, The Dubliners, are obviously from Dublin. They were introduced to American audiences on The Ed Sullivan Show. Today, Stephen Colbert tapes his show in The Ed Sullivan Theater. Who hosted the last talk show you watched?
A. Bill Maher.
6) Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick's Day dish. Is it a favorite of yours?
A. No.
7) According to Irish legend, leprechauns earned the gold in the pot they guard by repairing shoes. Crazy Sam can't remember the last time she got a pair of shoes repaired. When the heels wear away, she discards the shoes and buys new ones. What about you? Do you get your shoes fixed (either by leprechauns or just by ordinary repairmen)?
A. I usually throw them away and buy new ones, although I have occasionally resorted to Krazy Glue to fix a sole on a sneaker. My husband has had work boots repaired by a repairman. Unfortunately there is only one shoe repairman in our area and I'm not even sure he's still in business.
8) Do you look good in green, the signature color of St. Patrick's Day?
A. It's not a bad color on me, but I don't wear it much.
9) Random question: Did you more recently sneeze or cough?
A. Coughed.
___________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Unfamiliar with this week's song? Hear it here.
1) Are you of Irish descent?
A. I thought I was, but my brother did his DNA test and it came back 53% Great Britain and only 13% Irish. So I may be a wee bit Irish, but apparently I'm more of Her Majesty's Subject than I ever knew.
2) Legend has it that the heroine of this week's Irish ballad was a real lass. 17th century birth and burial records confirm that a woman with that name lived in Dublin. Can you think of another song about a real historic figure?
A. The first thing that comes to mind is Molly Turgish, which is a song they sang on Green Acres about a woman who was ugly, and I suppose the whole thing was fictional. But there is also Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley, though I'm not sure he was real but I think he was.
3) Molly sold fish from a cart that she wheeled through the streets. What's the last seafood you ate?
A. It has been years since I ate fish. I started developing a reaction to fish and shell food products around 2012 and I stopped eating them.
4) The lyrics tell us that, after her death, her ghost continues to wander the streets of Dublin with her wheel barrow. Do you believe in ghosts?
A. I think there are things that go in the world that we know nothing about. Whether they are ghosts or dimensional portals or alternate universes that have seeped through - who knows?
5) This week's featured band, The Dubliners, are obviously from Dublin. They were introduced to American audiences on The Ed Sullivan Show. Today, Stephen Colbert tapes his show in The Ed Sullivan Theater. Who hosted the last talk show you watched?
A. Bill Maher.
6) Corned beef and cabbage is a traditional St. Patrick's Day dish. Is it a favorite of yours?
A. No.
7) According to Irish legend, leprechauns earned the gold in the pot they guard by repairing shoes. Crazy Sam can't remember the last time she got a pair of shoes repaired. When the heels wear away, she discards the shoes and buys new ones. What about you? Do you get your shoes fixed (either by leprechauns or just by ordinary repairmen)?
A. I usually throw them away and buy new ones, although I have occasionally resorted to Krazy Glue to fix a sole on a sneaker. My husband has had work boots repaired by a repairman. Unfortunately there is only one shoe repairman in our area and I'm not even sure he's still in business.
8) Do you look good in green, the signature color of St. Patrick's Day?
A. It's not a bad color on me, but I don't wear it much.
9) Random question: Did you more recently sneeze or cough?
A. Coughed.
___________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however.
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Thursday Thirteen #595
Thoughts from the local weekly newspaper (in honor of Sunshine Week)
1. If you're going to run for public office I don't suppose you have to be so clean you squeak, but I personally would think twice about electing a pardoned felon. I want law abiding people in those places of power. Of course, I thought that people wouldn't want someone who liked to talk about grabbing pussy or shooting people down in the middle of the street, or advocated violence or racism, but that was pre-2016. Now I don't know anymore.
2. If a county is a rural community, and it has 500 businesses that are agricultural based, why would you want to get rid of the agriculture teacher in the school system?
3. Clean Valley Days are good ideas and it is a shame that so much trash ends up along the road. I've noticed it has worsened since the county reopened the landfill and stopped hauling its trash elsewhere. People and business owners who are hauling trash should cover their vehicles so things don't blow out into the street right-of-way.
4. I am pleased to see that the middle schools, anyway, still put out a yearbook. I thought those treasures had become a thing of the past. I have mine from 7th-12th grade, and because my husband was four years ahead of me in school, we have a combined accumulation of 12 years worth of annuals because he has his from 7th-12th grade, too, and there's no overlap.
5. We have a team in the Recreation League nicknamed The Ballers. Um. Who came up with that? They won the league tournament for something, although the cutline beneath the photo doesn't say what. Basketball, maybe?
6. Lots in the high-growth part of the county are going for $75,000 and up. Whew. That's more than we paid to build our home back in the day.
7. Document shredding is April 13. I always mean to do that but I forget, and the one time I didn't forget I arrived too late and refused to sit in my car in line for hours.
