So, did you really think that The Fury of LA could be thinking about much else then politics at this time? With so much is hanging in the balance; I don't understand why more people aren't as concerned as I am.
Two years ago, a groundswell of Americans came together to elect a new president. We were hoping that in doing so, we could bring about substantial change in the powers that be. We did elect a new president, and we did accomplish something significant. It definitely was a historic moment. In the year, 2008, we elected the first African-American President of the United States.
Many of us, who remembered what it was like before the civil rights movement that had brought about a more equal America, were feeling pretty good about our accomplishment. It seemed like a golden moment to those of us who had been dreaming of such a time. All the prognosticators were touting a new kind of America, a 'post racial' America. Unfortunately, the glow didn’t last very long!
The pitfalls soon became clearly evident. By the time our new President was sworn into office, he was facing more serious problems than any President in the history our country. Our economy was in a state of near collapse, we were engaged in two wars, Global Warming (Climate Change) was progressing at an alarming rate, terrorism was on the rise, and both naturally occurring and man made disasters were happening all over the globe.
When we elected Barack Obama to be the 44th President of the United States of America, we weren’t able to vote in a large enough majority in the Congress and the Senate to bring about the changes that many of us were hoping for.
The problem was that a minority, but still large segment of our population, thought Obama's election was a fearsome and awful development. This segment was, and is, vocal and powerful. Yes, we did take over both houses of Congress, but the majority in the Senate was never large enough to counter the opposition party who had vowed to prevent any progress on vital legislation. Maybe it would have been different had the new administration had a unified party. Unfortunately our new President has had to deal with the Blue Dog members of his own party, who more often than not, voted with the opposition on major bills.
Nevertheless, our young President has still accomplished much in the short time he has been in office. No matter what happens, I still think Barack Obama, so far, has been the best President of my lifetime. I hope and pray that he will have the support he needs to keep accomplishing the tasks that are put before him.
On November 4th, 2008, I wrote a short post saying; now the real work begins. I wish I had done something more to help our President before this. If the election on Tuesday brings about a victory for The Party of No, I am one citizen who will feel guilty that I didn't try harder to help. I already regret that I haven't volunteered my time this year to help our president get out the vote. I regret that I wasn't more on top of things and especially that I didn't push a little harder to get a couple of friends whose political leanings are close to mine to re-register after moving so that they would be able to vote on Tuesday. At least that might have insured two more votes for the Democrats.
There are a lot of reasons why I haven't helped out with the effort, but all my excuses will feel pretty empty if things go as some are predicting.
Well, there is tomorrow and there is election day the day after that. Maybe I can still find a way to help out in some tiny manner. Maybe before it's all over, I can find a way to assist. Is there anyone out there who also wants to join me? Maybe someone somewhere will read this who wasn't intending to vote. Maybe because I wrote it, that person will decide to go to the polls or decide to help in another way. Maybe. Anything is possible. I have to remember that.
So, I don't have a new post.
Except this:
Yeah, yeah, I hate taxes too,
but I like Roads, Firemen, Most Cops,
Traffic Lights (except red ones),
National Parks, The Coast Guard,
Schools, Libraries, Garbage pick up,
California Beaches, Public Museums
and National Defense.
So I pay them anyway!
If I could be at the Restore Sanity / Keep Fear Alive Rallies, I would love to carry a a variety of signs with me. That way, depending on my mood, I could change them as things progress.
Actually, as I consider this question, even if i don't go anywhere tomorrow, I'm pretty sure I should make a variety of different signs to be prepared for any future rallies, marches and protests in which i fully intend to participate. Maybe I could put them out on my lawn just to let people know where I stand. The possibilities are endless!
I can't decide which sign I currenty like best,
but I'm leaning toward one of these;
Below are Mom's top six:
"I DISAGREE
With YOU But I'm
Pretty Sure You're
NOT HITLER!"
