That is really funny! I post on a weather blog and it has gotten mean sometimes. I know one dear man who quit posting a wonderful blog because someone showed up at his door and threatened him, over this very issue...!
Listener, your library news letter is lively, interesting. Recently, I contacted a local library and offered to donate my poetry collection. So many libraries have scant poetry offerings. It may be because the "Language Poets" have made much of modern poetry incomprehensible, like computer random searches with nothing that invites the reader in.
Even Barnes and Noble bookstore had only a couple of shelves of poetry. The Colorado Green Fuse Poets are trying to bring poetry back in a local way. We'll see if that can happen.
Meanwhile tonight we should be able to see the aurora borealis if we are lucky from the sun's flares.
All is good here, still winter, but am reading a bit. I'm currently reading Phil Caputo's The Longest Road, a camping trip from Florida to Alaska with two dogs and his wife in an effort to get a read on the American people, why we are so divided, so angry. This took place in 2010.
Also just finished Eliaabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things, about a woman botanist and love. Her research is extensive, and I particularly enjoyed her information on Tahiti, but overall, something didn't quite work. She's a wonderful writer, but it felt almost over researched. Also, The Dog Stars, the writer Peter Heller, a Colorado resident. He mentions so many places in Colorado. It's an apocalyptic novel along the lines of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.
Winter is a time, I think, for hot soup, homemade bread, watching the snow fall, and reading in front of the fire.
Again, thank you, Jo for this blog, thank you Puddle for the latest thread, and all of us for being here.
I went back to work today, and it was a bit taxing, but I survived.
Tomorrow I head to the NH border for a meeting, then zoom back in time to pick up VT*Grand from school.
Crazy busy weekend ahead ! working BOTH days plus having VT*Grand here Friday overnight and again here on Sunday. But Monday afternoon looks pleasant with temps in the 40's. Ahhhhh.
Kind of bummed we didn't get Northern Lights tonight after that solar flare. Next time!!
I went back to work today, and it was a bit taxing, but I survived.
Tomorrow I head to the NH border for a meeting, then zoom back in time to pick up VT*Grand from school.
Crazy busy weekend ahead ! working BOTH days plus having VT*Grand here Friday overnight and again here on Sunday. But Monday afternoon looks pleasant with temps in the 40's. Ahhhhh.
Kind of bummed we didn't get Northern Lights tonight after that solar flare. Next time!!
Lately, I've become accustomed to the way The ground opens up and envelopes me Each time I go out to walk the dog. Or the broad edged silly music the wind Makes when I run for a bus...
Things have come to that.
And now, each night I count the stars. And each night I get the same number. And when they will not come to be counted, I count the holes they leave.
Nobody sings anymore.
And then last night I tiptoed up To my daughter's room and heard her Talking to someone, and when I opened The door, there was no one there... Only she on her knees, peeking into
You mean there is something other than Chris Christie in the news! Wow. I'll have to go check that out. We are still fighting coal trains and oil trains and the pipeline.
Thank you for the poetry, Puddle. And than you and Jo for this safe place for us.
Just found the news on the spill into the Elk river near Charleston. Nasty, nasty. Brenda and I have traveled through, explored, and stayed in Charleston several times on our way back and forth to Michigan. River on one side, mountain on the other I always wonder HOW did they manage to do that? Makes for a lovely view.
Off soon to Daz Bog and the Green Fuse Poets to read and comment. Here's my offering. Criticism is always welcome.
Margie’s Tears
We meet at Sandy’s where the FEMA man is interviewing one of us in the cab of his truck.
We’d all been evacuated. are here now for help. We recognize each other she a librarian, I a book lover.
And then back home again we meet at the library. “My New Year’s gift is I slept in my own bed, though we have lots of damage.”
“A neighbor’s house gone not even the foundation left. Another fell and broke her hip. A young family lost home, business everything. Someone’s in a bad way from too many troubles.
“I used to see her light on in the morning. I knew she was drinking coffee. I don’t look her way now.
“They bulldozed a wide space. I see the cars pull off to take pictures. I hate that.” She walks back to a shelf, takes a tissue from her purse. “I’m sorry for my tears. There’s still so much hurt.”
Ah, Pat! That captures it. Almost twenty years after my flood, my brain goes seeking a book I'd treasured since college, only to remember standing under the laurel holding a wet, muddy book in my hand, hoping for healing, but finally dropping in the trash pile to await FEMA's inspection. . . .
We had fog here today. Lots of it. Our temp went above 50F, so it was snow-eating fog. What we need is ice-eating fog!! Hopefully this early January Thaw will remove the ice we have been plagued with. Meanwhile, we are under a serious flood watch. (My house is safe.)
Our Youngest has been so sick this week. Today his fever was up to 104.4F! It came down later, but this happened because he was "out of it" and forgot to take his meds! I hate it when my kids are home alone sick! I told him I'm willing to come over to help, buying a mask at a pharmacy enroute. We'll see what tomorrow holds.
Thank you for your responses to the poem. If a poem doesn't resonate, then it needs to be reworked. I appreciate that it brought memories.
Listening to an interview with E. L. Doctorow on NPR yesterday, he said writers are all about memory. I'd agree with that.
The Daz Bog reading was very satisfying, 8 of us there, each poem individual, well crafted, moving. Whatever our interests, painting, writing, photography, cooking, crafting, it's the joy of doing what we feel inspired by and learning as we go.
I'm sorry for the illness of your youngest, Listener. Yes, it's scary, especially a high fever. I think as family, we see ourselves as helpers always.
We found a New Orleans cajun restaurant in Loveland called Mo Betta Gumbo, and it was good, here in Loveland, just amazing.
Warmer today and sunny. How uplifting sun is. I feel optimistic again.
Windy again last night. I'm wondering if the builder of our house had considered how it was situated with respect to wind. Maybe there was no getting away from it.
Puddle, your response to my poem is a poem in itself. I have it in my mind and picture you. Thank you.
Blue sky, sunshine and mid-50's!!! Whoo-Hah! Brenda and I plan to take a little jaunt around town--after a stop at her house so I can use her nifty, classy, walk-in shower!
Sounds like everyone is enjoying some nicer weather! YAY. Pat your poem is beautiful and I agree with your opinion of Puddles description of her favorite book.
All is well here in windy, rainy Seattle. We went looking for another love interest to fill the ache left in our hearts by the loss of Mz Little. All the cats we saw were amazingly uninterested in interacting. Some were just unfriendly. But the good news is that they will be having a kitten adoption event next Saturday to which we will go.
We're looking for two kitties that will be loving, cuddly, inquisitive, know how to be appreciated AND get along with each other. A tall order, but I think one we'll be able to fill.
Here is hoping you find the perfect kitties. The second kitty I picked out was one of a litter of three on a farm. The other two were cavorting around the yard, and this one walked away into the weeds with her tail in the air. I thought that looks just like me. After all testing and shots I brought her home...and she was just that from the beginning until she died 13 years later just a few months after we moved here. Rest in Peace Caroline Elizabeth!
