Happiness - Day 20

Happiness is a clean house.

Today the young woman who helps me with the heavy cleaning came and did the mopping and such that I have had difficulty with since my last abdominal surgery.

So the house is cleaner and smells nice.

That always makes me happy!

Happiness - Day 19

This afternoon following a dental appointment, I stopped in one of my old haunts.

I went by the newspaper office to visit with B.J., the woman who has always been the push behind the editors. The real news woman, as it were. Isn't there always a woman in the back doing the real work?

B.J. started with the newspaper sometime back in the 1970s and has stayed with them ever since. She is past retirement age and works there part-time now.

We spent a little time reminiscing about big stories we both remembered - court trials, political issues, and other things like a long-ago wedding of Batman and Cat Woman. It's hard to believe that the two of us sitting there encompassed a good 60 years of county history. I expect that we both know things the other doesn't, and between us we could probably tell a lot of tales that many may not want told.

I also met the current editor. I'd spoken with him on the phone many times, but we had not formally met in person. He'd been on a break, so he was hustling to beat a deadline. I tossed him a story idea or two.

The office is a lot cleaner these days than it was back when I was a reporter. The editor I worked for had papers piled high everywhere. Actually, the newspaper office used to look a lot like my office looks now, with piles of paper and books and general stuff hither and yon. But the news office has been cleaned up and all of the piles of paper are gone. (I need to follow suit and make mine look less full of junk.)

The computers looked new, too. I think they were Macs. 

I am very glad I stopped in to say hello. It made my day!

______________________

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Happiness - Day 18

Today my husband took me to lunch. We had salads.

Then we went to Roanoke to Target. I seldom shop there but we picked up some things we needed, like paper towels.

Sunday Stealing

Reveal yourself in 24 easy steps

I am not: an extrovert.

I hurt: in my lower back.

I love: my husband.

I hate: growing old.

I fear: a change of lifestyle.

I hope: that people become kinder.

I regret: that I did not choose a different career path.

I cry: over things that frustrate me.

I care: about my family, friends, and community.

I always: take my medicine.

I long: to be heard.

I listen: to everyone who speaks to me, or try to, anyway.

I hide: very little, actually.

I write: very well, thank you.

I miss: something that I have never been able to express in words because I am not sure what it is.

I search: for a project that gives my life meaning.

I learn: in order to continue to grow as a person.

I feel: unheard.

I know: that I am often right, but no one cares.

I want: to be comforted.

I worry: that things will be bad in a few months.

I wish: I had made better health choices when I was younger.

I have: had a good life and career, if I stop to acknowledge it.

I give: money to various charities that I support.

I wait: for the remains of the day.

I need: to know that I am cared for.

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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.

Saturday 9: I Get Around

Saturday 9: I Get Around (1964)

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

1) Sixty years ago this month, the Beach Boys were singing that having a cool car and helped them get girls. In your teen years, what did you drive?

A. I drove a burnt orange Datsun hatchback. My friends and I had many adventures in that car. Here is one: The Hells' Angels were camping outside of the Town of Fincastle, and I was ordered not to go there under any circumstances. On a Saturday, I had my friend Beth with me, and she played piano in the band I was in. We were out running around and needed to be back at my house to get ready to go play a gig. We decided we'd just drive down past the Hells' Angels camp on the way home, just to see, you know. As we were tootling along, I ran over something. We didn't stop, but eventually we had to because the tire went flat. We were also inexplicably out of gas. We were dead smack in the middle of nowhere, a good 3 miles or more from my house and maybe 2 miles from the Hells' Angels encampment. We trudged up a long driveway to a home and beat on the door. An elderly woman answered, and we explained that our car had broken down. She allowed us to use her phone (this was 1979; no cellphones). I called my father's friend who lived near my family and begged him to come and help us, bringing a can of gas, but to not tell my parents he was helping. He obliged and came and changed the tire and filled the car up with gas. We got the car home and explained we'd had car trouble, though we didn't say where we'd had the car trouble. However, we couldn't drive ourselves to the gig because the gas was all gone out of the car again. My father looked under the vehicle and found a knife. I had run over a knife that had cut into the tire and then ricocheted into the gas tank, leaving a small hole. That's what happens when you run around in a Datsun and defy your parents. Fortunately, Beth's dad was a mechanic, and he fixed the gas tank for next to nothing. I don't know if my parents ever learned the truth of that. I sure didn't tell them.