"Protest Signs Are An Ineffectual Means
Of Communicating My Nuanced Views
On A Variety Of Issues
That Cannot Be Reduced To
A Simple Pithy Slogan"
I HATE YOUR HATE!
"Every time you
demonize someone
for political gain,
a terrorist gets his wings."
Any opinions???
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Rally to Restore Sanity Announcement | ||||
| ||||
If only....
Any one want to rally with me here in LA?
You need to have passion to blog. If you have something to say, and if you want what you write to mean something to somebody else, your words should be well crafted.
This isn't easy to do - and I have no illusions about my meager ability. Writing takes time. Good writing takes time and thought and talent. A stupid vow to post something every day isn't a good enough reason to write crap.
That said, this blogger is aware that she certainly has written her share of crap over the years, and then still went ahead and posted it on this site. I haven't been at all sure that anything I've written lately is worth the time or effort it took to write it.
That is why a conversation I had with my niece this evening meant so much to me. After visiting with her mother on the phone, I asked if Mary was at home. Mary came on the line and after we talked a while, I learned that she had been taking the time to read everything I have written of late - and not only that, she told me that my posts had meant something to her.
I laughingly told her that I thought that she most probably is my last and only loyal reader. Mary’s words were kind and affirming. Her comments were thoughtful and expressed in a most beautiful way. Mary's kindness touched me tonight. Her encouragement will keep me going for a while longer. So I guess I'm not quite ready to give it up after all. Tonight, I am prepared to keep my vow for the present. At least one more day.
"Onto a Vast Plain"
~by Rainer Maria Rilke~
-translation by:
Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows
You are not surprised at the force of the storm—
you have seen it growing.
The trees flee. Their flight
sets the boulevards streaming. And you know:
he whom they flee is the one
you move toward. All your senses
sing him, as you stand at the window.
The weeks stood still in summer.
The trees' blood rose. Now you feel
it wants to sink back
into the source of everything. You thought
you could trust that power
when you plucked the fruit:
now it becomes a riddle again
and you again a stranger.
Summer was like your house: you know
where each thing stood.
Now you must go out into your heart
as onto a vast plain. Now
the immense loneliness begins.
The days go numb, the wind
sucks the world from your senses like withered leaves.
Through the empty branches the sky remains.
It is what you have.
Be earth now, and evensong.
Be the ground lying under that sky.
Be modest now, like a thing
ripened until it is real,
so that he who began it all
can feel you when he reaches for you.
Book of Hours, Love Poems to God II 1
Happy Birthday to me.
Three Score and Ten?
How could that possibly be?
Most of the time I'm either eight, ten, twelve or twenty-seven.
Conform
con·form [kuh n-fawrm]
–verb (used without object)
1. to act in accordance or harmony; comply (usually fol. by to): to conform to rules.
2. to act in accord with the prevailing standards, attitudes, practices, etc., of society or a group: One has to conform in order to succeed in this company.
3. to be or become similar in form, nature, or character.
4. to be in harmony or accord.
5. to comply with the usages of an established church, esp. the Church of England.
–verb (used with object)
6. to make similar in form, nature, or character.
7. to bring into agreement, correspondence, or harmony.
Related words:
con·form·er, noun;
con·form·ing·ly, adverb
non·con·form·ing, adjective
pre·con·form, verb
qua·si-con·form·ing, adjective
re·con·form, verb
un·con·formed, adjective
un·con·form·ing, adjective
con·for·ma·tion [kon-fawr-mey-shuhn]
–noun
1. manner of formation; structure; form, as of a physical entity.
2. symmetrical disposition or arrangement of parts.
3. the act or process of conforming; adaptation; adjustment.
4. the state of being conformed.
5. Chemistry. an atomic spatial arrangement that results from rotation of carbon atoms about single bonds within an organic molecule. (contrasted with configuration).
Confirmation
con·fir·ma·tion [kon-fer-mey-shuhn]
–noun
1. the act of confirming.
2. the state of being confirmed.
