Scribbles by ME

#635541

August 6, 2011 at 6:39pm

Books are like old friends to me and there are some I choose to revisit over and over. These may not Masterpieces to you, but they awaken in me an opportunity to be transported to other ages and other places. So, I thought today I would share my favorites with you. I know this list is not inclusive and that I will be adding to over the year. The one promise I can make to you is that if you read them, you will be entertained or perhaps even appalled by man’s inhumanity to man. In no p... [Read more]

#635368

September 16, 2010 at 9:40am

If you have read any of my various blogs or discussion topics on Wdc, you have probably discovered that I love to read about writing and the fact that I can't think of any topic or stories to write....subject or plot-wise. I have always known that this was my "excuse" for not being more productive. Well, here is my newest epiphany! (I bet Diane is sorry she re-introduced this word to me this semester.) It is a fact that the more you write, the more you write and the more you WA... [Read more]

#635073

February 11, 2009 at 10:14am

What follows, I think, is a very controversial issue. It does not involve the United States, so don't off on that. It is Australian in origin, but I want to know your views on it. Australian Prime Minister John Howard recently spoke these words: Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks. On another occasion, he said that he supported ... [Read more]

#634945

February 15, 2010 at 1:11pm

February 9, 2010 US Senators & Representatives Their Respective Offices Washington, DC Dear Duly Elected US Senators and Representatives: I feel the situation in our country to be deplorable. I find it ludicrous that you have passed legislation that led to the Wall Street fiasco. Yes, we need a stimulus package, but we don't need any more of the gimme-gimme mind set each and everyone of you seems to suffer. It is my hope that you will recover some semblance of public ser... [Read more]

#634706

August 6, 2011 at 6:43pm

The title of this entry was a story read over and over to me as a child by parents, grandparents, and aunts. It was a thrilling story for a child and it taught a wonderful lesson. I taught that we must try over and over and over again to succeed. We never, I believe, appreciate those things which come to us easily. My mother taught me a lesson that has allowed me to accomplish or just experience many wonderful things in my life. She taught me by example saying, "I can do that." W... [Read more]

#634572

August 5, 2010 at 1:18pm

While administering the SAT test in a colleague's room, I happened to notice a poster in her room that caught my attention: BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION CARING RESPECT FAIRNESS CITIZENSHIP RESPONSIBILITY TRUSTWORTHINESS Here are my thoughts on this idea and I would enjoy very much hearing your comments about it as well. In no particular order: 1. Where's LOVE? I can't believe they left out LOVE. Yes, I can. On reflection I am reminded ... [Read more]

#634340

February 8, 2009 at 4:44pm

Days six and seven were pretty much repeats of the other days. We still had no lights, but there were some real pluses about cuddling under the comforters from dark until daylight. When we finally did get electricity, it took two whole days to clean up from our Camping In exercise. How can you wear the same clothes everyday and have five loads of wash for two people. Beats me! Sunday the temperature reached 70 degrees. That’s Arkansas’s fickle weather for you. However, ple... [Read more]

#634056

February 8, 2009 at 3:30pm

On Day 5 we learned via the radio that several places to the north had some generators for sale and we planned to go that way and look for one. After we left home, we decided it would be crazy to go north where the damage was so much greater than here. We again headed south to Batesville. We were primed to go as far south as Little Rock if we necessary. Rick decided to try Home Depot again and I just laughed when we drove in and saw cars everywhere with briskly walking people hustling new ge... [Read more]

#633829

February 8, 2009 at 3:44pm

Thursday was pretty much a repeat of Wednesday only the temperature was up a bit and some of the local young men tried to remove some of the trees from the road. But, not enough were removed to allow us to get out in either direction of the road. Rick began to get anxious about his freezer full of meat and nearly hyperventilated on me. He became deadly serious about trying to get a generator. Only problems were, we have no phone service or battery power to use our phones in order to call abo... [Read more]

#633608

February 8, 2009 at 12:36pm

Wednesday dawned as an intensely brilliant, spectacular day. Looking outside was amazing. The sun glistened through the ice on the trees and sparkled like millions of diamonds. Yet, the ice was very thick around every leaf, tree branch, blade of grass, and anything else in the elements. The electric lines had so many rotund icicles on them that my husband had to duck to walk under them. How could something so beautiful be causing such hardships on so many? I know the word wonderland is trite, b... [Read more]

#633522

February 6, 2009 at 1:52pm

We woke up at 8:10 the next morning and Rick began preparing breakfast. I turned on the television and thought maybe I would have breakfast in bed. Then, the electricity went off and was to stay off for us for the next seven days. Five of these days the temperatures hovered between twenty-five and thirty-three degrees during the day, dropping in the teens at night. The sleeting had stopped by nine o'clock Tuesday morning, but then it started raining heavily and rained for hours. With ... [Read more]

#633363

February 6, 2009 at 11:50am

The worst ice storm to ever hit Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana struck with a driving, frigid fury. As I begin this account of our trials before, during, and after the storm, there are still over 1 million people without electricity……six days after the storm began to hurl itself upon us paralyzing millions of Americans. Monday, January 23, 2009 started like any mundane Monday morning. Our students buzzed with anticipation of a possible "snow" coming. Teach... [Read more]

#632065

January 26, 2009 at 10:21am

If you are a writer, you probably are a reader also. I have discovered three websites that are wonderful for getting books you want and trading those books you are finished with--and all for only the price to mail the book asked from you. If you are one of those that keeps all their books, great. I could not possibly store all the books I had. Eventually, the mice and other varmints are drawn to them My favorite: http://www.paperbackswap.com This is my favorite site because it ha... [Read more]

