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King of the big hairy purple people... |
| [Introduction] You don't have to be big or hairy or purple to participate, although if you are then we will have a new topic for discussion. You don't even have to accept Barney as your king. Barney will love you anyway. What you do have to do is post a few words when your turn comes up. If you know as soon as you get the email that you don't have time to post, then please click on "skip my turn" right away. If you take too long to post (who knows, you might be away on vacation) then I will skip it for you.. All topics are up for discussion, but it should be obvious that this is a light-hearted group that is not interested in any intense arguing or fighting. ** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only ** |
| That was funny! There is some good jazz on the radio right now. Nothing funny about that. Spike Jones was funny. Ever hear any of his stuff? And Victor Borge, Weird Al Yankovich, Dr Demento... It's funny that music can be funny. And art... And animals... How about plants? Yes, plants too. I remember some of those giant Saguarro cactus in Arizona. Very funny! Ever seen them standing out there on the hillsides? A little sad too, I guess, especially at sunset. Mistletoe is a funny plant. I don't know if it grows where you live, but it does here. In the winter when the leaves have fallen you can see it like a little green bush perched way up in tall trees. It's like it's a bird that flew up there. Funny birds? The woodpecker, of course, but my favorite is still the duck. There are some on the pond outside my window and everytime they start quacking I have to smile. |
| That was funny! Hahahaha! Had to run google "Schfifty Five" to see what you were talking about. And a small funny moment for me when he said "C'mon, girl, now let's do 6"... Haven't seen "Nemo" yet, but I know I'll like it. I mean it's from the same folks who did "Toy Story", right? How could I not like it? Speaking of toons, on TV the Simpsons are my champs, but what happened to Futurama? I miss it, especially since I love old sci-fi and Futurama played right into that love. King of the Hill is sometimes funny, but sometimes a little too "hillbilly soap opera"... Ostriches are funny until they land one of those big feet in your gut with their powerful kick. That will wipe the smile off your face! And I understand ostriches have a mean temper and don't like to be teased. It all adds up to "Sure, maybe they are funny, but I would be too afraid to laugh." Hitler is sooo funny looking and acting that it's very hard to imagine why he would have been a leader with millions of Germans taking him seriously. Then you find out that he originally wanted to be a painter! The Germans must have been really, really depressed after World War One to fall in after that guy. World Wars are funny. You mean we are actually the kind of animals that would have huge world-wide brawls with each other? If there are any extraterrestrials watching us, then we must be on their FOX network. |
| That was funny! Yeah, Monty Python is good stuff. And some of the MP gang made other movies that are good. Have you ever seen "A Fish Called Wanda"? I'm a sucker for romantic comedy, too, like "Romancing the Stone" and "War of the Roses" and "My Best Friend's Wedding" and "Something About Mary" and so on... On TV I still watch the Seinfeld reruns even though I have seen all of them several times. But a strange thing is that there is one episode that I haven't seen yet! I know what the preview for it looks like -- it's something about George finding a doll that looks like his mother -- but I have yet to see that particular episode. Very odd... I might mention the funniest science fiction book I ever read -- "Twisted World" by Robert Sheckley. If you like SF, almost all Sheckley is good reading, and several are hilarious! Do you ever get strange food cravings? Every now and then I go crazy over blue cheese dip. I just mix some crumbled blue cheese into a container of sour cream. I have to wait for 24 hours before the flavor is just right. But when it gets right -- oh boy! Yummy on unsalted saltines. (There's one for the "Oxymoron" In&Out.) Food would be a lot funnier if it didn't swell my belly, although they say fat people are jolly, but that's only when you give up and get REALLY fat! Then you might enjoy it. But when you are in that in between stage where there is still hope for being slim if you would just stop eating so damn much food! That's not a jolly place to be. But I find that when I feel that way, eating something makes me feel better... |
| That was funny! Oh, Tell, Tell, Tell... You say you don't like romantic comedies because you know how it's going to end? But what movie isn't like that? You know the hero is going to win and the bad guy is going to get blown up or fall off a real high place or get shot or get something fatal stuck through him... Western? Black Bart will lose... War movie? American soldiers win... Horror show? Monster and all the teens except two will die... Sci-Fi? Aliens defeated... Mystery? We find out who did it... Suspense? The bomb is defused when it only has one second left on the timer... Romance? Love triumphs over all... Comedy? I guess that's not really a separate genre since it usually gets mixed in with them like "City Slickers" (western) or "Groundhog Day" (romance) or "Men In Black" (sci-fi). SUBWAY is a good place. I like the bread. I usually get something simple inside the bun like cold cuts, lettuce, tomato, onion, but I have to have that oil and vinegar dressing. That's what makes it a "sub" to me. Meatball subs are good, too. My sister told me to try Parmesan cheese on my salads and that does add some snap to them. Basically, I'll eat anything. It's all good. Good thing about the summer is being more active and burning off calories. The more you burn, the more you can eat. I'm too lazy to ever be really fat. I just would not want to carry all that extra weight around. I would rather skip a few meals than lug 30 pounds of fat around all day. I don't see how someone who is 100 pounds overweight does it. It's the same thing as putting a pack on your back and filling it with a hundred pounds of bricks. Foolish, no? Well, let's see what Cheyenne has to say. And now we are three. Maybe...  |
| That was funny! Three Musketeers? My all time favorite candy bar, along with it's twin brother, Milky Way. Tell! Bill Murray? You never heard of Bill Murray? Wait a moment... Let me get over my shock. He doesn't have a handsome face, so you may have seen him and just didn't bother to remember his name. But he's out there! I think Cheyenne meant Hoagies instead of Hoogies. In certain parts of the USA they call subs "hoagies", much like they call weiners "frankfurters" in some places. Or instead of sausages they say "bangers"... No, that's Great Britain, where they call cookies "biscuits" and have other oddities of word usage. I never even heard of QUIZNO subs, so maybe it's a western chain? I love vegetables, too. That's most of what I eat. However, unlike you guys, I like lots of tomatoes and onions. Garlic, too. It keeps the evil things away. It also makes people respect my "personal space". The only fruit I eat is bananas, one every day. For the potassium, you know. A sci-fi movie you would like? Hmmm.... Well, a lot of movies have sci-fi in them, so you probably have already seen them, like "Independence Day" and "Men In Black" and "E.T." and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". If you go back in time, then the first "modern" sci-fi movie was "Forbidden Planet". Before that there were all the weird old sci-fi movies like the B&W "Flash Gordon" serials (Flash, Dale and Ming, who can forget them? Although the "Flesh Gordon" spoof sure tarnished my memories...) and even farther back "Metropolis" (not recommending it, it's just a historical note to show sci-fi wasn't born yesterday). But I think the original "Star Wars" movie is at the top of the sci-fi list, along with the other Star Wars movies on the next rung down. But there are plenty of sci-fi movies to choose from like "Blade Runner" and "Alien" (Now if you want horror, "Alien" was SCARY!) Speaking of being dragged to a romance movie, there is a great Seinfeld episode where Elaine finds the movie "The English Patient" intensely boring. She can't believe everyone is raving about it. Her boss takes her to see it to show her how "good" it is and she is so frustrated with boredom that she finally stands up in the theater and screams "Go on and die already! Die! Die!". Her boss calmly says "You're fired." |
| That was funny! Hey, Tell, Jack Nicholson is cute next to Bill Murray. Not that Bill is ugly, let's just say that if you met him on the strret, "movie star" would not be your first guess at his occupation. "Ghostbusters"? "Caddyshack"? "Groundhog Day"? "Meatballs"? All Bill Murray flicks. Canada? I had you pegged as a Californian because of your log-on times, but I'll bet it's WESTERN Canada? Yes, I'm eastern USA, SOUTHeastern USA. Cheyenne, I knew you were from out West as soon as I saw that pen name. Do you have a horse? I can understand why you don't like Westerns at the movies. You are already living the life! I know you don't have a horse, but you have a 4-wheel-drive vehicle, don't ya? I do eat wild fruit. We have a lot of it here -- blackberries, plums, blueberries, grapes, and persimmons. We should have called this campfire "That Was Delicious!" instead of "That Was Funny!" |
| Okay, okay! Forget Bill Murray! Only expert stalkers like me can locate people from their log-in times. It takes years od dedicated study, a fine knowledge of human psychology, and a powerful computer to do the data analysis. In a few days I should have your street pinpointed. The actual house number will take longer, but the most difficult part is getting your daily schedule accurate enough so that I can casually walk by your residence as you are walking out and say "Hi! You don't recognize my face. but you do know me..." A French side to our cereal boxes? No, our cereal boxes are in Spanish with English subtitles. Of course we have poutine, chesterfield, and touque! Poutine is that creamy stuff you eat for desert. I like chocolate poutine. And of course Chesterfields are a brand of cigarette, but I don't smoke. And touque is a snack made from tofu, yogurt, and strawberries. Now... do you have fatback, chitlins, or grits? |
| Is it "toque" or "touque"? Okay, translate "Would you please pour some grapefruit on my touque?" By the way, how do you pronounce it? took? too-kay? towk? tock? Fatback is bacon with no lean in it. Pure pork fat. It's actually very good fried, but most southern cooks use a piece of it to season beans or greens (collard greens or turnip greens) or catfish stew. Chitlins are the small intestine of the hog, cleaned and fried. Grits are ground up dried corn which cook up like oatmeal, only "gritty" instead of smooth like oatmeal is. On the news: A woman arrested for shooting her boyfriend four times, then setting his body on fire. Never date a woman with a hair-trigger temper. Ever had home-made ice cream made in a hand-cranked churn? Around here it is always peach ice cream. Peaches and watermelons are our big summertime fruits. How do people talk in western Canada? Do they do that "eh" thing for questions? It's almost true that people say "you all" in the south, except it's almost always "y'all". Actually, so many people from other places live here that you could hear any accent on the street. I picture you as living in a 2-story white clapboard house. The lawn and trees are very green. When you were small you had a duck for a pet. Old Mr. Smuthers down the road still calls you "Chicky". He's weird that way. Everybody else calls you Holly. You wear navy blue a lot and you have a favorite jacket that's perfect for walking. Even though you are friendly, if you don't feel like answering the phone, you are capable of just letting it ring until they hang up. Well, that's all my stalker program has been able to come up with so far. Need more data. So keep talking! |
| Chitlins resemble sausages like raisins resemble grapes. They clean out the intestine and wash it thoroughly (for obvious reasons!) and then I am not sure if it is boiled AND fried or just fried, but I think its both. Chitlins reminds me of beef jerky if beef jerky was limp and gray. I've never had the desire to try them, but a small town called "Sally" has an annual "Chitlin' Strut" where thousands of people come to eat (or probably just taste and throw away) chitlins. There are also towns with a "Peanut Festival", "Peach Festival", and an "Okra Strut". Okra! That might be another one you don't know, but down in New Orleans it's the prime ingredient of "gumbo". It turns slimy sticky when you cook it -- not one of my favorites. Well, finding out that grapefruit is "pamplemousse" is hilarious. Oh those silly French! I think I saw a French comic book where the gunshots were printed as PAM! PAM! Why would you ever actually need to say "touque"? "Harry, the mailman's coming! Go beat the touque!" Isabelle attacked you? Are you one of those cat lovers who "play" with their cats by slapping them around and inciting them to violence? Or was there a small critter running across your nose? I have never seen a cat that could resist a small moving object. A friend with an aquarium says that his cat can gaze at it for hours. I don't feel like paying $30 for one of those "stalker" shirts, so I will be the bare-chested guy with "STALKER" written on his skin with a marker. Plus that way I can quickly cover it up with my shirt if I see some Mounties riding up. Okay, you have to tell me if there is really such a thing as the Royal Canadian Mounties or did I just see too many Rocky and Bullwinkle reruns? Maybe Canada makes better beer beer, but what about non-alcoholic beer? I bet they don't do THAT better! Eh? |
| Hey, Myrtle Beach has a Canada Day! It's in the spring when the water is still too cold for southerners, but apparently the Canadians are ready for some sunshine after their cold winter. French TV? I should be so lucky. I love French movies. The French make great comic books, too, especially science fiction. "Tin-Tin" is legendary. What's wrong with dancing and cheery French songs? This is like the "romantic movie" thing, isn't it? I am betting that there was a time when you would mock Valentine's Day (gasp!). And yet you have a stuffed rabbit. What a complex person ye be, young Tell of Canada, the nation's hope for the future. You ever hear that said about youth? Our hope for the future? Isn't it strange how many generations of mankind have come and gone? No matter what happens -- war, plague, famine -- they just keep rolling along. Some people say they are afraid we could be wiped out by nuclear war or a plague or whatever. Wiped out? Impossible. There will always be a few survivors, no matter what happens. I used to wish that there would be a nuclear war so that I could explore the ruins. I had visions of roaming through deserted cities, kicking throught the rubbish of a lost civilization, sleeping in the deserted buildings of a vanished race, reading their books, examining their technology. Have you any abandoned dreams floating around in your mind? |
| There's a show about inuits? What are inuits, anyway. I'm thinking they are either 1) a language thing like palindromes and synonyms or 2) a mental state like dimwits and halfwits, perhaps a state of heightened intuition or 3) another one of those strange Canandian food items like poutine and pampelmice. Tin-Tin is not actually the name of an ALIEN (geesh, does all sci-fi have to be about ALIENS?) but it's the name of a boy hero who has many (many many) adventures. Actually, as a kid I was a weird combination of shy and aggressive. You've probably seen people like that. You feel sorry for them because they seem lonely, but then when you start talking to them, they just will not shut up and the words keep tumbling out in a confused babble. Yep. That was me. You're going skydiving and bungee jumping this year? I see... To be perfectly honest with you, I have never understood extreme risk-taking behavior. I mean, I get the fact that it might increase your heart rate and adrenaline levels and make you holler "Yippeee!", but is that worth risking your life for? I guess that's a question everyone must answer in his own heart. Actually, I could dig sky-diving. Bungee jumping has no appeal for me. Maybe because I get sick on the Tilt-A-Whirl... Goals in life? Funny you should ask. I already achieved two big ones -- I have plenty of money and lots of free time. I only work on short-term goals now, something that can be accomplished in a day or two. I have vowed to finish whatever I start, so I have a pretty good record of meeting all my short-term goals. I have been debating acquiring a new long-term goal, but I don't see any real necessity for it. To me the secret of happiness is having a repeatable day, a day that I can live over and over. Sure there will be exceptional days that are different from usual. But I don't put my hopes for happiness in the exceptional days. If I do that, then I am left with hundreds of "blah" days and a few happy days. It's better to make my standard everyday day the keystone of my happiness. That way I am in a good mood every day. Then only a major disaster can knock me off my happiness perch. But I can just see by your skydiving talk that you need to set some dangerous goal for yourself every now and then. Otherwise, you just don't feel really ALIVE, do ya? Ya just gots to have some of that YIPPPEEEEEE!!!! Well, that's me on the ground with the camera wondering if this will be the time your parachute doesn't open and I will be able to sell the photo to the National Inquirer for a hundred bucks. |
| Pose? Sure. But I'm not going to waste any film unless your parachute doesn't open. Nobody is going to pay me for photos of a successful sky dive. Having a repeatable day doesn't mean just eat, sleep, and type. You also have to take a shower and dress and undress. I have lots of time but not LOTS of money. I probably should have said "enough money" instead of "plenty of money". I don't spend much. Probably because I am having all those "repeatable" days. Well, not even LOTS of TIME, I guess, since I just get the same 24 hours as everybody else. I'm very efficient? Let's just say I don't have to spend 8 hours a day, 5 days a week making ends meet. The ends are met and the effort is minimal. Yes, I absolutely agree about doing "something new"! I look for new things. That's why I like to create. And that makes me happy. But the core of my happiness is daily life. I applaud your death defying adventures! If I lived next door, you would be able to talk me into one. I live near a river full of rocks. Going out on the rocks is as close to death as I usually get. However, I was once a hunter of poisonous snakes. I was much closer to death then. I don't know if you even HAVE snakes in Canada. Too cold? But we have plenty of them here. My snake hunting days started when I killed a rattlesnake with a 22 rifle. Rattlesnakes are very rare, but water moccasins are extremely common. So one summer, I set as my goal the killing of as many water moccasins (also called "cottonmouths") as possible. My method was to take off my shoes and walk down the middle of a creek carrying my rifle. Since the moccasins like to spend the day lying up in the branches along the banks of the creek, I just had to point and shoot. I only had one scare when I missed once and the snake slid off into the water right next to me. I never heard of them biting anyone under the water, so I wasn't TOO worried, but it did make me uncomfortable not knowing exactly where he was. I would have tried the Lebanese food. It probably has olives in it and I love olives. Sometimes I buy some hummus to put on my unsalted saltines. Hummus is chick peas ground in olive oil with lemon and other things. Very tasty. You know I thought Inuits might be Eskimos, but then I thought, well wouldn't she have just said Eskimos if that's what they were? I'm sorry about their drinking problem. It was caused no doubt by the Europeans who invaded their land. I guess the Iraqis are next. That will be ironic since the other Arab countries ban alcohol. |
| I know is I lived in Iraq right now, I would be drinking! Sure, we have the moccasin shoe. I don't know how the snake called water moccasin got it's name... wait one... Okay, I googled it and could find no explanation. But now I am wondering if the Indians named the snake first and then their shoes? Or vice versa? Who knows? Anyway, there is nothing like a snake to shake you up. I don't ever recall seeing a snake where it was not an emotional experience. Except the zoo, of course. A friend and I chased a little black and white king snake around the rocks on the river for what seemed like half an hour. Snakes are amazing, really, since they have no legs and no hand or paws or claws, and yet do pretty well for themselves with nothing but a mouth to work with. Did you ever see that movie "Basket Case"? You'll like it. The International Children's Festival sounds like a good gig. Are they going to bus children in from all over the world and give them a taste of Canada? "What do ya think of our country, eh?" I was out riding my bicycle today and realized that that's death-defying behavior, too, especially on a narrow road at rush hour. I actually fell right in front of a big truck once. I was moving off the road because I heard the truck and the shoulder of the road was a drop that caught the wheel of my bike and I went down just as the truck roared past. It was a tanker with big tires and I could feel the wind from them. I could have touched them. I jumped up real quick in case he was looking in his rearview mirror and wondering if he had killed me. Actually, it's death-defying behavior every time we get in a car and drive out on the highway! Food and death -- our favorite topics. Do you really own a fur bikini? That's quite a concept, and probably illegal most places! Something funny on the internet that I experience sometimes. I will take a web page in another language and run it through the AltaVista Babel Fish translator. It's always funny. Japanese is the worst. They are always bizarre. It does a pretty good job on European languages, but there is still plenty to laugh at. For example, let's take that paragraph, translate it to Spanish, then back to English. Something amused in the Internet that experiment sometimes. I will take a Web page in another language and I will work it through the translator of the fish of AltaVista Babel. Always it is amused. The Japanese is the worse one. They are always strange. It makes a quite good work in European languages, but there is immovable abundance to amuse itself. Hahahaha! "immovable abundance" for "still plenty"! Will computers always be hopelessly stupid machines? |
| Cheyenne? Oh yeah, Cheyenne. I wish he would email me and ask for a turn. He is still in the campfire, but he never seems to be online. I guess it was just a passing fancy. There is a NEW guy! ... Gabe... I guess we have to catch up on what food he likes, whether he owns anything made of fur, and how he feels about snakes. And of course, what's funny? Movies, TV, etc. According to the law of the random distribution of participants, he should live in the Northeast USA, since I got the Southeast, Tell got Canada, and Cheyenne got the West. OK, Gabe... Your turn! |
| Oh no! The Canadians are taking over. I warned president Bush about this. "George, if we don't put more guards on the border, then those pesky poutine-swilling Canadians are gonna be on our doorsteps! Get on the internet and check it out, George. They're everywhere!" But did he listen? No... no... All he sees is Iraqis! What kind of threat is Iraq 10,000 miles away? The Canadians live NEXT DOOR! But I rant. Howdy, Neighbors! *cocks shotgun* No, I'm peaceful. The only things I ever deliberately shot were snakes and then only the poisonous ones. I am one of those guys who grabs your arm when you are trying to chop up the snake you found in your garden. ME: "Don't kill it! It's only a Rat Snake!" YOU: (eyeballs wide and showing the whites, spittle on your lips) LET GO MY ARM! IT'S A SNAKE! MUST KILL IT! But, I forget. You Canadians live in a Garden of Eden where there are only tiny harmless snakes, where all the animals must be "saved", where trees must be hugged, where no one ever wears fur, and where each weekend everyone gathers together in International Festivals to proclaim their peace-loving natures and drink lots of superior Canadian beer. Oh, pass me some more poutine, Mabel, I think I'm going to barf in my toque. Well, I feel better now that I've gotten all that out of my system. So... How are my fine Canadian friends today? |
| What's a "loonie"? Moose rutting season? I guess now that you guys have television, that's not as popular a spectator event as it used to be. Or is it? We think we know Canadians, but do we really? I'm thinking of how when they arrest those psychopathic serial killers, the next door neighbors always say, "He seemed like just an ordinary guy..." That's Canadians for ya -- our next door neighbors that seem so ordinary. But enough of this Canada Dry talk! I think it's a defensive action, since I am outnumbered in here. And also because I enjoy saying things like "Oh my, those poutine-swilling, tree-hugging, moose-rutting Canadians are hilarious!" I have watched the Red Green Show on PBS. Anybody been watching the Trump show "Apprentice"? I think Nicky made a big mistake getting cozy with Amy. Trump wants Amy for himself. Nicky... You're fired! Kwambe... You're fired! Don't you just love aggressive go-getters? If the rewards for it were more than glitz, glamour, and tackiness, then I might be there myself. Steve... You're fired! Fun with pen names - Part One Humpsuit Freemac I'll Never Smell Babe Angry Pee Gabe, if you haven't been to the In&Outs yet, go there. That's where the action is. Gerge Bush is making fun of the Weapons of Mass Destruction thing now! Cool move! Unexpected! If he can pull off making THAT look funny, then the democrats are in big trouble. It will make them look like stuffed shirts who can't get the joke. Voters always go for the funnier guy. Look at Clinton! I'm still laughing! I love that guy! |
| Of course I know what loonies and toques are! Loonies are baby loons (so obvious!) Toques are the other half of the sound French clocks make... tique-toque... tique-toque... Do they have income tax in Canada? I just got mine done before the April 15th deadline. Tell, when you go swimming with dolphins, how are you going to find a place warm enough to swim? Do you have to wear a wetsuit? Here is my latest activity to take advantage of spring... I am cutting trails through the woods for my bike. I love doing this. I have a great machete, the real thing just like the sugarcane harvesters use. It's engraved "Clavo a Marillo #152-K". I sharpen it with a small file until it's very sharp. With a hearty swing you can take down a sapling with one stroke. You might ask why do I have to cut trails? Are there not roads? Yes, but I avoid the paved roads as much as possible. Safer that way. Instead, I travel on dirt roads as much as I can. Unfortunately, since this is "sandhills country", the dirt roads often have long stretches of sand that are impossible to pedal through. You have to walk the bike. But the trails I cut can be pedaled on. After all, if I wanted to walk, I wouldn't need the bike. But it's all fun. The trail cutting is great. I feel like Indiana Jones. And then once the trail is cut, I have my own private highway through the woods. A neat thing is that deer love trails. Within a few days my trails are filled with the hoof prints of deer. They love them! And sometimes I will find a deer trail and use it as the basis of my bike trail. Symbiosis! Or something... Well... Happy Trails! |
| Tell skipped her turn. She must be on her way to "swim with the dolphins"... Be careful, Tell. Watch out for sharks. They look a lot like dolphins, you know. So "loonies" are Canadian dollars, eh? Sounds like funny money to me. I never could figure out why our dollars were called "bucks"... There is no picture of a deer on them. Winter came back for a day and spoiled my trail building plans, but it won't be long before the sun is back. I spent a summer in Boston once and when I got up there in June I had to put on a jacket. Only July and August were decently hot. It's summer down here from May to September. I think the ideal lifestyle would be summers up north and winters down south -- ideal, but expensive. I have never been to Canada, but no matter when I go, I won't forget to take a jacket. Ohhh, I feel so unfunny lately. I don't no why. I'm not talking about feeling sad. I'm talking about that ho-hum area in between funny and sad, that place where everything is very ordinary and not particularly amusing. Ever been there? I'll have to go looking for fun. But where? Where....? |