3. something that confirms, as a corroborative statement or piece of evidence:
His birth certificate served as confirmation of his citizenship.
4. a rite administered to baptized persons, in some churches as a sacrament for confirming and strengthening the recipient in the Christian faith, in others as a rite without sacramental character by which the recipient is admitted to full communion with the church.
5. a solemn ceremony among Reform and certain Conservative Jews that is held in the synagogue, usually on Shavuoth, to admit formally as adult members of the Jewish community Jewish boys and girls 14 to 16 years of age who have successfully completed a prescribed course of study in Judaism.
I love, love, love Farmer's Markets. Especially the one held at Wilson Park in Torrance on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Our farmer's market is just minutes away from our home and going there is one of my favorite things to do. The air there always feels sparkly and fresh. There is laughter and music, and lots of great things to eat. The produce is fresh and the Vendors are happy to show their wares and generally encourage sampling.
I know the merchants are up at the crack of dawn and generally much earlier than that. Long before most of us are up, they begin their long drive from their farm or orchard or kitchen. By the time we are trying to shake ourselves awake, they are already busy setting up their tents, booths and displays, while the food vendors begin their cooking. Some of the vendors hire local people for extra help to staff their booths, and if you attend on a regular basis you get to know them.
The mood of the people who come to shop are generally happy to be there. There's a tangible feeling of camaraderie in the air and strangers often talk to strangers. Even on cloudy days one can feel the touch of the sun on your skin. ...Warming your heart, your mood and your soul, while imparting the essential Vitamin D everyone needs - directly - the way God intended.
Parks are essential for communities to thrive, and going outdoors is just a healthy thing to do. Joining with your neighbors in any activity or endeavor creates a feeling of oneness. Good, Good and Better.
"Farmers markets are green shoots coming out of the gun. They represent hope and they need to be cultivated."
- Jerry Brown (April 1997)
Yes, the quote is from our Jerry Brown, our once and future Governor.
WHY CAN'T I ALWAYS POST ANSWERS TO COMMENTS I RECEIVE?
Where do my answers go?
Why isn't the mail feature working correctly for this site?
What am I just not seeing?
What am I doing wrong
How can I fix this?
Why did my wireless keyboard just stop working without notice?
Oh yes, I remember, that's why!
It's working again, but i see the battery power is low.
It will soon need replacing.
Oh there it goes again. It has stopped.
Good thing I have the "wired" keyboard that I don't really like still attached to the computer.
Why are there crumbs and dirty spots all over on my old wired keyboard? How do I get it clean again? Is it safe to use an old toothbrush and damp q-tips to clean it? If I do that, will the debris somehow get inside and ruin it? I've already turned it upside down and gave it a tiny shake a couple of gentle pats like I think Matt suggested a long time ago, but it's still dirty.
Why on earth did I decide to write a post every day for a year?
Don't I have enough on my plate these days?
Wasn't I already working on enough overwhelm?
Did I really need to step it up yet one more notch?
Do I dare to go back on another vow to myself?
Will I really ever be able to catch up with all the incoming mail that I receive on all six of my e-mail addresses? Why did I ever decide to set up six different e-mail addresses in the first place anyway? And, why did I decide to keep them all? I actually know the reason I did this, but which ones will I finally decide to let go?
Will I ever clean up all of my paper clutter? Why do I have it at all? I already know the answer to the last question. That's the problem.
Will I ever organize my craft making stuff that's laying in baskets all over my vertical filing cabinets (ie; dining room table and other flat surfaces) and find a home for them to stay when I am not using them? How will I ever find the time to sort through all the paper clutter that has built up ~ and put only the things I really want and need to keep in a regular file and toss the rest?
Will I ever get my house back in order during this lifetime? Will I ever be able to catch up with it all? Have I added all these things to do just to insure a longer life? Will I ever be done? Don't I already know the answer to the last question? I'm not sure!