Ah Pat, I feel sure your poe would speak deeply to half the people in Vermont…especially those who were devastated by Irene in 2011 and are still working on bits of recovery. Thank you for being here and posting it. ♥
Son called the on call doctor today and was told to expect this illness to last a full week. He was on Day 4 today, so rather bummed. As his temp is mostly about 102F instead of 104F, I told him I think the worst half of the week is behind him. I hope so. I imagine he's really missing his wife and baby boy!! On top of that work is building up to greet him and he feels really awful. I think it used to be that when you were sick most of your work could be done by someone else. That too seldom being the case today is a peril of specialisation in the workplace.
"Windy again last night. I'm wondering if the builder of our house had considered how it was situated with respect to wind. Maybe there was no getting away from it."
Had you noticed that before the flood, Pat? Or does your home feel more vulnerable now?
The ice and snow is off the trees, and everything here has been in melt mode for two days. The result is that all the snow and ice have mushed together and added a layer of rain water on top. As soon as we turn back to the deep freeze it will be all ice. For the first time in my life I am thinking of buying chains with spikes for my boots (they really do make them). We have had ice jams and flooding, including flooding across roadways. One neighbour up the road has a blue, 8" rubber hose across the road, to drain his driveway into the drainage ditch on the other side. If I have chance tomorrow, I will get a photo of the waterfall by the Mill which is rushing with all the melt off, yet coated all along both sides in ice!
hi, I am here. I have been sick this week and not at the computer very much. but I did post here a couple of times this week yet I don't see my posts here, I even remember seeing the email notification of my posts. that is weird. maybe it was days ago and I don't realize it, I have been out of it. thanks for thinking of me. I love you all and am thankful that you're here.
Hi, Wow, today's wind is a knock-you-down wind. It's got to be gusting at over 60 miles an hour. The computer has been shut down for most of the day because of flickering power.
Hope you are feeling better, Jo.
Listener, I don't think the house is more vulnerable. Luckily we had no flooding, but wind in the Rockies up high can be something else.
Shirlee…LOL! "What are retired librarians good for if not taking care of the details?" :-D So true!!
Pat, yes, 60mph is pretty intense. When we get the high winds I'm on general alert lest we lose some trees. We had some 75-80mph winds a few Decembers ago that uprooted big trees here. Spooky!
Our issue at the moment remains the ICE. Today I spread Ice Melt down, using a brand that doesn't harm animals or vegetation. I also spread sand at the end of our driveway. We are being gifted with a few more days reaching 40F, so hopefully we'll be free soon.
{{{ ♥ JO! ♥ }}} What have you had? Any fever? Baby Grandson in Burlington got an ear infection last week, so was put on antibiotic. Two days later his Daddy, my son, got a fever. Over the weekend it went up to 104.4F! He tested negative for strep and flu, so they wouldn't give him an antibiotic. The poor guy was miserable. Finally today they decided it's pneumonia and gave him an antibiotic!! I sure wish one didn't have to tough it out for 5 days of misery before doctors aren't too skittish to do the obvious right thing. He had asthma as a child and respiratory issues are his Waterloo. They really ought to have checked him more closely!! In all the questions I asked him and all the symptoms he described to me, he neglected to mention shortness of breath when climbing stairs!!
Anyway, I hope your illness was not as miserable and was briefer! Holler if you need something!! XOXOXXX
Listener--lots of things grown children "neglect" to tell their parents. Who knows why:). Fortunately, I have a bunch of talkers and we have a family web site that all feel comfortable using and fairly soon everybody knows everything!
You may have heard that the Obama Administration has turned to a new company to fix its beleaguered healthcare website. That company is Accenture, where my daughter is a Senior Manager. She sent us this video, so we'll finally comprehend what it is she actually does. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDE_gsZtfS4
Shirlee, Daughter currently works for Accenture, contracted with a company that is in Connecticut, doing business with a company in Bangalore, India. Her job is to over-manage the managers of a big project, and to keep India in line about what is to get done. It's all financial-related stuff, and we rarely hear what companies are involved because Accenture keeps things close to the vest, for the sake of confidentiality. Companies usually don't want their competitors to know they have called in assistance! Accenture usually finds out what the company is doing that is financially stupid (or even illegal) and helps them recreate their plan to be (legal and) smarter. They should be perfect for anything the Government has! Ha! And for once it's okay for the world to know who they are contracted to work with! :-) They work really hard and get great results.
The one thing I dislike is that Daughter has to travel to and from Bangalore several times per year. It is dangerous for a woman to be alone there, so the company has a car pick her up and take her back to her hotel. They also take her sight seeing a little if there's time.
I remember back in 2003, when I first got on the internet, and everyone was so worried/angry about all the jobs being shipped to India. Saw an article then that said: not to worry--stage two would be a *new* American industry whose purpose was to help deal with all the problems created by cheap Indian workers who haven't a clue.
I'd just given up trying Earthlink's help on-line because after an hour, the poor helper *still* could begin to fathom what I was asking. Took the guy at the pay line about three seconds. Solution, one minute. THAT guy was a college guy working night shift in Arizona. . . . Six months later they shut that down, and I now look for Earthlink help on google. . . .
The problem/question, lol!? My slide bar at the right side of my mailbox has disappeared. . . . Answer? Did you just clear your mailbox? Yes. There is now not enough IN the box to NEED extra space. . . . hence, no bar.
congrats to your daughter and to you too listener - well done!
phooey to help desk techs in India, no offense but they really do stink as 'help' most of the time.
so ladies, check this out. we'll see if it's a hoax but it certainly is possible and apparently the truth will come out in June - maybe sooner. all I can say is omg, what are they doing?
What a horrible way to "educate" the next generation. Better called Right Winger Training. Always wonder what happens when the brightest and most inquisitive learns they have essentially been lied to by their elders?
As I've investigated the WWI climate/culture (thanks to UpDown), I have to report that the nutsos, brain-crippled, and conspiracy enthusiasts are not new. Seems to be a solid percentage of morons at the bottom, which take on new names from generation to generation even as the *subject* of their fascination changes. . . .
"Always wonder what happens when the brightest and most inquisitive learns they have essentially been lied to by their elders?"
About the same thing as when they learn the truth about Santa Claus. There was this idea that had meaning to the adults, even though they knew it wasn't reality, because the concept behind the myth still matters to them.
In the case of Santa Claus, the concept behind the myth is one of giving to help those in need. In the case of believing the myth that God created the world 6000 years ago, the concept behind the myth might be the desire for a Being that has the whole scary world in hand, and that ultimately no harm can come to you.
The difficulty is that we don't want to throw out the nugget of goodness in the myth. That much can be respected. Yet I don't know how to teach reality to people who don't yet comprehend the difference between reality and myth. I'm not worried about the little ones, since a lot of what they encounter is all lumped together: religious constructs, fairy stories, how science works and dragons are all mixed up together and have about equal standing.