| Whoa! I'll try not to be too cheery. Watch "Apprentice" tonight. That's very uncheery when someone gets fired. Although for some strange reason it cheers ME up! Hopefully, you aren't as sadistic as me. This seems like a good time to discuss Canadian underwear. Are long johns popular up there? I've always wanted a pair of red long johns with the drop flap rear. Do Canadians wear those pajamas with the sewed-on foot covers? Have you heard of DARE brand Canadian cookies? They have several varieties at the Piggly Wiggly and I tried the Maple Leaf, but it was too sweet for me. Have you ever heard of sugar sandwiches? When I was little, we sometimes made sandwiches that were just two slices of bread spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar. Also made cinnamon toast, which was bread butter sugar and cinnamon, toasted. Now I make honey sandwiches. It's funny you mention how snow drives you back to the computer, because I have thought that if I lived somewhere like Boston or Seattle I would get a lot more done. Rain and cold are good reasons to get cozy inside and create something. When the sun is shining, I feel an irresistible urge to get out in it. Almost time for "The Apprentice"... heh heh... |
| Piggly-Wiggly, Bi-Lo, Food Lion, Kroger's, and Winn-Dixie are the grocery store chains in my area. You're not alone about hunting, Tell. None of us hunt if I read Gabe correctly. But I've got the perfect solution for your gun lust. It's harmless, fun, and not too expensive. Are you ready? PAINTBALLS! A friend of mine turned me on to paintballs a few months ago. You probably associate it with guys playing war and shooting at each other. But it's also a lot of fun to plink with. Also, you can shoot at animals without hurting them. Don't worry. You are going to miss anyway. The paintball is slow enough that a bird can see it coming and avoid it. Turtles are easy targets, but it takes two or three shots before they figure out someone is shooting at them. However, forget the animals if you don't want to even alarm them, much less actually hurt them. You can set up tin cans and bottles and have a blast. Beer cans make particulary satisfying targets at close range because the paintballs have enough power to really THUNK! into them and crush them. Empty plastic bottles? Great! You can make them dance and they are nice and noisy. We made a "terrorist" target by putting an old shirt over a little tree and mounting a one gallon plastic milk jug for his head. Yiiiii! Take that! POW! I got my gun for $30 at Walmart, but you have to cock it for each shot. My friend paid $50, but his is semiautomatic. And Tell, you WILL feel powerful, but in a good way. Hey, Gabe, you are going to be disgusted to hear that Donald Trump is hosting Saturday Night Live this week! That is, if you watch the new SNLs. Do you only rent the old ones? |
| Hehehe Do we have an unhappy camper? Let's throw her in the lake! Well, summertime activities will be drawing me away from the computer as well. As you guys know, no invitations have been issued to this campfire. If we had more people, it would extend the time before your turn comes up again. I have also thought about starting a new campfire with a different theme and lots of invitations. Any ideas for a different theme? I have always liked those group-written stories where each person adds another paragraph, but there seem to be a lot of them going on already. One thing I don't know is: How long can a campfire get? Is there any cut-off point on the total number of words or entries? Can it just keep extending itself forever? If you know the answers, please tell me. Okay, here is what I am going to do: Send out some invitations to this one and change its name to "Long Live Barney!" Sound good? Make your protests now. I was going to call it the Kool Kanadians Kampfire, but then I thought KKK might not be a kool acronym to have. So Long Live Barney! |
| So, this Barney thing has gotten Gabe in a purple how-do-you-do? That's too bad, he sounded like a pretty interesting person. Which reminds me, Barney Smores were really good. *Speaking of good sci-fi* Just watched Dream Catcher and it was bizarre! But a very good movie. Won't say more than it has aliens, psychics, and some neat monsters, no more or it will ruin the movie for anyone who watches it. *About food* I love black eyed peas and greens with some good old pepper juice, and I like ocra but sparingly used, it adds a nice touch to any green veggie dish. *About Animals* I have horses, cats, dogs, birds (large and small) a snake, an iguana, mice and fish. They keep me very busy, especially since the boys are growing up and losing interest in them. *About thrill seeking* Uh uh. Not for me. Don't like it. I dispatched for medivac helicopters and I have to tell you, we were allowed to go up in the helo's any time we wanted to, NOT I! Pilots had a kittie going to see who would be the first to get me up in one. Nope, not me. Never did. Company moved its dispatch to Omaha, NB and I wouldn't transfer from SoCal so no one ever won that bet! Ooops! Gotta run, one of the dogs is running around with Barney's tail..... |
| Wouldn't you know it, I finish getting caught up reading just as I have to leave to go up to church to hear who embezzled money from the church and what we will do about it. Horror movies: NO NO NO not me. I saw Vincent Price or somebody in the Wax Museum as a child and at 48 still pull the covers up over my neck to go to sleep. I am so American, my blood is red, white and blue (so is everybody's but it sounded good). I live in the heart of the midwest not to far from the *choke* thriving metropolis of St. Louis, MO. I lived two of the longest years of my life in South Carolina which is a whole other story!! I have been to Canada and loved it. BUT we went in August and I would have rather gone another time, like for the winter!!!!!!!! Animals: three cats Food: don't like okra, chitlin, grits and most seafood, but that's a shorter list than my likes No thrill seeking but I once was a cop and used a gun. COOL!!!! Gotta run to church! |
| Are we introducing ourselves then? If that is the case, I live in Ohio and have lived in New Jersey, Massachussetts and Connecticut. I am married. I am a musician - specifically, church music director, and a piano and voice teacher. Food: I like most things - chocolate and tea are personal addictions. Have been a vegetarian off and on - actually twice, both times for 4 years and then I decided to eat meat again. Horror movies: no! I still get creepy feelings from a full moon because of all the werewolf movies I saw as a kid. Vampire stuff really creeps me out! Paranormal/psychic experiences: yes, experienced them sometimes. Not necessarily a fun thing. Although I have had some religious experiences that were wonderful, leaving me feeling very thankful, humble and comforted. Barney: Saw a couple of shows - I read about the start of that company - a marvel of grass roots marketing! There is a judge that I read about who loves the color purple. Her courtroom, chambers, house and her judges robes are all decked out in purple!! I bet she loves Barney! |
| Hi! Thanks for letting yet another Canadian in on the Barney Blast. Intro huh? Hmm. Someone mentioned that up here we don't actually call our one dollar coins, loonies but we must not be from the same part of the country, cause out here, we DO! Loonies and twoonies are one and two dollar coins. Our money, like our economy is loonie-toonie! Movies--BIG sucker for romantic comedies. Fave line: "You don't want to be in love, you want to be in love in a movie." I don't mind horrors as long as Freddie isn't in them. Those SCARE me, but most horror flicks are okay. I never saw 'Dreamcatcher' but I read the book. That was freaky but good in a weird way. Oh, and another favorite movie line, "I'M the Mary!" Food: if it goes with whipped cream, give me a big helping please! I use pudding, jello, strawberries, and pumpkin pie as excuses to eat lots of whipped cream. Okra-eww. Pomegranites-ewwww. Liver and Brussell sprouts--not in the same house with me! Animals: Only thing close to animals in my house are spiders. I HATE spiders. They freak me out in a big way. The other day I was doing laundry, my son said, "There's a spider on that towel." I dropped it and was screaming and running from the room before the towel hit the floor. HATE them. As for Barney--I was pretty glad when my son outgrew that freaky dude. I saw a T-shirt once with a Tyrannosaurus on it, and a purple tail hanging out of his mouth. Below the picture it said, "I love Barney!" Last of all THRILL seeking! Does a balloon ride count? That was pretty thrilling when we couldn't get air and grazed the top of a forest! Oooooo hey? Oh, and I didn't seek this thrill but I used to walk past HUGE bear traps to get to work when I was a teenager. Duh hey? OH! Gotta go! American Idol is on! I LIKE Simon! I'm liking getting to know you. Thanks again Steve for inviting me! |
| It took me forever to read all these disjointed ramblings of the inane, er rather insane. Whatever. Geez, I hate profiles- Movies: Get Real, Hedwig, Beautiful Thing, Leather Jacket Love Story, anything gay romance. Don't like the Josh Harnett 40 days type of movie. But I paid to see it just to look at Josh Hartnett for two hours. Food: Grease and salt with sugar. I weigh three pounds and I can eat whatever I want, and I do. Eat your hearts out. So there! Animals: I like cats. They're rather regal and independent. Besides, my roomates have cats, and I have no choice. Good thing I like them. They're especially good slow roasted with BBQ sauce. Yum. Barney Bites: He's an over-loving caricature invented for isolated children, who are stuck in front of the televison for their parents' convenience. Simon is pompous, but I like him anyway. Steve is my nth writer. Any time I take myself too seriously, he tosses a cherry-bomb in my figurative commode, and breaks everything loose. Gabe: I procreate fine, but thanks for your concern. Thrill seeking: Been there, done that, ate the tee-shirt. I've had enough excitement for this life. Maybe in our next life, when we are both cats! |
| Hello, new guys! Thanks for taking time from your busy schedules to sit at the fire for a few moments. If you want to know who is in the campfire, just read the copyright notice at the bottom. That doesn't list the people who haven't posted yet. There are 15 all together. You might have noticed that this campfire was originally called "That Was Funny!". That's a terrible burden to put on anyone -- "Come on! Say something funny! We're waiting..." -- so there is no obligation to be funny. Unfortunately, that leaves us with no motivation. We'll be like one of those parties where everybody introduces themselves and then has nothing to talk about. Well, I can talk about nothing for quite a while. I hope you can, too. The mechanics of the campfire allow me to change the order of the participants, so please email me if you would like to post right after somebody in particular. Why would you want to do that? Don't worry, I won't ask. Haha! But it's no different from having the freedom to sit where you like. I am just letting you know that you DO have that freedom. Hey, Free Words, Barney is "over-loving"? Heehee.. Does you have a pwoblem with too much affection? (That was my "cherry bomb" for today.) Tell, baby, so glad to see you in one piece! I just knew some joker was gonna slip a shark into the dolphin tank, but you wisely took the road of caution. Catty, Past Voices, Fionnrua, Kimmer... Welcome! Gabe, hope you are still around. Cheyenne... Well, he's been lost for ages. Now there should be some more folks posting, so come on in... |
| Well, howdy y'all! Thanks for letting me join this campfire! I live in Arkansas, so I reckon that makes me another Southerner 'round here. I'm married and have two children (a son and a daughter). Food: Just about anything chocolate. And yeah, I do like okra. But only with fried potatoes, pinto beans and cornbread. Movies: Love scary movies, action movies, anything with cool special effects. I also like romantic comedies once in a while. It depends on the mood I'm in. Animals: I'm owned by three cats. They love me and my family to bits. The youngest cat, Marmalade (an orange tabby) shares the same birthday with my son. It's kinda weird actually. He's the third kitten of a litter born on my son's third birthday, the third of August. Barney? Ugh. I put up with him when my kids were little but I'm soooo glad they outgrew him. I put that purple dinosaur in the same annoying category as Dora the Explorer. I don't keep up with American Idol. I'm more of a Survivor watcher myself. But I know who Simon is and I think he's delightfully evil. Okie dokie, looks like I've rambled enough for one post. I had fun reading back through all the previous ones. Looking forward to being a part of this campfire! |
| You know, I have to say that not being required to say anything funny is a real relief (dead pan) because I'm not usually a very funny person. Everyone around me says I'm more warped than funny. I think I like being warped. You want an example? I must warn you, skip the next paragraph if you don't like things in extremely bad taste... Many years ago, while working as an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) on a BLS (Basic Life Support) rig (ambulance) my partner and I recieved a call for man found unconcious. So we roll lights and sirens to get there. The man was dead and rigor was already setting in. The wife wanted us to attempt CPR. Now, when you go through your certification process they teach you the following 5 exceptions for not beginning CPR. They are as follows: 1. DECAPITATION 2. MAJOR CRUSHING 3. TRAUMATIC ARREST 4. RIGOR MORTIS (stiffening limbs) 5. ALGORMORTIS (pooling of the blood). So, hey, this guy meets the no CPR criteria. We're now waiting around for the coroner to arrive and a non-emergent transport van shows up. Apparently he was due for a dialysis treatment. The driver comes over, sees the stiff, and says "Well, I guess he won't be needing a ride today." I replied, "Nope, probably not. But check back tomorrow when he loosens up a bit." (Rigor eventually goes away and the body becomes pliable again). I told you it was in poor taste! I have a million stories about the EMS field, but won't go into them here, too many people might judge their local ambulance company by my hijinks and it just wouldn't be fair! Anyone ever done something just DUH! Stupid? My mom (who lives with my family) took her little finches outside to clean their cages today. I'm watching her through the window and she takes one of the birds out of the cage, puts it on the patio table, tells it to stay there, then turns back toward the cage. Well, duh, of course the bird flies away, right? Yep. It did. She was in the process of picking up another finch when I called through the window that she just lost a bird! She looks back around and can't believe the bird is gone! She came inside and tells me, "I'm so used to Leilani (our African Grey Parrot) sitting on her perch when you tell her to stay, I just wasn't thinking!" As funny as that was, the only thing I could think to say was, "Man, I hope I'm not inheriting THAT gene from you, Mom!" So much for trying to be funny. Oh, well she still has 3 other finches unless she decides to let them all go (they'd die, our days may be in the 80's but our nights are low 30's) She's outside looking for that stupid bird right now, calling it, like a finch will come when called. Poor Mom. I guess I'd better go and at least pretend to help her look for it. Till my next turn....catty |
Hey Kimmer, Me Canadian too, eh! Well, it's aboot time we got our say in this campfire, lol! Speaking of Barney (yeah, I know...crummy seguey  ) Let's talk of the 'other' Barney's who are not as controversial but far less annoying ~1. Barney Rubble: A man living his life for one man only...his good friend Fred Flinstone! Don't you just love a man who would bend over....backwards for another!  aahhh, O.K. just ignore my last comment. It didn't sound quite right. And here's the magic link between Barney Rubble of Prehistoric era and Barney of late. Dinosaurs!!!! Get the missing link? (I often look at hubby for that last statement, hehe)~2. Barney Fife: A man living his life being the rudest, most obnoxious bar-hum this side of Rivendale (next to good ole Homer of course) The magic link between these two Barneys you ask?? (yes, there is one...I actually just thought of this at this minute ) The show 'The Simpsons' has been on sooo long, Barney MUST be a 'dinosaur' by now, or to be more precise, around 69 to 92 yrs. old! (I could get my calculator out but....NAAAA!) So there you have it, famous Barney's throughout the ages have showed us so many wonderful, inovative things that can change our life! When I think of them, I'll be sure to let you know  Prehistorically purple Paige |
| I thought the EMS thing was funny. Have I ever done anything STUPID you ask? You should rephrase that--when haven't I? I'm one of those women who has never really grown up and I see no sign of that happening anytime soon. I have a few golden guidelines for making my life work in spite of that though: 1. Go to work (preferrably doing something I like--I'm a non-fiction book editor so that pretty much fits the criteria. Fiction would be better but I'm not complaining.) 2. Be a grown-up when it comes to making sure my boy has everything he needs--clothes, food, lotsa love, etc. 3. Pay the bills. 4. Try not to be suckered in by "fashion" too much. (My son shook his head sadly after we'd done the tour of his new school when we moved here--he's in junior high. I said, "What's wrong? Don't you like it?" He shrugs and said, "I guess. But did you see those guys? They're sick." I hadn't noticed and he mutters, "You're the hot mom.") I dress down when I go to his school now! 5. LAUGH! Daily. Even when I'm down, there's always something to laugh about! 6. DON'T write a letter to Ben Affleck no matter how much Kahlua says it wouldn't hurt just this once. And Barney Rubble--I like that guy! He makes me laugh. He and Betty have no real personalities beyond trying to keep up with the Joneses, aka Flintstones--and the Flintstones are not all that high class so you wouldn't think they'd be the preferred role models. But you know those crazy Rubbles!  Barney Miller--does anyone remember that show? I thought it was funny--until I saw a rerun and wondered what I must have been thinking! That one guy does "Furniture Warehouse" commercials now. Or did. I noticed they have a new nobody-celebrity doing them now. You know how the old saying goes, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. And if you can't join 'em, . . . sell . . . them . . . furniture?" Hmmm. Maybe that's not the saying. Blah blah blah, Ginger, blah blah blah! Oh and hey Paige! We. Are. CANADIAAAAAAAAN! I don't say "eh" though. Do you? Do any Canadians you know? I don't know anybody who says 'eh.' Hmm. Checking map. Yep. I'm definitely still in Canada. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. See, Catty? How stupid and pointless was THIS long entry on nothing in particular? Going now! As you were saying . . . |
| Good morning, campers. Hey, that's a lot of voices there, Bee. Are we witnessing the fragmentation of your mind? I hope one of the "good" personalities wins control of you. Bee has a natural instinct to write. He has that sense of drama and a desire to get into other people's heads. Or is that beds? Kimmery is very organized. She has a natural instinct for PowerPoint presentations. But she is very optimistic. Her 6 points were "golden" guidelines. I have been following them and so far have no adverse side effects. Paige is also organized, but not in a "power" way. Would the shared "Canadian" thing between her and Kimmery explain their Barney Rubble fixation? I don't know. Maybe it's a stoner thing. I can see Cattytaurus at a party: "Now I hope this next story doesn't offend anyone..." while her eyes gleam with playful mischief. Momerath lives in Arkansas, but she says "okie dokie"... Shouldn't she say "arkie darkie"? I hope Past Voices and Fionnrua get in on this round. They missed the last one. Just a reminder that the turn changes every 24 hours (sometimes more, never less) so watch for the "Your Turn" email. Now that we have all introduced ourselves, how about a topic for this turn? Have you ever been so hungry that it made what you ate (when you finally did eat) a memorable experience? One day I was fishing down at the river with a buddy and it was late in the afternoon before we could eat. We built a fire on the rocks in the shade of the trees by the river. We had some fresh unshucked ears of corn that we soaked in water and then sat the unshucked ears on the coals to roast and steam. There has never been any sweeter, more delicious corn than the corn we ate that day on the river! |
| Memorable food experiences? Hmmm..... Okay, I remember one that kinda stands out for me. When I was nineteen, I decided to hike the Ouachita Trail all by myself. Perhaps not the best idea and I didn't really think it through. I lasted one day on it. When I woke up the next morning, I realized I didn't want to hike it anymore (my back was aching from my huge aluminum frame backpack). So I decided to get to a phone and call my dad to come pick me up. While I was waiting for him, I had the best lunch I ever ate at the diner near the phone I used. I had a huge bacon cheesburger, a large order of fries and a tall Coca Cola. I was soooo hungry and I ate every bite. Anybody else got a food story to share? |
| The turn changes every 24 hours? I must be missing my turns...as in not getting the notifications. Seems lately I get notifications, go to add and it's not my turn...or my own campfire will send notifications to the wrong person. Grrrrrrrrrr. Anyway!! I guess I haven't introduced myself...Sherri Q here from Texas, USA. Singing is my passion, but I love to write, act and create art as well. I also throughly enjoy roller coasters and have started playing golf. One day I hope to go up in a hot air balloon and sky dive (not together). I've been married for a little over 3 years, and am expecting my first child, due in October. I'm a red head, so watch out for my temper...although it typically takes something significant to make me angry. Okay...on to the topic. Have you ever been so hungry that it made what you ate (when you finally did eat) a memorable experience? YES!!! I had been assigned to a branch of our company out of town and was staying with a friend. These people were SO healthy. They ate a fruit smoothie and an oatmeal fiber muffin for breakfast and for dinner, salads. I was not used to eating like that. I didn't know my way around the town I was working in, so often I brought my lunch, which was usually meager. When I got back to my own place, my boyfriend (who is now my husband) took me to dinner at Outback Steakhouse. I was so hungry, for the first time I at ALL of the meal! It was the best food I had eaten (and the most) in a long time. It was close to a spiritual experience!!  |
| I missed the past couple of times due to vacation!!! Now, I missed telling you that I am living and breathing in Illinois. If anyone says, "I've been to Chicago!" I will barf all over them!!!! I live in the real state of Illinois, Southern Illinois. I am 25 minutes from downtown St. Louis, Missouri. I was born in this town. Now food that tasted good because I was so hungry. Well, this is a toughy. Primarily it is because I was raised by a father whose mother baked (profusely) comfort foods. When I am stressed, disappointed, depressed, sad, afraid or just plain unhappy I eat. On the other hand, when I am relaxed, proud, bright-eyed, happy, confident, or just plain calm I eat. I am trying (over the past 18 months) to change WHAT I eat which could account for little weight gain but little loss as well). One time we went on vacation to Montana and crossed over into Banff, British Columbia (I think), Canada. We had been lost much of the day (vactioning with dad always took us delightful and unexpected places -- lost). We were in a town (not sure if it was Banff or not). We had breakfast at 7:00 a.m. We had missed lunch and it was after 4:30 p.m. when dad spied a cafe on the main drag. It looked like one of those down home kind of places where locals probably gathered on a daily or weekly basis. I wasn't all that much a picky eater, we were after all in a "foreign" country, but the menu offered little that I felt would calm my roaring belly. I ordered the lamb chops while mother ordered some fruit. I had never eaten lamb before (or since) and wasn't sure what I was in for. As we waited for our food, my mother went into an explanation of the poor little lamb I was about to eat. How sweet and tiny lambs were. Did I remember going out to my friend's farm and petting the lambs, even holding a very small one? She went on and on. When my food came, I was sick. The sight of those two pieces of meat made me want to wretch though there was nothing in my stomach to wretch! I picked at the side dishes and begged dad to order me something else. Mom said "No, you insisted on those, now eat them." I weeped, trying to stifle my sniffles, I was mortified. Mom slid my plate over to her and proceeded to eat my dinner. Back in the early 70's, free refills on soda were unheard of. That night I scraped together some change and went to the motel vending machine. Not one big on chips and such, I was desperate. I could get one very small bag of chips. I did. They were the best chips I ever had. I was glad to be back in Montana for breakfast!! NEXT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
| Hello Everyone!! Well, last round I discovered that in this campfire, if you snooze-you lose! And I lost my turn!! Let's see......memorable eating experiences?? I remember one time I had a special date who planned to impress me by taking me to a bonafide French Restaurant (somewhere in Connecticut). I had never been to a French restaurant before, so I was excited about it and looked forward to it all day. I was so busy during the day, that there was no time to eat and when I did have time, it was too close to the date time, so I didn't. I ended up fasting for the day.....Well, when we got to the restaurant, we had a long wait -I think 1 1/2 hours. We finally were seated, and it took another long time before our order was taken. By this time it was close to 9 p.m. and I was REALLY hungry. Now, what comes next will allow you to see how quickly a civilized person (moi!)can fall to an animalistic state! As I looked around, OTHER people were being served (I have no idea how long they had waited, but obviously they were ahead of me and my date) and of course the smell of food was really tantalizing. (I think we skipped appetizers for some reason....too long ago to remember why.) First, I started salivating at the sight and smell of other people's food. Finally, somwhere around 9:30...10:00 (maybe??) the table next to mine was served. It looked like roast beef....smelled like roast beef.....(I THOUGHT it was beef, but who knows?) and as I sat there I did some SERIOUS fantasizing about rushing up to that table, grabbing that roast beef, and running out of the restaurant with it, with every intention of eating it before they sent the police after me!! Luckily for everyone concerned, just then they brought our food. I had ordered rabbit stew and it was the pits! I was SO disappointed! So much for my French restaurant experience. C'est la vie! Next, please |
| For the record--Banff is in Alberta, not BC. HAD to mention that because Banff is where my friends and me hung out a lot when we were in high school since we lived so close to the town and ours didn't have malls or a movie theatre. Now onto being hungry. *stomach growls* Most of mine are depressing stories from my childhood, so I'm going with the most recent! In December, my son and I were moving from Vancounver Island to Calgary, and we had to go through the mountain passes--scary stuff in winter--scarier still at night. It was cold, the roads were icy, fog was heavy, and I hate night driving. But there was nowhere to stop for the night and we had to be in Calgary the next day. So I persevered. We made it to the first little town, and I realized how hungry I was! The intense concentration had me focused on the road, so I hadn't eaten any of the snacks we'd packed along. We saw the bright red and white 'Dairy Queen' sign and stopped there. I felt like I was starving and I wanted to eat everything. There was a big photo of a chicken burger so even though I'd never had one there before, we each ordered one. It was the BEST chicken burger I'd ever had in my entire life! The best food, period! I love French and Italian best, but this outdid even those! I was so inspired by the great meal, I finished the drive through the pass with no worries--and made it to the city of Kamloops where we stopped for the night. We found out the next morning a rock slide had blocked the road between the 'chicken burger' town and Kamloops where'd we'd stopped less than half an hour after we'd left the restaurant, and my son and I agreed that somehow that made our chicken burger experience all that much better! We went for chicken burgers at Dairy Queen two weeks ago, and both found they weren't as good as we remembered. Nothing to get all excited about anyway. But that first one! Oh, now I want a chicken burger--but I know it won't be the same. *sighs happily* Good times. Good times. |
