Long long time ago, and in a different country (so to
speak), due to a birth control failure, I got pregnant when it was pretty
uncomfortable to be so. In grad school, no job, legal separation, but divorce not even
started. Due to the *times,* abortion was a HOT AND HEAVY subject. (Three
weeks after Roe V Wade was passed.) Pro-Birth (at any cost) bumper stickers and
newspaper ads were rampant. I had two little boys, and it was a real concern
that their father would attempt to get custody. He was not a bad man, but at
the time, he would have been one lousy custodial father. I figured I *owed* the
two I’d already birthed. As I agonized over the decision, I was bombarded on
every side with views of strangers about what I should do with my life, and my
pregnancy. I REALLY felt under fire in an almost literal
way.
I remember one morning, having sent my two blonde bits
of sunshine off to school, sitting down with a cup of coffee and the morning
paper. First inside page after finishing with the front page news was a full
page picture of a tiny pair of fetus feet. 12 weeks. Which is where I was. I
knew, in fact, that the ONLY part of a fetus that begins to look remotely human
at 12 weeks was the feet. The rest looks like a prehistoric salamander. The
picture was profoundly dishonest. And vicious. Still, I felt like I’d been hit
in the gut with a fifty pound sledge hammer. I nearly frooped (and no, I wasn’t
having morning sickness). It felt extremely personal and invasive. And
personally hurtful: those on their high horses of virtue and claiming ownership
of all available divine light and oxygen had NO idea of what I, as a thoughtful,
caring soul, was going through, even without their help. And how much extra pain
they were causing. Nor do I think they gave a damn.
The situation resolved itself with no help from me, or
the medical community: I miscarried. But NOT until after I had decided not to
have an abortion. But I was, and AM, endlessly grateful that I had a CHOICE. I
want that same choice available to my granddaughters. To everybody’s
granddaughters, and daughters. To absolute strangers.
We now have a choice of two Presidential candidates
that can, and will, make that decision for countless girl children born, and yet
to be born. One, and only one, has said he’ll work very very hard to make sure
that no woman ever has that choice again. I believe him. And on that basis,
first and foremost (though there are many other reasons I’d never vote for
him). I WILL NOT VOTE FOR MITTENS RAWMONEY. More importantly, I WILL vote to
reelect the President. And WILL work to reelect the
President.
72 comments:
Excellent Article, Puddle. Thanks for posting.
AND, The Man is first!
Yes, thank you Puddle-- If Romney and Gang take over and begin to regulate even more women's health and reproductive rights--can chastity belts be far behind?
Wonder if the ranters out there have considered that???
R's would be funny as hell if they weren't serious: they hate regulations, rules, and imposition on privacy. Unless it's a woman's privacy. Or anything to do with sex. Then it's fine: bring it on.
The Handmaid's Tale pretty much covers it if we don't wise up. . . .
BTW, the Chicken Pesto was *awful* -- Chef Boyardee with chicken, and a sprinkling of basil which did not save it. . . .
I used to laugh at how wide with fear Edwin's eyes would get when he'd ask what's for dinner, and any word of the answer was Pasta. . . . Turns out his mother, on the nights his dad would work late (which was often) would just open a can of the Chef, and call it a dinner. And evidently call it pasta. . . . He never didn't love anything I did with any kind of pasta, and never got over the gut reaction to the word.
Got a load of clothes down to the river and washed and draining on the bridge. Went up for a little nappy, and woke to a thunderstorm: how powerful is *that*? Just call me the Rainmaker. . . . Think the river is now too low to keep trying to do my laundry there. The moss and lichen population is blooming, but I wishn't smell like a swamp, lol!
Puddle--you continue to amaze me--thanks for the details of doing your laundry.
Closest I can get to that is remembering helping my grandmother with a scrub board over a tub of water carried from a pump. She had been a city woman until just past age 30 and with five young'uns my grandfather who had been a postman decided to buy a farm. They moved out there because the three oldest boys were turning into wild ones.
They didn't get any less wild in the country--they just had further to walk to get into trouble!
All three plus one younger one were in
CCC and then WWII.
All came home safely with the exception of one who had a severe leg injury.
It was always a happy day when they came home on furlough
--and they were STILL wild. Great uncles for kids.
Daughter Brenda is at the NC beach for a week. The woman who is the director of the non-profit which produces all the events invites her two events planners to their family beach house.