Example: Our then 4 or 5 year old granddaughter was walking home from the Library with her mother one day when who should step out of a church right in front of them but Taylor Swift. Granddaughter was a big fan at the time, having heard some of her songs on the radio and even seeing a music video of one of the songs on television. She turned to her mother wide-eyed and said, "Why did she become real?" To Granddaughter, Taylor Swift was no different that Barney the purple dragon or a character on Sesame Street. What we see on television isn't real. But if a character on television is suddenly in front of you, does that mean a full-size purple dragon might be around the corner? LOL!
My point is that it is getting harder for people who believe in Creationism to keep their children ignorant.
My high school science teacher also taught Catechism classes at the local Roman Catholic Church. He taught that Genesis and Evolution are not at odds. It's just that a "Day" in ancient writings does not indicate "24 hours'; rather it could simply be an expression of a period of time….a way of talking about something for which words are inadequate.
I never had any problem with church vs science. But the church wasn't making a big issue of it then. I likely would today, because at the point when dinosaurs and people lived together, I'd have bolted. My youngest sister who is a young world creationist believes that carbon dating just doesn't work. Couldn't convince her that nothing of the twentieth century *would* work unless the science that carbon dating is based on was pretty close to true. . . .
As for Santa, my parents made a huge effort to make sure we knew that he WAS the *spirit* of Christmas. Passed that one on to my own kids.
At six, my youngest came to me one season, and said "Mom, is Santa a real person, or is it you and Daddy?" Wanting to let him have Santa as long as possible, I said, "What do you think?" "Think he's you and Daddy." I nodded. "Don't tell Scott (his 8 year old brother). Because if you do, pretty soon everyone in Maryland will know!"
"But the church wasn't making a big issue of it then."
Well, it depends on what you mean by "the church." There are these Creationists making an issue of it, but they are not the majority of those who take part in church. They are one faction only! MOST people of the Christian faith are just fine with science and evolution. They just don't get much PR for that. Check out (Episcopal priest) Barbara Brown Taylor's book *The Luminous Web: Essays on Science and Religion.* Inspiring!
I think it was easier when we were kids to speak of Santa as the *spirit* of Christmas. These days there is sooo much commercialism around Santa, and the "you'd better watch out or Santa won't bring you anything" really annoys me, since the true spirit of Christmas is actually about getting something which is undeserved.
We opted to celebrate Santa at the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th, and have the Christmas Angel bring the special gift at Christmas. At least there weren't complete strangers walking up to my kids in the mall and asking them what they wanted the Angel to bring. (This, of course, was back in the day when strangers thought they could talk freely to other people's children. That much at least has improved!) Just as I didn't want Creationists teaching my children their ideas, I also didn't want secular Santa pushers to push in either. LOL!
To me the idea/concept of Santa/Spirit of Christmas in the minds of small children and how they finally pin it on Mom and Dad is far different than a so-called religious group force feeding the children in school a totally anti-science curriculum. What kind of future do they envision for their children? Realistically?
For me, always, lol! "the church" means the LDS church of about fifty years ago. When Rick and I were first writing, he, who had his Ph.D. from Utah State, recognized immediately, and laughed that I should have written "The Church" to which I countered THE CHURCH. . . .
In grad school, I was told by a pastor's daughter that Mormons weren't even Christian, so different were they from her knowing of same.
Shirlee, my guess is that what they wish most for their kids is "safety". . . . Since that is what they wish most for themselves. And the world is *very* scary to them.
My childhood/growing up memories of Christmas were of Baby Jesus' birth. A birthday cake was always part of Christmas Eve celebrations, and the largest single gift the family ever gave was the annual CARE package in that baby's name. I did that exactly once as an adult and it took me a quarter of a century to get off of their beg list. I figure I actually cost them more in begging costs than what I gave in the first place. They did however make something from selling my name/addy to others (easy to spot: they'd made a typo in my name, lol!).
Thanks, Puddle. I had forgotten that not so long ago we did have a discussion here about the conservative being afraid of change. Follows they would want what they consider safety for their children.
Night before last, I was tired, had had no nap, thought it was safe for a drug free sleep. Wrong. Fell asleep at seven, a little before sunrise and after moonset. Last night, used the last of my nyquil knockoff, slept long and late.
Am growing concerned about increasing periformis pain. May start the big guns today. If I catch it early, it really helps.
Beautiful days here: bright blue sky, big what puffies, warmish. Blessing before diving back into winter.
ah puddle, sending blessings to you. hope you can bypass the meds.
it was sunny here this morning, it seems so good. got out for a bit to dig some pots out of the garage and clean up the porch a bit before it fills with snow again. my little Christmas tree that Derek got for me held up well inside and still looks beautiful, I took it outside a week ago. I'm going to make a few peanut butter and seed treats for the birds, I hope they get some before the squirrels take them over! I usually just spread the pb onto pine cones and then roll them in seed, I think this time I will mix the seed and pb, freeze it a bit and then cut out snowflakes and hang them on the tree. or maybe both! ;-)
Ferret: What's this, what's this? Cat: Let it go, already. Dog: I love you. Mother: You need clean underwear, and finish everything on your plate. Father: Buck up. Phoebe: Up here, under. Peeper: Sex, sex, sex Snake: Gotta be someplace warm around here. Bear: Go away, please. Opossum: Now *that* looks good to eat. Raccoon: Well, now, let's just wash this, might taste good after all. Whistlepig: A. Bet I can beat you across the road. ..................B. If I get just a bit deeper, I jus' know I can get some Chinese cabbage. Squirrel: Now where WAS it that I buried that nut? Wife: We have to talk. Husband: Oh, No. Lovers: My God you're beautiful. pReznit: Duh? Bull! Yeah?!! Deer: Where? Where? Where?
Didn't make it: nothing, heat nor exercise nor meditation touched it. Finally gave when I realized it was down to the front of my leg. Amazing what one tiny little frozen muscle can do. (If it just *happens* to have the biggest nerve in the body running right through it. . . . )
Ah, dear puddle. Do you have to make a trip to town before you can be pain-free again?
I seem to be joining you in the pain dept. Four or five nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night and my hip was really hurting. I think it's actually my lower back that's the culprit. But I was fine before I went to sleep and slept on my side. I couldn't lay on my side all the rest of that night, but laying on my back worked okay. Today I noticed a few twinges and tonight my lower back really hurts. The odd thing is that I have no idea WHY!
All I can think of is that maybe I jarred my back when I fell on the ice weekend before last (yet it did not hurt all that week!), then I did a little shoveling this week. VERY little, though, and it never hurt while I was shoveling. So I'm just pulling at straws. There was no Ouch moment to begin with. Very strange.
I'm going to try a heating pad.