| I heard that, Kimmery! Sometimes I hear people say things like "Tomatoes don't taste as good as they used to," and I think it has a lot to do with when we first ate some of these things as kids. We had been playing all day and we were soooo hungry! I know in my family we had to wait for my Dad to get home before we ate dinner so my Mom would lay out some carrots and leaves pulled off a cabbage. I guess she thought we were bunny rabbits, but those raw cabbage leaves sure tasted good! Hey, those were all great stories! Wasn't PastVoices little tale sad? A bag of chips in a lonely motel? I have another topic for us. This weekend I went fishing with a friend at the ocean. We camped at the beachside state park. We were expecting good weather so the occasional shower was a little disappointing, but it was so warm we didn't mind. But during the night it started raining in earnest and we were trapped in our tents. Around 7am we got in the truck and went exploring and drove to the closest town and ate pancakes. When we got back to the camp the rain had stopped and we were able to enjoy 4 or 5 hours of sunshine before we had to leave. Later, I was thinking that actually all the clouds and rain had made the trip better because we didn't get sunburned and it was cooler than it might have been. Well, the topic is probably still obscure, but what I had in mind was: You have an experience or event which you had hoped would go a certain way, but then disaster strikes (or just problems) and it seems everything is ruined, but looking back you see how everything worked out okay after all. |
| oooo. This is a hard topic for me. I guess I have a negative side to me, and if I think a trip is ruined, in my mind it's ruined and there's no changing that! I'm flexible to a certain point, but typically when things don't turn out as planned, they are very drastic. The only thing I can think of is something I thought would go badly, but it turned out better, even with...well... My Mom, Grandma, Me and Sis-in-Law all went on a girl's weekend trip together. We stayed in a small bed & breakfast, planning to go to the flea market the next day. I was worried about the trip because my mom and g-ma really pick on me and gang up on me when they are together. Thankfully, my sis-in-law being there balanced that all out, and neither of us were picked on. The next day at the flea market, g-ma went off with one of her friends (which was VERY nice), so it was just the 3 of us. I ended up finding some really great deals, but while walking to the car, I somehow sprained my ankle! I stepped wrong, fell (quickly got up and looked around), not even realizing my knee was bloody and my ankle in pain. I was almost to the car before I realized...hey - my ankle hurts! And my mom gasped when she saw my bloodied knee...then again when I revealed an already swollen ankle! The good thing is, after that I got sympathy, so the chance of someone picking on me was obsolete! So...that's my reverse experience. I was expecting the worst, but had a good time anyway...sprained ankle and all. |
| Good experience turned bad, but actually good, eh? Well, okay, this of course requires my standard warning label! If you're queasy, don't read further! Couple years back I was interested in purchasing a horse, a mustang. I was trying her out and a kid ran in front of me and I got bucked off. Had to go to the hospital because my left middle finger was litteraly pulled off. The doctors did successfully reattatch it and you can't tell at all today what happened. The good part? Well, I was leaving the hospital and had my left arm elevated and a cast on which made it look like I was giving everyone the bird! As I'm walking down the hallway to the elevator, 2 cops come strolling toward me and they thought I was giving them the finger! Once they saw the cast for what it was, it was all cool, but real fun for a while! That's my story! |
| Let's see, how do I decide? Premature twins, disability, dysfunction, my, my, my -- my whole life is a series of "oops, but that worked out!" When I got pregnant in late spring or early summer of 1981, my husband and I had made the decision to get pregnant. I went off the pill. After a work party, where the food but not the beer ran out before I got there, I had a hangover that would not leave; daily it got worse and looked like something else. I gave the doctor a call and told the nurse about my lousy hangover. She suggested I get one of those new EPT Tests and call her back.. "Just how accurate are these newfangled things,” I croaked. "Why, is it positive"? Uh yeah! "You need an appointment." At six weeks of pregnancy, I knew. At eight weeks, I was wearing maternity clothes and without benefit of any liquor, not just nauseous, sick! I worshipped the basin in the bathroom three days. The doctor admitted me to hospital. Diagnosed me with Hyperemesis (really bad morning sickness). The doctors told me my condition was indicative of a first pregnancy or a multiple birth. Who were they kidding? I had a six-year-old in the waiting room! They said the sonogram wasn't convincing. (I saw two sacs!) At four months of blissful pregnancy (once they cured the morning sickness at 8 weeks), I went into labor. (Babies were due latter part of March ‘82.) I spent about 10 hours in labor and delivery while they stopped the labor. I was given oral drugs and instructions to stay off my feet as much as possible (Uh, six-year-old?) and sent home. I was back in labor New Year’s Day. I was admitted for labor. The labor was stopped, but I was now hospitalized until the birth the end of February. I began to miscarry on the morning of the 17th of January. They tried 36 hours to stop labor before they decided I would have to deliver. Four hours later they were born. I cried uncontrollably because I knew it was too soon for them to live. Will was crying and carrying on. Later he quit breathing and spent the next three weeks on the ventilator. Catherine was a purplish blue. She had a heartbeat so they worked on her and brought her back. Will was supposed to die or be a vegetable according to all of those experts. Catherine's first Apgar score was a 2. It was supposed to be a "not-to-be-missed" nine-month event and I was gypped by two and a half months. My babies spent the first seven and nine weeks of their lives in an intensive care unit and I was not told until the seventh week that Will would for sure live. Talk about good, turned bad, turned better!! Since we had no plans for another pregnancy, I am so thankful that God gave me two instead of one. I do believe the battle for the beginning of their lives will give their future lives greater meaning. |
| That was funny! I mean, Long Live Barney! Tell, I always enjoy reading you. I know where every thrift shop is in my town. I've gotten such bargains there that I can't buy clothes in a retail store anymore without feeling like I am being robbed. And the thrift shops have a much bigger variety to chose from since they have everything from the last 30 years! Trivia: My standard summer costume is khaki shorts and a white T-shirt. I have stacks of both. Guess what? We have 2 or 3 new people joining the campfire. Welcome, new people! If you want to "introduce" yourselves, that's fine, but not absolutely necessary if you would rather just jump in and start talking about something. As you can see, sometimes we have a topic and sometimes we don't. Does anybody besides me eat wild fruit? Here in South Carolina the plums are just becoming ripe, the blackberries will be next, followed by wild cherries, blueberries, and then in late summer and early fall will be the grapes and persimmons. And we also have the three great domestic fruits of peaches, watermelons, and apples. And aren't strawberries really awful since the big growers took over? Giant pulpy things. Yuck. Okay, optional topic: What do you like to wear in the summetime? What do you like to eat in the summertime? |
| Summertime dressing and eating...well I live in Texas and it's just plain scortching here at times during the summer. I used to wear shorts during the summer and t-shirts. Now I work 5 days a week and we can't wear shorts to work! So I wear jeans or pants and a t-shirt! Yeah...I'm pretty basic. I'd wear trendier, cooler clothes if I was a little thinner. Of course, right now I'm beginning my 5th month of pregnancy, so all sense of style is going out the door, unless I get some money to go shopping with! Now it will be really big t-shirts and pants! During the summer I love to eat watermelon, except for all the seeds. My husband says that's half the fun, but not for me. (Hey, that rhymed)! I like strawberries, but by they time they are shipped here they are mushy, bruised and starting to turn bad. I've never had a fresh strawberry. That would be awesome. I don't really eat food based on the season, though. I'm afraid my answers aren't very interesting this time around! |
| Hello everyone. I'm another westerner, I was born in Oregon, and that's where I still live, (with a few years of my life spent in: California, North Carolina, and Alaska.) I'm happily married with three children, and three stepchildren. I'm glad we don't have to be funny in this campfire, because it is very hard to write comedy. People laugh at some of my writing items that I didn't mean to be funny though! Haha. During my lifetime, I've had a lot of unusual experiences and lots of adventurous times, but right now my life is mostly about family, including helping take care of my bedridden mother-in-law for a few months, while she recuperates from extensive surgery. After taking care of her from 7:30 am to 3:30 pm, I go home and try to write awhile, before doing everything else I have to do, and then collapsing into bed. All your food stories were great. I have one too. My best food experience was when I was nursing my oldest daughter and went on an airplane trip. It was the return trip and I was young and basically broke so I had only enough money to last me just the day of the trip. Then there was a airline strike, and I ended up stuck in the airport for two days with almost no money, which quickly ran out, while having to nurse my daughter every few hours. All nursing mothers can tell you how hungry it makes you, and I was REALLY hungry. There wasn't any way at that time to have money sent to me at that particular airport/city, and I was too shy to tell anyone how hungry I was. When the plane I was to take finally took off, I was so ready to eat that the airplane food was literally making my mouth salivate as the airline people were passing out the meals. I never tasted any food as good as that, it was like heaven! The funny thing is, I can't even remember what it was anymore. |
| Hello everyone! I'm glad the pressure is off on being funny too because I don't think I am. I was cracking up at a lot of the other entries though! Also after reading Angelterra's story, I have to say sorry Mom, I didn't mean to starve you so bad that you thought airplane food was good! About summertime... If I felt like I could wear whatever I wanted it would be as little as possible. I can't handle the heat! It has gotten worse since when I was pregnant. I had to keep the bedroom window open all winter so I wouldn't die. Being modest though I don't even wear shorts outside unless they go past my knobby knees! Light, summer dresses are great too. Inside the house on the other hand I walk around with as little on as possible. Sometimes I feel like I should wear less outside like other people because none of them seem to care what they look like. No one needs a perfect body of course(whatever that is), but I just want to tell some people to go put a shirt on or something! At the same time, I admire their self-confidence on being able to wear so little when they are hanging out all over the place, and I feel like I'm just being shallow. I don't know, but I'm pretty sure you won't see me out in a bikini any time soon! As for my favorite summer foods I like everything! The problem though is that in the heat I feel even less inclined to cook than usual (and that's pretty bad) so I eat a lot of raw food. Fresh fruit, salads stuff like that. When I'm able to go camping, anything is great. Messy fruits like peaches and watermelon are delicious. I'm sorry for Sherri Q never having had a fresh strawberry! I have fond memories of gorging myself on them in strawberry patches, and nowadays blackberries beware! |
| Hi! I'm from Minnesota, the small portion that's inhabited, that is. I was raised in Fargo. Although I only just watched the movie last year. And that was in german. I love watching movies in other languages (provided I can understand them-still working on the understanding part.) I'm looking forward to memorial day. A friend I haven't seen for a couple of years invited me to a barbeque. I love barbeque...especially the gorging part. hehe. Well, my favorite fruit is undoubtedly the mango. Followed closely by lichees. (oh god, I love those things) I can eat 2 pounds of 'em in one sitting, if given the chance. o_o I'm stuck in shopping fever, due to the fact that I'll be going on a cruise in about 3 weeks. I love the sheer, whispy shawls and shirts, with tank tops or light t-shirts underneath. I adore belts. I'm always a bit picky when it comes to bottoms though. I try to stay away from skirts, because they never seem to look right. I like pants (hate capris) that are light but aren't too loose. Don't like the wrinkly effect. Hmm, as far as colors go I'm a bit obsessed with the whole tropical theme of light yellows, brighter blues, and pinks. I used to wear a lot of green but now I'm trying to get into lighter territory. Wow. If you haven't yet fallen asleep, you may have realized I adore clothes. My checkbook doesn't... I'm actually starting an EMT-basic class next week, so gruesome stories are always welcome! ^_^ Well, for the sake of adding something interesting, here's one of my favorite jokes aimed at one of my favorite targets: The vikings and packers are playing a game against one another. A half an hour in, a train goes by and whistles. Thinking its the end of the game, the vikings leave. An hour later the packers make their first touchdown. |
| Hey! What's a lichee? I have never heard of em, but it sounds interesting! Hmmm, summertime foods? From my garden I pick tomatoes off the vine and eat them like apples. I also grow strawberries and I just put a bowl in the fridge, I'll be happy to share with you all later! I also grow squash, corn, sunflowers, bell peppers, pumpkins, cucumbers, cantaloupe, honey dew and watermelon. I have fruit trees in the back, my fav of which are my prized pommegranites. YUM! We grow asian pears, golden pears, peaches, apples, plums, figs and pineapple-guavas. But my absolute fav of all summer food? Gotta be the BBQ Chicken fresh from the grill with a heap of potato salad on the side, yeah....that'll get me everytime! And my fave clothes? Since I live in the desert, tanks and shorts are the only way to stay cool! |
| I HATE summer!! I do not like warm weather and especially hot hot weather. I lived in South Caroliina though and the midwest is definitely better (most of the time). As long as I have an air conditioner and my girlfriend's backyard pool, I survive. Summer foods on the other hand! Well, food just happens to be one of my most favorite subjects. I also love the comfort foods of fall and winter best of all, but I have summer favorites too. I can eat fresh off the vine tomatoes forever and ever. It is the best part of summer for me. I don't like hot house tomatoes or imports from Florida or California. Tied with tomatoes, yet with a longer season, are sweet onions. Vidalias are the best but Texas Sweets aren't bad either. I clean one, put it in a bowl, petal it, add salt, pepper and butter. I add a slice or two of colby jack or cheddar cheese over the onion, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and nuke until tender with gooey cheese. UMMMMMMM!! Becoming a diabetic was the pits! HOWever, this summer I have discovered Blue Bunny Ice Cream Double Strawberry. It is No sugar added and divine. I add fresh strawberries, a sliced banana and some canned whipped cream (less than a gram of sugar) and I don't care if I ever get real ice cream again. I love just about anything off the grill whether barbecued or not. Our grill is out, but I may get my husband a new one for Father's day. What? He buys me things he wants. Quid pro quo! Sliced pork steaks barbecued with Maull's Barbecue Sauce mixed with beer is a flavor of my childhood and a summer dish, at the least weekly! I like Lemonade to an extent and if it is homemade. I adore tea. I drank it sweetened all the time. Since my diagnosis though, I usually have it straight and am pleased with a fresh brew or Sun tea. Now I am hungry and it is bedtime! Nighty Night!! |
| Hi Everybody! This Memorial Weekend I have spent moving! My husband is directing our move like a military campaign telling me things like "I want to get two loads out of you today!" Unfortunately, whenever we take a carload of stuff, it is an hour drive one-way. Thank goodness we have movers coming tomorrow to take the bulk of the furniture. One night we counted up how many times each of us has moved. I won with a total of 15 times since age 18! I always lose something in a move too, even though I am a careful, methodical packer. And by "lose", I don't mean broken, I mean vanished! Also unfortunately, I have no funny moving stories- it is just drudgery - although, I have tightened and firmed up various things on my body by lugging these boxes up 3 flights of steps! |
| What's In A Dog's name Everybody I know who has a dog usually calls him "Rover" or "Spot". I call mine Sex. Now, Sex has been very embarrassing to me. When I went to the City Hall to renew the dog's license, I told the clerk that I would like a license for Sex. He said, "I would like to have one too!" Then I said, "But she is a dog!" He said he didn't care what she looked like. I said, "You don't understand. ... I have had Sex since I was nine years old." He replied, "You must have been quite a strong boy." When I decided to get married, I told the minister that I would like to have Sex at the wedding. He told me to wait until after the wedding was over. I said, "But Sex has played a big part in my life and my whole world revolves around Sex." He said he didn't want to hear about my personal life and would not marry us in his church. I told him everyone would enjoy having Sex at the wedding. The next day we were married at the Justice of the Peace. My family is barred from the church from then on. When my wife and I went on our honeymoon, I took the dog with me. When we checked into the motel, I told the clerk that I wanted a room for me and my wife and a special room for Sex. He said that every room in the motel is a place for sex. I said, "You don't understand. ... Sex keeps me awake at night." The clerk said, "Me too!" One day I entered Sex in a contest. But before the competition began, the dog ran away. Another contestant asked me why I was just looking around. I told him that I was going to have Sex in the contest. He said that I should have sold my own tickets. "You don't understand," I said, "I hoped to have Sex on TV." He called me a show off. When my wife and I separated, we went to court to fight for custody of the dog. I said, "Your Honour, I had Sex before I was married but Sex left me after I was married." The Judge said, "Me too!" Last night Sex ran off again. I spent hours looking all over for her. A cop came over and asked me what I was doing in the alley at 4 o'clock in the morning. I said, "I'm looking for Sex." My case comes up next Thursday. |
| LOL Paige! And I am the one who found Sex. I read it on his tag. I took him to the vet. "I want to have Sex neutered." The vet said, "I don't think that's possible." So I put up an ad. "Healthy mixed breed. Responds to Sex. Call me for details." Do you know a good lawyer? -------------------- Hello new people - Angelterra, dreamteller, Charissa, Chipmunk. Welcome to the fire! Here's a stick for your marshmallow. Did everyone note the mother/daughter relationship between Angelterra and dreamteller? That is cool! I wonder how many other writers have family members posting as well? It would inhibit me. How could I tell those embarrassing family stories? I guess you would need to have a family full of good sports. Which mine mostly are, but I wouldn't want to push them. ----------------------- Is it hot enough for you? The Southeast USA is a steambath, except from midnight to dawn. I keep thinking I should move out west and enjoy some of that famous "dry heat" or else move to Canada and just be cool all summer. I think I will visit some of the North Carolina caves this summer. It's been years since I have walked around underground admiring the stalagmites and stalactites. Did you know that the temperature is always 55F degrees deep underground, no matter where you are on earth? ----------------------- New optional topic: A hobby I have always thought would be fun if I ever get around to it. Mine is using a microscope. I picture going out and collecting samples from ponds and fields, then looking at all the little microscopic animals. And looking at house dust - that should be good for a scare. It also fascinates how the police analyze "fibers" and know whose clothes they came from. |
| I loved the dog named Sex joke...hillarious! A hobby I think would be fun...I don't often think in terms of hobbies. I guess I'm an extremist, because I think in terms of occupations! I think it would be awesome to rescue and care for animals...not like a vet or animal cop, more like The Crocodile Hunter! I especially love reptiles and amphibians. In fact, in the past month, I've fed and watered a gecko that had been captured and deprived of food (not by my doing) and released him back into the "wild." (I recently saw him again and boy did he look healthy!)... My husband and I wrangled a snake that was lounging around in the breezeway of the apartments. It wasn't a deadly or aggresive snake, just one of those chicken snakes. But since most people are fearful of snakes, we knew he'd be in danger there. So we wrangled him back into the woods behind the apartments... and last night my husband and I rescued a toad that was crossing the street at my apartments. It was dark out and we barely saw him. When we went back to get him, we saw another toad squished flat. It was very sad! And furthermore proved the danger that young toad was in! My hubby got to him first so and scooped him up. He was so cute and calm! We carried him all the way to the detention pond behind the apartments, which is a hoppin' place for the frogs to hang out, especially when it rains. And it's away from the road as well. Another life saved!! My husband is a Paramedic and one day while driving back to the station, they spotted a turtle crossing a busy road. They turned the ambulance lights on, stopped and picked up the turtle. Then they drove the turtle to a golf course and released him into the pond! All in a days work!! So you see, this is something that thrills me. I've rescued several snakes, geckos, lizards, tarantulas and numerous frogs from danger or bad situations. Some were injured and couldn't be saved... ...but most were released back into a safer envorionment. (I've got tons of "rescue" stories)!! So, yeah...I think it would be awesome to be "Sherri Q - Reptile Rescuer!" |
| Hello! I didn't mention the seafood of Alaska, but WOW! I ate so much shrimp, halibut, salmon, crab, and other seafood when I lived in Alaska. I never ever got tired of it either, and just thinking of it makes me want some fresh baked halibut, or crab with dripping butter and lemon juice, or a huge baked salmon smothered in a fresh mushroom sauce right now. I was a cook in the company lunch room in a cannery in Sitka, Alaska, a few years ago. It was a crash course in learning to cook seafood, from the experts. Namely the cannery workers who ate so much seafood they were spoiled and would only eat the best of the best. I learned from everyone there how to bake salmon to perfection, make delicious sauces for halibut, how to poach fish, and so many other delicious meals. It was a great place to work for other reasons too. Although the first day was scary! I drove to Alaska with my two small children in an El Camino, camping out all along the Alaskan Highway, then we stayed at a friends house in Sitka while I looked for work. The second day I was in town, I went over to the cannery, thinking I'd work on cleaning fish, like everybody else, for a few weeks just to survive. The boss hired me, but when she told me I would start work the next day, she told me I was going to be the lunchroom cook, cooking for 230+ people, instead of working on the line. Then she said, the fishermen, and cannery workers were tough, and teased and rattled the last two cooks so bad, they quit. She stared me in the eye, and I gulped. Sheez, I was nervous! I'd never cooked for anyone but my family before, and now I was supposed to cook well enough to please all these fishermen/cannery workers (who all had their bloody knives with them) everyday. If I hadn't been broke and desperate, I'd have bolted. I stayed, and found out I was a natural at cooking for big crowds of people. It was a terrific experience, and I'm so glad I did it. There were also Japanese workers who lived in the dormitory right next to the cannery, who were from small Japanese villages and were so shy! They taught me a Japanese card game, & we'd play it in the lunchroom every afternoon. They spoke no English, I spoke no Japanese, so I don't know what the game was about! They laughed and laughed at my playing, but seemed to enjoy the games. After awhile, they started calling me "Mama," and bowing every time they saw me. The other workers called me "Mom" a lot too. A hobby I always thought would be fun is backpacking for a month, or three months. I've planned dozens of backpack trips on paper, and in my mind; everything from hiking the Grand canyon to hiking across Wales. Will I ever do it? I hope so! In my daydreams and dreams I'm always on the road, hiking, having adventures. I think I must have been a gypsy in a past life! |
| I guess I'm one of the few people on Earth who can actually say I worked my dream job! Many of you here know I am a dispatcher. I worked for a Medivac Helicopter company and I couldn't get enough of it. We transported so many people and saved so many lives. I went through 2 helicopter crashes and 10 fatalities while I worked there. One was our Airship with all 3 souls on board lost, the other was a tourist Helo out in Vegas, lost 7 souls that day at the bottom of the canyon. I don't know why I loved that job so much, it was stressful, demanding, literally lives depending on your every action, but I thrived there, was well paid, worked with some really terrific people. The company moved its Flight Communications network to Omaha, Nebraska. I had just bought a new home and my family nixed moving so I lost my job. I did go to Omaha for 3 months, lived in a Hotel, drove a rental car, ate and slept by myself-just so I could train the people who would now be doing my job. I missed my Aniversary, my grandson's baptism, Halloween, Thanksgiving, hubby's birthday, 16 year old's first live concert (he's in a garage band)and I don't know what else, just to keep that job a little bit longer. I did love it... Now, I still dispatch. It's truck drivers instead of pilots. Packages and parcels instead of patients and presidents. (Ask me about the Secret Service guys, sometime) Monday through Friday instead of NOW, TOMORROW, TONIGHT, OVERTIME, ANYTIME, ALL THE TIME. But I'm still working with some really cool people, still make a heck of a living, and at least I'm back home now, but missing what I will probably always consider my 'real' job. Sorry, everyone, this wasn't very funny at all this time round... |
| Hi Everybody! Mind if I vent about my week? My husband and I moved 2 weeks ago and now we live a block or two from Lake Erie. There is a beautiful lakeside park at the end of the street. On the day of the "big move" a horsefly got into the apartment, our cats chased the horsefly and now we have 3 sick, sneezing cats! How does a horsefly = 3 sneezing cats, you may ask? Well, evidently this type of fly lays its eggs in small mammals, like cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. It doesn't have to land either. It can do a 'fly-by', aim it's rear at where it wants the eggs to go and voila! You have a cat with fly larva growing in it's nose and/or lungs! Totally gross! I killed it and a big, bloody mess it was, too! I never saw a fly with so much blood! Ugh! I'm sorry if I have grossed anyboody out, but....I needed to vent a little! On our current topic, I am a Church music director and a private piano and voice teacher, so that is a job/hobby that I love! |
| I have to vent about my stupid-ass machine of a computer! *&*&%$$#$^ to say the least It was out of commission for all of last week, and I just finally got it going again last night! It still freezes/crashes whenever, and is a total pain in the computer-seat! Is there a computer out there anywhere that never has any problems and runs smoother than a babe's bottom?? If anyone knows, please let me know...I am willing to have it shipped from the deepest, darkest parts of Africa if need be Anyway, I hope all is going well with all of you and hope its not as hot as its been here in B.C. Wow, its been some mean, muggy weather lately! I'm soooo glad I don't live near Osoyoos, where it was up to 40 C (or 110 Farenheit for U.S. readers ) Maybe my comp is acting up from the heat, I know older people get aches and pains whenever the weather changes. Hmmm...its something to think about I guess. I just don't wanna have it start needing a walker or wanting 'Ben-Gay' rubbed on its hard-drive, LOL! Talk to you all soon, and have a safe and burn-free summer...don't forget to 'slip, slap, slop' that sunscreen folks Paige *crossing fingers my comp doesn't crash before I finish this post |