But never fear for me--when she is gone a young lady who works with them is left in charge of the planners Moms.
A very good, bright and happy helper she is. Covers all fields--doctors, shopping, decorating, entertainment...with
detail. Tomorrow she is taking me to a gallery here in GSO--an exhibit of NC potters and their works. I love local pottery.
Wondering about Pat and Jo--hope all is well.
Now off to bed--body not quite recouped from the hassling around yesterday--
Good night all
Just took a nappette (never got to sleep), more to let the line clean and the modem cool than anything else. Boy seems to be down for the night though.
I realized going up that I'd gotten through this *entire* day with No painkillers. Yay!!!
clean/clear, what's the difference, lol!?
not supposed. . . .
Good Morning,
I've checked in here and there, appreciating the conversation.
My friend passed away yesterday. We were able to visit the day before. She's a wonderful person, was fully aware of the ending process, was very beautiful in her peace.
And here, an editorial in the Boulder Camera that's worth reading I think.
Commentary: Theater tragedy pales in comparison with war violence
By Oak Chezar
Posted: 07/27/2012 01:00:00 AM MDT
Gov. John Hickenlooper says he's worried, now that there have been two bloodbaths in Colorado, that this might give our state a bad name. There's an elephant in the room, or a sacred cow more likely; both Aurora and Littleton, the towns of our homegrown massacres, were already unspoken epicenters of horror. Lockheed Martin, near Columbine, and Raytheon, in Aurora, are researching and manufacturing unspeakable violence right now in vast stockpiles of weapons and delivery systems for war. What will it take for the average Coloradan to find their daily deeds shocking? What will it take to even recognize their existence?
Raytheon produces F18 fighter jets, Tomahawk, Maverick, and Sidewinder missiles, bunker busters, and Patriot missiles. Raytheon makes the Phalanx weapons system, which is on the naval ships of 22 countries. Raytheon makes weapons systems for the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, and apparently, any country with money to pay.
Lockheed Martin, in Littleton, is the world's largest weapons contractor and the largest weapons exporting company in the world. Lockheed Martin makes too many missile systems, assault weapons, and nuclear weapons systems to list here. Both companies make depleted uranium bombs, which are banned by international law, cause Gulf War Syndrome to U.S. soldiers, and unfolding radiation contamination in Iraq and Afghanistan future generations.
The Denver area also hosted the Rocky Flats nuclear bomb plant for six decades. How can it be that these monstrous multi-national corporations pumping out death for profit are ignored by the governor and the populace as none of our business, or business as usual? The war industry is the mother of all evils of the world. Multiply Columbine and The Batman Massacre by ten thousand. Imagine the suffering and the terror of all the families we never see sobbing on our TV sets.
Bullets and warheads and missiles and bombs. The war weapons industry makes billions of dollars a month selling weapons of death. Their products, whose sole purpose is violence, create terrorism, as war brings mass destruction and more hate.
One man shoots 70 people in a movie theater. It's terrible. It's sickening and crazy. And all the crazy violence perpetrated randomly in America is becoming one long movie, business as usual. It blends right in with the violence we love to watch as entertainment. And it pales in comparison to the industries right next door, trading tax breaks and subsidies for the jobs we say we need, the security we say we're protecting. Maybe we need to stop paying all this attention to the rituals of public, random deaths, and start paying attention to the larger problem of endless violence -- the fully funded, completely legal, totally rationalized business of war.
Oak Chezar lives in Jamestown.
I am sorry about the loss of your friend, Pat--for what it is worth now--I have found this happening and am grateful for and treasure the memories.
Thanks for the editorial--how right--
Ah--rain soaked laundry--I remember those days in Michigan-babies in diapers etc.!!!
Almost afraid to say *anything* right now (I've been tricked before, lol!) BUT. . . . The new Trendnet modem arrived, and is installed. I am IMPRESSED: It was the only one of the three that 1. came with an installation manual as well as a CD, 2. came with a protector for the USB connector, 3. had a tiny tab on the CD envelope for reclosing (instead of a sticker which rips the paper), 4. makes sounds when dialing (loud ones), 5. loads facbook pages on the FIRST TRY, 6. has an *extremely stable* profile on the Task Manager, AND 7. is loading pages as fast as Green Lantern did when he was new, and FireFox was small. . . . NO MORE: Page cannot be found; connection was reset while the page was loading; timed out; could not find server at google.com; Windows Live could not find the server at earthlink -- make sure you have entered the address properly. Your ISP may be able to help you configure. . . . .