Then I need to pack up, as we're off to visit the Maine Grands this weekend! We'll stop in NH on the way back on Monday, so that I can attend my monthly meeting of peer spiritual guides. There's nothing like support and accountability in a circle of silence and reflection.
We never tuck away ALL of Christmas until Candlemas (Groundhog Day). We hung our Kissing Ball out on the porch after Epiphany Day, but still have our creche up. After all, the Wise Guys just barely got there on the 6th! I also kept out a colourful star-bearing angel, and the gorgeous "super-nova" star we have that lights up and slowly changes colour just might be a year-rounder. It will be up at least until Winter is over, as it's so cheerful.
That's the one dissonance between the Church Year and the Seasons that I cannot abide. We have WINTER up here in the Northeast and when we have passed the worst and there is some hope of ease, longer days and warmth returning again, the Church begins the Seaons of LENT. By then I already feel like I have done Lent! Ha! The tradition is that one does not speak Alleluias during Lent and one does not have flowers in the house during Lent. I am usually so ripe and attentive by then for any hint of a Snowdrop or Crocus. Give me Tulips for Valentine's Day! I want May baskets on the first day of Spring! Let's get outside and be JOYFUL!! If it were up to me, I would reorganize the Church Year to coincide better with the natural Season. Of course, it would have to be different in different climates. And there's the rub.
What if MOST of the clergy just went ahead and did same sex weddings? Are the head honchos going to toss out everyone? I imagine that the average person in the pew would not look kindly on paying for all those trials. And in the end, in the Church as in the World, people vote with their pocketbook.
No trip necessary. Last time this started, I zapped it with nearly the last of my post-op roxicet, which made me realize what a good idea prophylactic big-deal pain killers were, and managed to get a script from my doctor. Bless her heart.
Took the one dose at seven; to bed at one thirty without taking any more; slept until eleven. Feels fine right now. Seem to have unlocked the tightness--with luck, for good.
I AM beginning to worry about the coming fall election. Still pissed at Rockefeller for retiring. Praying Shelley Moore Capito does NOT get it. And no good candidates in sight for her House seat, ack. Pray for WV, all!
Any inside scoop on the nasty chemical spill In Charleston--other than on the web? Last I read there is plenty of blame to go around-- including the lack of inspections.
Nope, no inside news. This little corner of WV seems pretty cut off from everything/one else in the state.
No requirement for inspections seems to be the biggest problem here. And now they've gone bankrupt, don't see them paying for the damage they've done. Standard coal solution: declare bankruptcy, kill the pensions, and resell.
In our lifetimes we have come a long long way with respect to justice, fairness, and equity.
From the Jim Crow laws in the South: separate fountains and bathrooms, sitting at the back of the bus, poll tests for voting,illegality of interracial marriages progress now to Civil Rights Laws, integration in schools, work, the military, to equal pay for equal work for women, the outlawing of torture, to Gay Rights in the military, workplace, under the law and civil unions and marriage. We've come far, though I think it's true to say that racism, oppression,and inequity continue.
We have more work to do, but without the Civil Rights workers, the protests, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, and others, we would not have our outstanding President in Barack Obama.
He has continued to be ethical, reasonable, pragmatic, principled, and we are seeing real change. That Iran is coming to the table with respect to its nuclear program, and we are reducing sanctions; that the UN is working with the Syria situation, just amazing.
So, congratulations and praise are in order, and so much more to do.
Yes, indeed Pat--and here in Greensboro today is an extra special day. This is the city where four brave and determined young black men--all students at A&T University here--went into the Woolworth dime store, made some purchases and then seated themselves at the counter and asked to buy a cup of coffee. They were refused and soon the word spread and college students across the south were doing the same thing. That Woolworth store is now the International Civil Rights Museum. A portion of that lunch counter is now in the Smithsonian. The rest is here in the museum.
This morning I heard the very fine marching band from A&T. leading the parade along MLK Boulevard which is just a few blocks away
The parade this year had an extra poignancy--Franklin McCain--one of the four died last week. He had lived in Greensboro all his life and taught at A&T.
Beautiful bright warm sunny day, and a winter storm warning for tomorrow! Howsumevah, the weather peeps are changing temps and predictions about every hour, so I'm confused, lol!
![Nailed it.
Thanks to @[200178736879:274:Mike Luckovich AJC] for the comic (via @[360781383974396:274:The Everlasting GOP Stoppers])](https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/s403x403/1604962_10152133368994255_1696974717_n.jpg)
80 comments:
Howard Dean is First!
That is really funny! I post on a weather blog and it has gotten mean sometimes. I know one dear man who quit posting a wonderful blog because someone showed up at his door and threatened him, over this very issue...!
That is, the cartoon ~ exposing all it does ~ does my heart good.
That it does, Listener. Thank you Puddle for a new thread and a good laugh!
You'd have to know how many times I had to try to post that to know how funny I think it is, lol!
About what I'd been hearing on my traverse of the righty radio call-in shows. . . .
Got a gorgeous warm day going on here, almost 10ยบ above today's prediction. Mostly misty, a bit of sun. Very welcome, indeed.
Exactly!
Hi friends,
Listener, your library news letter is lively, interesting. Recently, I contacted a local library and offered to donate my poetry collection. So many libraries have scant poetry offerings. It may be because the "Language Poets" have made much of modern poetry incomprehensible, like computer random searches with nothing that invites the reader in.
Even Barnes and Noble bookstore had only a couple of shelves of poetry. The Colorado Green Fuse Poets are trying to bring poetry back in a local way. We'll see if that can happen.
Meanwhile tonight we should be able to see the aurora borealis if we are lucky from the sun's flares.
All is good here, still winter, but am reading a bit. I'm currently reading Phil Caputo's The Longest Road, a camping trip from Florida to Alaska with two dogs and his wife in an effort to get a read on the American people, why we are so divided, so angry. This took place in 2010.
Also just finished Eliaabeth Gilbert's The Signature of All Things, about a woman botanist and love. Her research is extensive, and I particularly enjoyed her information on Tahiti, but overall, something didn't quite work. She's a wonderful writer, but it felt almost over researched. Also, The Dog Stars, the writer Peter Heller, a Colorado resident. He mentions so many places in Colorado. It's an apocalyptic novel along the lines of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.
Winter is a time, I think, for hot soup, homemade bread, watching the snow fall, and reading in front of the fire.
Again, thank you, Jo for this blog, thank you Puddle for the latest thread, and all of us for being here.
Hallo all. How was your day?
I went back to work today, and it was a bit taxing, but I survived.
Tomorrow I head to the NH border for a meeting, then zoom back in time to pick up VT*Grand from school.
Crazy busy weekend ahead ! working BOTH days plus having VT*Grand here Friday overnight and again here on Sunday. But Monday afternoon looks pleasant with temps in the 40's. Ahhhhh.
Kind of bummed we didn't get Northern Lights tonight after that solar flare. Next time!!