#631874

January 25, 2009 at 1:09pm

I am currently reading, Catch the Whipser of the Wind . It is full of insprirational stories and proverbs from Native Americans by Cheewa James. I would like to share two with you today: "Wars are fought to see who owns the land, but in the end it possess man, Who dares say he owns it---is he not buried benenath it?" ------Cochise, Chiricahua Apache "Everything the power o... [Read more]

#631743

January 24, 2009 at 5:47pm

BUSINESSES I WOULD RATHER DO WITHOUT but I am too weak!: Hughes.net@#$%^&* Hugesnet@#$%^&*(: When you get ready to sign up for satellite, they don't tell you about the Fair Access Policy. The FAP says that if you download a certain amount of items, Hughes will cut your access to the Internet down to where it takes you 30 minutes to even sign on to Writing.com. This lasts for--they say--24 hours. We say--and we know--it takes more like 3 days to get any speed bac... [Read more]

#631291

January 22, 2009 at 1:10pm

Forever is a common enough word. In fact, I think it is used much too commonly. I think it is highly overused. While driving to school today, I had an ephphany: Do people really understand how long FOREVER is? I see, hear, and read about people telling each other things like I'll love you forever....I'll be your best friend forever.......I'll forever be greatful to you.....you will be in my dreams forever......Spend your life with me forever.....forever, forever, forever. ... [Read more]

#631090

January 21, 2009 at 11:25am

The first thing George W. Bush did that I approve of is to fade off into the sunset of the Texas sky. Secondly, before he left, he finally did something he should have done long ago, but thank God, he finally had the cajones to take an albeit "quiet" stand. The thing of which I speak is the commutations of two former U.S. Border Patrol agent convicted in 2006 of shoot an ILLEGAL ALIAN who was smuggling MARIJUANA. Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean were CONVICTED of shooting this miscr... [Read more]

#630928

February 8, 2009 at 4:46pm

How proud I felt to be an American today as the 44th President of the United States was sworn in before a trillion-person crowd. Ok, maybe not a trillion, but it sure looked like it. I am proud to be an American most days, but this is a red-letter day. It was like I felt when our servicemen came home from VietNam and I saw the soldier whose bracelet I had worn for years step off the plane. It was the same pride I had in our landing on the moon. Yes, I do believe we went to the moon. ... [Read more]

#630694

January 19, 2009 at 1:39pm

I hate stepping on the scale, but over a month ago I knew I had to do so. My pants had felt tight all day. Ok, not tight, but excruciatingly tight. Most of my life I was a size 5. If I went over a few pounds, a diet was easily undertaken and who-o-sh....the weight came off in a week. When I met my present husband nine years ago, I still had a pretty good body even though I was 57-years-old. As much as I hate admitting it, I have gained 40 pounds. Just thinking about it makes me sick. I have ... [Read more]

#630215

January 17, 2009 at 11:45am

I notice that I have missed writing in (or on) my blog three times since Jan. 1st. My goal is to not miss very many before the end of the year. Since I wrote five before the end of 2008, I figure that I am still ahead of the game. I know I won't be able to write everyday for all the various reasons every other human being has. We have had three frigid days here in Arkansas and don't often get weather like that down south. My husband, who is primarily from Conn. and Mich., thrive... [Read more]

#629842

January 15, 2009 at 3:04pm

I don't know how your school works, but I will bet it is no different than mine under the NCLB (No Child Left Behind Law) or a State's Athletic Standards. Two weeks before the end of the SEMESTER last December, I had five students pulled out of my junior English class and enrolled under another teacher in Special Education so they could pass. Most of these students were not passing because they didn't come to school or they just flat wouldn't do their work. One in particula... [Read more]

#629704

February 8, 2009 at 4:47pm

Last year about this time I was standing in line at the pharmacy waiting to get several prescriptions. The lady in front of me was probably 50-years-old or so and trying to get the medicines that she and her husband need for the month. I couldn't help but over hear the conversation and discovered that her husband had been laid off his factory job and she was a secretary at a local grade school. Their insurance was through her husband and they, therefore, had no insurance. I don't kno... [Read more]

#629317

January 13, 2009 at 3:16pm

My dentist--a very likable young man--makes sure that I have plenty of a special bacterial mouthwash every time I visit for work on my two implants which has been going on now since last March (2008). His clinic just happens to have it on hand for us and stupid, naive me, I thought he was giving me a bottle every time I went because I didn't notice the $25 charge mixed amongst all the higher-dollar charges. Last time I discovered this literally "hidden" charge and went on line ... [Read more]

#629090

January 11, 2009 at 4:26pm

The sun is shining so brightly, the air is crisp and yet it is a nice 50 degrees. The dogs are begging for a walk and at least on of the cats wants to go also. So, Rick and I bundle up and begin our 2 mile walk down the dirt road in front of our house. The experience is truly heady today after a week or so of rain, dark skies, and ice. The dogs are running around like crazy and the cat is doing her constant Me-owing which means, "Slow down, owners, I am trying my best to catch up!" ... [Read more]

#628942

January 10, 2009 at 5:31pm

Sometimes in life a person you like comes along and if you are fortunate, a friendship develops. I found one such person here on wdc. Ruby StandingDEER has been a remarkable person to know. She is always there for encouraging words when I am down, always makes me laugh, and puts up with my ridiculous rants and sometimes absolute nonsense. How many people do you know that sit up with a sick critter all night? Have I ever visited with her face-to-face? No, Talked to her on the telephone?... [Read more]