Hooray, Puddle--fingers crossed here
for continuing good access to the nets.
Good afternoon with Rachelle--Brenda's second in command. Interesting pottery exhibit--seems a fair number of potters are trying to accent their work with raised dots or sometimes interesting combination of stripes--sometimes at the expense of basic design and form. Then we went off for "go to town" errands and lunch at a small local food restaurant. Lovely day.
Pat, I'm sorry, too. I've lost good friends, and 'spect I'll be losing more: seems to come with the territory. Don't think one ever gets used to it though.
Shirlee, sounds like one lovely day!! When I was doing craft shows regularly, I was bemused that of all the crafters, potters were the only ones who'd never trade with me. I thought maybe since we both did 3D work, they felt they could replicate what I did. Whereas the paper snippers and I were in mutual awe of each other. . . . LOTS of trades with them. And I'm STILL amazed what it's possible to do with scissors!!
Being able to go to, see, and talk with other crafters (and trade) was the real joy of my craft show years. And meeting customers, who'd come back to tell me how their "fella" had done during the year. One lady told me that after Christmas, she was about to pack up her Santa, and the thought of putting him away in the dark, and all wrapped up, and unable to breath was more than she could handle. She left him out all year. And was looking for a case that he could breathe in. . . . Had to laugh, since that was pretty much my feeling about them. A pair of teens left the booth once: it was too spooky for them -- all the tiny shrunken people, lol!
Sweetly cool this morning -- lower sixties in here, upper fifties outside. Remembering autumn actually does exist!
Ah, paper snippers and potters--had them in the same person in my Cincinnati daughter. When she was a preschooler she would get up in the middle of the night with her blunt scissors and paper and cut and snip away in the empty living room, in junior and senior high school she became interested in pottery. She even talked me into taking a night class
with her.As an adult she decided to learn bead work, after that it was turning the many available used stamps into jewelry.
Now--she is a dietetic technician in an assisted living facility. Evenings, week-ends she spends time as an on-line book dealer, as well as still selling her collection of jewelry and stamps!
Odd--just as I was telling you about my daughter I had an e-mail from her. She and her husband are in S. California this week-end. Wanted to let me know they just found the Dollar Book Store and both of them had a huge stack of MUST HAVES that they had to weed out after remembering they were flying home!
Next Friday they will be coming to Asheville--and Dana is driving to GSO for lunch with Mom and Sis. Always good to see her--she is a lively one!
She *sounds* lively, Shirlee. I used to be amazed how different we were one from another in my family, and between my own two. If I'd only had the first, I would have been insufferable -- he was such an EASY kid to raise. And I was ready willing and able to take full credit. . . . Number two gave me perspective, and made me a much more creative parent/human being. . . .
I haven't yet decided if raising five made me more creative--or just adaptive. They all survived fairly tight money times in the early years, Dad starting a business and working and Mom deciding to start college when the youngest--Brenda-- was two years old. The year the oldest--Marla of The Rock--was graduating we added a Danish exchange student for a year. A most wonderful experience.
They all learned how to work that is for sure--and they remain hard workers.
Good kids.
Tight money times, in and of themselves make one creative, lol! I'm endlessly grateful to my mom especially that she never whined (same situation: dad started several businesses while they were married -- two of them with his brothers), and incredibly long hours. I didn't get any whiff of how really poor we'd been till I was married and cooking/shopping on my own, and she remarked casually that there'd been years and years when she couldn't afford either vanilla or cinnamon. . . .
And I'd grown up thinking that second hand stores were where *smart* people shopped. . . . The father of the father of my children and his mother, however, instilled in him deeply that they were poverty stricken. . . . His dad never lost his job during the Depression, and they bought a house in 1932, when he was six. But he never quite recovered from that sense that there's *never enough.*
My youngest found it impossible to ever do what was asked of him. If you needed a certain behavior, you had to figure out how to make HIM want it because it was fun, or exciting, or interesting. . . . The eldest, on the other hand, wanted to please. With every fiber of his soul.
Ah, challenges, challenges there were--and I guess still are. But, I feel less pressed now that they are grown--and can enjoy grand-kids who are now young adults.
Really need to go to sleep and let the Rebels of Ireland stay silent for the night!!!
Good night all.
Up early, courtesy of Mister Puppy. About to fetch him and return to bed.