8. We have had a spat of breaking and entering lately. Better lock things up.
9. Apparently "procuring drugs as a prisoner" is a different charge from possessing drugs wherever.
10. Warm weather means its auction time again. I see a few advertisements for area auctions of estates and farms going out of business. I like to go to auctions but (a) the pollen count right now would have me wheezing and (b) I seem to always sit behind someone who smokes a cigarette. So I don't go. I don't need anymore "stuff" anyhow.
11. I only found 10 things to write about in the local weekly, and I'm not going back through it, so we'll just have to make up stuff for these last three entries.
12. Do you have stink bugs where you live? The things are such a nuisance. It took me a while to figure out that the brown streaks on my curtains were stink bug poops or pukes or something.
13. The birds are migrating back. I've seen a robin. Spring can't be far away.
----------------------------
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 595th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
1. If you're going to run for public office I don't suppose you have to be so clean you squeak, but I personally would think twice about electing a pardoned felon. I want law abiding people in those places of power. Of course, I thought that people wouldn't want someone who liked to talk about grabbing pussy or shooting people down in the middle of the street, or advocated violence or racism, but that was pre-2016. Now I don't know anymore.
2. If a county is a rural community, and it has 500 businesses that are agricultural based, why would you want to get rid of the agriculture teacher in the school system?
3. Clean Valley Days are good ideas and it is a shame that so much trash ends up along the road. I've noticed it has worsened since the county reopened the landfill and stopped hauling its trash elsewhere. People and business owners who are hauling trash should cover their vehicles so things don't blow out into the street right-of-way.
4. I am pleased to see that the middle schools, anyway, still put out a yearbook. I thought those treasures had become a thing of the past. I have mine from 7th-12th grade, and because my husband was four years ahead of me in school, we have a combined accumulation of 12 years worth of annuals because he has his from 7th-12th grade, too, and there's no overlap.
5. We have a team in the Recreation League nicknamed The Ballers. Um. Who came up with that? They won the league tournament for something, although the cutline beneath the photo doesn't say what. Basketball, maybe?
6. Lots in the high-growth part of the county are going for $75,000 and up. Whew. That's more than we paid to build our home back in the day.
7. Document shredding is April 13. I always mean to do that but I forget, and the one time I didn't forget I arrived too late and refused to sit in my car in line for hours.
8. We have had a spat of breaking and entering lately. Better lock things up.
9. Apparently "procuring drugs as a prisoner" is a different charge from possessing drugs wherever.
10. Warm weather means its auction time again. I see a few advertisements for area auctions of estates and farms going out of business. I like to go to auctions but (a) the pollen count right now would have me wheezing and (b) I seem to always sit behind someone who smokes a cigarette. So I don't go. I don't need anymore "stuff" anyhow.
11. I only found 10 things to write about in the local weekly, and I'm not going back through it, so we'll just have to make up stuff for these last three entries.
12. Do you have stink bugs where you live? The things are such a nuisance. It took me a while to figure out that the brown streaks on my curtains were stink bug poops or pukes or something.
13. The birds are migrating back. I've seen a robin. Spring can't be far away.
----------------------------
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 595th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Spread a Little Sunshine
This week is known as Sunshine Week in the journalism world. It's when newspapers and other media spread light on open government. Without open government, we have no democracy.
One of the best tools for folks who are interested in what their government is doing, whether federal, state, or locally, is the Freedom of Information Act.
Known as FOIA, this varies from state to state and the federal government also has its own rules. The federal government's rules are not very good - they can, if they want, take years to respond to a FOIA request. Follow the link here for a FAQ about federal FOIA laws. The website describes FOIA as "the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government." If you're interested in what the federal government is doing and can't find the information you seek on various agency websites, you may need to file a FOIA request to get your answer.
Virginia, the state where I live, has a FOIA law that is a bit stricter than the governments. For one thing, localities and state agencies have to respond within a given amount of time. Virginia has a Freedom of Information Advisory Council that citizens and government employees can use when questions arise. The state's Freedom of Information Act is also posted on this website, in its entirety.
As a long-time news writer, I have had to utilize FOIA on a few occasions. Mostly I have had to invoke it to force local governments to stop meeting in secret. Your local town council or Board of Supervisors or whatever it is called in your locality can only meet in "closed session" for certain things. If they talk about other things during these closed sessions, they are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act, and if someone takes them to court about it, they can be fined for talking about things behind closed doors. I've never taken a locality to court but I have threatened to do so a time or two.
Since I have long been a fan of open information, I find closed doors and secret meetings especially loathsome. In my opinion, governments discuss many things behind closed doors that could be addressed publicly with a little forethought and imagination. For example, it is okay to talk in closed session about a company wanting to buy property and move to the community. In my opinion, this only needs to be discussed once in closed session. After that, they should designate the company as "Project X" and the location, if it must be withheld for whatever reason, could be called "Location Y" and then afterwards, in open session, they can discuss Project X at Location Y in public. But most localities do not do this. Actually I've never seen a single one of the many I have covered do this, but hopefully it happens somewhere.