Regarding email: Pete thinks Gmail is the superior e-mail provider. But I think, compared to others, it's rather limited. I still have my original AOL email address and actually prefer it for some things, like sending and receiving simple messages, but AOL has its own limitations, actually many.
Like Mike once explained;
There is the "world of the internet"
and then there is "AOL WORLD"
and they are two different places.
The two sometimes intersect at certain points,
but are still in two different worlds.
I still have the drawing he made to illustrate his explanation and I would dearly love to post a picture of it, and have it live on in the 'cloud' for an eternity ~ whatever the cloud really is. I think I understand this concept a little, but am not sure that I actually do. I don't know how to post a picture of his drawing or if it really would stay there. How on earth could I ever throw something as precious as that away in the trash?
Yes, I know that nothing lasts forever. Or maybe it does. Maybe there are endless circles inside of circles of what "is" ~ that goes on forever and always. Actually, I am pretty sure that this is how it is. Endless circles, endless possibilities, endless variations on every theme. Yes, I am sure. That is reality. This is how everything really is: endless spirals inside endless spirals, within all of time and within all of space. Endless 'nows' and endless 'thens'. All simply 'IS' now, forever and always. That is the truth. I'm sure that that is.
Isn't "that" and interesting word? What would we do without it? Is there another word we could use in its place that would impart the same meaning? I don't think there is. "That" is a one-of-a-kind kind of word. A truly unique word and concept. Simple, yet complex.
I really don't like the keyboard that I am currently using since my cordless stopped working. it isn't as easy to use for touch typing. The numbers and symbols are too light a color and I can't see the images on the keys very well. My old junior high touch skills don't work very well on this keyboard. I think it has to do with the spacing. The keys are smaller and not as well defined. They are lower, and the spaces between them are further away from one another. And they are too quiet. I like to hear the keys sound as I hit them, like old typewriters used to do. There is something satisfying about hearing a sound when you type. Something is missing when the process is silent.
Where is the place on the computer that catches the signal from the keyboard as I type? I imagine that it is somewhere near the lower left corner, and that is why if I put my elbow on the computer table while I type, the computer doesn't seem to read it. And, that is why I have to take my elbow away and then retype what I had just written for it to take.
Well that's enough, I am sure it is already tomorrow. Oh my God. it already 3:00 AM! How did it ever get so late? I have only been typing a few minutes. Anyone who reads this whole post should be commended for their patience. My adult self is now shouting very loud; "STOP NOW AND GO TO BED"!
Now I Understand....
In the past, when I heard that there were a large number of voters who cast their vote for an office holder who had left this plane of existence before the election was held, it puzzled me. I couldn't understand why they might take this action, and wondered about their cluelessness. Well, now I think I might get it.
Yesterday, a true voice for the people, Jenny Oropeza, died after a long illness. Jenny Oropeza was the California State Senator for our District. Prior to that, she served in the California State Assembly for six years. I voted for her.
Because her death occurred so close to Election Day, her name remains on the ballot. Jenny was expected to easily win reelection.
When people go to the polls less than two weeks from now, on November 2nd, we will be asked to make a choice. If we mark our ballots for Jenny Oropeza and she wins, the Governor will have to call for a special election to choose her replacement. The other two other choices on the ballot are a candidate from the Party Of No and the candidate from the Party That Wants To Abolish Almost All Government. Neither of these people are acceptable choices for me.
So on the Tuesday after next, I will vote for Oropeza one more time. Yes, I intend to vote for of a dead person. After all these years I finally understand why people may have voted for someone who had died before the election. They might have actually been doing the right thing. They might have simply tried to insure that they would be able to choose the person who will represent them in their town, their state or their nation.
Rest In Peace, Jenny. I know you are not actually gone. I know that your spirit lives on and you have simply moved to another place. Thank you for serving the people.
"A rose must remain with the sun and the rain
or its lovely promise won't come true.
-Ray Evans
The world looks fresher today.
The Sun is out and we can see patches of blue in a bright sky.
The trees, shrubs and lawns are shiny and green.
