Reading Poetry

Last night I read three of my poems at an event at the Blue Ridge Library. It was called Artistic Hands and Poetic Voices and was held in conjunction with the library, Open Studios Botetourt, and Artemis Journal.

The event was attended by three artists and five poets. About 25 people came, most of them family members of the people reading or showing their art.

I do not like to speak in front of people, although I do when I must. So I was nervous reading my poetry, but I think I did ok.

Me, myself, and I before the reading.

A crowd shot.

Maurice Ferguson, who organized the event, and read poems.

Curt Alderson as the first poem reader. He has a snappy personality.

Me doing my poetry reading. I kept an ink pen in my hand while I talked.

Meet Mrs. Plain Jane

In last week's photos about our trip to Cherry Grove, SC, I noted we went to the guitar store and hinted at a new arrival at the house.

May I introduce to you my newest guitar, Mrs. Plain Jane:

Mrs. Plain Jane is an Epiphone Les Paul Special 1. It's a limited edition electric guitar that I bought simply because it is very lightweight.

I have other electric guitars but I can barely pick them up. This weighs about as much as a regular-sized acoustic guitar.

It was also only $150, which means it's a very cheap throw-away guitar that I can beat on. No bells and whistles, just pickups for sound.

I had forgotten how nice it is to play an electric guitar. The fretboard on this is no "real" Les Paul (those are made by Gibson and cost loads of money and aren't made in China), but it is sufficient for a rockin' rendition of China Grove.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Who was the last person you were in a car with?

A. My invisible friend, Peaches. She rode with me down to check the mail a little while ago.

2. Do you have any plans for tomorrow?

A. My husband has an appointment and I am going with him.

3. Who is your best friend or do you simply have close friends?

A. I have many close friends.

4. Is tomorrow going to be a good day?

A. How should I know? I always hope that tomorrows are good days.

5. Have you ever thrown up in public?

A. Yes, when I was a teenager. It was a long time ago.

6. What’s on your mind right now?

A. Answering these questions.

7. Who was the last person you talked to?

A. My husband.

8. What is the worst subject they teach at school?

A. I liked everything I ever took in school. I don't think there is a "worst subject." That's subjective.

9. Have you seen anyone lately that you don’t get along with?

A. Yes.

10. What is your favourite color top to wear?

A. Anything dark. But I look good in blue.

11. Have you ever been in a car accident?

A. Yes.

12. What’s the closest thing to you that’s green?

A. The grass outside the window, although it's more burned-up brown than green, since we are having a bit of a drought.

13. Where would you like to be right now?

A. With my husband.

14. Is anything bugging you right now?

A. Yes. I seem to be having major procrastination issues today and don't want to do anything.

15. Is life going right for you now?

A. I suppose.

16. Is there someone you care about more than yourself?

A. Yes.

17. What made you laugh today?

A. Nothing, so far.

18. What was the last movie you watched?

A. Welcome to Marwen.

19. What was the last conversation you had about?

A. My husband and I talked about the fact that he was bored.

20. What were you doing at 7:00 this morning?

A. I was still in bed.

21. Do you like your hair long or short?

A. My hair is medium length.

22. Do you like the rain?

A. "And I wonder, still I wonder, who'll stop the rain?"  Yes, I like the rain.

__________
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: The Candy Man

Saturday 9: THE CANDY MAN (1972)

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

1) This song is from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, starring Gene Wilder. The movie was remade as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka. Which Wonka did you prefer?

A. The original. While I'm at it, I would like to formally lodge a complaint against Hollywood for lack of original content. I am tired of remakes. New material, please.

2) In the movie, this song is sung by Bill, the candy store shopkeeper. Think about the last counter person you dealt with. We know that he or she likely didn't break into song, but did you two engage in conversation?

A. I always say hello and ask a checkout clerk how his/her day is going. Then I thank them and tell them to have a great day. I guess that is conversation.

3) The lyrics tell us that The Candy Man can make the world taste good. What's the last thing you ate? Was it delicious, or just OK?

A. I had yogurt for dinner. It was not delicious. It wasn't even OK. It just was.
  
4) The most popular recording of this song was by Sammy Davis,  Jr. Sammy was in a horrific car accident when he was 29 years old. His cheek and nose were broken and he lost an eye. That he survived at all left him reflective and after his hospitalization, he converted to Judaism. Do you still worship in the faith you were raised in?

A. I wasn't raised in any faith. I was raised in the church of curse and swear and be non-religious. I think they call it "secular" these days.