Pat, are you aware of the Poetry Foundation's website?
http://www.poetryfoundation.org
My youngest made this website!!
Hallo all. How was your day?
I went back to work today, and it was a bit taxing, but I survived.
Tomorrow I head to the NH border for a meeting, then zoom back in time to pick up VT*Grand from school.
Crazy busy weekend ahead ! working BOTH days plus having VT*Grand here Friday overnight and again here on Sunday. But Monday afternoon looks pleasant with temps in the 40's. Ahhhhh.
Kind of bummed we didn't get Northern Lights tonight after that solar flare. Next time!!
Pat, are you aware of the Poetry Foundation's website?
http://www.poetryfoundation.org
My youngest made this website!!
Preface to a Twenty Volume Suicide Note
Lately, I've become accustomed to the way
The ground opens up and envelopes me
Each time I go out to walk the dog.
Or the broad edged silly music the wind
Makes when I run for a bus...
Things have come to that.
And now, each night I count the stars.
And each night I get the same number.
And when they will not come to be counted,
I count the holes they leave.
Nobody sings anymore.
And then last night I tiptoed up
To my daughter's room and heard her
Talking to someone, and when I opened
The door, there was no one there...
Only she on her knees, peeking into
Her own clasped hands
LeRoi Jones (aka Amiri Baraka) died today, at 79
I think the world will miss him mightily.
Thanks, Listener. I wasn't aware of the Poetry Foundation website. I've bookmarked it.
Puddle, are you affected by the chemical spill in the news this morning?
Windy, whumphing windy here all night.
You mean there is something other than Chris Christie in the news! Wow. I'll have to go check that out. We are still fighting coal trains and oil trains and the pipeline.
Thank you for the poetry, Puddle. And than you and Jo for this safe place for us.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
Nope, Pat, opposite side of the state.
PHEWWWWWWWWWWW Puddle, I was so worried about Beau jumping in contaminated water. Glad your on the "safe" side.
Be interesting to have a blue-green dog that smelled of licorice. . . . But no, he doesn't get into the river often by accident.
Just found the news on the spill into the Elk river near
Charleston. Nasty, nasty. Brenda and I have traveled through, explored, and stayed in Charleston several times on our way back and forth to Michigan. River on one side, mountain on the other I always wonder HOW did they
manage to do that? Makes for a lovely view.
Good Morning,
Off soon to Daz Bog and the Green Fuse Poets to read and comment. Here's my offering. Criticism is always welcome.
Margie’s Tears
We meet at Sandy’s
where the FEMA man
is interviewing one of us
in the cab of his truck.
We’d all been evacuated.
are here now for help.
We recognize each other
she a librarian, I a book lover.
And then back home
again we meet at
the library. “My New
Year’s gift is I slept
in my own bed, though
we have lots of damage.”
“A neighbor’s house gone
not even the foundation
left. Another fell and
broke her hip. A young
family lost home, business
everything. Someone’s in a bad
way from too many troubles.
“I used to see her light on
in the morning. I knew
she was drinking coffee.
I don’t look her way now.
“They bulldozed a wide
space. I see the cars
pull off to take pictures.
I hate that.” She walks
back to a shelf, takes
a tissue from her purse.
“I’m sorry for my tears.
There’s still so much hurt.”
Ah, Pat! That captures it. Almost twenty years after my flood, my brain goes seeking a book I'd treasured since college, only to remember standing under the laurel holding a wet, muddy book in my hand, hoping for healing, but finally dropping in the trash pile to await FEMA's inspection. . . .
Oh my, Pat-this so sad and descriptive it is a stunner!
We had fog here today. Lots of it. Our temp went above 50F, so it was snow-eating fog. What we need is ice-eating fog!! Hopefully this early January Thaw will remove the ice we have been plagued with. Meanwhile, we are under a serious flood watch. (My house is safe.)
Our Youngest has been so sick this week. Today his fever was up to 104.4F! It came down later, but this happened because he was "out of it" and forgot to take his meds! I hate it when my kids are home alone sick! I told him I'm willing to come over to help, buying a mask at a pharmacy enroute. We'll see what tomorrow holds.
Sorry to hear about a sick young'un, Listener. Even when they are old enough to know better--sometimes they don't---or do we their elders!
HI Friends,
Thank you for your responses to the poem. If a poem doesn't resonate, then it needs to be reworked. I appreciate that it brought memories.
Listening to an interview with E.
L. Doctorow on NPR yesterday, he said writers are all about memory. I'd agree with that.
The Daz Bog reading was very satisfying, 8 of us there, each poem individual, well crafted, moving. Whatever our interests, painting, writing, photography, cooking, crafting, it's the joy of doing what we feel inspired by and learning as we go.
I'm sorry for the illness of your youngest, Listener. Yes, it's scary, especially a high fever. I think as family, we see ourselves as helpers always.
We found a New Orleans cajun restaurant in Loveland called Mo Betta Gumbo, and it was good, here in Loveland, just amazing.
Warmer today and sunny. How uplifting sun is. I feel optimistic again.
Thanks, friends, for being here.
Good Morning,
Windy again last night. I'm wondering if the builder of our house had considered how it was situated with respect to wind. Maybe there was no getting away from it.
Puddle, your response to my poem is a poem in itself. I have it in my mind and picture you. Thank you.
And another day. We go on.
Blue sky, sunshine and mid-50's!!! Whoo-Hah! Brenda and I plan to take a little jaunt around town--after a stop at her house so I can use her nifty, classy, walk-in shower!
Happy Sunday all--
Sounds like everyone is enjoying some nicer weather! YAY. Pat your poem is beautiful and I agree with your opinion of Puddles description of her favorite book.
All is well here in windy, rainy Seattle. We went looking for another love interest to fill the ache left in our hearts by the loss of Mz Little. All the cats we saw were amazingly uninterested in interacting. Some were just unfriendly. But the good news is that they will be having a kitten adoption event next Saturday to which we will go.
We're looking for two kitties that will be loving, cuddly, inquisitive, know how to be appreciated AND get along with each other. A tall order, but I think one we'll be able to fill.
Happy to see everyone here. Hugs all around.
Here is hoping you find the perfect kitties. The second kitty I picked out was one of a litter of three on a farm.
The other two were cavorting around the yard, and this one walked away into the weeds with her tail in the air.
I thought that looks just like me. After all testing and shots
I brought her home...and she was just that from the beginning until she died 13 years later just a few months after we moved here. Rest in Peace Caroline Elizabeth!
Ah Pat, I feel sure your poe would speak deeply to half the people in Vermont…especially those who were devastated by Irene in 2011 and are still working on bits of recovery. Thank you for being here and posting it. ♥
Son called the on call doctor today and was told to expect this illness to last a full week. He was on Day 4 today, so rather bummed. As his temp is mostly about 102F instead of 104F, I told him I think the worst half of the week is behind him. I hope so. I imagine he's really missing his wife and baby boy!! On top of that work is building up to greet him and he feels really awful. I think it used to be that when you were sick most of your work could be done by someone else. That too seldom being the case today is a peril of specialisation in the workplace.