Friends have stopped by,
I think my mood yesterday was more a result of
too many injections of Lidocaine
while at the dentist's office the day before.
It's easy to forget that our mind is connected to our physical body.
There are lots of factors that contribute to how we view the world.
We can't always feel light and happy.
Without the darkness and the rain,
how could we appreciate the sunlight?
That's my post for the day. :-)
The last few days have been dark and dreary.
The skies have been heavy and gray.
Today, there was lightening and thunder.
The sound of the boom blasts rocked the house
like refinery explosions have done in the past.
This time, the tempest did not seem eerily beautiful
with its glorious turmoil and formidable roar.
The ponderous mass of the firmament just felt heavy,
the discord jarring, and the load of the cumbersome
clouds weighed me down.
Yes, it's been storming here in 'Sunny California.'
The leaden skies have been cheerless, boring and bleak.
and though I have been clearing and cleaning
and accomplishing things, the dull inclement weather
is affecting my mood.
This Angeleno misses her bright blue skies and her sun.
Nearly four hours in the dentist's chair today.
Need I say more?
So here is a Rilke poem for you to ponder....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Let This Darkness Be a Bell Tower"
~~~by Rainer Maria Rilke~~~
Quiet friend who has come so far,
feel how your breathing makes more space around you.
Let this darkness be a bell tower
and you the bell. As you ring,
what batters you becomes your strength.
Move back and forth into the change.
What is it like, such intensity of pain?
If the drink is bitter, turn yourself to wine.
In this uncontainable night,
be the mystery at the crossroads of your senses,
the meaning discovered there.
And if the world has ceased to hear you,
say to the silent earth: I flow.
To the rushing water, speak: I am.
-translation by Joanna Macy and Anita Barrows
{Sonnets to Orpheus II, 29}
The last couple of days, I have been listening, over and over, to a woman who was being interviewed by Krista Tippett on the NPR show, Being, formerly known as Speaking of Faith. I was blown away by the stunningly beautiful poems she was speaking that had been written by a poet I'd never heard of before.
As the translator spoke them, and told of what they meant to her, I was not sure I could take it all in, in one hearing. There was so much being said, a wealth of ideas, or maybe just new way of looking at what we see. A different way of holding the concerns that many of us have, a new thing to consider, that can make even the hard things softer to hold. You can listen to a Wild Love for the World here.
I spend a good deal of this day searching for a video of Joanna Macy speaking Rilke's poems, but couldn't find one. Instead I found something else of value which I'll post tomorrow.
LinkTV is a unique Television Channel. It stands alone in it's willingness to televise things few other public broadcasters are willing to show.
If you do get this channel on your cable nor satellite service, please take time to check it out. You might not be interested in everything they cover, but if your are interested in the world and how others might view things, there's probably something for you. Check out this film; Fierce Light. When Spirit Meets Action
By the way, LinkTV could use your support.
The video below is what got my dander up last night. Bigotry, intolerance and harassment of some young teens made life so intolerable that they sought death.
The people responsible for these tragedies are not so much the kids who did the harassment but the adults who led them to believe that gay fellow citizens are fair game. These tragedies must be laid in the lap of the religious bigots who preach hate from the pulpit and the adults who pass the bigoted sentiments and hate speech on. The situation is worsened when right wing politicos use the issue to win elections and power for themselves.
It is exactly these self righteous people who are responsible for the personal nightmares that result from their actions. The rest of us are not guiltless. The responsibility rests with all of us who do not speak up when we are confronted with this kind of talk in order not to make a scene in public and private places. It is time for all of us to take a good look at ourselves and ask why we did not stand forward against this kind of hate every time we are confronted with this sort of evil.
Haters need to be called out. We can not sit quietly and be complicit with the crime. Not any more.
It's Even Uglier When It is Generated in Places Of Worship!
It's no coincidence that this blogger often refers
to some "places of worship" as Churches of Hate.