5) Sammy was proud of the honorary college degrees he received because he never formally attended school. As a child, he performed on the road with his father and uncle. In addition to depriving him of an education, that lifestyle kept him from kids his own age. He would later describe his childhood as, "in a word, 'lonely.'" Give us a one-word description of your childhood.

A. Hard.
 
6) Because he spent so much of his youth on the road, living on buses, trains and hotel rooms, he loved eventually having his own kitchen and being able to cook his own meals. This weekend, will you spend much time in the kitchen?

A. I sincerely hope not.
 
7) Sammy enjoyed experimenting with clothes and jewelry. What about you? Do you consider yourself conservative in dress or are you fashion forward?

A. I tend to be conservative, dressing mostly in black or blue colors. I always look nice but I prefer to blend in with the wall.

8) When he died, Sammy was in debt to the IRS. Do you handle your own taxes, or do you use the services of an accountant?

A. I do my taxes up to a point and then hand it over to the accountant.
 
9) Random question: If you had to tell nothing but the truth (not even the tiniest white lie) for 24 hours, do you think you'd get yourself in trouble?

A. No, because I'd take the phone off the hook and go read a book so I wouldn't have to talk to anyone. But even if I did not do that, I try to be truthful unless the truth would be very hurtful. I've never seen the point of lying. It is hard enough to remember reality, much less the fantasies people make up to make themselves look better.

___________

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.

Places We Visited

These are a few more places we visited while at Cherry Grove last week. We went on into Myrtle Beach, of course.

This was one of my favorite stops. It's an eatery along the boardwalk in downtown
Myrtle Beach. It is where the music group Alabama got its start.

Always a good place to stop in and check out. Could there be a new guitar in my house? Hmm.

Prestons is an old favorite for meals. A little pricey these days, though.

This was at Broadway at the Beach. The round thing is a Ferris wheel without its cars; they were removed because of Hurricane Dorian. The house is upside down; some kind of amusement thing.

This is a huge mall. It would encompass every mall in Roanoke, I think.

No visit to the beach is complete without a stop at the Bass Pro. 

Thursday Thirteen

For your viewing pleasure, 13 miscellaneous photos from our trip to the beach. All photos taken with a Canon Powershot 3, which is my oldest camera.

This is Cherry Grove pier.

A close-up of Cherry Grove Pier from our balcony.

 

 

This guy paddled on this surfboard for a very long way.

 

I always liked this view, with the bend in the earth.

 

A storm coming in.

 

Almost a full moon over Cherry Grove Pier.

 _________________
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 622nd time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Birds at the Shore

We saw a lot of birds at the shore.

This mallard was at the Bass Pro Shop. He didn't really look like a happy duck.

This was his mate.

These are pelicans flying across the ocean.

Seagulls

More seagulls. They gathered in great groups at times.

A Few Days by the Sea

Last week we spent several days in Cherry Grove, SC. That's north of North Myrtle Beach, near the North Carolina line. We postponed our trip a few days because of Hurricane Dorian, but after being assured that most of the Myrtle Beach area went undamaged, we headed down last Monday.

 

As you can see, everything looked rather normal. This end of the beach has developed a lot more than we knew, having not been to the shore in nearly a decade. We were surprised. Fortunately, things were not too crowded and we had a nice trip away from home.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. Who is your favorite author?

A. I don't really have a favorite. I read a lot of authors. Looking at my reading list (yes, I keep a list), I have read a lot of Janet Evanovich, Juliet Marillier, Tamora Pierce, Adriana Trigiani, Fannie Flagg, Elizabeth Gilbert, Nora Roberts, Lois McMaster Bujold, Sue Grafton, David Baldacci, J.R.R. Tolkien, J.K. Rowling, etc.

2. What was the last book you read?

A. The last book I read was The Money Shot by Stuart Woods.

3. What book reminds you of your school days?

A. Anything by William Shakespeare.

4. What book releases are you looking forward to?

A. The Book of Gutsy Women: Favorite Stories of Courage and Resilience, by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Chelsea Clinton

5. What movie releases are you looking forward to?

A. Downton Abby, but I don't think that's based on a book. The Gold Finch, coming out soon, is based on a book, but I didn't really like the book so I will wait to see the movie when it hits the TV.

6. What 3 books are you planning to read?

A. I am currently rereading the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which is three books. But on my table next to read is Daughter of Smoke & Bone, by Laini Taylor, Mastering Creative Anxiety, by Eric Maisel, and The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, by Mark Manson.

7. Have you ever damaged a book?

A. Not intentionally. I did once break a CD in an audiobook I'd checked out from the library. I paid for it.

8. How long does it take you to read a book?

A. I can read a 300-page book in about six hours, but since my reading at the moment is in fits and starts because of other requirements of life, it can take days to finally finish one.