I really was a bit of a hellion when I was younger. Good thing I grew out of it.

2) They are searching for a new place to party. This weekend, will you be visiting any bars, theaters or restaurants?

A. No. At least not that I am aware of as I write this.

3) When Brian Wilson was forming the group, he turned to his friend Al Jardine, his brothers Dennis and Carl, and his cousin, Mike Love. Though most of their songs were about cars, beaches and surf, only one of those founding members was a surfer: Dennis. Do you enjoy the beach? Are you good on a surfboard?

A. I am not that fond of the beach, although that is where we vacationed during most of my childhood and on into adulthood. Everyone around here goes to Myrtle Beach, SC for vacation. I have never been on a surfboard. The waves aren't that big at Myrtle Beach.

4) They were originally from Hawthorne, California. Hawthorne was the early childhood home of Marilyn Monroe. Since Marilyn was one of the most iconic women of the 20th century, we know you recognize her image. Have you seen any of her movies?

A. Not that I recall.

5) "I Get Around" is included in Endless Summer, the greatest hits compilation released in 1974. Influential music critic Robert Christgau said Endless Summer should be part of any basic record library. What's one of your favorite CDs?

A. The Best of Bread is one of my favorite vinyl albums. My favorite CD is The Dance, by Fleetwood Mac, followed by Breakdown, by Melissa Etheridge.

Let's look at the summer of 1964.

6) The #1 film of the summer of 1964 was Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. Have you seen it?

A. A very long time ago, I saw Mary Poppins. I'm not sure I could tell you what it's about, though.

7) President Lyndon Johnson accepted the Democratic party's nomination at the August 1964 convention in Atlantic City, NJ. Atlantic City is known for casinos and gambling. Do you often play the lottery, bingo, or any other game of chance?

A. We play the lottery when the winnings get high, but that's about once a year.

8) Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was still a baby in the summer of 1964. What was in your most recent Amazon delivery?

A. A pair of Sketchers hiking sandals that I bought for my husband. He wears them for house shoes. He can't stand slippers; he says they make his feet hot. He used to go barefoot all the time but that is not comfortable for him anymore. The hiking sandals work well.

9) Another little one born in '64 is Mariska Hargitay. The star of Law & Order: SVU is the daughter of a well-known movie star. Without looking it up, do you know who her mother was?

A. I haven't the faintest idea. I've never watched an episode of the show and never heard the name.

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I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

The Day Elvis Died

There are many things that happened nationally that I remember because I remember where I was and what I was doing.

I know exactly where I was when the second plane hit the Twin Towers on 9/11/2001. I know where I was when Challenger exploded. I know where I was when I heard President Reagan had been shot. I know where I was when I learned John Lennon had been shot. I know where I was on November 9, 2016, when I learned that Hillary Clinton lost the election even though she won the popular vote.

And I know where I was when the radio announcer said, in solemn tones, "The King is dead."

We were driving through some flat area of Kansas or someplace like that, my parents, my brother, my grandmother, my two young uncles, and me, all piled into a bus-van type contraption that my father had found for a trip across the country.

My father had been flipping radio stations to find something to listen to, and that was what we heard, "The King is dead." We were all hushed while my father tried to find a station to figure out what was going on. At first, we were confused - what king? King of a country? Not the king of rock and roll, surely. He was only 42 years old.

After much fiddling with the radio dials - we were, after all, in the middle of nowhere in the Midwest - my father found another station.

"Elvis Presley is dead," the announcer said.

My father gasped, my mother shrugged, my grandmother said something to the effect of that being too bad.

My brother and two uncles went back to playing cards in the back of the bus-van, my grandmother returned to her nap, and my father drove, his hands tight on the steering wheel, not yelling at the boys for making noises they made as they messed around in the back.

I sat behind my father, and I watched him. I was only 13, but I knew this was important.

I have never asked Dad what that meant to him, to have someone he had idolized die and have no one to share it with when it happened. He didn't talk about it, didn't make much of it. He just kept driving.

My father was a big Elvis fan. My father had a band of his own and he sang many Elvis songs. He idealized himself as a "B" version of Elvis, or so I thought. My mother, who was riding shotgun in the bus-van, didn't seem to care one way or another, but I remember feeling the change in my father's mood even though he didn't say a word.

I remember his sadness, though he made sure no one saw him sad.