I have also used FOIA to request information about something the government was doing. Sometimes as a reporter one simply acquires a "gut" feeling that something is amiss, and occasionally one needs to ask for supporting documents. For the first 20 years of my career, I did not have to resort to FOIA requests because I had a good relationship with county administrators, town managers, town council members, and supervisors. Some of them did not like me but they could not fault my reporting. I was what now would be referred to as an old-school news writer. I kept my opinions to myself and simply wrote the facts about what happened. I explained things as best I could so that the public could understand what was happening with their tax dollars. I considered it an honor to educate and inform and I wasn't there to make my own opinions known.
This openness with elected officials and public employees changed when President George W Bush took office, especially with federal agencies. Where I once could go talk to forest service people and obtain information and stories, I suddenly found I had to go through an information officer. This wall crept into local governments soon thereafter, so that many communities now have an (unnecessary) information person that the news media must go through. No longer can they get the information directly from the person the people actually elected, or the county administrator the people are paying for. I have heard many reasons for this - to keep county officials from being bothered, or to keep them safe, or whatever - but mostly it is to keep people from knowing what is happening and to ensure the government gets its own "spin" on the issue.
I wonder, if the person you elect isn't willing to talk to you, then why would you vote for that person again?
After 35 years of watching various government entities, I have found that elected officials frequently forget they are elected, until it's time to be re-elected. They have their pet projects and the things they want to accomplish, and they don't want the citizens to know what they are doing because they know someone will object. Objections can become loud, noisy, boisterous, and stressful, so doing things in secret makes sense if you aren't into democracy. Democracy is loud, noisy, boisterous, and stressful, when it is successful.
Most citizens pay little attention to their local government, and this is where they need to pay attention the most, because this affects them greatly. Newspaper coverage has declined significantly in recent years and many local community papers have folded, or have been bought up by larger conglomerates. These larger companies then fire the seasoned reporter to replace him or her with someone not long out of school who has no historical community knowledge and no understanding of what is actually going on around them. If the reporter lasts three years then that person will be a seasoned and valuable member who can contribute. However, in this day and age I don't think many reporters last that long. When old reporters leave newspapers, or when newspapers die, the community no longer knows what its local representatives are doing. They don't know if their tax dollars are being spent wisely or foolishly.
This is giving rise to "community journalists" - or people like myself who once were journalists who attend meetings and who then sound the alarm wherever they can when things look weird or off or iffy.
It is up to us, the electorate, to watch what our elected officials are doing. Go spread a little sunshine and attend a school board meeting or a town council meeting.
You may be surprised at what you learn.
Known as FOIA, this varies from state to state and the federal government also has its own rules. The federal government's rules are not very good - they can, if they want, take years to respond to a FOIA request. Follow the link here for a FAQ about federal FOIA laws. The website describes FOIA as "the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government." If you're interested in what the federal government is doing and can't find the information you seek on various agency websites, you may need to file a FOIA request to get your answer.
Virginia, the state where I live, has a FOIA law that is a bit stricter than the governments. For one thing, localities and state agencies have to respond within a given amount of time. Virginia has a Freedom of Information Advisory Council that citizens and government employees can use when questions arise. The state's Freedom of Information Act is also posted on this website, in its entirety.
As a long-time news writer, I have had to utilize FOIA on a few occasions. Mostly I have had to invoke it to force local governments to stop meeting in secret. Your local town council or Board of Supervisors or whatever it is called in your locality can only meet in "closed session" for certain things. If they talk about other things during these closed sessions, they are in violation of the Freedom of Information Act, and if someone takes them to court about it, they can be fined for talking about things behind closed doors. I've never taken a locality to court but I have threatened to do so a time or two.
Since I have long been a fan of open information, I find closed doors and secret meetings especially loathsome. In my opinion, governments discuss many things behind closed doors that could be addressed publicly with a little forethought and imagination. For example, it is okay to talk in closed session about a company wanting to buy property and move to the community. In my opinion, this only needs to be discussed once in closed session. After that, they should designate the company as "Project X" and the location, if it must be withheld for whatever reason, could be called "Location Y" and then afterwards, in open session, they can discuss Project X at Location Y in public. But most localities do not do this. Actually I've never seen a single one of the many I have covered do this, but hopefully it happens somewhere.
I have also used FOIA to request information about something the government was doing. Sometimes as a reporter one simply acquires a "gut" feeling that something is amiss, and occasionally one needs to ask for supporting documents. For the first 20 years of my career, I did not have to resort to FOIA requests because I had a good relationship with county administrators, town managers, town council members, and supervisors. Some of them did not like me but they could not fault my reporting. I was what now would be referred to as an old-school news writer. I kept my opinions to myself and simply wrote the facts about what happened. I explained things as best I could so that the public could understand what was happening with their tax dollars. I considered it an honor to educate and inform and I wasn't there to make my own opinions known.