9. Books you haven’t finished?

A. Hillbilly Elegy, by J. D. Vance.

10. Popular books you didn’t like?

A. I thought Where the Crawdads Sing received acclaim more so because of its title than its story. It was not a bad book but I didn't think it was all that great. I also have only read one Barbara Kingsolver book that I actually liked. She's one of those authors I know I am supposed to fawn over but I just can't.

11. Is there a book you wouldn’t tell people you were reading?

A. Those Shades of Grey things, if I were to read them. I have not read them and have no desire to do so.

12. How many books do you own?

A. I have no idea. I have over 200 in my Kindle. I probably have 500+ still on the shelves. I have been hauling books I've read to the library for years.

13. Are you a fast or slow reader?

A. I am a fast reader.

14. Do you read better in your head or out loud?

A. In my head. I can think faster than I can move my mouth (although some might quibble with that).

__________
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: Straw Hat

Saturday 9: The Straw Hat Song (1955)

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

1) In this song, Desi Arnaz encourages us to laugh and sing instead of concentrating on our troubles. Is this an approach to life you could adopt? Or are you a worrier?

A. I am a worrier. I am one of those people who worry about everything.
 
2) Because Desi's public persona was carefree, people are often surprised to learn his early life was hard. In 1933, his wealthy family was targeted by Cuban revolutionaries. Their home was destroyed and were forced to flee the country. In Miami, they lived in a warehouse and 16-year-old Desi helped support the family by cleaning cages for the man who sold canaries outside a drugstore. Think about your friends and acquaintances. Whose life story turned out to be very different than you originally thought?

A. One of my high school acquaintances, who was in the "A" group, a cheerleader and all of that, and who has since passed away, turned out to have a very different life than I would have expected. In school she seemed to have it all - looks, clothes, etc. But her adult life did not go so well and when I ran into her 30 years later, she looked twice as old as we were and her story was a sad one.

3) While still in his teens, Desi got his first job as an entertainer. As a boy in Cuba, he expected to be a lawyer, not a musician. He only began playing guitar because he noticed girls like musicians and he liked girls. Tell us about a hobby of yours, and what inspired you to pick it up.

A. I play guitar, too. My father and grandfather played, and I followed along.

4) He discovered he was not only a talented musician but a natural leader. By the tender age of 19, he had organized The Desi Arnaz Orchestra and they were performing in Miami hotels. Have you ever been a boss? If so, did you enjoy it?

A. I have been my own boss, and I have been a leader in various civic groups. I don't think I am a good boss. I'm very hard on myself as my own boss. I do okay in leadership positions but I am not keen to repeat the experience.

5) When he was 23, he went to Hollywood to try his hand at movies and met a 28 year old actress named Lucille Ball. In Hollywood back in 1940, it was considered embarrassing for a woman to date a younger man. Their initial attraction was so powerful she quickly got over it. Do you think age matters when it comes to romance?

A. No, I don't think age matters, unless someone is under 18. That person is not old enough to have a clue about life. I married at 20 and that was too young.

6) Desi was the first person to call that famous redhead "Lucy." Throughout her entire life, friends, family and coworkers always referred to her as "Lucille," as she preferred. But Desi insisted on "Lucy." He said that name was his and his alone. Ironically, it became the way the world referred to her. Do you have a pet name for anyone?

A. I call my husband all sorts of different names. I tend to call my brother "Bro" a lot.

7) Lucille and Desi named their son and daughter after themselves. Were you named after anyone?

A. Not really. My middle name could be considered the female derivative of my paternal grandfather's first name, but my mother said that was unintentional on her part.

8) Desi was the founding force behind Desilu. One of the first great production studios of the television age, Desilu grossed $15 million in 1957 (more than $135 million in today's dollars). He credited his success to his unconventional and creative approach to problems. Are you a good problem solver?

A. It depends on the problem. I like to think things through and I like to have a plan. If I were a very good problem solver, then I suppose I would be the force behind some multi-million dollar company, but since I'm not, I guess I am not a good problem solver in that way.

9) Random question: Who annoys you more, a know-it-all or an ignoramus?

A. They're both annoying, but I will go with the ignoramus. That generally is someone who could better his or her knowledge base with a little reading or studying. Ignorance is simply laziness for many people. (I am not talking about people who are mentally deficient in some way. Those people are of course excused.) That said, I try hard not to judge.