Trip to town, and doc for bloodwork this morning. Routine. But black coffee in the ayem is NOT my cuppa tea, lol!
Almost didn't make it, lol! Me and the boy went back to bed at six. I usually don't any any problem getting back up by 8 or 9. Not today. Woke at 10 to 10, and the appt. was 10 after 10. Thought about calling and rescheduling -- then thought of another night/morning of black coffee. . . . Woke the dog up, got him out, and FLEW through prep, and left at 10. Was a half hour late, but they took me anyway, and bless um for that.
Then food shopping for three breathing critters, gas, and home. Not bad for a morning's work 75º in town, 70º here. Lovely. For the first time in memory, Iron Weed among the roadside offerings. I've had some in my pasture forever, but never seen it along the road before. It's a lovely thang: the most intense purple of any flower I've ever seen. Lots of Chicory where the road hasn't been mowed -- and, massed, it's a fine sight -- sort of a lake blue, lapping at the pavement edges. Bits of occasional Butterfly weed, flaming; lots of Black Eyed Susans, Queen Anne's Lace, Swamp and regular Milkweed, and the flickering candles of the Mullein. And of course and always, the Canadian Bull Thistle. Cows will not eat it, nor the Mullein. Pastures mostly looking mowed, like green lawns. Wonder if there'll be another haying this year? Seems like time enough.
Most gardens looking pretty poopy, except for the corn which is lush and tasseling everywhere. Fine sight! Mostly the cukes, zukes, and pumpkins are mildewing. Doesn't seem like we've been wet enough for that to happen, but it's true.
Thanks for the morning report, Puddle. Sometimes medical offices CAN be kinder than you expect. Had a bit of that this A.M. also.
Had to call the urology group that worked me over last week. Problem with a med. I was expecting a complicated procedure to report it--23 urologists plus nurse practitioners. Nope--push the right button on their phone
menu and get to a real, live, caring person who takes the details carefully--double checks so that she has the facts correctly, decides to note and forward it as urgent. I didn't think the last was needed--but OK.
When I thanked her she said she just loved her job taking care of patient's questions!
I always love your field guide and garden reports---
Well, good night again folks--sleep well all.
If Listener stops by I have an audiobook to recommend for her library--if there is interest in English and Irish history.
Hope Jo can get on --miss her and that Pat and all our usual
are well, safe etc...
Long night, ack! Kept dreaming the radio was a computer, and someone had wiped it. Spent a LOT of time figuring out how to reprogram the radio in XP. . . . I SO want to focus on something beside how well a computer works. . . .
Good morning ladies! I bit the bullet and ordered internet svc today – I use it so much for job search, etc and haven’t had a good connection in ages. After taking 20 minutes to enter my unemployment filing info and getting knocked off the server I decided enough is enough! The self-install kit should be here by eow and I will be sooooo happy to join the conversation again!
Hooray for Jo--will be good to have you here more often!
Puddle, are you still having installation problems--or is the dreaming just left over from the REALLY bad time?
I am proud to report that I am back on my regular schedule and dosage of RA meds--had to be off for three weeks to clear up an infection. I WILL be back to my normal, slightly rickety but pretty much pain free self before our August and October travels begin!!!!
Yay, Jo!! Will be very nice to have you around more -- you're missed!!
Shirlee, I am SO glad! I'm one of those who really does pain very badly. Funny thang, I've taken a whole lot, and don't (or didn't) complain much, but I REALLY hate it!!
Still having problems, but I'm past thinking it's all modem related. Next step is to investigate the quality of the phone lines. . . . And wondering if it'll ever be as good as XP was 9 years ago. . . . Part of the problem is the newer web pages: as the rest of ya'll get speedier lines, web designers make bigger, junkier pages. One site I use almost without problem is Plenty of Fish: they're all designed by the owner/programmer, and he has HUGE traffic, and so tends to keep his pages stripped. Facebook, on the other hand is almost impossible to load even when everything else is doing fine. I think I'll have to cut back there, as it's just too frustrating.
Same here, Puddle. since 1987 I have been in pain for one reason or another-and can tolerate quite a bit, but I HATE feeling cranky, forgetful and hurting.
My new requirement for the medical profession--if they KNOW they can't cure me--at least keep me out of pain. Think we could get it put into the curriculum for medical education?
Ah, well--Brenda Jane is back from the beach and is stopping by this evening--by which time I will have pulled together a buffet supper for us.