This is what I think of "religious leaders" who preach
against Islam, homosexuals or any other group of people
that they consider to be the "other".
They are plain out Bigots!
And, their actions are Evil!!
They are people who use their position and pulpit
to preach fear and hatred and judgment.
Their actions sanction intolerance,
narrow-mindedness and violence.
Their words are malevolent, vicious and abhorrent.
The ideas they promulgate are malicious,
pernicious and repugnant.
And the sad fact is that these people exist
in every group, ethnicity and religion.
These people cause great harm to the world.
And, the worst is that they use their position to
urge their congregants to spread the venom.
I believe this is what comes from the belief
that it is all about "us" and "them".
This is what comes from believing in "The Devil and his minions"
instead looking within to find the truth.
The problem with this kind of mindset is that there will always be
an unlimited supply of people who are different.
These demagogues can always find an "other" to hate,
and a way to call to our basest natures.
Anger feeds anger and hate feeds hate.
Hatred breeds acrimony, bitterness and rage.
It is the destroyer of peace.
And it alienates us from our Inner Spirit.
The sad fact, unfortunately, is that all human beings
are vulnerable to this base emotion.
It arises from our fear and from our instinctive need to survive.
But sometimes we have to fight against our knee-jerk reactions.
There comes a time when all humankind must grow past
our unconscious visceral predilections.
We must move past our biases, proclivities and preconceptions.
We must learn to think not only with our minds, but with our hearts.
And we must all learn to use our hearts as our compass.
So let us begin, once again, to recall that there is, in reality,
no "Us' and no "Them" nor is there any "Other"
Let us remember and relearn the old lesson that
Who is "Us" and who is "Them" is always in flux.
Together, let us all grow in awareness.
It's an old idea and never better expressed than by the words;
"WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US."
I wonder what the percentage of people around the world have been given the name Mary, Maria, Mary Ann or Marian or any other derivative of the Hebrew name, Miryam?
Today we took my friend, Maria, to Philippe's for lunch and then to the beautiful Union Station so she could take the train back to her new home near Santa Maria. After returning home, my friend, Mary Ann called on the phone.
I often marvel at the number of people we know who have one of these names. My mother's name was Marian. Pete's sister is another Mary Ann. Her daughter, our grand-niece, is Mary Jane, and our dear neice, Mary, still seems to be a reader of this often neglected blog. Besides these people, we are also lucky enough to have another friend named 'Mary' who happens to live directly across the street.
Besides the women I have just mentioned, our lives are peopled by dozens of others who go by the name Mary or have been given another derivative of this popular name.
It is understandable why this is a common name among Christians, since Mary was the mother of Jesus. But, people with this name come from many backgrounds, religions and ethnicities. And though it is generally understood that the root name is Hebrew in origin, it is believed that the actual root is of much more ancient origin.
How many do you know?
Now I understand!
It looks like only five posts in a day are allowed.
So here are two, three, four, five, six and seven.
Everything is Amazing these days. Two.
(2010-10-12 19:41:55)
The rescuer is down, and we are watching him in real time, right now. God Willing, soon the first minor will be lifted up,. My God, this is really something to watch!
It is breathtaking to think how much communication has evolved and is evolving these days at a rapidly increasing rate. It's astounding for someone like me who remembers a very different time.
There he goes!
Everything is Amazing these days. Three
We are watching the rest of the miners waiting 2040 feet underground.
(2010-10-12 19:52:27)
Everything is Amazing these days. Four
(2010-10-12 20:02:41)
All eyes are on Copiapo, Chile. Most of us watching the drama haven't heard of this place before. About 8 minutes to know if it worked. It's a small world.
Everything is Amazing these days. Five
(2010-10-12 20:12:03)
He's up!
Everything is Amazing these days. Six
(2010-10-12 20:17:28)
Thirty-Two to go!
Everything is Amazing these days. Seven
(2010-10-12 20:24:12)
Second Rescuer going down.