___________

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 Thirteen

1. “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable.” – Coco Chanel

2. “If you’re offered a seat on a rocket ship, don’t ask what seat! Just get on.” –  Sheryl Sandberg

3. “You get what you settle for.” – Thelma and Louise

4. "Only those who play to win. Only those who risk to win. History favors risk-takers. Forgets the timid. Everything else is commentary.” – Iveta Cherneva

5. “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this, and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough.” – Marissa Mayer

6. “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anais Nin

7. “You can’t outwit fate by standing on the sidelines placing little side bets about the outcome of life. Either you wade in and risk everything you have to play the game or you don’t play at all. And if you don’t play you can’t win.” – Judith McNaught

8. “Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it.” – Oprah Winfrey

9. “Saying it is impossible to live without failing at something is impossible. Unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” – J.K. Rowling

10. “Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

11.  “When you take risks you learn that there will be times when you succeed and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important.” – Ellen DeGeneres

12. “If we listened to our intellect, we’d never have a love affair. We’d never have a friendship. We’d never go into business because we’d be too cynical. Well, that’s nonsense. You’ve got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down.” – Annie Dillard

13. “The reality is: sometimes you lose. And you’re never too good to lose. You’re never too big to lose. You’re never too smart to lose. It happens.” – Beyoncé

_________________
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 621st time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday. Or so sayth the Blogger counter, anyway.

Eighteen Years Later, What Have We Learned?

On this day in 2001, I, along with most Americans, watched a plane crash into the second tower. Shortly thereafter, I watched the towers collapse in a swirl of dust, debris and screams.

My main concern was for the firemen, since my husband is one. I knew they were climbing the steps and making valiant efforts to rescue people trapped inside.

The towers' collapse killed 343 firefighters. It's a number that sticks with me to this day.

In all, 2,974 people died in the attacks that occurred in New York City and at the Pentagon in Washington D.C. That number also includes the passengers of United 93, which did not hit its target but instead crashed in a field in Pennsylvania.

My place of employment closed at lunch time, as did many others. No one could work anyway, not with attacks on New York and Washington, DC on our minds.

I came home and watched footage of the event over and over again. My husband was not at the firehouse, but he was working at his second job installing septic tanks. This was pre-cellphone days, and I couldn't reach him to tell him what had happened.

After a while I came into my home office. I turned on the computer, and I played a puzzle game while the images settled in my mind and I tried to come to grips with what had happened. 

A feeling of helplessness settled over me. I think it settled over much of the nation. For many it hasn't yet gone away - I'm not sure it will, ever. It left many feeling emasculated and I don't believe that has yet been assuaged.

Most of the world stood by the USA while she grieved the loss of her citizens.

Air travel was suspended and the following afternoon I stood with a friend and looked up. Neither of us had ever seen the sky so pure and unmarred by jet trails.

The government used the attacks as a reason to implement the USA PATRIOT ACT, which abolished many civil liberties, including the right to check out what you wanted from a library without being turned into the police if somebody thought it was suspect. Unfortunately, while some of this kind of behavior settled down, the current federal government administration is encouraging these types of activities, particularly where it pertains to immigrants or anyone perceived as "other."

The government also began spying on emails and telephone conversations and doing other Big Brother things. I serious doubt that ever stopped.

The US led a coalition into Afghanistan. That war continues, though it is not well reported. This has become the longest war in history.

The 9/11 attacks are a sober reminder for me of how badly the US government sometimes behaves in world relations, how poorly some citizens of this world think of this country, and how hard our people work, pray, and play.

September 11 also reminds me that all in the world are a part of the circle of life. Everyone, regardless of race, color or creed, deserves a chance to live. That includes bankers in the World Trade Center and Iraqis huddled in their homes during bombings in Baghdad, shooting victims in schools and theaters, and everyone else who is robbed of their life prematurely.

I hope for peace every day and I wish for wisdom in the leaders who hold the decisions for such things in the palms of their hands.

Perhaps one day issues will be resolved without bloodshed and tears, and the world will lose its hatred for one another and embrace love. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening any time soon.

I wish that love, not vengeance and revenge, had been the lesson learned from September 11, 2001. Because for a day or two there, we united as a nation, grieving and striving to rescue those in harm's way, and much of the world stood with us, too.

If only it had lasted.

One Single Rose

My roses failed this year. I think this is the only bloom that came through with any gusto.

Most of the bushes are going on 30 years old and I'm wondering if I need to pull them up and start anew. According to the Great Google, the average lifespan of a rose is 35 years, so mine are pushing it.

Some of these were started by my husband's grandmother, who passed them on to me. I am not keen to lose those, but I also don't know how to start a new bush myself. I don't think I have the patience for it, either, from what I read about how to do it.

Next year I will try to care for them better, and see how they do. If they do not improve, then I will have to figure out what to do about them.