This openness with elected officials and public employees changed when President George W Bush took office, especially with federal agencies. Where I once could go talk to forest service people and obtain information and stories, I suddenly found I had to go through an information officer. This wall crept into local governments soon thereafter, so that many communities now have an (unnecessary) information person that the news media must go through. No longer can they get the information directly from the person the people actually elected, or the county administrator the people are paying for. I have heard many reasons for this - to keep county officials from being bothered, or to keep them safe, or whatever - but mostly it is to keep people from knowing what is happening and to ensure the government gets its own "spin" on the issue.
I wonder, if the person you elect isn't willing to talk to you, then why would you vote for that person again?
After 35 years of watching various government entities, I have found that elected officials frequently forget they are elected, until it's time to be re-elected. They have their pet projects and the things they want to accomplish, and they don't want the citizens to know what they are doing because they know someone will object. Objections can become loud, noisy, boisterous, and stressful, so doing things in secret makes sense if you aren't into democracy. Democracy is loud, noisy, boisterous, and stressful, when it is successful.
Most citizens pay little attention to their local government, and this is where they need to pay attention the most, because this affects them greatly. Newspaper coverage has declined significantly in recent years and many local community papers have folded, or have been bought up by larger conglomerates. These larger companies then fire the seasoned reporter to replace him or her with someone not long out of school who has no historical community knowledge and no understanding of what is actually going on around them. If the reporter lasts three years then that person will be a seasoned and valuable member who can contribute. However, in this day and age I don't think many reporters last that long. When old reporters leave newspapers, or when newspapers die, the community no longer knows what its local representatives are doing. They don't know if their tax dollars are being spent wisely or foolishly.
This is giving rise to "community journalists" - or people like myself who once were journalists who attend meetings and who then sound the alarm wherever they can when things look weird or off or iffy.
It is up to us, the electorate, to watch what our elected officials are doing. Go spread a little sunshine and attend a school board meeting or a town council meeting.
You may be surprised at what you learn.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Two Friends Out For A Stroll
 |
| A little walk along the fence row. |
 |
| They really do come up quite close to the house. |
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Sunday Stealing
Sunday Stealing: Songs by Queen
1. Bohemian Rhapsody - What matters to you more than anything in the world?
A. My husband.
2. Don’t Stop Me Now - What makes you feel unstoppable?
A. Being right.
3. Another One Bites The Dust - What one thing would you wipe off the face of the earth?
A. War.
4. Under Pressure - How stressed are you currently?
A. Pretty stressed.
5. We Will Rock You - What was the last concert you went to?
A. Tommy Emanuel, a guitar player, at a local concert venue.
6. Somebody To Love - Are you looking for somebody to love?
A. No, I have somebody to love. I wouldn't mind having a few more friends. I love the ones I have but I wish I had someone simply to go shopping with sometimes.
7. We Are The Champions - What achievement are you most proud of?
A. Being married for 35 years is quite an achievement. I am also proud of the writing I have done.
8. Radio GaGa - What do you think of today’s popular music?
A. Not much. I don't listen to it anymore.
9. I Want To Break Free - If you could move to any part of the world, where would you want to live?
A. I am fine where I am although if something were to happen to my husband I might move to a patio home in a college town.
10. Love Of My Life - Have you ever had your heart broken?
A. Who hasn't?
11. Killer Queen - What is your favourite thing about yourself?
A. I'm pretty smart. Not a stable genuis, though. Just intelligent.
12. The Show Must Go On - What is something you will never give up?
A. Love.
13. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Name some of your favourite musicians.
A. Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, The Pretenders, Pat Benetar, Linda Rondstadt, Stevie Nicks, Nancy Wilson (Heart).
14. Who Wants To Live Forever - If you could be immortal, would you?
A. Not unless it would at a certain age. I don't want to continue to grow old and become a withered up blob. Now if a vampire had bit me when I was in my mid-30s that might have been OK.
15. Fat Bottomed Girls - What are some traits you look for in a partner?
A. Intelligence and loyalty.
16. I Want It All - If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?
A. Self confidence.
1. Bohemian Rhapsody - What matters to you more than anything in the world?
A. My husband.
2. Don’t Stop Me Now - What makes you feel unstoppable?
A. Being right.
3. Another One Bites The Dust - What one thing would you wipe off the face of the earth?
A. War.
4. Under Pressure - How stressed are you currently?
A. Pretty stressed.
5. We Will Rock You - What was the last concert you went to?
A. Tommy Emanuel, a guitar player, at a local concert venue.
6. Somebody To Love - Are you looking for somebody to love?
A. No, I have somebody to love. I wouldn't mind having a few more friends. I love the ones I have but I wish I had someone simply to go shopping with sometimes.