Ah, that should have read your POEM!
(No poe pun intended!)
"Windy again last night. I'm wondering if the builder of our house had considered how it was situated with respect to wind. Maybe there was no getting away from it."
Had you noticed that before the flood, Pat? Or does your home feel more vulnerable now?
Has anyone heard from Jo?
The ice and snow is off the trees, and everything here has been in melt mode for two days. The result is that all the snow and ice have mushed together and added a layer of rain water on top. As soon as we turn back to the deep freeze it will be all ice. For the first time in my life I am thinking of buying chains with spikes for my boots (they really do make them). We have had ice jams and flooding, including flooding across roadways. One neighbour up the road has a blue, 8" rubber hose across the road, to drain his driveway into the drainage ditch on the other side. If I have chance tomorrow, I will get a photo of the waterfall by the Mill which is rushing with all the melt off, yet coated all along both sides in ice!
I've been seeing Jo on FB. Will check in in the morning. Feeling really super tired today.
hi, I am here. I have been sick this week and not at the computer very much. but I did post here a couple of times this week yet I don't see my posts here, I even remember seeing the email notification of my posts. that is weird. maybe it was days ago and I don't realize it, I have been out of it. thanks for thinking of me. I love you all and am thankful that you're here.
Glad you're feeling better, Jo. I was super tired all day yesterday and didn't sleep well last night. Thinking about staying home from work.
Will check in later
Four posts from Jo on Jan. 6-previous thread.
LOL, thank you Shirlee, I thought so! Tuesday 1/7 was the day that it really hit me. xo
thank you Barb. rest is essential. <3
You are welcome,Jo! What are retired librarians good for if not taking care of the details? Hope you are feeling MUCH better!
Hi, Wow, today's wind is a knock-you-down wind. It's got to be gusting at over 60 miles an hour. The computer has been shut down for most of the day because of flickering power.
Hope you are feeling better, Jo.
Listener, I don't think the house is more vulnerable. Luckily we had no flooding, but wind in the Rockies up high can be something else.
Take care. Will check in again soon.
Shirlee…LOL!
"What are retired librarians good for if not taking care of the details?"
:-D So true!!
Pat, yes, 60mph is pretty intense. When we get the high winds I'm on general alert lest we lose some trees. We had some 75-80mph winds a few Decembers ago that uprooted big trees here. Spooky!
Our issue at the moment remains the ICE. Today I spread Ice Melt down, using a brand that doesn't harm animals or vegetation. I also spread sand at the end of our driveway. We are being gifted with a few more days reaching 40F, so hopefully we'll be free soon.
{{{ ♥ JO! ♥ }}} What have you had? Any fever? Baby Grandson in Burlington got an ear infection last week, so was put on antibiotic. Two days later his Daddy, my son, got a fever. Over the weekend it went up to 104.4F! He tested negative for strep and flu, so they wouldn't give him an antibiotic. The poor guy was miserable. Finally today they decided it's pneumonia and gave him an antibiotic!! I sure wish one didn't have to tough it out for 5 days of misery before doctors aren't too skittish to do the obvious right thing. He had asthma as a child and respiratory issues are his Waterloo. They really ought to have checked him more closely!! In all the questions I asked him and all the symptoms he described to me, he neglected to mention shortness of breath when climbing stairs!!
Anyway, I hope your illness was not as miserable and was briefer! Holler if you need something!!
XOXOXXX
Listener--lots of things grown children "neglect" to tell
their parents. Who knows why:). Fortunately, I have a
bunch of talkers and we have a family web site that all
feel comfortable using and fairly soon everybody knows everything!
OK-- four days and no Puddle! Assuming it is her phone
Iine?
Nope, no this time. Was just enjoying the convo and forgot to contribute, lol!
You may have heard that the Obama Administration has turned to a new company to fix its beleaguered healthcare website. That company is Accenture, where my daughter is a Senior Manager. She sent us this video, so we'll finally comprehend what it is she actually does. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDE_gsZtfS4
Nice, Listener!
Love it, Listener-thanks! So do you now know exactly what it IS your daughter does?
Shirlee, Daughter currently works for Accenture, contracted with a company that is in Connecticut, doing business with a company in Bangalore, India. Her job is to over-manage the managers of a big project, and to keep India in line about what is to get done. It's all financial-related stuff, and we rarely hear what companies are involved because Accenture keeps things close to the vest, for the sake of confidentiality. Companies usually don't want their competitors to know they have called in assistance! Accenture usually finds out what the company is doing that is financially stupid (or even illegal) and helps them recreate their plan to be (legal and) smarter. They should be perfect for anything the Government has! Ha! And for once it's okay for the world to know who they are contracted to work with! :-) They work really hard and get great results.
The one thing I dislike is that Daughter has to travel to and from Bangalore several times per year. It is dangerous for a woman to be alone there, so the company has a car pick her up and take her back to her hotel. They also take her sight seeing a little if there's time.
Thanks for the description and information about your daughter and her job. She is evidently one sharp woman.
Congratulations to her Mom!
I remember back in 2003, when I first got on the internet, and everyone was so worried/angry about all the jobs being shipped to India. Saw an article then that said: not to worry--stage two would be a *new* American industry whose purpose was to help deal with all the problems created by cheap Indian workers who haven't a clue.
I'd just given up trying Earthlink's help on-line because after an hour, the poor helper *still* could begin to fathom what I was asking. Took the guy at the pay line about three seconds. Solution, one minute. THAT guy was a college guy working night shift in Arizona. . . . Six months later they shut that down, and I now look for Earthlink help on google. . . .
The problem/question, lol!? My slide bar at the right side of my mailbox has disappeared. . . . Answer? Did you just clear your mailbox? Yes. There is now not enough IN the box to NEED extra space. . . . hence, no bar.
congrats to your daughter and to you too listener - well done!
phooey to help desk techs in India, no offense but they really do stink as 'help' most of the time.
so ladies, check this out. we'll see if it's a hoax but it certainly is possible and apparently the truth will come out in June - maybe sooner. all I can say is omg, what are they doing?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/04/26/1205102/-South-Carolina-Christian-School-Fourth-Grade-Science-Test?detail=email#
Last June. . . .
http://news.msn.com/us/christian-school-gets-boost-from-dinosaurs-and-bible-quiz
What a horrible way to "educate" the next generation.
Better called Right Winger Training. Always wonder what
happens when the brightest and most inquisitive learns they have essentially been lied to by their elders?
As I've investigated the WWI climate/culture (thanks to UpDown), I have to report that the nutsos, brain-crippled, and conspiracy enthusiasts are not new. Seems to be a solid percentage of morons at the bottom, which take on new names from generation to generation even as the *subject* of their fascination changes. . . .