She isn't really a beach person but knows she needs to get away--and feels some obligation to the director and the other events planner.
Will be good to see her.
Woo! Just got buzzed by three Navy planes, flying WAY too low. And they have to KNOW they're flying way too low. Sometimes, ya know, I can't even think of swearwords to cover what I am feeling. This is one. Tomorrow, the claims from the chicken and turkey houses will start going to the Norfolk office. The turkeys pile in a corner, and smother hundreds of themselves; the chickens won't lay for two or three days.
I just wish they'd put the damned hotshots that pull this chit on public trial, and sentence them to having whistles blown in their ears for life. . . .
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/07/31/dont-diss-party-like-its-1999/#more-110139
Comment #21 "Purity Trolls" ~~ especially apropos as HuJo is posting, yet again, his timeworn rant over at Rich's. I believe he's got it memorized, and just puts his fingers on automatic pilot. And is actually pretty irrelevant to what Rich wishes his blog to be about: which is *action.*
Hotshots are SCARY!
Is there any official place you can report to?
My opinion?--no male should be allowed a pilot's license until age 30! Well--maybe 25!
I used to, until I realized that all the poultry peeps would -- because they're making claims. Navy pays them virtually without argument -- but whether someone climbs on da boyz arses is a whole 'nother question and one which they never deign to share with us. . . . Maybe if they had the 10's of thousands of bucks coming out of *their* paychecks, they'd *think*. . . .
First time I was *really* aware of them was when I had horses -- they'd do a zoom low, and the horses would panic, and head directly for the barbwire fences. Since I'd seen the result of a horse/barbwire fence accident/entanglement, I was always very scared. First time, I called the mayor of the county seat, she gave me the number at the navy base, who gave me the number of the base in VA. I called and got the full scoop. One guy zoomed a house on a cliff over a river, and broke every window in the house. . . . They actually cleaned it up for a few years, so today's episode kind of surprised me.
New gang of rookies??
I wonder why when I click on a highlighted link here it always takes me only to our "Into the Future " page?
Do I have computer bugs--or is there something I don't understand about links? Which could be--I am no computer wizard!
Off to listen to the last of the Rebels!!
I'm grateful for your story, puddle.
Those people do care, but they care more about being "right" than about being compassionate. They were being pro-birth and you were being pro-life. Thank-you.
Amazingly...I bathed two kittens this evening and we all survived.
They even came and cuddled with me afterwards!
It's wonderful how well they don't hold grudges!! =^. .^= =^. .^=
Love the term "napette" and its definition. I think I'll adopt it!
Whenever it rains on hung-out laundry, we call that "an extra rinse."
Ooooohhh, Shirlee! I'm all ears! Whats your audiobook recommendation?
***JO!*** Hurrah!!! So glad you'll have good access! Now to get puddle all hooked up fine and we'll be golden around here!
♥ Pat ♥ My heart goes out to you at the death of your friend. A friend of ours died yesterday morning. His was also a gentle passing, for which we are most grateful. He was an economist in life and used what money he made to help others. Rather than donate to causes, he sponsored specific creative people in doing good work somewhere they never could have without his help...and he did this for them for YEARS. He sent people through college, and supported a dear talented mutual friend as she taught flute and art in Japan and on the island of Tinian. He also paid to have a book I helped with printed. Sweet soul. May he go from strength to strength in new life.
whats = what's
Mea culpa on the links, Shirlee! I'd switched to using another method (easier) for enliving 'em, without checking if that actually worked, lol! I just trusted the blueness. . . . Thanks for mentioning it. Ill go back to the old way.
http://www.balloon-juice.com/2012/07/31/dont-diss-party-like-its-1999/#more-110139
Good Morning, Puddle, Shirlee, Jo, Listener, Barb.
Thank you for your consoling words about my friend. For the past few days, I have felt her presence, an awareness of how the life of someone is much more than just the individual, rather a relationship that is reciprocal, something like a melody that is always there in memory, in how you see the world.
Your story of your friend, Listener, is just beautiful. I hope there are more souls like him in this world because it is so badly needed.
I recall a teaching assistant at the university when I was taking a political science course. I wasn't doing well; my family was having difficulties; and I felt very lost. He said to me that he thought maybe I was very creative and could he give me a creativity test. I said yes, and took the test. He then told me that he had been right, that I was creative.
That attention and kindness was crucial in giving me the courage and confidence to continue. Thank you to him.