In the time it took to rework this post, lots more has happened. But I will quit this effort now with this note: Chilean Rescuers and Miners are really quite handsome. No doubt, many of them will have an interesting future due to this accident. May they all be able to put this event behind them with no lasting trauma.
I think my blog is broken. Entry one and two on this date have disappeared. Maybe there is a limit on the times one can post in one day. I think this is what twitter is for. But I don't know how to tweet.
OK. I see what is wrong. I can only post 5 times in a day. I will have to rework it.
Right this minute, the first rescuer is being lowered into the Chilean Mine to begin the rescue of the miners who have been trapped underground for 69 days.
People around the world are watching in real time and hoping and praying that all will go well.
If the rescue works, it will be the result of tremendous effort. I think I just heard on the news that some of the equipment being used in the effort is the result of work done by NASA. If this fact is true or not, exploration and research is good!
Be Careful When Handling Glass on Very Hard Floors.
If you drop something made of crystal or glass on tile or cement, its likely to shatter. Slivers and Shards may jump up and fly all about to lots of distant places and in all sorts of dangerous ways.
Don't be like me. Take your time. Don't try to rush things. Be careful!
In the end you will be safe and happy. And, you'll be glad that you did what you wanted to do slowly, safely and carefully. You and others won't be hurt. And the item will be around for a long time to admire and enjoy. And then you won't have to mourn the loss of an object you might have cherished.
If you go slowly while working with glass, you will certainly get the job done ,,, probably faster than you would have done while rushing about. The time will be well spent. You and and others will be safe and happy. You won't get youself cut, and you'll be very glad that you didn't have to spend an inordinate amount of your precious time cleaning up the God-Awful mess.
Slow and Steady wins the race.
I should take my own advise.
Remind me next time, won't you?
It never late to teach an old gal new tricks. :-)
Dare I make another vow?
To bed now. Tomorrow is another day. I vow to take care to go slowly and pay more attention during the new day. What's done is done. No going back. Tomorrow I'll allot enough time and I will glad I learned a valuable lesson. Moving on.
But Here Are Ten True Things.
1. Change takes time, but we are impatient.
2. It is better to live simply, because at some point, it becomes
really really hard to get rid of all of your stuff.
3. Anger feeds anger and hate feeds hate.
4. Unscrupulous people fuel hatred for their own selfish purposes.
5. Nevertheless, in order to thrive, people must act out of their instinct to love.
6. Love exists because humankind must cooperate in order to survive.
7. The body always seeks to heal itself.
8. So does the mind.
9. In truth, there is no illness in spirit.
10. We are usually lost in the dream. While lost in the dream,
we forget # 9.
Busy today.
Cleaning, Reorganizing and Tossing.
I like doing this.
It is fun to do, but ...
I'd rather have been out walking in the sun.
This is true.
Miracles are happening all the time!
Look for them.
That's all for tonight.
How I long for some unbiased news reporting! I know that maybe there never was such a thing as truly unbiased journalism, but there certainly used to be an attempt to report on the Who, "What, Where, When, Why and How" of the news.
Yes, I know that there have always been hot button issues that sold lots of papers and influenced the public. I am old enough to remember the McCarthy Era when people like Joseph McCarty and Richard Nixon ruined the the careers, reputations and lives of many innocent people by using fear to serve their own purposes. There has always been an "other" for us to hate and fear.
My family was frightened, angered and sometimes even amused by these tactics. They understood scapegoating. And through their own personal experiences, knew the dangers, destruction, harm and heartache that hatred could cause.
I was raised in a home where people talked about such things. Debates about important issues were regular happenings in our house. There was discussion and conversation at meals and gettogethers. We were expected to think.
My grandparents were immigrants who loved their adopted country. They valued their freedom, their citizenship, and their right to vote. They read newspapers and became informed voters who couldn't imagine why some people didn't seem to care and took the promise of this country for granted.