He wasn't alone, of course, we were all there in the bus-van. I knew he was feeling something, but we have never been a very lovey-dovey touchy-feely kind of family. I don't know if I was the only one who knew that this was a blow to my father. I've never talked about it with anyone, though my father asked me some time ago if I remembered where we were when we heard about Elvis's death. He was pleased that I remembered, right down to the cornfields along the side of the long stretch of highway.

Wise men say many things; others say very little. I always equate Elvis Presley with my father, and I always have that memory following me around, the memory of me, the young girl-woman in the seat behind her father, watching without comment while the man she once thought hung the moon absorbed devastating news.

Happiness - Day 15

Today I am happy my husband was around to get the wayward calves back inside the fence.

Chasing cows is not my strong suit, though I have done it before. He is better at it and they are more familiar with him, so he has an easier time of it.

When I chase cows, they look at me like, "Who do you think you are, crazy woman?"

So, yay for the hubby being around this morning. Before he retired, I would have had to call around and find somebody to help me run them back into the field.

Thursday Thirteen #870

Book banning is back in the news (not that it ever left).

These 13 books are now banned from all Utah public schools:

“Blankets” by Craig Thompson.

“A Court of Frost and Starlight” by Sarah J. Maas.

“A Court of Mist and Fury” by Sarah J. Maas.

“A Court of Silver Flames” by Sarah J. Maas.

“A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas.

“A Court of Wings and Ruin” by Sarah J. Maas.

“Empire of Storms” by Sarah J. Maas.

“Fallout” by Ellen Hopkins.

“Forever” by Judy Blume.

“Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur.

“Oryx & Crake” by Margaret Atwood.

“Tilt” by Ellen Hopkins.

“What Girls Are Made Of” by Elana K. Arnold.

I have read only Oryx & Crake by Margaret Atwood and have no idea why it's on the ban list. The book explores dystopian themes, genetic engineering, and societal collapse. 

I've passed up the Sarah Mass books many times because the audio versions are quite long, but I will listen to them now. The bans on Sarah J. Maas’s books are primarily due to concerns over explicit content and themes that some consider inappropriate for certain age groups. This includes sexual content and mature themes that have led to her books being labeled as “pornographic or indecent” in some places. Additionally, there have been criticisms regarding inclusivity and controversial themes.

The books are still available in public libraries and bookstores, just not schools. You know, the places where you learn stuff.

______________

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 870th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Happiness - Day 14

 

My fingertips are blackened with ink! 

This makes me very happy.

I have been going through old newspapers, looking at articles I wrote 30 years ago. I doubt I saved every word that was printed, but I saved a lot.

I also saved letters to the editor that spoke highly of my work. There aren't many - people aren't free and easy with compliments - but it was nice to know that for a little bit, I made a difference.

And my goodness, I wrote about everything from the school board to new businesses to zoning to history. I even wrote columns.

I found a picture my nephew drew when he was 7 years old amongst the newspapers. It was featured on the back of an advertisement insert. I didn't remember it, but he had signed his name.

The review is for a personal project I'm contemplating, as well as another with one of the local historic societies that I've sort of agreed to help with when I can. Double duty.

The ink makes me happy. Better times.

______________________

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Happiness - Day 13

Today I am happy because I finally have a short way of saying what I tend to be long winded about - what it is I want from government.

I heard this from Heather Cox Richardson during one of her Facebook talks today.

Here are the four things:

1) Regulate businesses

2) Provide a basic social safety net

3) Promote infrastructure

4) Protect civil rights

And that's it. Everything else, even the military, falls under those four categories (you can't provide a basic social safety net if no one's safe because we don't have a military, right?). 

Now I am going to memorize these four key items so I can spout them out next time someone asks me what I think government should be doing, or why I am in favor of a strong government.

Happiness - Day 12

Today it's back to school for the little kiddies. My great niece is starting her first day of kindergarten. Her younger brother headed off to preschool.

On those slate boards that parents use now to show what the little ones are doing on that date, my great niece said she wanted to be a farmer.

The great nephew said he wanted to be a firefighter.

Me thinks the great uncle has been quite an influence upon these two little ones. Their daddy was like the son my husband never had, so no wonder.

It makes me very happy to know that these two little ones love their great uncle so much they want to be just like him.

(I do not see these children as often as I would like; the family has dogs so I can't go up there with my asthma and allergies. But they see their great uncle several times a week. I am happy that he is part of their lives.)