7. We Are The Champions - What achievement are you most proud of?
A. Being married for 35 years is quite an achievement. I am also proud of the writing I have done.
8. Radio GaGa - What do you think of today’s popular music?
A. Not much. I don't listen to it anymore.
9. I Want To Break Free - If you could move to any part of the world, where would you want to live?
A. I am fine where I am although if something were to happen to my husband I might move to a patio home in a college town.
10. Love Of My Life - Have you ever had your heart broken?
A. Who hasn't?
11. Killer Queen - What is your favourite thing about yourself?
A. I'm pretty smart. Not a stable genuis, though. Just intelligent.
12. The Show Must Go On - What is something you will never give up?
A. Love.
13. Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Name some of your favourite musicians.
A. Sheryl Crow, Melissa Etheridge, The Pretenders, Pat Benetar, Linda Rondstadt, Stevie Nicks, Nancy Wilson (Heart).
14. Who Wants To Live Forever - If you could be immortal, would you?
A. Not unless it would at a certain age. I don't want to continue to grow old and become a withered up blob. Now if a vampire had bit me when I was in my mid-30s that might have been OK.
15. Fat Bottomed Girls - What are some traits you look for in a partner?
A. Intelligence and loyalty.
16. I Want It All - If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?
A. Self confidence.
Saturday, March 09, 2019
Saturday 9: Up On the Roof
Saturday 9: Up on the Roof (1979)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) James Taylor sings that, when the world gets him down, he goes up on the roof to find peace. When you're "feeling tired and beat," what do you do to cheer yourself up?
A. Call a friend or my husband, take a walk, read, or just go to bed.
2) He sings that, at night, the stars put on a show for free. Are you economizing, or sticking to a budget?
A. We have always stuck to a budget and been frugal.
3) In addition to recording this song for his album, Flag, James Taylor surprised the song's composer, and his good friend. Carole King by performing it the night she received her Kennedy Center Honor (see link above). Tell us about a good turn a friend has done for you recently.
A. Being asked to help with the county's 250th anniversary celebration was good for my morale and ego.
4) James Taylor and Carole King have been good friends for decades, but they have never been romantically involved. Do you have platonic friends of the opposite sex?
A. Yes, I do.
5) James was born in the Boston hospital where his father worked as a resident physician. Are there any doctors or nurses in your family?
A. My aunts. One is retired; the other works in a hospital in Texas.
6) When James was young, his family moved to Chapel Hill, NC. James has vivid memories of how beautiful the area was in all four seasons. What's your favorite time of year?
A. Spring and Fall are tied for first place.
7) In 1979, when this recording was popular, ESPN launched. Do you often watch that cable sports channel?
A. No.
8) Also in 1979, the Voyager spacecraft sent photos back to earth that revealed Jupiter's rings. Without looking it up, can you name all the planets in our solar system?
A. Earth, Mars, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, Mercury and poor little down-graded Pluto. (That's not the proper order for them, just how I remembered them.) And then there's that new thing they discovered, Ultima Thule, I think they call it.
9) Random question: Our Saturday 9 Wizards give you a choice -- you can be 20 years old and gorgeous, 30 years old and brilliant, or 40 years old and rich. Which do you choose?
A. 40 years old and rich.
___________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. (#275)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) James Taylor sings that, when the world gets him down, he goes up on the roof to find peace. When you're "feeling tired and beat," what do you do to cheer yourself up?
A. Call a friend or my husband, take a walk, read, or just go to bed.
2) He sings that, at night, the stars put on a show for free. Are you economizing, or sticking to a budget?
A. We have always stuck to a budget and been frugal.
3) In addition to recording this song for his album, Flag, James Taylor surprised the song's composer, and his good friend. Carole King by performing it the night she received her Kennedy Center Honor (see link above). Tell us about a good turn a friend has done for you recently.
A. Being asked to help with the county's 250th anniversary celebration was good for my morale and ego.
4) James Taylor and Carole King have been good friends for decades, but they have never been romantically involved. Do you have platonic friends of the opposite sex?
A. Yes, I do.
5) James was born in the Boston hospital where his father worked as a resident physician. Are there any doctors or nurses in your family?
A. My aunts. One is retired; the other works in a hospital in Texas.
6) When James was young, his family moved to Chapel Hill, NC. James has vivid memories of how beautiful the area was in all four seasons. What's your favorite time of year?
A. Spring and Fall are tied for first place.
7) In 1979, when this recording was popular, ESPN launched. Do you often watch that cable sports channel?
A. No.
8) Also in 1979, the Voyager spacecraft sent photos back to earth that revealed Jupiter's rings. Without looking it up, can you name all the planets in our solar system?
A. Earth, Mars, Venus, Neptune, Uranus, Jupiter, Mercury and poor little down-graded Pluto. (That's not the proper order for them, just how I remembered them.) And then there's that new thing they discovered, Ultima Thule, I think they call it.
9) Random question: Our Saturday 9 Wizards give you a choice -- you can be 20 years old and gorgeous, 30 years old and brilliant, or 40 years old and rich. Which do you choose?