| What happened to Barney? The campfire that is... If it seems an awful long time since your last turn, that's because the campfire was "broken" for several weeks. I guess it's getting old with over 90 posts in it. It seems to all be on one web page so I don't know what happens when you have 3 or 4 hundred posts! Those dreams were fascinating! Sherry, you will be glad to know that I have rescued two turtles this summer. One was about to cross the road and we know what would have happened to him. Back in the pond for both of them. Angelterra, you're making me hungry! It's seafood tonight! Catty, that's wonderful having a job you love. But listen up all you working people! Get in the habit of saying "I love my job!" even if you don't think you do, because if you stay with it and think positive, you will find that you do indeed love your job. Fionnrua, I do so hope that your cats are better now, because if we have to hear any more about horsefly larvae I just might have to make you drink a gallon of Sierra Mist so that you can think beautiful thoughts again. Paige, I have a $400 eMachines computer from BestBuy that is in it's 3rd year of reliable, trouble-free operation. So, that's my recommendation. If your computer didn't come with Windows XP already installed, then it's too old. You need a new one. Tell, the adventurer! You're working up to Mount Everest, aren't you? These are the first steps, the training period. Then comes the ultimate conquest! Well, September is not very far away. How will your life change in September? Mine won't change! I have a year-round schedule that never varies. Oh, don't feel sorry for me! I like it that way! And I live in the south where september is just a replay of August, so not even the weather will change. How about you? Will the autumn bring new thrills, surprises, tasks, changes, etc? (Don't forget to post as soon as possible after getting the "Your Turn" email!) |
| Well, September in Texas is still the summer. Autumn doesn't really start until November around here! Nevertheless some huge changes are coming. My first child is due October 25th. The experience so far has been interesting with all the changes happening so quickly in my body. It's been hard mentally adjusting to my belly that lately has been growing by leaps and bounds. Speaking of leaps and bounds...I feel those every day as the baby moves! Part of me is excited, but there's another part that's very scared. I will be losing my "freedom" in many areas and that bothers me. And now I'm reconsidering the conventional ways of child birth. Hey, I'm entitled to change my mind! And now instead of a doc/hospital...I want a mid-wife/home birth! Anyway...autumn will bring some big changes. I just hope I can handle all of them! Oh...the doc *thinks* it's a girl and although the name is subject to change, right now we've decided on Zoe Elise. Hey Steve...I'm proud of you for saving those turtles!! |
| I love autumn! Where I live, all the leaves turn beautiful colors, there's a nip in the air, my thoughts turn to fireplaces and sweaters, and I get to drink even more hot sweet tea. Couldn't be better. I like to hike and backpack in the autumn too, it's a time of year when you're pretty much alone out there. As you can probably tell from my previous posts, I'm a nature lover. I love every season, for different reasons. There's a feeling of mystery in autumn that I particularly like however. Sherri Q, I'm so thrilled for you, and once the babie's born, you'll find it was all worth it. I love the name you chose for her, if it's a girl. Name choosing is hard. I had so many ideas. I gave both of my daughters unusual, but attractive, names; because my name is unusual and my fathers name is unusual, so I thought I'd keep the family tradition of unusual names going. Then my daughter gave her son an unusual name too, so thats 4 generations. We all love our names, even though people continually pronounce and spell them wrong. I'm excited about the midwife idea too. I'd do it that way, if I could have my three children again. My daughter had her baby boy at home, with a midwife and me there. But, if she wants to, I'll let her tell you about the experience. All I can say is; it was fabulous being there for my grandson's birth. Paige, I've got to agree with Steve, I also have an emachines computer, (mine bought at Wal-Mart,)and I really love mine too. I was hesitant to buy such an inexpensive (well, relatively speaking), computer, but I love my little emachines, and recommend them to anyone who wants a good working computer. How great that you rescued the turtles Steve! And, even though you joke around a lot, I think you must be a seriously nice guy! Your lives all sound so fascinating. Mine is full of pressure. I'm trying to make money at home, while also trying to finish my first book. Not an easy thing to do, the book or the working at home. Any advice from anyone, on how to motivate myself to work on the book everyday, because I keep getting sidetracked by day-to-day life, as well as the feelings of,"What's the use of even trying. Nobody's going to want to read or buy your book. Who do you think you are?Blah,blah,blah."My inner critic is really harsh! But, all my life I've dreamed of having a book out there to be proud of, one that helps other people in some way. Till next time. I wish you all summer skies and sparkly nights. |
| Hello! I'm glad we're still getting to do this campfire! Sherri Q having your child at home is wonderful! It is so relaxing knowing that you don't have to make the journey from the hospital after the baby is born. I didn't leave the house with my baby until 5 days after he was born. I was even going to do a water birth, but I'm one of those people who if I was going to the hospital to have him, he would have been born in the car. We didn't have time to fill the birthing tub, in fact my Mom was almost the only one with me. I kept on thinking it was false labor so I ddin't call my midwife until I could barely speak between contractions. I called my Mom's cell too, and she beat the midwife there. I was so glad someone was there, for awhile I thought I was going to have him all by myself. Minus all the dramatic stuff that was the most wonderful experience I ever had. The midwife came to my house the last few check-ups which was great! If it hadn't have been my first child I would of probably called her sooner on the day, but I didn't want to bother her if it was false. I loved that Orion was born without drugs, and the pain isn't anything women can't handle anyway. He got a perfect 10 on the apgar test so he was very healthy. I loved that I was in control too. People sometimes can give all their power away to doctors, and end up doing things they never wanted to do. If I have any more children I would definitely do that again (I'm scared of hospitals anyway), but I would check up with the midwife more! He was two weeks early so I guess that threw me off too. As for Autumn, I love every season. I love the Summer because you are out more, but I'm not so fond of hot weather. Fall leaves are beautiful, and Halloween is a great holiday! I don't know what's in store for me then (I never do)but I just have a feeling that it's going to be a lot busier. I want to seriously sit down and start working on some writing ideas that I have, but I am such a procrastinator! I do stupid things like clean the house instead of the things I want to be doing. Regarding Barney, I used to hate the very idea of him before I had a child. I knew the bashing song very well. Now though I know there are far worse things such as The Wiggles. Ever hear of those guys? I'm terrified of them. They're four guys from Australia that have their own show complete with a dinosaur, an octopus, and a pirate. I want to like them because of their accents, but I just can't. I wonder about grown men who each wear a primary colored shirt every day, and only do certain things. One always eats, one sleeps, one does magic tricks, and one plays the guitar. They make fools of themselves, but kids love them. Maybe because of that? Anyway, I loved Angelterra's wish for everybody and all of your additions, and I can't wait to read more soon! |
| Whew! I was really afraid I'd miss my turn again. I have had a busy summer, got back from a cruise with my family (12 of us in all.) I was really looking forward to summer, thinking I would finally get around to posting some stories or writing some little amusing thing, but so many other really fun things have been popping up out of the blue. In a couple weeks I'm going on a spontaneous road trip adventure with friends, which will definately be a blast. Oh, and by the way, to answer the question about what lichees are: They're kind of spiky little ball shaped fruit. Inside is a big, black, smooth seed. The fruit encased in the skin is a pale white color. Since the skin is tough you have to bite through it before you can peel it away, which when the fruit is too ripe can be disasterous and messy. But they taste so good. :P Angelterra: I wish I could help with some advice on motivation, but I have the same problem! I never know where to start and if I do manage to start, I get so many ideas I can't decide which way to go. My hobby of choice is drawing. The only problem with drawing is that although I can draw really well, I like to take my time, and because I like to take my time, it never gets finished. o_o I have a drawing of my little half-sister I started 3 months ago and I fear that the way things are going it will be forgotten. One of these days it would be really fun to try painting, but I doubt I have the patience for it. Do any of you have any creative outlets other than writing, like music or art? |
| *dancing around the campfire circle* Im yellow, Im yellow, Im yellow, Im yellow, IM YELLOOOOOOOW!! Okay, im better now. *sits down, and grab's Stevie's marshmallow stick* Hey ya! I'm MaryLou! formerly of Texas, but now residing in Steve Ellen's closet in SC. Ooops! I forgot this is supposed to be a SERIOUS campfire! Hmmmmm well Im not sure I can do that, but I'll TRY! Memorable food experience: Well, it involved me and a lobster; the lobster won. Enough said. Clothes in the summer: As little as possible! Unless I leave the house, which isn't often, I wear a cotton boxer set everyday. No, Stevie, not the same one! I have a drawer full of them! In fact, that's what I'm wearing now. You thought it was a short set, didnt ya? lol Autumn: Well, I'll be returning to grad school at the end of August. Yippeeeeeeee! I'll be taking two courses: Studies in Composition and Rhetoric and Seminar in Writing Poetry. Sounds like fun, aye? Creative outlets: Does makin fun of Stevie in various writing.com In and Outs count? hehe |
| Hi Everybody! I really have enjoyed reading everyone's posts. Yes, Steve, my cats are better, thank you! I am now very experienced, and very good at giving cats medication, in either liquid or pill form. If anyone needs advice with a sick cat and wants to know my technique, please feel free to email me. Congratulations Sherri-Q! My daughter is having a baby too (in early November). The baby is a boy and he will be her third son. My daughter had a midwife for her second son and she liked it much better because she was allowed to get on her knees in the bed instead of laying on her back, and she found that to be a much more comfortable position to give birth. The midwife let her use essential oils and back massage, and she went through the whole labor without any pain medication. She used Lamaze techniques also. So did I years ago, when she was born - they really help. We had a couple of very hot days here in Northeast Ohio but today we had a beautiful day, warm, no humidity, blue skies with puffy white clouds. Hope it's this way on Sunday because my husband and I are going to an Irish festival. We have a LOT of festivals of all types in the summer here. Church festivals, Greek, Italian, Polish, Slovenian, Irish, street and neighborhood festivals - you name it and we probably got it! I like Ohio. Next person, please |
| Hi All! I never know what to really write about in here, because Steve tends to leave things very vague about the 'Barney' subject (which kind of makes me a bit confused at times, but don't mind me, lol) Anyhoo, Me and Ma famille(my family) went to the beach today...holy crap, was it HHOTTT! I heard it was 30(which is probably close to 100, for you yanks in here, hehe) here in Vancouver area where we were and up to 35{over 100?) inland  !! I'm not used to this heat...rain is usually the recipe for us Southern B.C-ers, so needless to say our home is rigged with at least 1 fan per room now! I have to say I'm getting a nice tan so far this summer, which makes my oldest daughter jealous, hehe And of course I make sure me and kids alike slap on the ole sunblock/sunscreen in every crevice that's exposed to the big blazing yellow orb! I don't know what the heck the difference is between sunscreen and sunblock...they both have pretty much the same job and the same protection percentile of how long you can be exposed in between slopping more of the stuff on. Until then I am praying for some rain, sleet, hail, showers, trickles of dew even, to cool off in our sweltering weather lately. Actually I think I might just go out tonight and try a rain-dance on the lawn...if I don't get rain from it, at least I'll have my neighbours raining some colourful words of wisdom on me at my stupidity, lol! Take care everyone, I hope you find a cute name for your baby soon, Sherri And I hope wherever you are, the weather is kind to your condition. I suggest not coming to my part of the world right now, if you're planning to at all Stay cool guys, and have a great rest of the Summer! (does anyone know where I can buy a good air-conditioner??) Paige |
| Well, I certainly haven't had much fun lately. Most of you know I was hit by a car while checking my mail. I spent too many days in the hospital, then when I got home I had to sleep downstairs. When the doc finally pronounced me not-precisely-fit-but-able, I made it upstairs and into my own bed. Then, I got a little septic (blood poisoning) and ended up in the hospital for 2 more days. In the end, I had a collapsed lung, bruised ribs, concussion, and internal bleeding (all under control now) but I am hoping to get out of all these wraps and straps because it's over 110 degrees here everyday! My cat has adopted my bed as his new posting place and meows at me whenever I dare to get up the nerve to head downstairs! (I think he is in cahoots with the doc.) Good news is, I still have a job when I can drive to get there! LOL, I really missed you all and look forward to my sojurns on-line! |
| Hey, Catty! So glad to here you are getting better! I guess you are familiar with the old Nietsche quote: "Whatever doesn't kill us makes us stronger." One of my favorite quotes and I hope it's really true! Sounds like everybody is dealing with the heat as best they can. Is this the "Dog Days" of summer? When I was a kid, school let out at the end of May and started back up the first of September. Now they let the kids out the first weeks of May and they go back the first weeks of August. Another difference is that we kids actually played outdoors all summer. You don't see many kids outdoors in the summer nowadays! For a long time. I avoided using air conditioning. My idea was that I would get used to the heat and it wouldn't affect me as much. This actually works, and I was able to spend long days outdoors in the heat, but it's impossible to completely adapt to the heat if there is lots of humidity with it. The idea of a "siesta" in the afternoon is the best solution if you have no a/c. Then just stay up later into the cooler hours of the night. But now I am an air-conditioned softy who can't take more than a couple of hours in the outdoor heat and never go out without that sunscreen! Am I complaining? I hope not! My philosophy is one of acceptance and "playing the cards you are dealt". I guess the real question is just how much influence do we have on the Dealer? Maybe if we can please him, he will deal us an Ace? Do some people play their cards better than others? Are there any cheats in this game? Has my metaphor sprouted feet and started dancing on the table? The new optional topic is: What is the best-tasting cake you ever ate? Mine was when I was in High School and one of my friend's was the son of a professional baker and they served a cake at his birthday party that had this rich, creamy, sticky, marshmellowy icing that had me licking my lips and growling with my arm curled protectively around my plate! To this very day I have never again tasted an icing that was so good! |
| Hey everyone! Just wanted y'all to know I've dumped my doc, gone with a mid-wife and a birthing center. I'm extremely happy I made this decision! I'm looking forward to the birthing process now! And for Chipmunk...my other creative outlets are art, drama and singing. Singing is my passion, everything else is more like a hobby or interest. Catty, I'm so glad you are getting better! I've been worried about you! The best-tasting cake I ever ate? My wedding cake. But I didn't do the traditional wedding cake stuff...we went with cheesecakes! We had at least 5 different types of cheescake, and then the groom's cake was also a cheesecake (topped with nuts and caramel)! Those cheesecakes were honestly the best I've had. Further proof...there was hardly any leftover! I'm looking forward to a beach trip this weekend! It will be so nice to be able to relax and listen to the waves roll in! It's my final summer trip (and actually my first summer trip this year). ~Sherri Q NEXT!....... |
| Hello everyone! My favorite cake is one my mother always made me for my birthday when I was a little girl, homemade coconut cake with homemade seven minute icing with grated coconut on top. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. I love coconut and my mother was the world's best cook. No one makes these cakes from scratch anymore, and I didn't get my mothers recipe for it before she died so, sadly, I may never get to experience this cake again. She also made me fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, and usually a fresh green salad, with all the vegetables freshly picked from the garden. I have a summer birthday so the salad was always really good too. I wish I could cook as good as my mother, I do pretty well, but she was far better than me. I miss her. It is not as hot here as where some of you guys are, but we've had a few 100 degree days too. Sherry, I hope your baby's birth is spectacular! Catty, get well soon! Hello to all of you and I really enjoy reading about your lives. Fionnrua, Lucky you to get all those fun festivals, there's not that much to do here, although our state fair is coming up and last year I had a real fun time working there. By the way, am I the only one that loves a good summer storm, with lightening and thunder? They are so exciting, and I love to go outside and experience the whole show. Till next time... |
| Hello! Catty, I hope you recover soon! I've heard before that cats are very in tune with their owners so it probably is looking after you. Take care of yourself. I'm glad you are going the natural route Sherri Q! Good luck to you. I'm not good with summer heat, but I just deal with it. I try to the block all the sun coming in the windows, but I don't have air conditioning. I do keep a fan in the bedroom though. Sometimes I don't even need it, but I think I'm addicted to the noise! I do much better in cold weather though. Most people go around shivering and putting on extra sweaters when I still feel fine. My favorite cake as a child was a giant cookie cake. I thought that was the neatest thing at the time. When I got older it was any cake my Mom made from scratch. She is the best cook ever! I know people usually love the way their Moms cook anyway, but she really is great! Even my friends agree. She can make something out of nothing. I feel sorry for my child if he grows up thinking I'm the best! I like to bake sometimes, but cooking isn't my favorite thing to do. I think he's found a way around it though because he always asks Grandma to cook for him when we visit even if he's just eaten. I also love summer storms. It's great to sit out on the back porch and watch them. There is also much to be said about being cozy and warm inside with a good book while an Autumn storm rages outside. Well, talk to you next time. |
| Hi all! My favorite cake of all time is LEMON CAKE! Yummmmm yummmmm. I know this lady who makes cakes out of her home, and I always order all my cakes from her. She makes the most best cakes I have ever tasted; whether lemon, chocolate, whatever! And she is an artist also. Her cakes are so beautiful, that it's almost a shame to eat them. ALMOST! hehe Last night, I went to my son's karate demonstration, he's a purple/black belt, btw. And they also had a potluck dinner. Guess what someone had brought? That's right! A lemon bundt cake! I was soooooo happy! Today is my husband' birthday. We'll be going to his sister's house this evening for his and his sister's bday party. Their birthdays are just three days apart, so their Mom celebrates both of them at the same time. But they won't have any good cake! They always have something with cherries or strawberries in it. YUCK!Angelterra - I LOVE thunderstorms also! The wilder, the better! Until next time! Mary |
| Hi Everybody! Catty - I am so sorry to hear of your accident. I didn't know about it. I am glad that you are recovering. My favorite cake used to be a chocolate cake my mother made called "Better than Sex" cake! (Who names these things???!!) But actually, the best cake that I ever tasted was an Irish Wedding Cake which was made for my Irish teacher's wedding in 2002. You have to make it about 4 - 6 weeks before the wedding and let it age because of the whiskey in it. I had one made for my wedding last August, but I used a different baker and although it was good, it wasn't as good as my Irish teacher's. I think it makes a difference depending on which kind of whiskey you put in it. Anyway this past Sunday was my anniversary and at church we had a "Polka Mass" followed by a parish picnic and then Bill and I went for a walk on one of the very few beaches in northeast Ohio that actually has sand! A lot of the "beaches" along my part of Lake Erie are actually made up of little pebbles and stones! Very hard on bare feet. Next, please! |
| I love a good storm, too. I love the booming sound of thunder as it rattles the windows in my house, sending the cats skittering for shelter under the nearest bed. The sound vibrations surge through your body, invigorating the senses and causing the dogs to howl and bark, raising the alarm for the coming onslaught. The brilliant flashes of lightning, illuminating the desert landscape for miles, cast eerie shadows against pristine, white walls. Ghost-like apparitions dance a frenzied waltz in the clouds as the winds whip tendrils of rain to the ground below. My horses whinny in their stalls, assuring each other they aren't alone in their small world. The smell of wet dirt, clean and pure like a freshly tilled field, reminds me of summers on the farm with my grandfather. It drizzled on Monday when we burried him. The low clouds overhead drew in moisture from the bay, bringing wisps of fog which threaded slowly among the headstones, encircling Tete's gravesite. The feather-soft kisses of moisture dewed our cheeks, mixed with tears and then soaked the well-tended lawns. The softly swaying trees sang along with the mourners when the hymnes were sung and the sun came out briefly when the priest gave his benediction for Grandpa's departed soul. I love a good storm, too. And my favorite dessert? Key Lime Pie! But just before I eat it, I'll take a fresh lemon wedge and squeeze the tangy juice over my slice, and then dive in. What a sensual and spectacular show for the taste buds, ummmm mmmm! |
| That was beautifully said, Catty. And I am sorry to hear about your grandfather's passing. There is something very spiritual about the awesome power of a thunderstorm. Of course, when you are a kid, it's just downright scarey. Naturally, us young boys had to prove our courage by standing up to the storm. My uncle had a summer house on a lake and the house had a big screen porch on the back where you could sit and look down at the lake. A screen porch is a wonderful place to watch a thunderstorm. You feel like you are right in the middle of it. The grownups had sense enough to go inside, but we cousins, about 6 of us, were daring each other to stay out on the porch as the lightning crashed in the distance. "Y'all better get in here away from that storm!" But no, we had to stay. We teased each other. "You got any fillings in your teeth? That metal conducts electricity. If lightning strikes nearby, your head is gonna light up like firecrackers!" "No, it ain't!" But you could see he was worried about it. Lightning struck across the lake. Wham! The girls screamed and the boys laughed, and everybody shivered. The cold wind blew through the screen wire and a mist dampened us. Suddenly, right there in the backyard, Ka-Pow!. That porch cleared off instantly as screaming kids went tumbling back into the house. Even the grownups were upset and angry. "I TOLD y'all to stay off that porch!" I have my own screen porch now and I still get a kick out of sitting out there when a storm is brewing. Hate to get wet, though. -------------------------------- Loved all those cake stories! But too bad for my belly! Everytime I read about a cake, I had to have one! I guess an exciting childhood event that still influences your life would be a good optional topic, wouldn't it? I'm looking forward to reading you... |
| Oh boy, and I'm first up! BTW, I LOVE Lemon Cake! The bundt kind especially. Oh my gosh, I want one right now!!! An exciting childhood event that still influences my life...I feel awful. I can't think of one. I mean, I have tons of memories, but not that many events. And influence? I don't know...lately all that comes to mind are negative things!I guess since I'm prego, I've been thinking about being a parent and there are things my parents did that ticked me off or made me feel bad, and I've been hashing over those to remind myself - 'don't do that!' 'don't say that!' And now as an adult I see the manipulative pattern my mom is into and despise it all the more. The past 7 months has been horrendous as far as my relationship with my mom. Basically I won't put up with her bossing me around, guilt trips, or any of the crap she pulls, especially the part where my opinion is wrong if it differs from hers (which is frequent). So, honestly, I can't think of many positive experiences right now, even though I know they are there. And no one wants to hear about my negative ones! LOL! If they do, they can always read my journal (I do a lot of venting in there). One thing my mom did that was negative, but influenced me for the positive was that she was judgmental. She would judge someone by what they wore or how they looked. "I don't want you hanging out with them - they have black hair and wear a leather jacket!" What the heck? So, I learned that people are people, and the difference in styles, personality and opinions are the BEAUTY in life. I learned to accept others how they are, not critisize them because they aren't like me. My mom still thinks piercings are weird...she's so old fashioned. She's stuck in a small, country town and dresses like it too. I'm in the city and love the modern things. Me and mom are worlds apart, and that's just fine with me. Sherri Q |
| Hello again everyone! Steve, I love the new topic: An exciting childhood event that still influences your life. I can think of more than one, but since we're going with exciting events, I think I'll pick the trip I made with my mother, older brother John, and my two sisters when I was 8 years old. We drove to see my sister & her family in a logging camp near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, from our home in Oregon. It was my first big trip out of state, and I can still remember the excitement of it! My mom and my brother John took turns driving, except that he fell asleep, twice, while driving, which was certainly exciting! We drove past, and over, the Green river in Wyoming, and I had this feeling of deja vu. I was only 8 and had never even heard of the concept of reincarnation, but as soon as we got in this area, I "knew" what was going to be around the next bend, over and over, and I had vivid and very clear memories of a lifetime I spent there when I was a native American woman, one of the two wives of an Indian man. Whole scenes from that lifetime flashed through my mind as we drove along. I knew the other wife and I were very close, with no jealousy, that our husband died during some kind of rivalry with another Indian group, and we spent the rest of our life together. The time frame was before whites came to this part of the country. I can still see the faces of lots of the people in that lifetime. Of course I was shaking with emotion, it felt just like you feel when you remember good times & people from your childhood, but know you'll never see them again. I remember crying because I felt such longing for those people, and that time. Of course, I never said a word to my mother or my siblings, because, even at that young age, I knew "somehow" that what I was experiencing was something you didn't talk about. The experience so affected me that, from the time I could check out books in the library, I tried to find out anything about re-incarnation (having learned what to call the belief that you have lived before,) and I have had a lifelong fascination with the whole subject. I don't know if this is the kind of thing you meant, or not, Steve, but it was very exciting, and influences me to this day. On a more down-to-earth not, I loved your descriptions in your last post Catty! That was absolutely beautifully said. Have a great end of summertime everyone, until next time. |
