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 |  I've maxed out. Closed this blog. |
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This is a way of making myself write something coherent and grammatically correct almost every day. I'm opinionated and need an outlet. I'm also prone to flights of fancy. Thanks for stopping by. |
| There's an email going around--everyone knows the kind--about a house guest that has violated the house rules, costs money, doesn't contribute or do any chores, and has lowered everyone's standards in the home over the last several decades. The guest with the foul mouth and bawdy language, etc., is the television. No one has asked it to leave or be quiet. I take exception to that. Without TV, I wouldn't have seen man walk on the moon, or the Beatles appear on Ed Sullivan. I wouldn't have seen the spacecraft explode after takeoff. I wouldn't have seen some fine ballets, operas, musicals, and dramas. I've heard Billy Graham and Amazing Grace on my TV. I've cried with Hawkeye and Radar, laughed with Barney and Andy, and gave a lot of thought to Edith and Archie. Television has paid its way with entertainment, history lessons, and sometimes a little culture. It's kept me in touch with the world and warned me of dangerous weather. Yes, a lot of TV programming is bad and violates my standards. I can change the channels. I can turn it off and read. I need to get up and do other things occasionally. But when there is something worthwhile on the air, I can tune in alone or with my family. Sometimes what we watch is a springboard for discussion. Some things even become "water cooler" topics at work. I've even gotten cooking tips, medical advice, and exercise routines from various "hosts". The responsibility lies with me, not the television. If I use it well, it is a great enhancement and a source of pleasure. It's only an enemy if I watch it mindlessly, or allow it to be used as an authority or a sole source of truth by family members. And if I really wanted to change things, I would find a way to create more wholesome or educational programming. Television by itself is not evil. |
| Remember the Hulk from TV? His alter ego played by Bill Bixby talked shared a story one day with a woman. It was about a man who encountered a bear. He ran from the angry bear until he came to a cliff. It was either jump or be mauled. Then man slipped over the cliff and hung onto a small tree growing out of the side of the cliff. There was no foothold, no rocks to grab onto, only some sparse vegetation. Above was the bear. If he managed by his fingertips he might be able to climb back up, maybe get his foot onto the tree to which he now held. Below was a steep drop which would surely kill him if lost his grip. There was disaster and death above him, disaster and death below him. No matter what choice he made, he'd lose. Then he noticed a wild strawberry. Without thinking, he reached over and picked it. He put it into his mouth and bit into it. Oh, what a juicy tasty strawberry. So sweet, so delightful. Life is like that sometimes. We have no easy choices. No matter what we do, we're gonna lose. But isn't it grand that while we wait for the end, we have strawberries? We can choose to make the most of what we have, to take joy in the beauty available to us and savor it. Or we can waste in panic and despair. I choose to savor the strawberries. |
| First, thanks to all the military men and women who are currently serving their country. We are indebted to you. Thanks to all of you who have served in the military in the past. We are also in your debt. Your efforts and sacrifices were not in vain. It was the right and noble thing to do. To the rest of us, hold your head up high and be proud of America. With all of its shortcomings, it's still our home. We still have high ideals. Fire up the grill or serve up the goodies, set off your fireworks and celebrate. We live in the noblest endeavor history has known, the U.S.A. God bless America! |
| When I was 18, I auditioned for the adult choir. Of course, I got in, but I was told I had a pleasant voice--I knew I could carry a tune--, but I would never be solo quality. I did not have a great voice. He was a pleasant man whom I respected. I was disappointed, but I survived. It was summer, and I had no car; so I walked home. I walked most places those days, unless it was down a long busy highway. The hot summer sun beat down on me as I walked. I even remember that I was wearing madras that I had sewn myself. It was that poignant a moment for me. As I walked the blocks of downtown sidewalk in the courthouse section, before crossing the street to go down a long hill towards my neighborhood, I told myself that I didn't care. Maybe I was not a great star, but I liked to sing. I was going to sing and nobody was going to stop me. Simple. Ever since, that has been my one area of confidence. You might not like the way I sound, but tough! I'm going to sing whether you like it or not. I don't care how it sounds. My voice is puny and breathy which makes it good for singing babies to sleep. At least I'm not off key. Sometimes just being bold enough to sing without fear of criticism is enough. It makes me happy. If only I had been able to apply that confidence to other areas of my life. Just do it and don't care what anybody thinks. |
| Saw Thoroughly Modern Millie tonight in the summer theater. The band was great. The dancing was perfect. Singing was good with some excellent soloists. All in all, a fun evening. The audience was mostly my age and older, a few grandchildren in tow. Not many people under 30 attended. Two weeks ago, we saw a Groucho Marx impersonator. He was excellent, interacting with the audience Groucho style. He told bits of history as though it were his own family and mixed it with Groucho's routines. He broke it up by mingling with the guests and flirting outrageously with the younger women. He threw in lots of local jokes. He, too, was entertaining. This is an independent summer festival that uses the local university theaters (3 under one roof). We're very fortunate in this area to have several theater groups, as well as the university. One is an opera company which does mostly outdoor shows. Another is an old restored movie theater in the grand old style, and it offers live theater, movies, concerts and much more. Now on with the drama, and sometimes the comedy, of everyday life. |
| I'm a little disappointed. I've been researching someone I idolized for some time now. I never knew who he was until last year, but everything I've seen or read indicated that he was very accomplished, smart, and talented, and on top of that, a dedicated family man. He is still very close to his grown sons, and was faithful to the same woman for over 50 years. Her death left him devastated. Now after researching him, I've discovered he's a little demented and obsessive. While he was very accomplished and acclaimed by age 30, he's kept his very talented sons under his wings. Now in their 40's and 50's, they have the knowledge and skill, but have lost their fire and passion. His wife may have missed being medically diagnosed sooner and treated for a tumor because she was too busy pursuing his dreams and helping him fulfill his fantasies. It turns out the very people he loved the most may have been hurt by his dreams and ambition. I've crashed from hero worship to seeing him as pathetic and sad. His interviews are depressing. He has such a fatalistic attitude. Now I see him as self-destructive, controlling, and self-centered instead of loving, creative, and passionate. There may be material there for a book. Make my first sentence "very disappointed", not a little. I still admire his accomplishments, but I can't ever see him the same way again. |
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