A. 40 years old and rich.
___________
I encourage you to visit other participants in Saturday 9 posts and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. (#275)
Thursday, March 07, 2019
Thursday Thirteen
Since it is National Women's History Month, I'm going to list 13 of my teachers/professors who influenced me. Most are still alive, but they are part of MY history. They were all influential in some way. Some of them are influencing me still.
In no particular order:
1. Tina Weiner. Tina was my high school math teacher for Algebra 1, II, and Trig and now she is my friend. I don't remember anything she taught me, even though I was a straight-A student, which is probably a crime, but I don't do (x+y)-(z-t)=Q very often. We are in touch frequently and I value our relationship more than she will ever know.
2. Jeanne Larsen. Jeanne has a new book coming out called What Penelope Chooses, a book of poems that won the 2017 Cider Press Book Award. (Go preorder the book at the link.) Jeanne was my professor at Hollins College (now Hollins University) and she taught me a great deal not only about writing, but about myself. She influenced me in ways still undetermined and even now influences me simply by continuing to write and be productive and with lively and interesting Facebook posts.
3. Dee Sheffer. Dee was my English teacher in 10th grade in high school. I still see her occasionally when I am out and about, but not often. She greatly influenced my work and was very encouraging of my writing abilities at a time when I was pretty much one of those broken teenagers that need support. Hey, it happens. We're friends on Facebook and seem to share similar political philosophies.
4. Amanda Cockrell. Amanda is another of my Hollins professors who influenced me and my writing. I had Amanda for masters' courses - several of them. She taught me about the trickster stories and reminded me that children's literature has multiple layers and many levels of philosophy upon which to ponder if one is so inclined. Amanda's a Facebook friend now and I enjoy her posts, too.
5. Mrs. Mildred Wright. She was my second grade teacher. She was very stern but she taught me to read with inflection and recognized that I have the ability to be a leader long before I ever thought about such a thing. (She'd send me over to watch the 1st grade class, back when a teacher could leave an hour early and a second grader could be sent over to read a book about dinosaurs to the class until the bell rang.)
6. Mrs. Fairfax. She was my third grade teacher, and she taught me how to ignore race even though I don't think she intended to do that. One of my strongest memories involves an angry father who went to the parent-teachers meeting to find out I had a black teacher when I'd told him there were no black teachers in the school. I never saw her color; she was my teacher and a person. (My father said I lied to him, but to me it was not a lie.)
7 & 8. Nancy Dahlstrom. Nancy was another Hollins professor whom I held in high esteem. She taught art. I took two classes from her, a drawing course over the summer and a "creative imagination" class that she co-taught with Cathy Hankla, another Hollins professor and published writer whom I admire. (Sure wish I'd aged as well as Cathy has!) The class combined writing and art. Both women taught me to see beyond the norm, to see the space in between, and to believe in myself.
9. Jeanne Kiker. Mrs. Kiker taught 7th grade English and I thought the world of her. She ran the school newspaper at that time and made me editor of it, something that probably foretold my future except I wasn't paying attention then. She was always very kind.
10. Mrs. Lanning. Mrs. Lanning taught me in the fourth grade and while frankly I have a lot of bad memories about that year, the thing that stands out is that this is where I learned that hugs are okay. In fact, Mrs. Lanning asked specifically for my parents to come to a parent-teacher conference and it wasn't my grades they discussed, but the fact that I was withdrawn and it had taken her six months to be able to hug me. I don't suppose teachers hug their students today but I am forever grateful for her patience in drawing me out of my shell.
11. Dr. Connie Shotts. She was my senior English teacher in high school and nominated for the English award, which I won. She did not stay at Lord Botetourt long and insisted we call her "Dr. Shotts" because she had a Ph.D. However, she had us read all of the classics and this was an advanced placement course that also counted as a college level English class, so she gave me a solid background in multiple areas that has stood the test of time. Because of her, I can understand references to old books in new works, and that is of great value because one can miss out on a lot if those sorts of things slide by without a thought.
12. Miss All. Miss All taught geometry in high school, and while it was not my best subject (even though I still received mostly As), I did find Mrs. All to be a very wonderful teacher. She probably doesn't remember it, but she gave me a book that greatly influenced me called Alas Babylon, by Pat Frank. That book still ranks as one of my all-time favorites and its message is still valid today, if a little dated.
13. Marilyn Moriarty. Professor Moriarty taught me a semester at Hollins, and was the first professor ever (actually the only one, I think), who encouraged me to write sonnets. I don't write sonnets often now but she did give me a love of form poetry, such as villanelles and sestinas. They are hard to write but loads of fun, rather like working a poem puzzle. Every now and then I try my hand at one simply for fun.
There you go. Do you remember you teachers? Thank you to all of these women who have had such great influence over my life, both in personal and career growth. May you all be blessed.