Whatever we can do for others does make a difference.
I just finished reading The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. It's a story of relationships told through a dog's eyes. Woven within the story is insight as to how to deal with the tragedies and hurts that we face. I found it very easy reading and inspiring. And, for dog lovers, well, a no brainer as to how enjoyable it is.
So Texas just elected a Tea Partier. What is in the drinking water, the DNA, the perception of reality with Texans???
Finally, I heard on NPR that 23% of women voters vote. Colorado has the most with 27%. What's wrong with our heads? We give the ship of state over to the pirates. We have a Representative Democracy with less the a fourth who have the responsibility, the appreciation, the care to vote???
If we continue down this road of out of control, rampant capitalism, we will indeed become a Banana Republic. How can we be so lazy, so stupid, so unwilling to participate in a government that could actually give us a voice???
Finally, Puddle, I went to Rich's blog, had to paste the URL in my browser, and the discourse was improved over what had happened to the old Howard Dean blog. There actually seemed to be a discussion going on, unlike the name calling and rants of the few who tried to control it.
Have a find day, friends.
Pat, I'm not able to get those figures with Google. . . .
http://womensissues.about.com/od/thepoliticalarena/a/GenderVoting.htm
http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2012/01/the_gender_gap_in_politics_why_do_women_vote_differently_than_men_.html
Is there something I'm missing?
Thanks for cross checking, Puddle. I went to NPR to try to track the information I heard and have not found it yet. I'll check again.
The links and statistics you bring are much more optimistic. I'm wondering if I missed something when I was listening to the radio. Was it maybe percentage of minority women voters?
Anyway, I'm grateful for your scrutiny and evidence. Makes me much more optimistic. I'll get back to you if I can find what I heard a couple of days ago.
HI again, Puddle. Here it is from NPR, part of the article, the last paragraph is what I "mis heard".
I guess I was sleepy, but it shows how important it is to double check information.
"Obama And Romney Fight For Suburban Women In Colo.
by The Associated Press
text size A A A
CENTENNIAL, Colo. July 27, 2012, 08:20 pm ET
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — If President Barack Obama wins this swing-voting state, and a second term as president, voters like Paula Burky will probably be the reason.
"He understands women," said Burky, a Westminster resident who last month decided to vote for Obama.
Both the Democratic president and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, see women — specifically suburbanites from their 30s to their 50s — as critical to victory in Colorado as well as in other hard-fought places like Virginia and Nevada where polls also show close contests. That means this group of voters may also hold the key to winning the White House.
The state of the campaign in the sprawling Denver region — modest neighborhoods and upscale subdivisions near the city give way to retail complexes, industrial parks and front-range ranches at the outskirts — illustrates how the fight is playing out across the nation, and how both candidates are seeking to woo these female voters in different ways.
Obama has stirred passions among Colorado women by stoking fears about abortion rights, spending the past few weeks sharply criticizing Romney in ads for proposing to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood and opposing the Supreme Court's landmark Roe v. Wade decision.
Romney, in turn, has paid for mail and automated calls in Colorado decrying Obama's handling of the sluggish economy's effect on women.
Just over 100 days until the election, polls in Colorado show a close race, though it's unclear how the electorate's psyche will be impacted by last week's shooting massacre at a suburban Denver movie complex and a summer wildfire season that has scorched countless homes and businesses.
For now at least, Obama has had the edge over female voters nationally and he is focusing on a particularly promising subset: college-educated women. Fifty-five percent of college-educated women preferred Obama in a June Associated Press-GfK poll, while 40 percent preferred Romney.
Women with college degrees make up 27 percent of Colorado voters, according to exit polls from the 2008 election, higher than the national average of 23 percent. That puts Colorado in league with other prime Romney-Obama targets, Virginia and New Hampshire."
Ah, thanks, Pat! The figures just ran contrary to everything I knew about women voting. Though single mothers sure don't vote enough to protect themselves. . . I remember a couple of blog discussions about the subject back in the Dean Days. . . .
And BTW, I saw that article on my earthlink home page a couple of days ago. The numbers didn't register at all for me, lol!
Gore Vidal, 1925-2012 He'd gotten pretty jerky in his final years (no difference between the parties), but he did some good good work in his prime.
Just learned that my longest-time and dearest friend in all the world is waiting on the results of a biopsy...in an area of the body where her Dad had cancer. It's going to be a very long week of waiting and I feel like a walking prayer.