| Hello! I just got back. I was visiting my Dad and his side of the family. They live in a small town so it's always like stepping into another world. The place seems to be a few decades behind, even the radio! I'm sure not all small towns are like this, but that one is! Maybe it's because it's in the mountains and kind of cut off from the rest of the state. I had a good time except for learning that a friend from high school had been murdered by her boyfriend. I didn't know her for long because we moved a lot, but it was still shocking. I imagined her married with two kids somewhere not dead! The details of her death greatly saddened me, and got me to thinking about how screwed up our society has become. As for childhood events that still influence me, this one stands out best: My Mom was trying to get us all away from a scary situation with my step-dad so we threw our most treasured possession into the car and left. She wanted to go to Alaska because she had some job opportunities there. She didn't have any money though, but she went anyway. We drove through Canada on faith. I remember stopping at intersections and opening ourselves to be guided in which direction to go. It never failed us. We would find the perfect camp site or whatever. I spent one of my best birthdays on this trip. Once when we were almost out of gas she stopped at a gas station, and asked the girl if she would take an expensive ring in exchange for gas. She did, but she also gave her address so Mom could buy it back later on. She kept her promise and Mom got her ring back. The gas was enough to get us to the ferry, and some friend there helped us take it to Alaska. She got a job housesitting to start with so we immediately had a place to stay. Then she got a waitressing job, and moved us into an apartment with no money yet just the promise that she would get a paycheck soon. We shortly moved into a house on the beach with the same promise because she had gotten a better job, but hadn't received a paycheck yet either because she just started. I loved that house, and had the best time in that town. I had so much fun, and made more friends than I ever had before. It still amazes me! We should have been homeless until she saved enough money from her paychecks to afford rent and a deposit. Which needless to say would have been a difficult situation with two kids. She just never gave up faith that things would turn out, and she always found a person that would have that faith in her. It made me grow up believing that the universe would look after you (even if you can't see how at the time)as long as you are making the steps towards what you know is the best thing for you. As for the other posts: Angelterra, what a wonderful experience! Sherri Q, thank goodness you can recognize her error, and strive not to continue the pattern. Bye for now! |
| Hey all! I been so busy the past ten days with this EnduReviewing contest haven't had much time to do anything else! And STILL have ten days left of it! whew it's gettin rough. lol Hummm childhood memory. Well, I saw a falling star once. Only time in my life that I did. So that's pretty exciting to me. I'd love someday to see the Aurora Borealis. But I'm told you have to go to Alaska for that...so I'm not sure I ever will. lmao |
| As most of you know, I have spent the summer laid up. First with broken bones and then with major surgery to remove parts of my body that should make me a nicer person (at least one week a month). When I said it like that my husband's friend quipped, "Oh, did you have your husband removed?" I laughed though it made the incisions hurt. Maybe (some days) that ectomy should be next! I am like Sherri, there are more negative parts of my childhood that have influenced and influence me still. Even those aren't negative any longer (thousands of dollars in therapy!). I tend to try to remember Joseph (Old Testament) telling his brothers "you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." I would have to say church camp was the most exciting thing that is still with me. The relationship I entered there, with my Lord, has never let me down -- even in the valleys of life! For more on that read "Aldersgate Remembered" in my portfolio. I have been sitting in this chair too long and am in great pain, but wasn't ABOUT to miss my turn AGAIN!!!! PastVoices of Cardinal MLB Baseball, it is smellin' pretty Sweet!! |
| Angelterra, loved your post! Very interesting. Incidents in my childhood? Hhmmm..... For some reason I have no memory except one, of my life in 2nd grade. I have no idea of what my teacher looked like and I just plain don't remember it!! Well, when I was about 7 or 8, I saw a vision of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln up in the sky after a rainstorm. I ran inside to get my brother and when he finally believed me enough to come outside, it was gone! "What was THAT all about??" lol When I was 9, I had a dream about my life that lasted 3 nights. Night 2 started where Night 1 had left off and Night 3 started where Night 2 had left off. I only remember the ending and thinking, well I'll have a lot of trouble, but I'll be happy at the end (where my dream ended on night 3. When I was in my early teens and riding the bus to school, I saw the sun appear to fall, or drop, and I was so shocked that I couldn't say anything. As I looked around, I realized nobody else had seen it. Very weird feeling!! Only within the last few years did I learn about how the sun "Danced" at Garabandal, Spain. Apparitions of the Virgin Mary were seen prophesies of the "end times", but NOT the end of the world, were given. This occurred during the years 1961 - 1965. I don't know when the sun "danced" in Garabandal, but what I saw must have happened in either 1964 or 1965. I was in New Jersey at the time. So these things do not necessarily have an effect on me now, but they are things that I still puzzle over. Mainly, "WHY did I see it?" The person that I am today (just like everybody else) is the sum total of all my life experiences, both positive and negative. And possibly even the positive and negative of past-lives. Next, please! |
| Well, lots of things from my childhood influenced me. First off, I grew up spending half a year with one parent and then the other, they were divorced when I was about six years old. My brothers and I would spend hours on Greyhound every few months, travelling from Northern California to Southern California. Can you imagine three kids, aged seven, six, and three, travelling alone in this day and age? Wouldn't happen. This influenced me in the need to believe in my marriage vows; I didn't want my children to suffer with guilt for wanting to spend one Holiday with a certain parent, or friends and not be able to. I also moved alot, as one could imagine. I must have attended nine different schools just going through the sixth grade! So, when I married, I and my husband decided to give our children the stability of the same schools and district, all the way from Pre-K through High school. I think it's one of the reasons my boys are outgoing, responsible individuals-their world isn't topsy turvey every few years. One of the greatest things which influenced me was my maternal grandfather. He was an alcoholic. When I was young, he used to pull my hair so hard it would make me cry. Then he would delight in tripping my brothers and me whenever we came within reach of his hard-toed boots. He seldom bathed, stunk to high-heaven and was terribly sadistic. He died when I was in seventh grade and I remember feeling guilty about being happy that he died. This influenced me in that I chose not to abuse alcohol. I very seldom drink spirits, and never to excess. The smell of hard liquor to this day roils my stomach, it's as if I can still hear Grandpa bellowing for more 'cream' in his coffee and smelling his breath as you poured the whiskey. The absolute worst thing to have influenced my childhood? Being sexually abused by a trusted family friend. It took years to get over the guilt that I felt, thinking it was my fault that it happened. I confronted my abuser many years later, he never did any jail time that I remember, but for everything that man put me through, it's made me a very active and concerned protective parent. My children are very open with my husband and me. They know what is acceptable touching and what is not. They know if they come to us with any problem, we will listen to them and intervene. My children don't go to a home of a friend unless I've met the adults in the home. Am I over protective? Probably. But my kids are worth it. I have strong convictions as an adult, and I believe I am a strong person because of everything which has come before. I could have become a burden on society, lamenting the woes of my early life, but I don't think I would have liked myself much. So, there you have my influences...Next in line? |
| Wonderful stories. Don't forget that you can all put your posts here in your portfolios just by taking a moment to copy-and-paste. I know many people keep journals and have autobiographical stories in their ports. Angelterra's story of reincarnation experiences in childhood was not only extremely interesting but reminded me of kids I knew who reported "odd" experiences and how the rest of us kids ridiculed them. I wonder how many people have had these kinds of childhood perceptions and then been forced to deny it and suppress it because no one around them had an open mind? I have always regretted giving in to the fears of a friend one night when we saw "lights in the sky" while we were out driving. They were big and bright and didn't seem very far away. But when I said, "What in the world is that? It looks close by. Let's go see what it is!" then she cried and begged me to drive away from it. Now I will never know what it was. Something very ordinary? Or something else? Why are so many people so unwilling to face anything that seems out of the ordinary? I am willing to bet that if I looked her up now and asked her if she remembered the night we saw strange lights in the sky then she would say, "No. What are you talking about?" Repression and denial -- the defenses of those who don't have the courage to face reality. Well, I don't want to suggest UFOs as a topic. As far as writing.com goes, the last ten days have been the most eveny-filled I've had here. I was in three different campfires trying to do 50 posts in three days for the campfire contest. Somebody anonymously upgraded me, so I have been able to put pictures to everything (like the Barney Party image at the top of this campfire. So I thought an interesting optional topic might be your relationship to writing.com at the moment. Are you more active or less active than you were a month ago? Does it take up much of your time? I am on the site twice a day for a couple of hours each time. And I enjoy every minute of it! Optional topic number two is: Do you have an idea for an optional topic? |
| Writing.Com is a big part of my life, because I've made friends on here. Going to Convention in 2003 let me meet some of the people in person, so they aren't just a screen name. I've developed friendships with those people that are valued and respected. I'd say I'm not as active at the moment as I was this time last year - last month, yes. Since I've been pregnant, my creativity has been zapped! So I've not been doing a lot of writing the past 7 months. I do log on every day during the week to check my contest and chat with some friends. Lately I've been so busy with work that even that has been lacking. The baby is due in October, and I'm hoping by the beginning of next year I'll have my creativity back and will be able to write more. I'm a little anxious about my maternity leave, which will hinder my online access - basically I probably won't have it at all. I hope y'all don't forget about me! |
| Hello everyone, I am busy in the real world right now, but I still almost always log on to writing.com at least once a day. I like to check my contests. Right now I'm running a home & family poetry contest, so if any of you have new or older poems, about home/family, you're welcome to enter them! Also, since becoming a mod, I have taken on the task of being one of the editors of 2 different newsletters here; the horror/scary mewsletter, and most recently, the drama newsletter. This takes a lot of my time, because I've never been an editor before, and don't want to do a bad job of it. I love it though, because it's really exciting to be able to tell writers that their work will be in one of the newsletters. Their happiness makes me happy! Topics, hmmm...What about your favorite memory from high school, your first date, the person who influenced you the most, your happiest times, your pet(s), your scariest experience... {If any of these topics are interesting to any of you at all.) Steve, I'm glad it was you, and not me, that saw the unusual light. Because, even though I'm not afraid of ghosts, or lots of other things most people might consider scary; I'm terrified of UFO'S. No, I've never seen one, so I don't know where this fear came from. I agree that a lot of people are afraid of anything out of the ordinary, but generally speaking, I'm not. Just UFO'S. Weird isn't it? And, in spite of my fear, (or maybe because of it), I read about UFO'S at times. Guess I like being scared in books and stories, which is one reason why I like being the horror/scary newsletter editor. Another thing that has always fascinated me are anomilies. Like finding bullet holes in Mastadons (true story), and things like detailed historical accounts that sound like electricity or other "modern" inventions. I guess I'm fascinated with the idea that history, as we were/are taught it, leaves out a lot, or that historians prefer not to rock the boat, when they can't explain certain archeological discoveries. I'm probably way off topic here, so that's enough of that! It's a nice late summer day here, with a chill in the air. Fall is just around the corner, but for now, I can still smell the summer flowers. Sherri Q happy baby birth experience to you! We'll all be thinking of you, wishing you well, and your baby too, and, no way will we forget you. So hurry back. |
| I haven't been as active on here this month as I've been the last couple of months. That is mainly due to the fact that I was out of town and didn't have easy computer access, and I've been working a lot the last two weeks. Before that though I was really involved because I started getting hooked on In&Outs. They are so much fun! Now that things have slowed down a bit again I hope to be on the site a lot more. I have a contest to judge tomorrow anyway! Great memories everyone! Poor Mom, if she only knew that while she was afraid of aliens I was calling them to me! I guess that comes from growing up with movies like E.T., Flight of the Navigator, and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I wanted to be an astronaut for the longest time, and I would still never say no to an opportunity to go into space. When I was was about six I may have seen a UFO like Steve. We lived on a remote island in Alaska then, and I was having a slumber party at our house. We were in our sleeping bags looking out a big bay window in the living room when we saw lights in the sky. I remember pressing my face to the glass, and seeing a shape I had never seen before. In fact I still don't know what it was. I don't think I even told Mom about it that night for some reason, but all of us somehow knew it was a UFO. It would be interesting to track those girls down, and find out what they remember about that night. Sorry to ramble! A possible other topic we could do is: What is the one thing you would like to do or accomplish before you die? |
| Oh dear, no, the past few months have seen me use Writing.Com much less than I normally do. The first culprit to keep me away from the computer desk was the fall breaking a bone in my foot and a proximal fracture of the fibula just below the knee on the same leg. I suffer from chronic severe major depression anyway so staring off into space is more like a coma experience for me. In fact, I refer to them as depressive comas, but my doc tells me it isn't a formal medical term. Then the results of some tests came back revealing that it was time for more female surgery. So barely back on my feet from the leg thing, I had surgery three weeks ago. Unfortunately, sitting is still a challenge and I can't spend as much time as I like. I am spending a little more time each day. I have handwritten some good stuff I hope to post in the next few days! Writing is my life. I want to break back into publication and earn my living again in the very near future. Alas, 20 years is a long time away. Other topics, Angelterra had the best list! What is your earliest childhood experience? Your dream vacation? Your dream life? That's about it. I made it Steve! Sherri Q, thoughts, prayers and joys are with you for a healthy happy baby and family! |
| Hi Everyone! I certainly have enjoyed reading everyone's posts. I like Angelterra's list too. Earliest childhood experience that I really remember? Falling off the back of an overstuffed chair, hitting the radiator behind it and breaking my arm. I was pretending the chair was a horse. My favorite memory from high school was my German class. I really enjoyed every minute of it. My first date was for the Junior Prom. That was fun, even though my mother actually set her alarm to be sure I was home by the curfew she set!!! That's all for me - no weird stuff to confess on this post! Next, please! |
| I hope your arm has healed by now, Fionnrua, lol! I have never (touch wood, my head will do) ever broken anything, on my body anyway, hehe. Promises and a few wine glasses perhaps But no broken bones, thank God. Anybody aching to watch Survivor again?? I can't wait...it sounds like the most interesting and weird island to date: volcanic and cannabalistic island of Vanuatu/South Pacific. I always get caught up in these reality shows (except for the stupid 'matching/marrying' ones Though don't ever ask me to watch 'The Apprentice' I CAN'T STAND 'The Don', makes my skin crawl (or do I have the DDT's, lol)Anyhoo, waiting for some sun to brighten up our days here in Vancouver...ever since the P.N.E. started our weather has been pretty crappy. Can't you tell it's back to school time? Take care everyone, talk at ya soon (or in the In/Outs for most of you!) Paige |
| Speaking of UFO's, about ten years ago, I was driving out on a secluded part of the road in a small valley about fifty miles from home. It was very early in the morning, maybe four or five at the most, the road was covered in a thick fog. Out here in the desert, there are no street lamps to light the road, just the beams form solitary headlights to guide the way. My radio reception was lost for a moment and I found myself driving into fog which was tinted a very eerie blue, not quite neon, not quite normal, but very illuminating. I thought at first it was a spotlight from a plane or helicopter, but right about the same time I began to look up into the blue foggy haze, the light faded away. The fog became rather patchy, then cleared up. I continued to drive along the road and I observed a blue sphere, moving accross the night sky. I never felt afraid, or threatened and I don't believe it was a balloon! I went home that day and told my husband about it, and he pretty much laughed at my imagination. I saw it again, coming home from work around nine at night, maybe thrre years after that, but have never seen it since. Both times I was pregnant, but otherwise, no other similarities between the two UFO sightings. I just realized I used this kind of unexplainable blue orb in a recent story of mine! Talk about the subconcious! Next! |
| Lots of good topic suggestions. I agree that Angelterra's list had some good ones. It triggered a memory of mine and suggested the following topic... Does one of your high school english teachers stand out as influencing you? I think a lot of writers had an encounter with a good english teacher. I wish I could remember his name. It must have been very ordinary. He had a long friendly face and an easygoing manner. It was 11th grade english and he was very much into "creative" writing. Every Friday we spent the entire period writing something, and usually he gave us a choice of subjects. One that sticks out in my mind was "describe a sunset using metaphors of food items", but most were not quite that odd. It was also an exciting class when we weren't writing. I think he had us acting out plays, doing criticism, debating, reading aloud. Actually all the things that you would think SHOULD be in english class every year, but I have memories of other english classes that were extremely dull. Remember diagramming sentences? I still have some of the stories I wrote that year. It was many years after high school before I tried to write another story. But I think without his class, I would not be here now writing this. Did you have a memorable teacher? And Sherri Q, good luck with that watermelon! |
| I have a few memorable teachers! I had several favorites and they were usually English teachers. English was one of my favorite subjects, which is probably why I preferred those teachers. I loved my Creative Writing teacher, except that she wasn't good at controlling the class and half of the students were in the class because they needed the credit, not because they had an interest. She would have us look at pictures and write stories, or give us several words and go from there. We'd often go out by the creek and write, which always inspired me. My English teacher my Senior year challenged me like no other. She was tough! I hated the literature she made us read, but I liked the challenge of trying to get an A in her class. It was no easy task. She was the first teacher who gave us a list of topics for our research paper, and mine was comparing Aldous Huxley to some guy I'd never heard of and could not find any information on! So, basically my paper was on Aldous Huxley with a few short sentences about the other guy. I didn't get an A on the paper because of that, but I did get to read The Doors of Perception which I found very interesting!I think the teacher that stands out most to me, though was my college History teacher. I hated history in school, because it was always so dry and boring. I have a hard time remembering dates and none of it really came alive to me. I cringed seeing it was a required course in college. But this teacher brought this stuff to life and made it fun and entertaining. Basically, we learned all the "dirt" on Christopher Columbus! It's always more interesting when you know everyone in the history book wasn't "perfect." And now I can even watch the shows on the History channel with some interest. I just watched a show on the War of 1812 (which lasted 3 years). They talked about how Francis Scott Key came to write the Star Spangled Banner. I never knew the story behind it...didn't know what a rampart was...blah blah blah. But, now I have a new respect for the song and a picture in my mind of what happened! Did you know that song was set to the tune of a drinking song? |
| Well Steve, I'm not one of those writers who had a good English teacher, in fact mine all seemed to be terrible teachers, so there goes your theory at least in my case... My mother might be my biggest influence, on my writing anyway. She was a brilliant woman, a voracious reader, and she had me reading at age 4 or 5. Every night when we were little, she read me and my sisters the classics, and fairy tales, all kinds of things. And she regularly took us to the library. All my family ended up big readers, including my own children. And we are speed readers too. I read so fast I'm almost embarrased about it. My mother was also the first, and for a long time only, person, who thought I could actually be a writer. In grade school I used to start stories and pass them to my friends, page by page as I finished them, they probably weren't very good, but my friends liked them! Then I became the "reporter" for my Brownie and Girl Scout troops in grade school, and actually supplied our town newspaper with little articles about our Brownie group every month. I loved it, and always knew I wanted to be a "writer" when I grew up. The only teacher that influenced my writing was in college when I took a poetry writing class, the instructor was a noted poet, and she was so inspiring and taught us all a lot. I loved being in her classes and wanted them to last forever. I still use things she told me, and showed us, in my poetry. It was great. I loved everyone's stories, they're all so fascinating to read, and I really enjoy knowing more about you all. Fionnrua, your story of the images in the sky, and the sun dropping, were so fascinating. I have believed for a long time that most people have had spiritual, and/or incredible and unexplainable things, happen to them, we are all just taught to suppress and deny them, like Steve mentioned. Catty, your blue sphere story was strange and wild too! I'll have to go check out your story. That's all for now. It's chilly here today, I sleep with my windows open and it is so warm and toasty in bed, and so hard to get out of the covers when days are chilly like this! Take care everyone, and thank you for sharing a bit about your lives, I, for one, really love hearing all about you. |
| I loved English class no matter what the teacher was like. One stands out though because he pushed the more creative side as well. Instead of just teaching us what everyone else did; he would throw in things not found in our textbooks. He also seemed truly interested in what our opinions were about things. That's why I loved my Government and History teachers too. They would have us act out events to really be able to picture it, or let us debate issues, or teach us little known facts that I found fascinating. As for Biology and Math, they could have been good classes, but a couple of teachers made it so boring. They were as bad as the stereotypical ones in movies! Very intriguing entries everybody! |
| Oh, English teachers. I don't think I ever had a bad one! But the one that lit the pilot under my writing to begin with, had to be my senior year Creative Writing teacher, Miss Lillie Pearl Helm. I kid you not, that was her name. My first formal assignment, in the one semester class that started the middle of January was an editorial. I wrote about a Supreme Court decision made that week, Roe v. Wade. Now can anyone tell me what year I graduated from high school? Even if a teacher wasn't memorable, something about the class was like diagramming sentences (I love that Steve, I do it when I am bored, I like to diagram the really long ones) or a piece of literature. Like junior year in high school, can see the teacher's face, can't remember her name but there was the short story, "Insert Flap A and Throw It Away." As a parent, every Christmas, putting together endless parts to toys, did I remember that story! My first college English professor is now a close friend. She really encouraged my writing. I have a minor in English that turned out to be 9 hours shy of a double major with my Liberal Studies. (Why Liberal Studies? a much longer piece.) My Senior Project in Liberal Studies (see
Good topic Stevie! |
| Hi Everyone! Angelterra, thank you for your kind comments, as I was feeling a little bit embarrassed about what I had written concerning childhood visions. In my experience, I have found that most people look at you like you're nuts when you talk about stuff like that. But I have had things like that all my life, some scary, some comforting, one was so great that I had a 'natural high' for a week! I guess Steve hit a trigger in me when he defined a topic: an exciting childhood event, etc. My English teacher was also my German teacher in high school - Mrs. Collis. Her husband was the principal. I still remember when he visted the classroom one day, and said something complimentary to her (I don't remember what)and she smiled at him as she blushed beet-red. I thought at the time what a sweet thing - they were both middle-aged at the time and had been married a long time, and it was a beautiful thing to see how she brightened up when he walked into the room! The things that she taught me in BOTH languages have stuck with me all these years! The weather is beautiful in Northeast Ohio. Yesterday I dug out two old, dying rosebushes by the side of my house. Life is good - not perfect, but good! |
| Sorry it took some time for me to add here I'll be leaving this campfire, sorry about that but I am in the midst of looking for work, and can't always keep up with adding to campfires or groups etc. right now Wish me luck, I'll need it after 15 yrs without working...only raising my children. I guess I shouldn't say 'only' but I feel like a newborn trying to learn to walk all over again! Its pretty scary out there and I don't envy anyone else who is in this position.