They hoped for, but did not always expect absolute perfection from their government. They were grateful ... because they remembered what it was like to live under the rule of a totalitarian ruler. They remembered their escape ... and the trail they had to take to get here. They always felt they had a responsibility to help.
My parents and grandparents loved the US. They saw this country's imperfections, but they had faith that that their hopes and dreams would eventually be realized and their children and grandchildren would have many opportunities to have a better life.
They were open minded people who nevertheless had concerns about the future and worried about what might happen if the call to hate got too loud.
The news media today is all about sensationalism. It is about controversy, even if the controversy has to be invented. There are lots of calls to hate the "other". But there really is no "other". There is only us.
Did you ever see the movie; Julie and Julia? It's one of my current favorites. Not just because it's a cute story, I like it because it I rather understood one of the two lead characters, Julie. And for a period of time, in order to take my mind off of a job that was extremely stressful, I too found myself unwinding in the evenings by cooking.
In the early days of our marriage, my husband went back to school. In order for him to do this, to do this, we had to move fairly far away from our friends and family. For work, I had to transfer from a very well run office with wonderfully professional workmates and a great supervisory staff to a hellhole of an office run by a deplorable boss with a terrible temper ... and staffed with a bunch of 'good ole boys' and several people who seemed to get themselves off by making life hard for those who, due to the vagaries life, found themselves out of a job, and having to come in to apply for the the services we provided.
At the Good-Bye party thrown by my old workmates, I had been warned about what I would be facing, but being young and an optimistic thinker at the time, I reasoned that it couldn't possibly be as bad as all that. I was wrong. It was worse!
That is not to say that there were not some really good people working there. In spite of our dreadful working conditions, there were, in fact, some truly kindhearted and admirable people who also found themselves assigned to that miserable branch. And like most challenging situations, that one also came bearing some valuable gifts as well. Had I not found myself working there, I might never have met one of my very best friends.
What does this story have to do with Julie and Julia? It is just that it was because of my difficult work conditions, and our distance from family and friends, added to the fact that when Pete wasn't at school or working at his part time Job, he was usually studying. This meant I found myself with lots of time on my hands many evenings. After a day of working at a job I pretty much hated, I really needed to find something to do in the evenings to de-stress.
Like Julie in the movie, the thing I found to do in my spare time that made me feel happier was to peruse the cookbooks I'd ordered on a book of the month club, and to try out some of the interesting recipes I found. Since I had a lot of time on my hands after work most evenings, I did a lot of cooking.
The recipes i found in Julia Child's wonderful cookbook were not only delicious, but often quite time-consuming and rather complex. Just exactly what I needed to fill the hours when I found myself alone. Every evening, after the we had eaten the meal I had prepared the night before, it became my habit to do up the dishes, and while Pete went off to study, I would cook the next night's offerings.
Like Julie in the movie, I came to admire the genius of Julia's ability to painstakingly teach a novice cook some of the intricacies of French Cooking. And though I didn't talk to Julia as Julie did while she was cooking, I learned a lot about from that unusual lady who also needed something to do while her husband was busy.
I liked the idea that Julie in the movie decided to blog about her cooking every night of the year. It started me thinking about how fast the days are moving for me and how little I have been blogging.
I think this will be a momentous year for me. In August, Pete and I celebrated our 47th Wedding Anniversary. After dating for three years, we became engaged, and were engaged for six months before we got married. So counting up, I realized that Pete and I have been a couple for more than 50 years. Later this month, I will turn 70, which seems like a lot of years, and if I don't start writing now, i may never say what I want to say.
I may not find the time to do what seems to be a good idea right now, but like Julie in the movie, it seems to be a good idea to do something every day for a year. So tonight I think I am going to try to begin to post at least a couple of lines every day even if that just means that I might post one of the many quotations that I've accumulated in my vast collection of other people's thoughts and ideas.
At least that is my intention. If you know when my birthday is, you might realize that I am starting a couple of weeks early to give me some added time to post 365 times in a row. We'll see if I can do it. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