Happiness - Day 11

This morning, I showered and then sat down to watch the women's basketball game in the Olympics. It was a nail-biter with the USA taking the gold medal by a single point. France really gave it their all and it showed.

I do not normally watch TV during the day, even on weekends.

Best of all, I sat there with my husband, and we watched the game together.

Sunday Stealing

1. I am looking forward to . . . pretty much nothing, to be perfectly honest.

2. Least favorite words are . . . hate, evil, and sauerkraut.

3. If I ruled the world . . . women would be in control.

4. Favorite websites and blogs . . . include Saturday 9ers, Thursday Thirteen players, and Sunday Stealing players.

5. Things I do for myself . . . include showering, sleeping, and eating.

6. Weekly rituals . . . include paying bills and cleaning house.

7. DIYs I want to try . . . include new flooring in my office.

8. On my shopping list . . . would be items like bread, cheese, and eggs.

9. Places to see in your town . . . include the history museum, Roaring Run falls, and the Eagle Rock lime kilns.

10. Road trip must-haves . . . include water, snacks, and a blanket.

11. Guilty pleasures . . . include watching TV, eating stuff I shouldn't, and listening to music.

12. Things I'd rather be doing right now . . . include reading, writing, and playing music.

13. Books I'd like to read this year . . . I really don't have a list, although I have a rather large "to be read" pile.

14. Lessons learned . . . include, "Keep your mouth shut," and "Avoid left turns."

15. Vacations to take . . . include a trip to Niagra Falls, a visit to the Grand Canyon, and a visit to Chicago.

__________

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.

Saturday 9: Annie's Song

Saturday 9: Annie's Song (1974)

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

1) 50 years ago this month, we were all listening to John Denver rhapsodize about nature. He singles out walking in the rain as a particularly lovely experience. Do you enjoy walking in the rain?

A. I do in the summer. I don't like it when it is cold out.

2) Denver wrote this song on a ski lift in Aspen. He clearly relished the ride, but ski lifts are problematic for those who suffer from acrophobia, or a fear of heights. Acrophobia plagues approximately 5% of Americans. Are you one of them?

A. I don't have a fear of heights, but I have a thing about elevators, which makes it hard to get somewhere high.

3) John Denver recalled that this song just came to him as he looked down on the beauty of nature. Can you recall a time when something you saw in nature touched your heart?

A. This morning a fox ran through the back yard. He had black feet with a white band above them, as if he had on socks. He was quite big for a fox. I don't see them very often.

4) Wildly successful here in The States, John Denver's popularity didn't extend to the United Kingdom. In fact, "Annie's Song" was his only major hit. But it was a big one. Denver's version reached #1 in 1974 and then in 1978 James Galway hit #1 on the UK charts with an instrumental version. Do you have a favorite instrumental recording?

A. Classical Gas by Mason Williams.

5) John Denver's first-ever guitar, a gift from his grandmother, was displayed at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix. Have you visited a museum yet this summer? If not, do you have plans to?

A. I have visited a museum, yes. I went to the history museum in a nearby county and visited the museum in my own county.

6) In addition to the guitar, Denver also played the violin (or "the fiddle," as he called it). If a genie appeared to magically enable you to play the instrument of your choice, which would you choose?

A. The guitar.

Let's look at the summer of 1974.

7) Elizabeth Berkeley was born. She's best known as Jesse on the Saturday morning teen sitcom, Saved by the Bell. What Saturday morning TV shows do you remember fondly?

A. H.R. Puffin' Stuff (HR Puffin Stuff, he's your friend when things get rough, HR Puffin Stuff, can't do a little 'cause he can't do enough), The Land of the Lost (Marshall, Will, and Holly, on a routine expedition, met the greatest earthquake ever known), Loony Tunes (Eh, what's up, Doc?), Underdog (there's no need to fear! Underdog is here! Speed of lightning, roar of thunder, fighting all who rob or plunder, Underdog!), Milton the Monster (now for a touch of tenderness, but I must use only a touch! for without a touch of tenderness, he might destroy me! Ooops, too much! Better hold your breath it's starting to tick, (better hold my head, I'm feeling sick), Hello Dad! What have I done? I'm Milton, your brand-new son!), The Bullwinkle Show (Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat! Again?), and many more. 