Take care all, I'm sure I'll see you in the In/Outs here and there. Long Live Barney!! Paige |
| Hmm...favorite teacher. I had several. One was my marching band instructor. He taught much more than music, he taught me discipline and determination, dedication and teamwork. These important values and skills have stuck with me my whole life. My tenth grade english teacher taught me the value of a deadline and love of the english language. He never settled for the mainstream words, he looked for and encouraged imagination and the use of the thesaurus, his "Bible"! My twelfth grade creative writing teacher opened my eyes to the world of writing like no one else ever did...she taught me ways to write with structured techniques, unstructured free-writes, and the wildest imagination of any adult I ever knew...she was the epitome of a child-like imagination flourishing in an adult world, I always hoped I would grow up just like her! My favorite teacher of all time would definitely have to be my fifth grade teacher. He kept a small bookcase in his classroom and anyone finished with their work early was allowed to read until the end of the day. From that bookcase, I was introduced to William Shakespeare and Isaac Asimov. I rode along with Black Beauty and swash-buckled with Captain Ahab. My love for literature was freely nurtured in his classroom. No boundaries, no do-not-touch lables, just encouragement. I had a definite love of the written word, and throughout my school years, it was always encouraged. For that, I am gratefull. |
| Summer is over and the campers are drifting away! Good-bye, Paige! We'll miss you. (Just ask for another invitation if your time schedule improves... There are still a few left.) We have lost some other people as I just went ahead and disabled people who don't seem to be visiting the site any more. So now we are down to just the people who are active and post promptly. Which makes it ironic that I am now announcing a new slower pace for the campfire! The pressure is off! I will wait 2 or 3 days for you to post. No more "24 hours or else you're skipped". Oh no! Has Steve gone soft? You'll find out if you try to wait 4 days to post! Heh heh... As always, I enjoy so much reading everybody's writings here. Sherri Q, you are getting so close to baby time that we are all sitting on the edge of our chairs. I can see we all had an interest in "creative writing" courses from our school days on. Have you had a complete switch around on any school subject? I have. I didn't like history or PE. I loved science and math. But my feelings about history and PE completely flipped around as I grew older. Now I exercise every day and I have read a number of history books. Now history seems fascinating; then it seemed dull. I was one of those young people so involved with "now" (and the future -- I was into science fiction in a big way) that they find the past uninteresting. A little aging cured that! That suggests a topic: A major opinion shift in your life, preferably a complete reversal from being for or against something to being the opposite. Obviously this could cover almost anything from serious topics like abortion to light topics like whether or not you like brocoli, so let's aim for something in the middle. Something important in your life, but not one of the controversial topics that people fight about, like abortion or gay marriage or whether Bush is a good president or not. As the old advice goes for dinner table conversation: avoid politics and religion if you want to keep things peaceful. |
| A major opinion shift in your life, preferably a complete reversal from being for or against something to being the opposite. Um...avoid religion and politics? LOL! Gee, and I was going to talk about how I switched from Republican views to Democratic. I won't go into detail, but now you know. My family is die-hard Republican for the most part, and I don't even think they know why...probably for religious reasons. But I know they've never really delved into the facts of things or the candidates, and they remained close-minded. I chose to be open-minded this year and make my own decision. Why vote Republican (or Democrat) just because your parents do? So, yeah, my political view changed this year. LOL! I don't knock those with differing opinions. I think everyone is entitled to their own. As far as something else, besides religion and politics...I don't know if this qualifies, but I remember the day when my eyes were opened to manipulative behaviors. I read a book that went into it, and I was horrified that I was acting in very manipulative ways. That day was a turning point for me and it's taken me years to reverse the behaviors. Of course, I now see the behaviors so clearly in others...a friend giving her boyfriend the silent treatment because he said something wrong (and of course has no idea what the problem is)...my mother screaming and yelling because we disagree on a social issue...things like that. I was tested on this aspect just a couple of weeks ago when my husband and I had a disagreement on a very serious topic. I had to choose not to say things that were hurtful, or give ultimatums, etc. In fact, I just had to keep my mouth shut altogether until I could collect my thoughts and think rationally and logically. But I still held his hand. I still told him I loved him. I refused to reject him (even though I wanted to). And I know I passed the test on that one. We have differing opinions and I can't change that. But, we all change our minds, and I'm open to that concept as well. Just because we differ now, doesn't mean one of us won't change our minds later. But I'm not going to try to force or control him, knowing it will push him away.So, I guess that's a major shift in my life. Changing inappropriate behavior patterns I was taught growing up. It's the most challenging thing I've ever done. ~Sherri |
| I love the new topic Steve! A major opinion shift in your life, preferably a complete reversal from being for or against something to being the opposite. What a great topic. I've changed my mind on quite a few things, but the one that occurs to me right now, is that I was raised with the (mostly) unspoken superiority of men over women, and that was re-inforced by the church I went to for many years. Then, I started seeing major cracks in all the men I was supposed to be looking up to, church leaders in particular. After a huge letdown, in a time when I really need comfort and assurance, I suddenly realized that men where no better than women, and in many cases the women I knew were smarter, more compassionate, more truthful, stronger, and better in a a whole lot of other ways, than any men I knew. So I started asking questions, particularly in church, and bible study class, about this so-called superiority of men over women, and rather than answering any of my questions in any reasonable or logical way, they just got angry, and kicked me out of bible study class for being too disruptive. Yeah, asking questions about the status quo is disruptive I guess. Then I started studying religions and their history, as well as history in general, and found out that the belief in male superiority over women was forced on people about 5000, (or so,) years ago, and things hadn't always been like that. Before that, women were looked up to, and/or considered equal to men. After a lot of thought, I decided that I just didn't buy the men are superior idea, at all, and I still don't. However, I like men, and consider them my equal. I truly believe women need to decide to be treated equally, and ask that from everyone around them, or it will never happen. I hope this isn't too controversial a subject, but it is what came into my mind to write about on this subject. Bye until my next turn. |
| Hmm, I could go in many different directions with this topic. I believe myself to be a pretty open-minded person so I hope I'm pretty accepting of differing viewpoints. The one thing really coming to mind is my decision to become a vegetarian. It had crossed my mind once or twice, but nothing more until I read a book called The Sexual Politics of Meat. I don't even know what prompted me to be in the section I was in at the library, but I saw the title and wondered what they were talking about. By the end of the book I became a vegetarian. This was when I was 20, and I haven't eaten meat since then. It really opened my eyes. This is the only time in my life a book has had quite that big of an impact on me. Looking back though I wasn't a heavy meat eater anyway. If I ate anything I slathered it with ketchsup, and Mom didn't make an overwhelming amount of meat dishes growing up. Sherri-That's really great that you are able to see those things in yourself and make the change. I bet a lot of people (including myself) can be guilty of those kinds of manipulative behaviors at times. Everyone can learn to be more respectful of others even if you don't agree with them all the time. Angelterra-Definitely agree with what you have to say. Women and Men are both vitally important and we need each other's different kinds of strengths (and we need to respect them) for there to be any kind of true balance. Maybe one day that will be realized on a large scale. |
| Hmm. A major opinion shift in your life, preferably a complete reversal from being for or against something to being the opposite. Mine is more a shift in being rather than opinion. I am a child of dysfunction who decided she wanted off the dysfunctional merry-go-round. It has cost me my mental health, but was worth the trip! And, can only get better! I am one of six children (5 living). If you have seen the movie Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, and remember the scene where the kids are under the blanket while their parents argue verbally and physically at the bottom of the staircase, that was my childhood! It would be 2 or 3 in the morning, on a school night. The oldest three kids were down there with them trying to break it up and my brother Steve and I sat on the steps crying and holding each other. I was appalled in my first marriage that how much of that I had absorbed and didn't want to live like that. Hence, divorce. In this marriage, we don't fight per se. We disagree, sometimes with momentarily loud voices, but we work it out in private. Maybe that is why my kids don't realize just how good they have it. No matter what though we don't let any issue change how we treat each other in any other area of the relationship. That is major. A child (namely me) shouldn't know how long dad is going without sex cause mom is still mad at him. Nor should I know what their first fight was about 14 years before I was born - gunnysacking - if your not familiar with the technique, in essence, no argument is ever finished. When I stepped off the dysfunctional merry-go-round 16 years ago, I wasn't prepared for the backlash from not allowing them to, as Sherri pointed out, manipulate me any longer. One of my sister hasn't spoken to me in 14 years cause I won't do her bidding. One stays hundreds of miles away. Steve died in 1979, before I made a decision to change me. Brian, the youngest, and I are the only ones to share a recovery process. From manipulative and manipulated to my/God's own person is worth any repercussions. After all God is taking care of them. Throw another log on Steve, it is getting chilly out here. Great topic! |
| Uh-oh! More soul searching! I have grown more conservative over the years, losing my "anything's possible, change the world, etc." ideals. Now I just want to change the world one person at a time - starting with me. I don't have time(or the desire) to debate all the world's ills - I am too busy working, trying to make a living and I just want to take care of my responsibilities and do a good job of it. I don't take things for granted anymore. I don't believe in living together before marriage anymore - I tried it - it doesn't work and it takes away from the beauty and excitement of a committed adult relationship. Now I am married to a man whom I cherish above all others, and since I didn't live with him before marriage - I found out how exciting and beautiful it can be to really have a "honeymoon". Next! |
| Wow! So many great views and "awakenings" -this has been some inspiring reading. I try to think of some viewpoint or interest which I've done an about face on during my life, and I draw a complete blank. The only major change in my life? Well, it was by necessity more than choice, really. From the time when I was a very young child, I only ever wanted to stay home and be a Mom. I wanted to bake and cook, sew and garden, keep a clean house and have a terrific home. When my husband got hurt at work, my youngest child was only six months old. Over the course of the next three years, Joe had seven surgeries. I had to leave my cozy home, enter the work place with little to no skills, and try to support my family. I took courses at the local Junior College, entered the medical field and now I work full time while the hubby stays home as Mr. Mom. I envy him, I really do. But I guess that's it, I know it's awful, but I really used to believe that a man could not raise the kids, keep house, or cook, and I honestly thought a woman's place was in the home...! Needless to say, I have stepped into the 21st Century with no little grace, and have a gleaming home which I return to at the end of a long day! NEXT |
| Everyone is so interesting! Even if I don't mention you each by name, I am enjoying what you post. There are just so many ideas here, that there is not time to talk about all of them. Angelterra's post about women's equality sparked some thoughts in me. I like to think that I have fully embraced that concept, although there are probably a few women who would disagree. There are still plenty of women (and men) who do NOT believe in full equality. My mother for example. And I notice that she uses some of the manipulative behavior that Sherra Q was talking about. So I wonder if there isn't a close relationship between feeling a lack of power and manipulative behavior? If you have ever worked in a large organization, then you know all the manipulative games people play because of the hierarchy of power. People have a natural desire to be equal. So if you put them in an enforced situation of inequality, then they invent ways to deal with it -- manipulative behaviors. This is particularly brought out in a book I was just reading about an escape from a WWII prison. In that situation, with the guards having all the power and control, the prisoners invented a dazzling array of manipulative behaviors. And of course we all learn as kids, because our parents have the power, how to manipulate our parents to get what we want. So even though I do believe in equality and not using manipulative behaviors, I am also convinced that the problems of inequality and manipulativeness will always be with us. There are some basic differences between people that will always exist and be a source of conflict -- gender, race, age, wealth, religion... We just have to make sure to keep educating the upcoming generations about peaceful ways to deal with conflict. I certainly don't favor the high tech solution of remolding humans to have one gender, all appear to be the same age, same skin color, have the same wealth, and all believe the same religion. That wouldn't be utopia. That would be a nightmare. Vive la diference! Well, I apologize for being so philosophical. My high school philosophy class was so interesting to me that I searched out philosophy courses in college. But now I prefer to be entertained and try to be entertaining myself instead of putting everyone to sleep. Unfortunately, I forgot that for the last six paragraphs! But I can't redo it. Time moves on! That suggests a possible topic: Have you ever done something that you realized would be much better if you scrapped it and did it again from the beginning, but you just didn't feel like going through all that again so you let it stand as is? This could be any project, like repainting your house. Can you live with that color? Or even a relationship. Is that the reason some people stay married even though it is far from perfect? I am an audiovisual artist away from here, so I often complete a project and then see how it could be better, but it is so hard to scrap many hours of work and start over! It's very similar to the feeling you have when you have been typing hundreds of words and you accidently delete your typing. Yikes! It makes you sick. Yes, you can remember what you wrote and type it in again, but if you are like me, then all the joy has been sucked right out of the experience. Well, here is hoping you don't accidently delete your next post... |
| Have you ever done something that you realized would be much better if you scrapped it and did it again from the beginning, but you just didn't feel like going through all that again so you let it stand as is? Oh yeah...it happens a lot, actually. I mostly encounter this at work. Sometimes it comes from my own creation. I start a project that's complicated without completely thinking it through as to the process and steps to take to finish it. I end up doing some things backwards, missing steps, etc. I can get the project done, but not in the most efficient way! And sometimes what looks good graphically, is not good technically. I can usually make it look okay, but if someone else went into that project, they would probably scream in frustration trying to figure out what I did. Sometimes I really do have to do the project over. There's glitches in the program and sometimes the files get corrupted, which means I have to go back and re-create. This is, in a way, frustrating because of my lack of orignial organization, but since I now know the mistakes I made last time, my motto becomes, "It's faster the second time!" Sometimes I get files from other companies and have to add them to our files and somehow make it work. That is always very frustrating, and I usually have to try several different approaches to make things work. It's always a learning experience, and this job requires a lot of patience at times. (I draw maps, exhibits, and construction plans for work). I rarely do projects at home that I feel this way about. Ironically, at home I do things "right" the first time, even with craft projects. My first attempt is often the best. I think after that I get lazy or bored. I lose interest in something if I have to do it more than once! ~Sherri |
| Steve, I just had to laugh at this topic. I'm such a wimp, I never start anything over that gets messed up if I can help it, like you say the spark is gone and I just can't force myself to, so I scrap the whole thing and start something else. It's awful to admit it, but I like variety, change, newness, and hate doing a project over that got messed up. It's funny though, because many of my jobs and real-life situations have involved fixing up other peoples messes. I guess that doesn't count though, because it's all new to me, if not them. On to the next poster. |
| Everyone had some great responses about the last topic! As for this one: I guess I'm like Mom with regards to the spark being gone, but the main reason why I don't fix a project is laziness. I've come to realize that I am a perfectionist. This is not a good thing when I am also a procrastinator. When I am working on a project that gets messed up, that's the end. I don't even finish it. I'm disgusted with the whole thing. I start a brand new one. I feel guilty about the old one, and possibly I'll go back several months (or years) later to fix it, but more than likely I won't. When I was younger and I wrote someone a letter, I would write it maybe 20 times until I thought it was good enough. I still didn't really like it! Oh the paper I wasted! This led to me not writing letters much at all because I knew what a process it would be. As for the big homework projects in highschool and college; sometimes I would wait until the night before to do it. I knew I would work very hard at it that night, but because it was the last day, I wouldn't have days and days to agonize over it. I almost always got a good grade on it, and I was even fairly happy with the results. A recent example of my procrastinating was when I was on this site going to write my monthly bulletin about different holidays and celebrations the night before the start of the next month. Instead of going to work on it directly I stopped to read, rate, and review a poem about procrastination! |
| Oh gosh! There are tons of things I have gone ahead with even though I knew a do-over would be better. And there are many writing pieces (especially when I would procrastinate until the last minute on my editorial/opinion column) that came right off the cuff and were some of the best pieces I have ever done. When I have painted rooms, mistakes just stay where I make them. I grew up with a perfectionist sister who is 12 years older than me. She drove me crazy. She proceeded to have four children whom she drove crazy. I remember when she lived in Ohio (I was 19). Her new house had white woodwork. I became exhausted sitting at her kitchen table, drinking iced tea and watching her run around, with a wash cloth in her hand, cleaning every spot they touched, whether it left a mark or not. When I first got married (the first husband) I tried, I really tried to be like her. I looked up to her. After my daughter came, I fell out of my sister's graces because I was more interested in holding and tumbling with that little bundle of sticky fingers rather than chasing with a wash cloth, screaming like a banshee! Consequently, my favorite quote when my kids were little was from a poem I saw: "Settle down cobwebs/Dust go to sleep/I am rocking my baby/And babies don't keep." I fell out of my sister's graces all together when a favorite quote of myself came out: "Perfection is a destination (in heaven), not a journey!" To which I added: "People are more important than dustballs or cat hair on the carpet." (It is my opinion that people who disown people over housework, have some real serious issues somewwhere that I don't want to be around anyway. Or even a relationship. Is that the reason some people stay married even though it is far from perfect? That is a pretty deep lagoon Steve. My first marriage, he got a girlfriend. Eighteen months later, when our daughter was 15-months-old, I learned about the girlfriend and he was history. (I was kind of unforgiving then.) I walked out of this marriage once and divorced him. He pled his case over a four month period and I married him again. I long for someone to hold me, appreciate me, but I don't have the income or resources to leave. Yes, it is far from perfect. Call it procrastination, I call it survival. I don't like how I feel lately though! Well Steve, you asked. NEXT! |
| Wow! What a topic(s)! TOPIC 1: Have you ever done something that you realized would be much better if you scrapped it......so you let it stand as is? (ANSWER)Yes!A couple of projects in my house. One was trying to re-use wainscotting in a different room from which it was originally installed. Another was installing some bathroom floor tile. And TODAY - I began to trim some bushes in the back yard. I have a mulberry tree that has grown out of control and some of the branches are pushing down on some telephone wires. Well, the main branch was too thick for my brush cutters, so I got a hand saw. I didn't have a step ladder to get me up to the right height, so I stepped on an ornamental iron lawn chair. The wood that I was cutting into was wet, so of course the saw began to bind and got stuck. And unfortunately, Iron chairs do not remain strong forever because there was rust where the seat connected to the frame (which I didn't see as it was underneath)and lo and behold, I fell through the "iron" chair bottom , severely bruising or spraining my leg below the knee. Lotsa pain today as I limped around. Thankfully I had a cane in the house and once I hobbled over to that (let me tell you, that was a trip!)it helped tremendously. Oh, yes! I let the saw stand in the tree as is! (At least for a few hours - I retrieved it once the pain abated a little bit and I had an ace bandage around my leg) TOPIC 2: Or even a relationship. Is that the reason some people stay married even though it is far from perfect? ANSWER: Allow me to quote from Elizabeth Taylor Hilton Todd Fisher Burton Burton Warner Fortensky. (Did I miss any?) Elizabeth said,"I believe in marrying for love; and keep on getting married until you find it!" Next, please! |
| Something scrapped? Hmm, well, I start projects and if it begins to turn into something I'm not pleased with, I'll set it aside. Mind you, I have set aside some projects for more than a year! Perfect example, an unfinished quilt, I decided the pattern was becoming monotonous, so I haven't picked it up since a year ago in May. I do that with craft projects, like ceramics. I put off finishing a lion's head for almost four months, but when I decided how I wanted it finished, it was finished! Many times I do start over, yarn, paint, stories, you name it, I've begun again...and again...and again. I don't mind starting over from scratch, because it allows me to know in which direction I DON'T want to go, and so I steer clear. As far as relationships, I've always been a pretty steady one-guy kinda girl. I dated the same guy all through High School, until I caught him with my best friend. I've been with my husband for a long time, too. Our 18th Anniversary is November 1st. I drive my cars until they don't drive any more, I just can't see trading them in every three years for bigger car payments. I actually still drive them around and pay them off, strange, I know. Lease? Couldn't do it, I even name my vehicles! Hmm, I wonder where those nice boys are with my pretty white jacket with the funny sleeves... |
| Interesting reading! I see the topic of procrastination came up. I've been suffering from that lately. I notice that I am just like every other procrastinator I have ever known. They always claim they are "too busy" or "don't have enough time"! What a joke! When I am on a creative roll I can accomplish tons of stuff. Time is NOT an issue, other than eventually having to go to sleep for a few hours. No, the real problem of procrastination is a failure of motivation. And it's not as simple as "making" yourself do it. Because there is a world of difference between creating from an enthusiastic energized attitude and creating from an unmotivated apathetic attitude. "Making" yourself do it might work for housecleaning and cutting the grass, but it doesn't help much for creative work. No, what's needed is to get back into that energized state of mind. Where does it come from? How do we get energized? Working with other people can help, as long as they are energized. But if all your co-workers are unmotivated then it's even worse than being unmotivated by yourself! Just speaking of solo creative projects, it seems to me that some quality of "newness" is a big boost to energy. I notice that the first time I try out a new computer program or play a new video game I am more energized than I will be later with it. Or discovering new ideas and concepts can be very energizing. And what removes that energized feeling? Well, besides losing the "newness" factor (i.e.,boredom), I think that being "stumped" can be a real energy destroyer. Coming to a point where you cannot see how to proceed farther, so you set the project (or video game) aside. When people reach that point then they either get angry or depressed. The depressed people abandon the project and the angry people tear it up in a fit of rage. Well, at least the depressed people will get a second chance! On the other hand, the angry people get to start over clean. So who can say where the advantage lies? I don't have any children, but I have always thought that the most terrible thing in the world would be to be dissatisfied with the biggest project you could ever attempt - raising a child. You can neither abandon the child or destroy the child. Unlike every other creative project, this one is truly part of you forever. Every move you make is permanent. It must be heart-breaking in the extreme to see your child get hurt or go wrong and wonder about your own role in it. Apropos to that, just on the news was the story of a mother who loved her soldier son very much. When he died in Iraq, a few weeks later she collapsed and died as well. Sherri Q, I wish you well with your pregnancy. I am in awe of what you are doing. I think it's the greatest achievement anyone can have and I wish you much happiness. And of course that goes for all you parents out there. [And if you happen to be childless like me, then you can still help your friends with their children. And just think, we don't have to change diapers or have "discussions" with the teacher or bail our kid out of jail! Heehee...] Did I suggest a new topic? How about What I do to get my motivation back and my energy level up... I'll be watching closely for ideas I can use! |