Ah, Pat, you speak so beautifully to that essence of loved ones that stays with us. I think that's what's behind the traditional churches' concept of the Communion of Saints. We know we're not here alone.
"Whatever we can do for others does make a difference."
It's so true and we often never know what a difference we made. But I love what Martin Smith once said while leading a retreat in Massachusetts. He used Rilke's poem "And You Inherit the Green" to suggest that God is our heir, inheriting all that we create and all that we do, to enjoy with us for all eternity, saying "Do you remember that time you did this or that" and mulling it over with us just for the joy of it. It's a nice way to think of our unsung acts of kindness and seemingly senseless beauty.
Did NPR mention what percentage of men vote? I work at the polls and it always seems to be about the same number of each gender.
my love and thoughts are with you Pat. may your memories of your dear friemd last a lifetime.
re: voter turnout, it seems that they are about the same men vs women from here (excel sheet - first report listed):
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/socdemo/voting/publications/p20/2008/tables.html
and also found this on voter turnout (not excel or pdf):
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0781453.html
For Listener--I am listening to Edward Rutherford's "Rebels of Ireland." It is produced by by Books on Tape 400 Hahn Road,
Westminister, MD 21157. It is read by
Richard Matthews. Rutherford you probably know writes long, centuries spanning historical fiction. He chooses historical events, persons etc and develops and several families around these--and follows them through the centuries. "The Rebels.." is the second of a two part series. The first is "The Princes of Ireland."
It looks as most of them might be available on Amazon.
Happy listening for your patrons!
Hi again,
We've had thunder and lightning here so the computer's been off. On for a brief time until the clouds return.
Thank you, Listener, for the poingnant comments and the mention of the Rilke poem. I have several of his books. I will look it up.
Thanks also, Jo, for your good wishes. My friend spent her last night on her deck under the stars. She was an environmentalist, teacher, writer, friend. Her name is Joyce Gellhorn and her books are the following: The Song of the Alpine, Ptarmigan (which I took with me when I wrote my first chapbook, Camping Trip), and her memoir which will be published in August, Aspen Dreams. She is/was a wonderful person, and her dying was a model for me. She was at peace, had done everything she had wanted to do, and she was surrounded by family and friends.
Well, off for a bit as the woodpecker is drilling at the house. I have to go out and criticize him.
News from GSO --Michelle Obama was/is in town today speaking at UNCG-- one of the UNC campuses. This one started as a normal school for training teachers--and still has a very strong women's studies program.
Glad to see most everyone here today--
Thanks for the updated link, Puddle--always did think Chris Hedges was a bit "off"--let him go live in his private enclave.
It's always easier to dream of enclaves than it is to do sweat work. . . . Same as those drunk on testosterone poisoning imagine themselves heroes. . . .
Thank-you, Shirlee!
I'll pass that along to our Library Director, who makes the selections!
I love historical fiction; not so keen on mystery and crime fiction.
Very grateful for the recommendation!
Pat, Sooo good to hear that your friend had done all she wished to. How many people can say that ever?
The Rilke poem is from his Love Letters to God book. I like the edition edited by ... Joanna Macy and one other.
And you inherit the green
of vanished gardens
and the motionless blue of fallen skies,
dew of a thousand dawns, countless summers
the suns sang, and springtimes to break your heart
like a young woman’s letters.
You inherit the autumns, folded like festive clothing
in the memories of poets; and all the winters,
like abandoned fields, bequeath you their quietness.
You inherit Venice, Kazan, and Rome;
Florence will be yours, and Pisa’s cathedral,
Moscow with bells like memories,
and the Troiska convent, and that monastery
whose maze of tunnels likes swallowed under Kiev’s gardens.
Sound will be yours, of string and brass and reed,
and sometimes the songs will seem
to come from inside you.
For your sake poets sequester themselves,
gather images to churn the mind,
journey forth, ripening with metaphor,
and all their lives they are so alone….
And painters paint their pictures only
that the world, so transient as you made it,
can be given back to you,
to last forever.
All becomes eternal. See: In the Mona Lisa
some woman has long since ripened like wine,
and the enduring feminine is held there
through all the ages...
...Those who create are like you.
They long for the eternal.
They say, Stone, be forever!
And that means: be yours.
And lovers also gather your inheritance.
They are poets of one brief hour.
They kiss an expressionless mouth into a smile
as if creating it anew, more beautiful.