Vide: http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=18547
"Always wonder what happens when the brightest and most inquisitive learns they have essentially been lied to by their elders?"
About the same thing as when they learn the truth about Santa Claus. There was this idea that had meaning to the adults, even though they knew it wasn't reality, because the concept behind the myth still matters to them.
In the case of Santa Claus, the concept behind the myth is one of giving to help those in need. In the case of believing the myth that God created the world 6000 years ago, the concept behind the myth might be the desire for a Being that has the whole scary world in hand, and that ultimately no harm can come to you.
The difficulty is that we don't want to throw out the nugget of goodness in the myth. That much can be respected. Yet I don't know how to teach reality to people who don't yet comprehend the difference between reality and myth. I'm not worried about the little ones, since a lot of what they encounter is all lumped together: religious constructs, fairy stories, how science works and dragons are all mixed up together and have about equal standing.
Example: Our then 4 or 5 year old granddaughter was walking home from the Library with her mother one day when who should step out of a church right in front of them but Taylor Swift. Granddaughter was a big fan at the time, having heard some of her songs on the radio and even seeing a music video of one of the songs on television. She turned to her mother wide-eyed and said, "Why did she become real?" To Granddaughter, Taylor Swift was no different that Barney the purple dragon or a character on Sesame Street. What we see on television isn't real. But if a character on television is suddenly in front of you, does that mean a full-size purple dragon might be around the corner? LOL!
My point is that it is getting harder for people who believe in Creationism to keep their children ignorant.
My high school science teacher also taught Catechism classes at the local Roman Catholic Church. He taught that Genesis and Evolution are not at odds. It's just that a "Day" in ancient writings does not indicate "24 hours'; rather it could simply be an expression of a period of time….a way of talking about something for which words are inadequate.
I never had any problem with church vs science. But the church wasn't making a big issue of it then. I likely would today, because at the point when dinosaurs and people lived together, I'd have bolted. My youngest sister who is a young world creationist believes that carbon dating just doesn't work. Couldn't convince her that nothing of the twentieth century *would* work unless the science that carbon dating is based on was pretty close to true. . . .
As for Santa, my parents made a huge effort to make sure we knew that he WAS the *spirit* of Christmas. Passed that one on to my own kids.
At six, my youngest came to me one season, and said "Mom, is Santa a real person, or is it you and Daddy?" Wanting to let him have Santa as long as possible, I said, "What do you think?" "Think he's you and Daddy." I nodded. "Don't tell Scott (his 8 year old brother). Because if you do, pretty soon everyone in Maryland will know!"
Thanks for the sweet stories, puddle!
"But the church wasn't making a big issue of it then."
Well, it depends on what you mean by "the church." There are these Creationists making an issue of it, but they are not the majority of those who take part in church. They are one faction only! MOST people of the Christian faith are just fine with science and evolution. They just don't get much PR for that. Check out (Episcopal priest) Barbara Brown Taylor's book *The Luminous Web: Essays on Science and Religion.* Inspiring!
I think it was easier when we were kids to speak of Santa as the *spirit* of Christmas. These days there is sooo much commercialism around Santa, and the "you'd better watch out or Santa won't bring you anything" really annoys me, since the true spirit of Christmas is actually about getting something which is undeserved.
We opted to celebrate Santa at the Feast of St. Nicholas on December 6th, and have the Christmas Angel bring the special gift at Christmas. At least there weren't complete strangers walking up to my kids in the mall and asking them what they wanted the Angel to bring. (This, of course, was back in the day when strangers thought they could talk freely to other people's children. That much at least has improved!) Just as I didn't want Creationists teaching my children their ideas, I also didn't want secular Santa pushers to push in either. LOL!
To me the idea/concept of Santa/Spirit of Christmas in the minds of small children and how they finally pin it on Mom and Dad is far different than a so-called religious group
force feeding the children in school a totally anti-science
curriculum. What kind of future do they envision for their
children? Realistically?
For me, always, lol! "the church" means the LDS church of about fifty years ago. When Rick and I were first writing, he, who had his Ph.D. from Utah State, recognized immediately, and laughed that I should have written "The Church" to which I countered THE CHURCH. . . .
In grad school, I was told by a pastor's daughter that Mormons weren't even Christian, so different were they from her knowing of same.
Shirlee, my guess is that what they wish most for their kids is "safety". . . . Since that is what they wish most for themselves. And the world is *very* scary to them.
My childhood/growing up memories of Christmas were of Baby Jesus' birth. A birthday cake was always part of Christmas Eve celebrations, and the largest single gift the family ever gave was the annual CARE package in that baby's name. I did that exactly once as an adult and it took me a quarter of a century to get off of their beg list. I figure I actually cost them more in begging costs than what I gave in the first place. They did however make something from selling my name/addy to others (easy to spot: they'd made a typo in my name, lol!).
Thanks, Puddle. I had forgotten that not so long ago we did have a discussion here about the conservative being
afraid of change. Follows they would want what they consider safety for their children.
Night before last, I was tired, had had no nap, thought it was safe for a drug free sleep. Wrong. Fell asleep at seven, a little before sunrise and after moonset. Last night, used the last of my nyquil knockoff, slept long and late.
Am growing concerned about increasing periformis pain. May start the big guns today. If I catch it early, it really helps.
Beautiful days here: bright blue sky, big what puffies, warmish. Blessing before diving back into winter.
ah puddle, sending blessings to you. hope you can bypass the meds.
it was sunny here this morning, it seems so good. got out for a bit to dig some pots out of the garage and clean up the porch a bit before it fills with snow again. my little Christmas tree that Derek got for me held up well inside and still looks beautiful, I took it outside a week ago. I'm going to make a few peanut butter and seed treats for the birds, I hope they get some before the squirrels take them over! I usually just spread the pb onto pine cones and then roll them in seed, I think this time I will mix the seed and pb, freeze it a bit and then cut out snowflakes and hang them on the tree. or maybe both! ;-)
Puddle, hope you can control the pain
and get some good sleep:)
Jo, I am glad not to be the only one who
can't bear to take all the Christmas things
away immediately after the holiday.
Take care all!
Finding old poems, lol!
Motto of the tribe:
Ferret: What's this, what's this?
Cat: Let it go, already.
Dog: I love you.
Mother: You need clean underwear, and finish everything on your plate.
Father: Buck up.
Phoebe: Up here, under.
Peeper: Sex, sex, sex
Snake: Gotta be someplace warm around here.
Bear: Go away, please.
Opossum: Now *that* looks good to eat.
Raccoon: Well, now, let's just wash this, might taste good after all.
Whistlepig: A. Bet I can beat you across the road.
..................B. If I get just a bit deeper, I jus' know I can get some Chinese cabbage.
Squirrel: Now where WAS it that I buried that nut?
Wife: We have to talk.