----------------------------
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 594th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
In no particular order:
 |
| Tina Weiner |
2. Jeanne Larsen. Jeanne has a new book coming out called What Penelope Chooses, a book of poems that won the 2017 Cider Press Book Award. (Go preorder the book at the link.) Jeanne was my professor at Hollins College (now Hollins University) and she taught me a great deal not only about writing, but about myself. She influenced me in ways still undetermined and even now influences me simply by continuing to write and be productive and with lively and interesting Facebook posts.
 |
| Dee Sheffer |
4. Amanda Cockrell. Amanda is another of my Hollins professors who influenced me and my writing. I had Amanda for masters' courses - several of them. She taught me about the trickster stories and reminded me that children's literature has multiple layers and many levels of philosophy upon which to ponder if one is so inclined. Amanda's a Facebook friend now and I enjoy her posts, too.
5. Mrs. Mildred Wright. She was my second grade teacher. She was very stern but she taught me to read with inflection and recognized that I have the ability to be a leader long before I ever thought about such a thing. (She'd send me over to watch the 1st grade class, back when a teacher could leave an hour early and a second grader could be sent over to read a book about dinosaurs to the class until the bell rang.)
6. Mrs. Fairfax. She was my third grade teacher, and she taught me how to ignore race even though I don't think she intended to do that. One of my strongest memories involves an angry father who went to the parent-teachers meeting to find out I had a black teacher when I'd told him there were no black teachers in the school. I never saw her color; she was my teacher and a person. (My father said I lied to him, but to me it was not a lie.)
7 & 8. Nancy Dahlstrom. Nancy was another Hollins professor whom I held in high esteem. She taught art. I took two classes from her, a drawing course over the summer and a "creative imagination" class that she co-taught with Cathy Hankla, another Hollins professor and published writer whom I admire. (Sure wish I'd aged as well as Cathy has!) The class combined writing and art. Both women taught me to see beyond the norm, to see the space in between, and to believe in myself.
9. Jeanne Kiker. Mrs. Kiker taught 7th grade English and I thought the world of her. She ran the school newspaper at that time and made me editor of it, something that probably foretold my future except I wasn't paying attention then. She was always very kind.
10. Mrs. Lanning. Mrs. Lanning taught me in the fourth grade and while frankly I have a lot of bad memories about that year, the thing that stands out is that this is where I learned that hugs are okay. In fact, Mrs. Lanning asked specifically for my parents to come to a parent-teacher conference and it wasn't my grades they discussed, but the fact that I was withdrawn and it had taken her six months to be able to hug me. I don't suppose teachers hug their students today but I am forever grateful for her patience in drawing me out of my shell.
11. Dr. Connie Shotts. She was my senior English teacher in high school and nominated for the English award, which I won. She did not stay at Lord Botetourt long and insisted we call her "Dr. Shotts" because she had a Ph.D. However, she had us read all of the classics and this was an advanced placement course that also counted as a college level English class, so she gave me a solid background in multiple areas that has stood the test of time. Because of her, I can understand references to old books in new works, and that is of great value because one can miss out on a lot if those sorts of things slide by without a thought.
12. Miss All. Miss All taught geometry in high school, and while it was not my best subject (even though I still received mostly As), I did find Mrs. All to be a very wonderful teacher. She probably doesn't remember it, but she gave me a book that greatly influenced me called Alas Babylon, by Pat Frank. That book still ranks as one of my all-time favorites and its message is still valid today, if a little dated.
13. Marilyn Moriarty. Professor Moriarty taught me a semester at Hollins, and was the first professor ever (actually the only one, I think), who encouraged me to write sonnets. I don't write sonnets often now but she did give me a love of form poetry, such as villanelles and sestinas. They are hard to write but loads of fun, rather like working a poem puzzle. Every now and then I try my hand at one simply for fun.
There you go. Do you remember you teachers? Thank you to all of these women who have had such great influence over my life, both in personal and career growth. May you all be blessed.
----------------------------
Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here if you want to read other Thursday Thirteens and/or play along. I've been playing for a while and this is my 594th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.
Tuesday, March 05, 2019
Missing Grandma
Today I am missing my grandmother. I am not sure why, exactly, except that I would like to talk to her. I have things to tell her.
My grandmother always had time for me. It made no difference when I called her or dropped by. She stopped whatever she was doing and spoke with me. She was a great fount of common sense knowledge learned by life's never-ending lessons. I valued that. I still do, although as one of the older generation myself now perhaps I don't listen as well as I should to my elders. (Yes, I still have elders. I'm not that old.)
Grandma had a fourth grade education, I think it was, but she read a lot. A set of World Book Encyclopedias was one of her proudest possessions. I could sit and read them if I was careful. I could not have food or drink in my hands when I did so. I am not sure how many children actually sat and read encyclopedias, but I did. I suppose few do that today, what with all the answers online.
She also had other books that I read, like Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, and the Little House on the Prairie books. I also found Nancy Drew books at Grandma's house (I think they belonged to my aunt).