My Thoughts On Sharpiegate

I have seen some silly things come out of the White House and the media in the last several years, but I thought this weird fight about a Sharpie and a weather forecast between #45 and, apparently, everyone else, was about the strangest thing I've ever seen.

It was doubly worse because there was a real disaster off the coasts of the Carolinas and here people were arguing over who said what when. (They were also watching the waves wash away a red SUV, but that's another weird story.)

The truth is, I too saw the initial weather talks that gave a small chance that Hurricane Dorian could pass over Florida and into the gulf and near or into Alabama. Those forecasts were early on and recanted by the time #45 took to the airwaves to offer up  . . . whatever it was he offered up. I didn't see what he said originally. I have long given up on hearing this man be the comforter in chief or do any of the things I used to expect from a president, such as offer empathy or understand disasters in a way that brings solace to people. In all honesty, I wasn't expecting anything from him so I missed what he said.

It wasn't until a few days later that I realized something was going on. In going back and reviewing, the best I can tell is someone noted that #45 was using an older forecast - which is what happens when you play golf instead of keep with the news during a major weather event.

Apparently #45 did not like being told he'd done something wrong, so he has continued (even up into Sunday morning) to tweet about it. In doing that, he marked up a forecast map with a black marker, and Sharpiegate became a thing when homes were being washed away by flood waters.

I know people who think they are never wrong. They never say, "I'm sorry." They are always right, in their minds, even when the facts contradict them.  
So #45 wanted an apology from what he calls "fake news" because the media hurt his feelings, or so it read to me in his tweets. They had nothing to apologize for, as best I can tell. He was using old information that at one time would have been correct but it wasn't correct when he used it.

That's a bit like eating a stale cracker after you've opened the package and left it sitting on the counter for four days, and then complaining because it is stale.

Had he stopped tweeting about it, this would have gone away. But he did not.

Sometimes I think the best thing that could happen would be if the satellites that function to make the Internet work all went down.

My final thought? I don't care about this at all. It's stupid, any way you look at it. There are more important things to be worrying about. I'm just writing about it because I think this is a great example of many things that are wrong with what is going on with not only the presidency but also the media.

Everybody is wrong in this particular instance.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing

1. What is the most fun thing you have ever done?

A. I went to Disney in Orlando, Florida in 1993. I enjoyed the magic kingdom.

2. Are you left-handed or right-handed?

A. I use my right hand.

3. What is the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

A. My husband supported me while I worked on my college degrees. He also married me. Kudos to him.

4. What is the biggest animal you’ve seen in the wild?

A. A black bear.

5. What is the smallest animal you’ve seen in the wild?

A. A chipmunk or a mouse.

6. Do you ever have funny dreams at night?

A. No. I tend to have night terrors.

7. If you could make a law for your country, what would it be?

A. I would tax churches.

8. What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

A. Take care of business.

9. If you could be someone else for a day, who would you be?

A. I would be my husband, so I could see what he goes through in a day in order to be more empathetic and understanding of him and his life.

10. What would you like to change about yourself?

A. It would be nice to not be fat.

11. What is your daily routine?

A. I get up, I fix myself hot tea, I read the news on the computer and answer emails, I shower, I eat breakfast and read the print newspaper, then I straighten up the house, then I work on whatever writing project I have going on. Somewhere in there I do lots of laundry and try to walk at least 5,000 steps every day.

12. What would your perfect day be like?

A. Someone would bring me breakfast in bed (with hot chocolate), and then I'd have a long leisurely shower. Then after I dressed I would read all day and not feel guilty about it.

13. How old were you when you learned to read?

A. According to my mother, I was not quite three years old. I was reading long before I started school, I do know that.

14. What is the most interesting thing you know?

A. I know the Preamble to the US Constitution by heart. I also know that I don't know much of anything, which is something most people don't seem to know.

15. What makes you nervous?

A. Life. Well, not life, really. Other people make me nervous if I have to be in front of them. Bad drivers make me nervous. People open carrying guns make me nervous (I leave - how do I know who is a good guy and who is a bad one?). Men in general make me nervous.

16. What is your favourite flower?

A. Iris.

17. Have you ever ridden on a horse or any other animal?

A. Yes. I have ridden a horse and a pony. The pony bolted and threw me, cracking a rib, and after that I refused to get back on any animal.

18. What time do you go to bed?

A. When I am tired.

19. What time do you get up?

A. Usually I am up by 6:30 a.m. if not earlier.

20. What is something that is always in your refrigerator?

A. Butter

__________
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. (This is my 300th Sunday Stealing.)