| What do I do to get my motivation back and my energy level up? If I'm to the point I'm unmotivated (happens a lot), I usually need an outside stimulus to get going again, but not just any outside stimulus. As a child and teen I was unmotivated to clean my room (some things never change - you should see my house). My mom would nag and nag, then resort to yelling and threats. But none of that motivated me. Yet my dad could look into my room (not walk into it) and nodd and say, "Looking a little messy in here." I would agree and say, "Yeah, I think I'll clean it today." And I would. My dad didn't demand. He didn't even request I do it. He merely made a simple observation and once I agreed, the decision was made to do something. This observation method STILL works on me! My husband can make an observation, I'll agree and then do something about it. It's just a matter of seeing eye to eye on something. I can get motivated to clean the house just by watching "Clean Sweep" on TV. Getting motivated at work takes a good reason, such as a deadline! During the slow times I get lazy, tired and unmotivated. So initially when work comes in I'm not that excited about it. But after the project is explained, if I can see where I have a part in making it happen, and then given a time frame to do it in, it's just a matter of getting started. Once I get started I don't easily stop. But if someone is frustrated, I get frustrated. If someone is angry, I get angry. If they are calm, I'm calm and agreeable. It's just a mind over matter thing. It's not neccessarily the task/work that I dread doing, it's the thought of the task/work. As far as the energy...that doesn't come until I actually start doing the task/work! |
| Ok, new topic: What do I do to get my motivation back and my energy level up? This is another great topic Steve, and I hope to learn some new ways too. Well, to begin with, I usually pray. I am a huge believer in the power of prayer, so when I see I've lost my motivation or my energy is down, I'll pray about it, asking for help in regaining my focus. Then too, I like lists. I'll make a list of all that needs to be done to complete a certain project, and then just start doing some of the easier to do items on the list; like making phone calls for research or whatever. That will usually inspire me to complete a few more items on my list, and before I know it the job is done. I realized something, from what I just wrote; I figured out that yeah, of course I do sometimes finish projects I'm bored with, (or the spark is gone or whatever,) and my preferred method is exactly this: First I prayer for help (I usually ask for God and the angels to help me, but that's just my personal preference), then after a bit, I make my list. My lists are VERY thorough, I write down everything that has to be done, and when I see how many of the tasks associated with the project are relatively simple and easy to do, then it becomes easier to start on one of them, then another, until I'm done. These two steps, praying, and list-making, also bring my energy level back up, it's just naturally a part of the process. If I feel a specific need for more energy to complete a project, I will take a long walk. And sometimes I fix myself a very special meal or treat, something good for me, ratrher than sugary or caffeine laden, and that will give me long lasting energy. My favorite foods for this are baked potatoes or baked sweet potatoes. I love them and they stay in my system a long time, combating that low blood sugar feeling. Other times I play fast music real loud and jump around ( that's dancing to you guys, though you'd never know it from the wild and crazy moves I sometimes make!) I also use picture wheels a lot to motivate myself. They are a fantastic tool! |
| Hello! PV STL: I can happily say I am not the perfectionist cleaning type! It only comes out in the creative area. I think that is because I strongly identify with the artist type, and I want anything I create to come out right. My Mom can attest to me not being so big on cleaning. In fact when I was about six I ran away from home to avoid cleaning my room. I actually only snuck out the window with a pack of my things, and found I didn't have anywhere to go. So I had to come back, and stuff everything (up to the ceiling) into my closet. Of course I'm more tidy than that now, but I'm much more concerned with my child than the dishes! Angelterra: What are picture wheeels? Good topic this time! I actually have been looking for ways to have more energy and motivation lately. I have been fighting feeling tired and unmotivated for awhile now. I'm intested in other people's response to this. For the physical side of things I recently went and got multivitamins to make sure I was getting everything I need. I also got Bach's Rescue Remedy. It is a great stress reliever. I strongly believe in aromatherapy so I always make lavender smelling salts for stress as well. I've been considering getting some St. John's Wort too in case my problem is depression. To get motivated is harder. Sometimes lists work for me, and sometimes they don't because I can just ignore them. I've actually been proud of myself lately for accomplishing a lot of my writing goals. I think it's because I've been really busy with my college courses, my child, and work. Usually that makes it harder to write, but it's been making me pop out with things as fast as the other things need to be done. My perfectionist nature isn't allowed to kick in too much because there isn't time. My Mom recently gave me an upgrade too which helped so that I knew I had the room to create on here if I wanted to. |
| Hey, I ran away one Christmas Day because mom and dad were having a knock-down drag-out over grandma (dad's mom, mom and she loved to hate each other). I packed my brand new, Christmas present (one of many) red and white suitcases. Once my older brother talked me out of leaving, they wanted to see what I had packed. Every book I owned and a couple that belonged to my sister, no clothes or underwear (holy or not). Dad could get me to clean my room by grounding me to it and I promptly rearranged the furniture. Meet Princess Procrastination! You think I am kidding? I bought a book last winter. I keep moving it from table to bedroom to kitchen back to table...you get the idea. I really mean to finish it. I am bookmarked half-way through the book. I have read at least 10 books in my incarceration with broken bones and surgery this summer, but not this one I have half-read. Are you ready for the name of the book? Come on, guess! Procrastination and disorganization are probably my biggest enemies! My therapist gave me homework for our second visit. A list of goals for my therapy (I haven't been in therapy for four years). I wrote one goal: "Resist the urge to murder my family!!!!!" So for the past month, we have been working on that one. How's that going? Well, they are still alive, but I wear my earplugs most of the time! I have the energy, motivation and the ideas. Ever since my illness started 10 years ago, my treatment-induced inability to concentrate has interrupted my mojo! Yeah, Angelterra, how do those wheels work, I need to get me some! My own unwritten goal of late is to accomplish about three reviews each time I log on here. I post in my favorite In & Out, look to see if anyone has posted here. Check my Writing Forums for topics I can be passionately effusive about, then go to the Shameless Plug Page and dive in. Part of my problem today is that I have done over 20 reviews in the past couple of weeks and received 2. Dismal. I also subscribe to three newsletters and go review most of the featured items. Sorry, if I wasn't any help! Oh, the book, The Procrastinator's Handbook. You're welcome to borrow it (that is if and when I ever finish reading it)!! |
| Hi Everybody! My daughter had her baby on Sunday, Oct 10th. Three weeks early! A beautiful little boy who looks a lot like his Daddy. It was a long, tiring, labor for her and for me too! On the plus side, I discovered that I can actually fall asleep sitting upright in an uncomfortable hospital chair. This is a useful skill that I hope I never have to use again!! Procrastination? A deadline cures it pretty fast for me. If it is caused by having way too much to do, then I "straighten and organize" and I get a feeling of accomplishment that helps me tackle the bigger thing that I have been procrastinating about. |
| Congrats, Fionnrua!! What I do to get my motivation back and my energy level up... Well, my husband always says if I was even only half as organized at home as I am at work, our house would run smoothly. Your question has made me sit up and think about why that is. At work, if I'm given an assignment, it gets done. No hesitation. No late rushes for the printer. No excuses. My boss knows if she asks me to do it by Friday, she's got it in her hand by Wednesday. Need something proofed? Done by lunch. Need a project organized? Not a problem. My coworkers call me MacGyver because if something's broken, I fix it. Can't be fixed? I find an alternate sollution to the problem. How do I do this? I have no idea. Now, at home, there's a different story...I take two days to organize one small closet space. Prepare a menu for the week? I'll get Sunday and Monday, then I can't belt out the rest. The hubby usually takes over. I don't mean my house is in dissarray, it's not. The hubby takes care of that, and I go off to work. So, I guess the motivational answer for me is: My family needs me to excell at work to make the bills and keep a roof over our heads and there is no such thing as failure. next... |
| Very interesting replies, as always. I have to agree that deadlines are a great motivator! Unfortunately, they are no help to the creative artist on projects that are not contracts or employment. In other words, did Van Gogh have any deadlines? Sometimes, even though there is no real deadline, I make up a deadline. I love to trick myself into getting something done! The only thing I don't like about creating something from scratch is the artificial sense of self-importance I have to maintain. I am an unaggressive shy person, but I find that if I don't say "This is important!" about what I am doing, then I lack motivation. On the other hand, I am well aware that in the Big Picture it is NOT important! So it's a little mental juggling act going on where I am believing it's important while I am doing it, but not believing it is so important that it disrupts living a normal life. I like that listing idea. I think it's very useful where what is required is known in advance. But again, if you are starting from scratch, total creativity, then there is nothing to put on the list. But the idea of jumping in and doing SOMETHING is essential! If you have a list, you can pick one and go. I find working from scratch (I do audiovisual projects, small movies) that if I can come up with just one small element, then I can build from there. It could be an image or a word or even some little technical trick. But for anything to get done (and this applies to EVERYTHING, doesn't it?), then there must be a starting point. I guess we have all heard the old saying: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. And like many sayings which get repeated through the ages, it is extremely useful and true. Speaking of deadlines and writers, many do their best work when the crunch is on, but I was just reading about Graham Greene, a writer I admire. His working habit was to write exactly 500 words a day every day! Actually he wrote about 700 to 900 and then edited it down to 500. He would do it first thing in the morning and when he reached 500 he would stop! He kept it up for many years and wrote many books. I try to keep regular hours and regular habits and it does help. But I think there is also something that you might call "psychic weather" or "emotional weather". Even when I do exactly the same things every day, my mental state still varies, sometimes energetic and exciting and sometimes dull and apathetic. I think it's beyond my control. That's why I call it "weather" and I am just happy when the sun shines, but even the "rainy days" have their charm. Fortunately, there are no thunderstorms in my mind! I am no Beethoven. Okay, Angelterra, we are all wondering What the heck are picture wheels? If you will email me a picture (or a link to one) then I will edit it into your campfire post when you explain it to us. Which suggests a topic. (Topics 'R Us) Have you ever said or written a word or phrase that you thought everyone would understand and then found to your surprise that you are the only one who knows what you are talking about? And I don't mean jargon or technical stuff. I mean a word or phrase that you really thought was in common use. I think we pick up some of these things in our family and don't realize it's not a common expression. I know when I was an overactive kid I would be told to "Hold your horses!" by older relatives. Huh? I guess they picked up that one in THEIR childhoods when horses were common. |
| Oh this is a funny topic! I went to college with a guy who had a "saying" for everything and none of us knew what he was talking about! I wish I would have written down all the things he said! "You aren't the brightest crayon in the box." (A blonde moment) "It's really comin' a gulley washer!" (rainstorm) "You took the short bus to school today, didn't you?" (Another blonde moment) "It's frog stranglin' weather out there." (another rainstorm) "Where you raised in a barn?" (close the door!) "You scared the livin' daylights outta me!" "He really got my goat." (got on my nerves or tricked me) "Oh bless your heart." (you poor idiot) And I'm sure there's others...but that's just what comes to mind at the moment! I say things all the time that are mis-interpreted or just plain strange. Oh yeah, and I'm well familiar with the phrase, "Hold your horses!" ~Sherri |
| Hello everyone! I use picture wheels when I want to bring something into my life. I got this idea from the Catherine Ponder books. The basic idea is this: On a piece of poster board or something similiar, you glue or tape "pictures" or images of what you want in your life. You can do this by categories, say home, health, job, friends, writing, romance, or whatever you are wanting to work on, and it seems to work out well to divide the poster up in the shape of a wheel, or a pie, with each section, looking just like a piece of pie. Label each section, romance, family, whatever, and then in each one place an image, or even a few images, that represent what you want in your life. If you want marriage, you might cut out a bride and a groom picture from a magazine for example. If you want money, you might put gold, or pictures of money, or write out a "check" in the amount you want, or whatever way you want to picture more money in your life. Do this in each category, life area, and when you are satisfied with the images, you might put affirmations in each section. Examples: I am a wealthy woman. I have lots of energy everyday. My family life is peaceful and harmonious. Just whatever affirmations sound right to you. Then, when you are all done with your picture wheel you put it someplace where only you see it, and bring it out at least once a day to look at and visualize yourself having whatever the images/affirmations show & say. And that's it. It's best to not work on EVERY area of your life at once. Probably two or three is more than enough. I know this sounds simplistic, but it works for me, and it works for all the readers of Catherine Ponders books too. As for the new topic, my mother always said, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride." (And, she said "hold your horses" too.) The thing I notice most though is how I pronounce words. I grew up in the Blue Mountains of Eastern Oregon, and we pronounced a lot of common words very differently than I hear them spoken nowadays. I think it's because there were a lot of people from the deep south who settled there, included my ancestors, but I'm not sure. When I spent two years in North Carolina in the early 1980's, lots of people there asked me if I was from England. I guess I was the one with the accent, and I thought it was them! |
| I've done something like a picture wheel before, but I will have to try this with more of a goal in mind. I'm trying to think of phrases that I say, but all I can think of are what other people have said right now. Once when I was a teenager my dad left a note for me to "bathe the crockery". I seriously tried to figure it out, and then gave up and left. I got out of doing the dishes because my Dad was trying to be funny or something. Then the way people try to pronounce my state's name when they don't live here. You can always recognize the tourists. I do have a way myself of saying words fast so people don't think I said the whole thing. I don't do this all the time, but I can push all the syllables very close together so you almost can't hear the change. Fionnrua-Congratulations on being a grandma! How exciting! |
| Obviously, Van Gogh suffered from a lack of deadlines since boredom drove him to experiment with knives on flesh! I grew up in southern Illlinois, Sherri. I have heard everyone that you remembered from the guy in college and then some! I wouldn't have considered them out of the ordinary. Huh, and as for "hold your horses", I think mom used it when I was in the womb and forward from there. Sherri, I can't believe we are getting so close to a baby. Seems like just a couple of weeks ago you told us you were pregnant. I hope you have time for us after the new little one arrives!! OK, Angelterra, nevermind. I would spend so much time on the wheel itself, it would be yet another procrastination techinique. Lord knows, I don't need anymore than I already have!! Yes, Fionurra, congratulations and welcome to the world of grandmotherhood. Speaking of "isms," believe me they all apply: "spoil them and send them home," "grandchildren are the reward for not having murdered your teenagers," and on and on. Steve, creating a deadline never works for me. I wouldn't call it intelligence, but I just can't fool myself. Never have been a very good liar! I used to have my alarm clock set 45 minutes ahead to motivate me to get up. It didn't work. I wound up late from thinking I had too many times to hit the snooze button. Have you ever said or written a word or phrase that you thought everyone would understand and then found to your surprise that you are the only one who knows what you are talking about? You brought back a memory I had almost forgotten about with this topic Steve. When the kids were in grade school, they wanted to help in the kitchen (predominantly during Christmas cookie baking time). I would be mixing and chopping (pre-pampered chef safe chopper). To protect their little fingers from my job, I would have them get ingredients and put them away. I remember, occasionally they would tell me they couldn't find something or I would find something that belonged in the refrigerator in the freezer. One day, after having to wait for butter or margarine to thaw after finding it in the freezer, I asked them why they put it there. I just about died when my son said, "you said to put it in the "icebox! The ice is in that part of the "box!" I spent years learning to bake with my grandmothers and mother (and dad) who all referred to the refrigerator as the "icebox" and the freezer as the freezer. My grandmother died before my twins were born and my mom gave up baking long before that. They had absolutely no concept of what an "icebox" was. They did know that part of our appliance kept and made ice! We still joke about it. I guess I can count my lucky stars I didn't just refer to the appliance, in total, as a refrigerator. In my head, I can see ice cream dripping on the lunchmeat! |
| Hi Everybody! Good topic! I grew up referring to the refrigerator as "the icebox". Now it is "the fridge". Another term that I grew up with was "tomato pie" for pizza. A tomato pie is New York style pizza, thin crust, (toss the dough in the air and catch it and stretch it)but made in the Trenton, New Jersey Italian section called Chambersburg. It is the best!!! I live in Ohio now and there are a lot of transplanted people from the East Coast (Translation - New York Tri-city area of New York City, Trenton, New Jersey and Philadelphia, Pa.). The first thing EVERY ONE OF US asks is: "Have you found any good pizza yet?" The second question is "Have you found any good bagels yet?" The past few weeks have been good ones for me. One happy event, as you all know, was the birth of my grandson, but I also have resolved some job issues and I once again have a very high degree of job satisfaction. So I am happy in my work! Besides private teaching of piano and voice, I am the music director of a Catholic church here in Ohio and today my Junior Praise Band made their debut. They are a group of teens - 2 guitars,drums, piano and 4 singers. They did a great job! I was very proud of them! They played 3 contemporary Christian songs - "Lord I Lift Your Name On High", "He Is Exalted", and "Shine Jesus Shine". They sounded very professional! Another thing I have done recently is joined a "band" made up of classical guitar, hammer dulcimer, and me singing as well as playing a tin whistle and an Irish hand drum called a bodhran. So that is fun except the dulcimer player drops and adds beats at will which makes for some awkward spots. OK, enough about me. Sorry I didn't do much about the current topic, but I couldn't think of much else that was different from the mainstream. Next, please! |
| The only thing I can even remotely think of as "on-topic" would be when we were moving into our current home. My husband and I were moving a rather bulky bookcase when I made the comment, "I'm losing my purchase!" Well, Joe didn't realize that meant I was losing my grip and it was a very nearly costly choice of words! I grew up around my Great Grandfather and he was an old military man, in fact he was one of the last true Calvary members to ride after Pancho Villa. Anyhow, he used to say that quite often, if something was falling or loose, it had lost its purchase. Funny that in the previous sixteen years of marriage I hadn't ever said it that way, but on that day it seemed to fly out of my mouth! Now, my hubby just blames it on my Oklahoma roots! Next!... |
| I agree with you, PV,that most of Sherri's examples are understandable. The "blonde moment" type of saying has sometomes thrown me in the past the first time I heard one. "He's not playing with a full deck." "Somewhere a village is missing an idiot." You have to think for a moment. (Or several moments if you are a blonde.) So THAT is what a picture wheel is, Angelterra! It fits in well with the general philosophy I adhere to. "As a man thinks, so he becomes." You might recognize that from the bible. Then you have "The Power of Positive Thinking" from NV Peale. There is also a technique called "visualization" by I don't remember who. But the basic idea here is that thought comes before action. If you are able to picture in your mind what you want, then you can have it. This is also common in sports where there is a visualization training technique. You don't physically make the moves but you completely think through every step in your head. For example, imagining yourself make a golf swing or a basketball shot. Experiments have shown that real-life performance actually does improve after one of these imaginary practice sessions. When reading about highly accomplished people I am struck by how often they say something like, "When I was 9 years old I decided that ***** was what I wanted to be." Kids can really intensely imagine having something. I remember a toy farm set that I saw in the Sears catalog and wanted for Christmas but did not receive. I can still picture all the details of that toy in my mind! What is reality anyway? Do we know the Universe? Or do we know the images in our mind that we have of various aspects of reality? None of us can ever know more than what our minds can imagine. In my opinion, happiness is simply a willingness to state, "I am happy." What else could it be? Since it's an internal state, you can never know what someone else really means when they say, "I am happy," so if you decide you want to be happy, affirm it. Am I creative because I was born creative or because everyday I say to myself, "I am creative"? I think all these internal states like courage, creativity, happiness, and so on are based on affirmations. I cannot imagine a person being happy who is telling himself, "I am sad." I can't imagine a person being courageous who is telling himself, "I am a coward." I can't imagine a person being creative who is telling himself, "I cannot create." I suppose some will protest: "But I will be lying to myself if I say 'I am a good writer' when I am really not!" Lying to yourself? Not at all. What determines what a "good" writer is? Have you never read something you liked even though no one else seemed to? I have. If I am willing to call a writer "good" when no one else does, then why be so negative on myself? Why would I keep writing if I thought I was a "bad" writer? Sure, someone else might think I am "bad" -- -- but that's okay, isn't it? They aren't the ones who have to do the writing. I am. So it's my opinion of my ability that will have to take priority. Otherwise, there will be no writing from me!As far as the picture wheels go, I am sure some might say, "Why not just write down what you want?" If you have as many loose pieces of paper flying around as I do, LOL!, then you would see the value of having a large piece of posterboard with pictures on it. Everytime you saw it, it would remind you of why you constructed it and get you back on point, in focus, and chasing your dreams. It's easy to get sidetracked by the daily nuisance of living and lose sight of our goals. I don't want to waste energy on trivial annoyances. I want to channel energy in to things that mean the most to me. Goal control! Halloween is coming! It's gotten controversial, hasn't it? And when did adults steal it from the kids? When I was a kid there was no such thing as Halloween parties for grown-ups. But trick-or-treating was a major activity. We tramped all over the neighborhood with our brown paper grocery bags (no fancy collection tools in those days), wearing our mostly home-made costumes, and collected tons of candy. It was glorious at the end of ther evening to dump it all out in a big pile. A treasure pile of goodies! Next morning we would trade stories about how sick we got the night before after eating so much candy. Is Halloween a good topic? Either memories of or plans for? And Sherri Q, good luck with your own special trick or treat! |
| Hey all! I just wanted to let you know that I had my baby Monday (Oct. 18th) at 1:15pm! Zoe Elise weighed in at 7 lbs. 2oz and 19.5". She's the spittin' image of her daddy and has a very sweet disposition (so far). I don't have any plans for Halloween this year. Ironically, last year I dressed up as a prego chick! LOL! Can we say I jinxed myself? Anyway...I'll be on maternity leave for several weeks, so feel free to skip my turn if I don't respond within a day or two. I don't have internet access at home. Hugs everyone! Miss being here! ~Sherri Q |
| Congratulations on your baby Sherri, so tomorrow she'll be one week old. Zoe Elise is a beautiful name too. As for Halloween as a topic, I don't do much for it nowadays. As a child though, it was lots of fun. Nowadays things are so commercial, but we did things that cost very little money like bobbing for apples at the church & school parties, as well as making our own costumes and any decorations we might have. My mom usually made some popcorn balls for us as a halloween treat. It was always really cold where I lived, but we lugged our big sack of candy all over town. I can't remember very many scary experiences going on until high school, then we'd go out to the graveyard after it got dark. Mostly we just scared each other, but one year somebody pushed me into an open grave that had just been dug for a funeral that was going to be the next day. I was terrified and screamed and screamed. I'm not even sure why I was so scared because there was no coffin in the hole or anything, but just the idea creeped me out. |