My grandmother made chocolate pudding for us when we were children, the real kind with the skin on it. It was a treat, not an everyday purchase you could make at the market like it is now (Hello, Jello Pudding in my refrigerator). Sometimes she would let us have a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cookie, but those were only for special times. They were actually called "Granddaddy cookies" because my grandfather carried one in his lunch each day. I had to be in tears and bleeding to earn a Granddaddy cookie.
She spoiled us, my brother and me, but not too much. She was, after all, also raising two boys who were not that different in age than I was at the time (one is actually a year younger than I).
My mother died before my grandmother did. I have often wondered how she felt, losing her first child like that. My mother was only 56 when she passed away. How young that seems to me now as I approach that age. How young did it seem to my grandmother, I wonder? She would have been 77 when my mother passed away. Seventy-seven no longer seems so old to me, either. Does 56 seem young to someone who is in their 70s? Anyway, I can't imagine how painful it must have been to see her daughter die of pancreatic cancer at such a young age. I'm not sure I was there enough for her when that happened, but of course I was also grieving the loss of my mother. Knowing my grandmother, she understood that. She was good that way.
On my grandmother's deathbed she saw my mother. She told me she was talking to her. But she never told me what she said.
This is not a special date or anything with regards to my grandmother, though the slight greenish tinge to the grass reminds me of her. I remember how much she looked forward to spring. She'd always wait for the robins to appear, and point them out to me when they gathered on the lawn. "Warm weather will be here soon," she would say. Even now I look for that first robin that indicates spring is on its way. I have yet to see one this year.
Later, she'd tend to her peonies, which always had magnificent blooms. She had them in rows on each side of the back yard. The bees loved them. She gave us jars for lightning bug, and long pieces of thread for tying to June bugs (neither of which would be considered politically correct these days, but that was the time I grew up in).
Grandmas can be very special people. I know not everyone has a good grandmother, and that's unfortunate. I hope those people have other special women in their lives who have held them up and helped them out somewhere a long the line.
*A little tribute to a wonderful woman in my life, in honor of March being National Women's History Month.*
My grandmother always had time for me. It made no difference when I called her or dropped by. She stopped whatever she was doing and spoke with me. She was a great fount of common sense knowledge learned by life's never-ending lessons. I valued that. I still do, although as one of the older generation myself now perhaps I don't listen as well as I should to my elders. (Yes, I still have elders. I'm not that old.)
Grandma had a fourth grade education, I think it was, but she read a lot. A set of World Book Encyclopedias was one of her proudest possessions. I could sit and read them if I was careful. I could not have food or drink in my hands when I did so. I am not sure how many children actually sat and read encyclopedias, but I did. I suppose few do that today, what with all the answers online.
She also had other books that I read, like Five Little Peppers and How They Grew, and the Little House on the Prairie books. I also found Nancy Drew books at Grandma's house (I think they belonged to my aunt).
My grandmother made chocolate pudding for us when we were children, the real kind with the skin on it. It was a treat, not an everyday purchase you could make at the market like it is now (Hello, Jello Pudding in my refrigerator). Sometimes she would let us have a Little Debbie Oatmeal Cookie, but those were only for special times. They were actually called "Granddaddy cookies" because my grandfather carried one in his lunch each day. I had to be in tears and bleeding to earn a Granddaddy cookie.
She spoiled us, my brother and me, but not too much. She was, after all, also raising two boys who were not that different in age than I was at the time (one is actually a year younger than I).
My mother died before my grandmother did. I have often wondered how she felt, losing her first child like that. My mother was only 56 when she passed away. How young that seems to me now as I approach that age. How young did it seem to my grandmother, I wonder? She would have been 77 when my mother passed away. Seventy-seven no longer seems so old to me, either. Does 56 seem young to someone who is in their 70s? Anyway, I can't imagine how painful it must have been to see her daughter die of pancreatic cancer at such a young age. I'm not sure I was there enough for her when that happened, but of course I was also grieving the loss of my mother. Knowing my grandmother, she understood that. She was good that way.
On my grandmother's deathbed she saw my mother. She told me she was talking to her. But she never told me what she said.
This is not a special date or anything with regards to my grandmother, though the slight greenish tinge to the grass reminds me of her. I remember how much she looked forward to spring. She'd always wait for the robins to appear, and point them out to me when they gathered on the lawn. "Warm weather will be here soon," she would say. Even now I look for that first robin that indicates spring is on its way. I have yet to see one this year.
Later, she'd tend to her peonies, which always had magnificent blooms. She had them in rows on each side of the back yard. The bees loved them. She gave us jars for lightning bug, and long pieces of thread for tying to June bugs (neither of which would be considered politically correct these days, but that was the time I grew up in).
Grandmas can be very special people. I know not everyone has a good grandmother, and that's unfortunate. I hope those people have other special women in their lives who have held them up and helped them out somewhere a long the line.
*A little tribute to a wonderful woman in my life, in honor of March being National Women's History Month.*
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