Awakening desire, they make a place
where pain can enter;
that’s how growing happens.
They bring suffering along with their laughter,
and longings that had slept and now awaken
to weep in a stranger’s arms.
They let the riddles pile up and then they die
the way animals die, without making sense of it.
But maybe in those who come after,
their green life will ripen;
it’s then that you will inherit the love
to which they gave themselves so blindly, as in a sleep.
Thus the overflow from things
pours into you.
Just as a fountain’s higher basins
spill down like strands of loosened hair
into the lowest vessel,
so streams the fullness into you,
when things and thoughts cannot contain it.
Und du erbst das Grün (And you inherit the Green)
Rilke’s Book of Hours: Love Poems to God, pp.108-110
by Rainer Maria Rilke
translated by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy
Well, here's a funny thing. When I post here from my computer, the posts just pop in one below the other in chronological order. When I post here from my iPhone, I see a little "Reply" button after each post and am able to pop a post in right below the one I'm replying to.
How is it for others?
Ah, yes, puddle that's the very poem and translation I love so much! It always leaves me feeling so loved and hopeful.
(I said "edited" earlier, but I meant "translated.")
And Death Shall Have No Dominion
And death shall have no dominion.
Dead men naked they shall be one
With the man in the wind and the west moon;
When their bones are picked clean and the clean bones gone,
They shall have stars at elbow and foot;
Though they go mad they shall be sane,
Though they sink through the sea they shall rise again;
Though lovers be lost love shall not;
And death shall have no dominion.
And death shall have no dominion.
Under the windings of the sea
They lying long shall not die windily;
Twisting on racks when sinews give way,
Strapped to a wheel, yet they shall not break;
Faith in their hands shall snap in two,
And the unicorn evils run them through;
Split all ends up they shan't crack;
And death shall have no dominion.
And death shall have no dominion.
No more may gulls cry at their ears
Or waves break loud on the seashores;
Where blew a flower may a flower no more
Lift its head to the blows of the rain;
Though they be mad and dead as nails,
Heads of the characters hammer through daisies;
Break in the sun till the sun breaks down,
And death shall have no dominion.
-- Dylan Thomas
Nope -- I *never* see "reply" here -- Just at HEP.
Funny, though: when I went looking for the poem on google, one of the places I found it was on a thread I'd started at Plenty of Fish, and posted it five years ago. . . .
BTW, turns out we have Rutherford's "Princes of Ireland" (both book and audio-book) at the Library! I'm betting the Director will be glad to gets the follow-on. Thanks again! :-D
gets = get
puddle, funny how things come back around. I was thinking we'd shard it sometime ago in HEP, too! :-)
Oh--what lovely poetry. I am not so familiar with Rilke, but Thomas is one of my great loves.
Thank You, Thank You--Puddle, Listener, Pat and all others.
Then there is Jo--a special thanks for
creating a space where we can share the beautiful-
Love to all.
Found this on that same thread, Shirlee -- thought you might like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wendell ~~
Let me tell you
of my love for you
How you have set my blood
on fire, over
and over again.
A man I do not know
have never seen
and yet whose words
for close to fifteen years now
have spoken to me
over and over and over again
Have pierced my heart's home,
created light and love
and longing
Among my small human prides
is that I know a man who has stood
in your presence and conversed with you
about the ways of farming, and perhaps
of poetry, too, for he is a poet
as well as a dairyman
The webs of this world are a mystery to me,
but I know you have always been in this
child/girl/woman's heart, unknown and known
You have always been company and
companion
And I thank you for taking up
the traces early, and keeping to them:
The farm, the history
the prose, the poetry, the politics;
For walking the marges carefully
and remembering to bring them back
those little lights, those glimmers,
for remembering and sharing
and passing them on
I can never forget the possibility
of a farmer in Peru falling out of his field
and have the pictures from elsewhere
in the web to prove you right
had I ever had a moment of unbelief. . . .
I love you. And thank you.
jjl
8 July 2008
Shirlee at 10:29pm
Yea, verily and Amen!
Ah, Puddle--Thank You!! This is exactly how I feel--only you put it more beautifully.
I think W.B. doesn't realize how many groupies he has out here. He is truly such a humble,wise and gentle man. He has made an impact on farming, food and sustainable living--witness you, Wes Jackson, Gene Logsdon, Michael Pollan, and the growing local food and farming movement.
Yep--I love him too and proud to share a birth year with him!
New thread!
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