Husband: Oh, No.
Lovers: My God you're beautiful.
pReznit: Duh? Bull! Yeah?!!
Deer: Where? Where? Where?
jjl
4/2/07
Didn't make it: nothing, heat nor exercise nor meditation touched it. Finally gave when I realized it was down to the front of my leg. Amazing what one tiny little frozen muscle can do. (If it just *happens* to have the biggest nerve in the body running right through it. . . . )
I love your "Motto of the Tribe" Puddle. But will admit I
had to look up Whistle Pig! OK, Ground Hog--that I knew.
Hope you will have a better night tonight.
Pain is dreadful when it is hard to even think around it
Ah, dear puddle. Do you have to make a trip to town before you can be pain-free again?
I seem to be joining you in the pain dept. Four or five nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night and my hip was really hurting. I think it's actually my lower back that's the culprit. But I was fine before I went to sleep and slept on my side. I couldn't lay on my side all the rest of that night, but laying on my back worked okay. Today I noticed a few twinges and tonight my lower back really hurts. The odd thing is that I have no idea WHY!
All I can think of is that maybe I jarred my back when I fell on the ice weekend before last (yet it did not hurt all that week!), then I did a little shoveling this week. VERY little, though, and it never hurt while I was shoveling. So I'm just pulling at straws. There was no Ouch moment to begin with. Very strange.
I'm going to try a heating pad.
Then I need to pack up, as we're off to visit the Maine Grands this weekend! We'll stop in NH on the way back on Monday, so that I can attend my monthly meeting of peer spiritual guides. There's nothing like support and accountability in a circle of silence and reflection.
Do take a photo of your bird decorations, Jo!
We never tuck away ALL of Christmas until Candlemas (Groundhog Day). We hung our Kissing Ball out on the porch after Epiphany Day, but still have our creche up. After all, the Wise Guys just barely got there on the 6th! I also kept out a colourful star-bearing angel, and the gorgeous "super-nova" star we have that lights up and slowly changes colour just might be a year-rounder. It will be up at least until Winter is over, as it's so cheerful.
That's the one dissonance between the Church Year and the Seasons that I cannot abide. We have WINTER up here in the Northeast and when we have passed the worst and there is some hope of ease, longer days and warmth returning again, the Church begins the Seaons of LENT. By then I already feel like I have done Lent! Ha! The tradition is that one does not speak Alleluias during Lent and one does not have flowers in the house during Lent. I am usually so ripe and attentive by then for any hint of a Snowdrop or Crocus. Give me Tulips for Valentine's Day! I want May baskets on the first day of Spring! Let's get outside and be JOYFUL!! If it were up to me, I would reorganize the Church Year to coincide better with the natural Season. Of course, it would have to be different in different climates. And there's the rub.
Speaking of Church…perhaps you've seen recently that the Methodist Church has taken to having trials and tossing out clergy who do same sex weddings.
Here is a beautifully written perspective from one of their own. I applaud this man's vision, discernment, comprehension and commitment.
http://www.advocatesc.org/home/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1301&Itemid=410
What if MOST of the clergy just went ahead and did same sex weddings? Are the head honchos going to toss out everyone? I imagine that the average person in the pew would not look kindly on paying for all those trials. And in the end, in the Church as in the World, people vote with their pocketbook.
No trip necessary. Last time this started, I zapped it with nearly the last of my post-op roxicet, which made me realize what a good idea prophylactic big-deal pain killers were, and managed to get a script from my doctor. Bless her heart.
Good to hear that, Puddle and hope you have had some
SLEEP!
Took the one dose at seven; to bed at one thirty without taking any more; slept until eleven. Feels fine right now. Seem to have unlocked the tightness--with luck, for good.
Beautiful sleep, fascinating dreams. Pretty if cold day. I'll settle, lol!
I AM beginning to worry about the coming fall election. Still pissed at Rockefeller for retiring. Praying Shelley Moore Capito does NOT get it. And no good candidates in sight for her House seat, ack. Pray for WV, all!
Any inside scoop on the nasty chemical spill
In Charleston--other than on the web? Last I
read there is plenty of blame to go around--
including the lack of inspections.
Nope, no inside news. This little corner of WV seems pretty cut off from everything/one else in the state.
No requirement for inspections seems to be the biggest problem here. And now they've gone bankrupt, don't see them paying for the damage they've done. Standard coal solution: declare bankruptcy, kill the pensions, and resell.
Good Morning,
Have felt under the weather a bit, but much better now. Winter isn't the healthiest time: too much indoors, lack of sunlight, fresh air.
I enjoyed your poem, Puddle. Yes, whistle pigs here are marmots. And they do whistle. Thanks for sharing.
And laughter, what a restorative it is. Here's a YouTube offering a friend sent.
FATHER GUIDO SARDUCCI EXPLAINS THE AFTERLIFE...
http://www.youtube.com/embed/0AKvRvL5r3A?rel=0
HAHAHA cute. We saw Father Sardicco perform a wedding at Bumbershoot one year. Hilarious!
Here's a clip of an out take for Carol Burnett http://www.youtube.com/embed/0AKvRvL5r3A?rel=0
Good Morning,
In our lifetimes we have come a long long way with respect to justice, fairness, and equity.
From the Jim Crow laws in the South: separate fountains and bathrooms, sitting at the back of the bus, poll tests for voting,illegality of interracial marriages progress now to Civil Rights Laws, integration in schools, work, the military, to equal pay for equal work for women, the outlawing of torture, to Gay Rights in the military, workplace, under the law and civil unions and marriage. We've come far, though I think it's true to say that racism, oppression,and inequity continue.
We have more work to do, but without the Civil Rights workers, the protests, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, and others, we would not have our outstanding President in Barack Obama.
He has continued to be ethical, reasonable, pragmatic, principled, and we are seeing real change. That Iran is coming to the table with respect to its nuclear program, and we are reducing sanctions; that the UN is working with the Syria situation, just amazing.
So, congratulations and praise are in order, and so much more to do.
Have a good day, folks.
Yes, indeed Pat--and here in Greensboro today is an extra
special day. This is the city where four brave and determined young black men--all students at A&T University here--went into the Woolworth dime store,
made some purchases and then seated themselves at
the counter and asked to buy a cup of coffee. They were refused and soon the word spread and college students
across the south were doing the same thing. That Woolworth store is now the International Civil Rights Museum. A portion of that lunch counter is now in the Smithsonian. The rest is here in the museum.
This morning I heard the very fine marching band from
A&T. leading the parade along MLK Boulevard which
is just a few blocks away
The parade this year had an extra poignancy--Franklin McCain--one of the four died last week. He had lived in Greensboro all his life and taught at A&T.
Beautiful bright warm sunny day, and a winter storm warning for tomorrow! Howsumevah, the weather peeps are changing temps and predictions about every hour, so I'm confused, lol!
Brand new MLK thread (sort of). . . .
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