8) Hall of Fame pitcher and Cardinal great Dizzy Dean died. How is your baseball team doing this summer?

A. I'm afraid I don't have a baseball team.

9) The biggest summer movie was The Longest Yard starring Burt Reynolds. What's your favorite Burt Reynolds movie?

A. I don't have one, but I will say Smokie and the Bandit because Sally Fields was in it.

_______________

I encourage you to visit the posts of other participants in Saturday 9 and leave a comment. Because there are no rules, it is your choice. Saturday 9 players hate rules. We love memes, however. 

Happiness - Day 9

Today I am happy because we had rain. We did not have flooding rain, at least not here (some of the neighboring communities did), but we had the rain we needed that hopefully will bring back the pastures and maybe give us some hay for the cattle.

The drought isn't over, but it helped put a little dent in it. We were starting to really worry.

______________________

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

Thursday Thirteen

I have not "officially" been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, but that's because there really isn't a test for it. However, my doctor and my chiropractor both now seem convinced that this is what is going on with me. I will have some further testing done late next week to rule out some other things, though.

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties often referred to as "fibro fog." The exact cause is unknown, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic, environmental, and psychological factors.

Here are 13 things about this condition:

1. Prevalence: Fibromyalgia affects around 4 million adults in the United States.

2. Gender: It occurs more frequently in women than in men.

3. Symptoms: Common symptoms include widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and cognitive difficulties often referred to as "fibro fog".

4. Pain Sensitivity: People with fibromyalgia may be more sensitive to pain than those without the condition.

5. Coexisting Conditions: It often coexists with other conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and migraines.

6. Diagnosis: There is no single test for fibromyalgia; diagnosis is based on symptoms and ruling out other conditions.

7. Causes: The exact cause is unknown, but factors like genetics, traumatic events, and sleep disorders may contribute.

8. Brain Changes: Repeated nerve stimulation in fibromyalgia patients can lead to changes in the brain and spinal cord, amplifying pain signals.

9. Treatment: While there is no cure, treatments include medications, exercise, relaxation, and stress-reduction techniques.

10. Misconceptions: Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood and sometimes dismissed as being "all in the head."

11. Impact on Life: It can significantly affect daily life, including work and social activities. Anxiety and depression are common among those with fibromyalgia.

12. Genetics: It tends to run in families, suggesting a genetic component.

13. Awareness: Increased awareness and understanding are crucial for better management and support for those affected.

______________

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 869th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Happiness - August 7, 2024

I saw a friend at the grocery store this morning, and as we walked out to the parking lot together, she told me that she had witnessed an interesting exchange between the checkout clerk and some elderly patrons who were checking out in front of her.

The elderly folks were paying with cash, and they were a few dollars short. The cashier opened up her wallet and made up the difference.

Isn't that great? There are still people willing to help out. My friend told the cashier that her good deed had not gone unnoticed, and the cashier said she tried to help out when she could.

I am happy that there are still people in this world who care about others.

Happiness - August 6, 2024

This morning, I had two friends call me. I was so happy to hear from both of them.

Not much better than a phone call from a friend, especially when you really need to talk.

My First Award-Winning Article

The article above, which published on December 3, 1986, was one of my first award-winning articles. I won a Virginia Press Association award for this piece. It was a photos and copy award, so it was multi-faceted. Good pictures, good writing. I couldn't ask for more for a first award.

It is also one of the few first-person articles I've ever published. Most news reporting is not in the first person, it's in third person, and it seldom was about me. I didn't want it to be about me. But this was about my experience taking a ride in a hot air balloon, and as such, I could only write it in first person.

The adventure came about because I'd earlier written a column about watching a small plane appear to buzz a hot air balloon and it had alarmed me. The balloonist, Natalie Haley, had contacted me to tell me the plane was much further away from the balloon than it had appeared from the ground. Then she offered me a ride.

How could I say no?

 

The Kings Guard

I don't know why it makes me happy to watch videos of the Royal Kings Guard in London, but it does.

I like the uniforms and the pageantry. I like that these young men and women stand up to guard what is, essentially, a symbol of government.

When the guards yell at the tourists for touching them or touching the reins of their horses, I find it especially satisfying. 

These entitled tourists get screamed at, and deservedly so. The tourists look startled and offended. How dare they be sternly told, "Do Not Touch the King's Guard!"

Nothing like a little Royal Law and Order, right?

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.