I have always loved Halloween! It is commercial nowadays, but you don't have to let that ruin it. I haven't dressed up in years, but the last couple of Halloweens I got to because I have a small child and I felt it was o.k. Last year I was Cruella Devil from 101 Dalmatians and my son was a dalmation. It was a blast, and he was so happy with me because he loves Cruella. He actually wanted to be her at first, but I didn't want to be a puppy so I talked him into switching. All holidays have become more enjoyable the last few years because I get to see it through his eyes. I love taking him to pumpkin patches! When he was a baby he wanted to run up and hug the grim reaper. He loves villains! As a child my favorite Halloweens were spent bobbing for apples, and feeling brains and eyeballs in haunted houses. I also loved the year that Mom and I stayed home and we both dressed up. She made me an elaborate gypsy costume that I also wore to school that day. I have a newsletter on here where I write about different holidays each month, and how to find more meaning in them. It's:
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Sherri, Congratulations!!!!! Hugs to you and little one. Enjoy your time with her! I love the name. You missed my mom's birthday by two days and my granddaughter by one week. She was two today. Remember: Settle down cobwebs, Dust go to sleep, I'm rocking my baby; And, babies don't keep. I don't remember the author of the whole poem but I didn't write it, I just memorized it while rocking my babies! OT: Steve, I have to agree with Abe Lincoln (and must say you came pretty close to the quote), "People are as happy as they make up their minds to be." Furthermore, based on your "picture wheel," the Sears farm is still a possibility -- just keep searching antique malls and flea markets. You have the picture, still in your head, it's yours!! On topic: I have vivid memories of all my childhood holidays. Most of them are good. My dad was great with holidays. He always got me whatever costume together that I wanted. When the store bought box costumes came out though, he thought they were neat and that's what we had. Dad took us trick-or-treating. We lived in a neighborhood. I can't say that about where I live now even in the same town; so much has changed. Our street was (still is I just don't live on it anymore)15 blocks long on both sides of the street were side streets that lead back to the street we lived on when I was born. If I didn't know everyone, dad did. Fifteen blocks long, three streets over, with more than a dozen side streets in between. Most of the people who lived there were original owners or their descendants (considering most of the homes were over a close to 80 years old then, well over 100 now. A lot of walking and treats. For three days before halloween, my mom would back cookies and cupcakes, make popcorn balls and carmel apples. A dearth of treats would adorn the dining room table. Trick-or-treaters were invited in to select their desired treat. (Often asked to do a trick for their treat.) Most of the houses gave treats like that. You can't do that any longer. When people started handing out the large candy bars, it wasn't too bad. My brother-in-law worked for Nestle and we had the REALLY good stuff! But we would often skip the houses that didn't give out homemade. Now there aren't any of those left. Halloween is not my favorite holiday, but I do love the parade. Ours is one of the best parades around. Thousands will attend this Sunday night and line the main streets. Three blocks of the middle school block to the street I grew up on, St. Louis Street. Six blocks on St. Louis street until it turns into Vandalia. Three more blocks then left on North Main Street for ten or 12 more blocks. Lots of bands, a float competition that brings in scads imaginative floats. I look forward to it every year. When I was little we just walked out to the end of the sidewalk. Now I have to hike a few blocks to take up a point on North Main. Writing this kind of made me sad. I loved my life then. When I didn't know how tiring living could be and my daddy bore the brunt of my weights of the world. Just one more thing. Dreamteller brought up a thought I have written about. I will have to pull it out of a journal -- seeing holidays through the eyes of our children. I always thought that was so cool. But I have found, even better, seeing them yet again through the wonderment of my grandchildren's eyes! Now that I am crying, I am done. Happy Autumn! |
| Hi Everyone! This is the 2nd time I am writing this as I wrote a really great post yesterday and then before I could click to save it - something that I was downloading for spyware or adware protection finished downloading and automatically restarted my computer!!! Needless to say I was not a happy camper. Congratulations to Sheri Q and welcome to little Zoe Elise! When I was growing up, I don't remember many people using store-bought costumes. In fact, I don't remember ANYONE wearing a store-bought costume. We bought wigs and masks, and makeup and everyone made their costumes. My mother would not let me wear a mask as she felt that they obstructed your vision too much to be safe. We did not have a curfew for trick-or-treating, and the night before was "Mischief Night" where all the kids went out with a bar of soap and wrote or drew whatever on car windows with the soap. Once you hit age 13, it was the last year that you would go out trick or treating, so Halloween really was for kids to dress up and have fun. You could go into anyone's house in the neighborhood and not have to worry about any crazies. This year, as well as last year, the church that I work at has turned the old, unused convent building into a haunted house for the kids of the parish and the neighborhood. There is a Halloween party for them afterward and then they are all encouraged to come to the Saturday afternoon Mass with their costumes on. It was a big hit last year, although some of the very old parishoners were a bit scandalized. Happy Halloween, everybody! |
| Congratulations SheriQ! And Boo! to little Zoe, too! And to Mr. Q. [rhymes unintended, honest] All Hollow's Eve, the modern day Halloween, what a fun holiday for grown-ups and kids alike! Every year we turn our home into a haunted house, a short version for the little kiddies, not too scary or upsetting, and a longer version for the older connoisseurs! I love the preparations, the fog creeping along the walkway, the requisite eyeballs in red jello, the guts and appendages dripping in 'blood', squeaking doors, mysterious sounds, clever lighting and strobes, mirrors, grabbers and of course, the living dead in their coffins! The kids come back year after year with their parents it tow! Last year when we moved, we had to leave flyers at our old house with directions to the new place so they could follow us over! It's really cool now because we're in a two-story and all manner of gizmos drop from above this year! Yeah, I really like Halloween! My kids would rather stay and help with the house than go trick or treating! So, they work in shifts, playing around with effects and many of their friends help out as well...it's usually a lot of fun. After the trick or treaters are done, we usually close down the doors and have a little party, food, snacks, punch and sodas for all the helpers. I have the Halloween I wish I could have had when I was a kid! |
| Catty, I think you are having the Halloween we all would like to have! What if everybody in the neighborhood had a haunted house? Haha! It would take you all night to see them all. American holidays just get bigger and better, don't they? That seems to be one of our guiding principles -- Let's make it bigger and better. Christmas already takes up the entire month of December. If it wasn't for Thanksgiving, then Christmas would probably grab a chunk of November, too. Don't let me forget to congratulate Sherri Q and little Zoe Elise! (And apparently there is a Mister Q involved in the whole thing as well -- the mysterious Mister Q -- heehee!) I'm gonna try not to be so long-winded this time. The national news is all about the election. Did anyone see the story about the Weekly Reader poll. If you don't remember Weekly Reader, that's the little publication for schoolkids. Every election year they poll thousands of schoolkids and amazingly enough the kids have picked the correct winner every time! I figure it's because only kids really know how their parents are going to vote. This year they picked Bush. So we are going to have a poll. But NOT how you are going to vote! Let's keep that a secret! Everybody is predicting a really close election. (Not the schoolkids, they split 60-40) So let's find out if you agree with the commentators that the election will be very close (almost 50-50) or whether you think that there will be a clear winner (either Bush or Kerry, no need to specify which). I think it will be close. I don't care if the kids have been right every time. This is their year to get it wrong! And if it's after the election by the time you get to post, then were you surprised by the results? Or was it about what you expected? |
| Hey I finally voted! I've never done it before and here I am almost 30. I do think this will be a close election, mostly because of all the stuff going on in Iraq and the stark division in the country about it. The polls have been pretty even from day 1, it seems, and I think the election will prove to be a very close race. I plan on watching tv on election day (if we have the results by then!). I'm still on maternity leave...at my bro's computer. I probably won't be able to get online again for another 2 weeks. Hugs to all.... Sherri |
| Hello to everyone once again! Reading all the fun stuff about Halloween made me nostalgic for my childhood experiences too. We went all over town alone and were'nt afraid of anyone or anything. Sad, how now that just isn't possible. Steve, I saw a different poll of children, (than the one you mentioned), who , just like you stated, had picked the winner every time for the last four or five (can't remember now just how many) elections. It wasn't Weekly Reader, but I forgot what poll it was. Something to do with television but I can't find it again because I didn't save it in my favorites on my computer. Anyway, it was kids who were being polled, and their winner was Kerry. So, maybe the children in these polls are picking up on how close it will be, or something? I think it will be close, but not as close as the last election. |
| Hello! I am so glad you voted Sherri Q!I always do although last election year was discouraging with Florida. I saw something about maybe 55,000 ballots never being sent out to the people in Florida, and I'm a little concerned. I think it will be close if no one cheats again. I'm moving if it gets messed up again! This year is interesting with the bigger push to get people to vote. I had someone come to my door to see if I was registered, and I've been hearing about so many more people voting this time around. Also I've been called twice to see if I was going Democrat or Republic, and I was selected for the Nelson poll so there seems to be a lot more interest this time around. Have a great Halloween tomorrow everyone! I'm envious of your haunted house, Catty! How fun! |
Ah, politics (I think dad said not to discuss politics and religion), makes life pretty dull! I am glad you chose to leave partisanship out of it. I was raised to vote for a man, not a party. To look at the big picture and not just my own views. I believe that whomever is elected, regardless of party affiliation, must be willing to serve all the people who voted whether they voted for them or not! I have not missed voting in a presidential election since I turned 18; one score and 11 years ago. (Doesn't seem as long when you put it that way.) Unfortunately, I have spent those 31 years going to the polls and voting for the lessor of two evils. Even the ones I thought were best turned out to be less. I think it will be close, maybe as close as 2000, this year. I am praying it will be a huge turnout though. I was disgusted by the apathy in the last election. If ever we were shown that one vote makes all the difference in the world, that election was it! I lobbied my 22-year-olds, since last December, to register to vote in this upcoming election. I think my daughter registered. My son refuses. I told him last week, he no longer has the right to complain to me about the government! If he is not part of the solution, he is part of the problem. People who don't vote can't criticize! Didn't know you were giving me a soapbox, did you Steve? At least I have left out my editorial opinions of the candidates for the top office. Both are scary; this is a tenuous time for our nation and the only comment I have is that, no matter how I feel either way, it is really dumb to try to change horses in the middle of the river!! My local races are very important to me as well. I am supporting a write-in campaign against a state office holder who has done everything in his power to keep trial lawyers happy in spite of the exodus of doctors from our local communities. We also have a state supreme court judge race. One is a former trial lawyer with huge funding from trial lawyers (trial lawyers get more than the plaintiffs in malpractice or injury cases). The other judge is endorsed by doctors. It is a "duh" moment for me, but it has become an ugly race to lead the blind lady of justice through the shark (read lawyer)-infested waters. This is an emotional topic. Leaving partisanship out makes it a little less; however, my adrenalin is still pumping!! Good Topic, Steve! Next! |
| Hi Everyone! My two grandsons dressed up as soldiers for the Halloween party today. I was surprised at the number of kids who did come dressed as soldiers. It was extremely windy today here in Ohio. Otherwise, it was a beautiful Fall day. Our topic - I have voted in every election since I was 18. I was raised to "be a Democrat", but I have always voted as an Independent, and I vote for the person that I think is the best. I follow the issues as much as I can and then try to vote intelligently. In 2001, we had a city council election and feelings ran really high about it around here. I felt so strongly about voting that council out of office that I voted in the morning before I went into the hospital a few hours later that day to have surgery! I think I voted at 9 a.m. and by 11 I was being prepped for surgery! next! |
| Fionnrua, you and I are politically related! I also am a Democrat who chooses to vote for the best candidate regardless of their party affiliate. I like to know their standings on the issues and then I go from there. I've only missed one election and that was because I was sick in the hospital. |
The Weekly Reader kids were right again! In 2008, I will have to bet money on their prediction. At least this time the popular vote matches the electoral vote. The 2008 presidential will be an interesting election. The Republicans will have no one to run, but the Democrats will have several trained campaigners to choose from. Have the leaves turned in your area yet? Do you even HAVE trees where you live? Well, someone could live in the desert, right? If I had to choose just part of the year to live in, October would rate very high. Actually, November here in the South can sometimes be very much like October. This one has started out with warm days in the 80's! And we just had our State Fair in October. I didn't go to this one. I've been so many times I could walk it in my sleep. It's always the same every year! Although I can remember a long time ago when it was a little more vulgar with girlie shows and gambling. Very clean family fun now. I feel so good that I must be tottering on the edge of disaster. You know how that goes! Nothing lasts for long, good or bad. Just when you think you are getting used to the current state of affairs, everything changes.Here's a topic: You just won a week of travel vacation to a single location anywhere in the world. Where do you want to go? That's a hard one for me. I want to go everywhere. But I guess I would pick Egypt for the art and history. I've always been impressed with the gigantic scale of ancient Eygyptian culture. I want to see the tombs, the temples, the Sphinx and the Great Pyramid at close range. I know pictures don't do them justice. I remember when I went to the Grand Canyon. So awesome! But the snapshots I brought back! How do you portray a mile-deep canyon on a few inches of photo paper? No way it can be done! You have to see it to experience it. After Egypt I'll do Greece and Rome. |
| Only a week? Well, if it's all expenses paid, I'd have to choose New Zealand. I think it's a beautiful place and I would love to explore and meet the people. I'd also like to go see the hobbit holes that are still there from the LOTR movies. My second choices are Scotland, Ireland or London. All overseas choices for me. But I'd love to spend longer than just a week! *rushing off* Sherri |
| Hi folks, Well I have to say that I'm disappointed in the election results and not convinced this one wasn't stolen too. Like a couple of you, I'm a Democrat, as were my parents and their parents, BUT I vote for the candidate and not by party. And I'm an informed and involved voter. I feel sad that our country is so divided, and don't think we've heard the last about this election, especially the "behind the scenes" vote stealing activities. I don't want to offend anyone, and I know politics can be a "hot" topic, but personally, with this guy in control, I expect things to get worse and worse. Ok, on to the new topic. If I won a weeks free vacation to anywhere in the world, I think I'd pick Scotland. I've always wanted to travel to the land of my Scots ancestors, and the books of M.C. Beaton, who writes so beautifully about the highlands of Scotland in her mystery series, have only increased my desire to go there. The photos I've seen of the magnificent countryside, the castles, and the ancient cities, are another part of the reason I'd pick beautiful Scotland as my dream vacation site. |
| Well this is really hard because I love to travel, and I haven't gone anywhere good in a long time. I'm going to cheat a little. If it could only be in the U.S. I'd want to go to New Orleans. I've always wanted to go there whether it was Mardi Gras time or not. There is something about that city that makes it so exotic that it doesn't seem to be part of the U.S. Otherwise I would have to say Egypt too. I've always been fascinated with anything Egyptian, (I think a lot of people are) and I'd never forgive myself if I had the chance to go there and didn't take it. I'm interested in stars as well which is why I named my child after my favorite constellation, Orion, and there is a theory that the pyramids are a giant star map on earth. The three pyramids are Orion's (or Osirus as the ancients knew it)belt which is why they don't go from smallest to largest. They correspond with the size of the stars relative to one another. All the lesser step pyamids scattered throughout Egypt correspond with the rest of his body. That would be a serious undertaking, but then again all of the ancient marvels of the world are anyway so who knows? The mysteries only add to the appeal of Egypt to me, and I want to see all those wonders first hand. I'm going to cheat even more now. If I could choose where to spend the rest of my days it would be a toss up between Scotland and Australia. They both sound incredible beautiful. It would probably be Scotland though because Australia might have too hot a climate for me. Besides the scenery, the natives of both of those places have the sexist accents in the world in my opinion. I wonder if there are people in other countries who think American accents are sexy? I doubt it... |
| Give me a cabin on a beach (or near it), a rental car and a writing desk in New England (no particular state, I love them all)! Sounds like heaven to me! I am in a real dither. No time to chat or expand. Off to 50th Wedding Anniversary party. (NOT Mine!) Anyone making it that long deserves to dance till dawn and I don't mind helping them! |
| Hi Everyone! Where would I go if I had a week? There are so many places that I would like to see it would be hard to choose. I would like to see the Grand Canyon and the Painted Desert, Georgia, Alaska, Germany, Ireland. As to sexy accents - I have always loved the accent of an educated Southener! There's something about that slow drawl and the "Yes, Ma'am" that spells "mucho hombre" to me! I don't care for European accents that much. They do nada, zip, zilch, for me (except for Sean Connery and Yul Brynner - remember him? What kind of accent did he have?). My internal wiring unfortunately does not translate the average European accent into "mucho hombre". Do I have leaves and trees? YES!!! They are beautiful. next! |
| Well, I live in a desert with Joshua trees, mesquite and Mojave Green rattlers. I have lived in Monterey, right off the beach, lived in the mountains, too. Snow every winter, heat every summer, four true seasons. I've lived in big cities and small townes but each place had it's own charm. I don't think I'd like to live in a real metropolis again, too much noice and smog. But a vacation, now, I think I'd like to visit Italy. Venice has long been someplace I'd love to get away to. But at the same time, I would really love to go to Russia, view what was for so long off limits to the democratic world... I guess it really would be hard to choose, there are so many wonderful places. Oh, and I have evergreens, no leaves, just lots of pine needles!! |
Looks like this group could charter a trip to Ireland/Scotland with no trouble. There ARE so many wonderful places to visit, aren't there? Or at least they seem wonderful from a distance. I have to laugh because I remember once picking up a book titled "Best Places To Retire" and seeing one of the towns in my state listed. Since I had been through the town and not found it in the least remarkable, I was quite surprised to see it on the list! But maybe that was the point -- to retire to a quiet out-of-the-way place where nothing much happens. Okay, in our current tradition of short, light topics, let me set up the next one. Now I've always been told that the traditional Thanksgiving dinner is: Roast Turkey with stuffing (dressing) Cranberry Sauce (extra points if it's homemade) Rice (with giblet gravy on the side) Sweet Potatoes (yams) String Beans (greeen beans) So the topic is Is that what you actually have on Thanksgiving Day? Or is it something else? |
| What we actually have on Thanksgiving day: Roast Turkey with stuffing, for the meat eaters Mashed potatoes and gravy cranberry sauce lots of salads, all kinds sweet potatoes olives rolls pie pie pie, pumpkin and other kinds. I've been eating less and less meat for years, so lots of times I don't eat the turkey, but I still make it for people who do. My mother used to make mincemeat pies every year for Thanksgiving, but I don't care for it much so I never do. Also, I'm an experimenter when it comes to food, so I try different kinds of stuffing, and new special salads or desserts most years. Some work, some don't. Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans here, and best wishes to the Canadians. |
| Well being a vegetarian we serve a Tofurky at my house, or I bring it along if I'm going somewhere else. Everything else is organic if I can afford it. Pumpkin pie with cool whip is a must. Mashed potatoes and gravy (hold the meat), fruit salad, cranberry sauce, olives, potato rolls, salad, yams or sweet potatoes, other pies sometimes too. Apple cider, green bean casserole, stuffing, etc. Am I forgetting anything? I remember the delicious sweet potato pies Mom made when we were little, and I thought I would try making one this year. I know you meat eaters out there are wondering what the heck a tofurky is. It's great! I think it tastes so good. You cook it in the oven just like the turkey only not for so long. You can baste it with a special sauce, and then surround it with potatoes and carrots so it gets all the sweet juice too. It comes with gravy, "drumsticks", cranberry dumpling, and a "wishbone". It is actually tofurky jerky in the shape that you can break apart. I love their jerky as well because that was one thing I missed. I know now though that it was because of the spices and the texture which they have done excellent at making. I should be their spokesperson! I just thought there might be some questions. O.k. well my mouth is watering now. Sometimes I think Thanksgiving should happen earlier in the month because I save almost all of my grocery money for that, and seem to barely eat the rest of the month. It will be worth it though! |
Somehow Happy Tofurky day just sounds....jerky! LOL pun intended. I am an American by birth. I wish the Canadians well. I love to stop and be grateful for all that the year has been. I believe that Thanks giving is vital to a good life! When I was a kid, my dad and my grandmother were the cooks. Now I am. One year, my mom said, "Let me take us out to eat this year." I protested vehemently. Cooking the day before and all day the day of is part of the holiday for me. I LOVE it. I use to do it on Thanksgiving and Christmas. I enjoy Christmas more now by leaving it to the folks at Honeybaked Ham. But I won't give up my toil on Thanksgiving. I am a very good cook and I shine. I try to invite people who may not have anywhere else to go usually that includes my mother (although there were six of us originally, kids that is).This year she is at war with me, so she will probably opt for my brother's in-laws. None of our holidays have been the same since dad died and the only time I have seen my sisters and brothers (except the little one that lives in the same town) is at funeral homes. Thanksgiving Dinner. I can taste it now and even as a diabetic will fast most of the day to eat all that I want and not disturb my controlled numbers! Turkey (20-21 lbs. bought fresh and never frozen) Dressing (though my dad did, I never stuff my bird) Giblet Gravy (I use the meat of the neck rather than the innards though, yuk) Mashed Potatoes (It is one of the few days of the year I use the real mccoy not instant) Green Bean Casserole Corn Pudding Casserole Yellow squash Casserole Cranberry Sauce (I like the jellied out of a can. I made some for the first time last year and it was divine.) Sweet Potato Casserole (My husband's sis and him made up last year and I made these because she wanted them. It was so good, we had it for Christmas and Easter too.) Yeast Rolls (They taste just like the ones grandma taught me to make, but now Rhodes makes them for me. Less intense! Yet my family would still prefer brown-n-serve.) Homemade (yes, me) Pumpkin-Pecan and/or Cranberry bread (usually both). Pumpkin Pie (always) (I have made it sugar-free the past three years and my family hasn't figured it out yet, I don't tell. Shhhh!) Last year, I added Pecan Pie, Double Chocolate Cheesecake and Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake (they were also sugar-free. Shhh!) We are so stuffed. Then three hours later we get it all back out and fix individual plates. I send leftovers with who wants them. The desserts do not last three days. We love cream turkey on toast, turkey tetrazinni, turkey salad and just plain turkey sandwiches for days on end!! This is awfully similar to the menu I grew up on, save the squash. I learned to make it the two years we lived in South Carolina and we love it. Only thing is, I can't always get decent yellow squash this time of year in the midwest. Last year it was left off the menu. I am now very hungry. Good thing I have two ovens!! Next! |
| Hi Everyone! I have had Tofurkey for Thanksgiving and I think it is good too. (My mother didn't) So is the gravy that comes with it. I am back to eating meat though, so we will have a traditional meal this year. Turkey Cornbread dressing cranberry sauce mashed potatoes sweet potatoes yellow turnips aka rutabaga olives (black & green) sweet pickles rolls green beans or corn wine Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone! |
| The week before Thanksgiving, we are making food baskets which we donate to one of the local dialysis units in our area. We usually try to make up five complete meal baskets and the Center passes them out according to need. My kids save all year for this, they recycle cans, bottles, paper, everything! Every penny earned goes into the "Dinner Jug" and the food is bought with that money. My boys take very careful stock of the things they buy, they clip coupons, watch the sale ads, it's always been a big family to-do. It all started when we didn't have a big dinner one year because we couldn't afford it. But we explained to them that we were the lucky ones, we had our health and a roof over our heads. From that year on, it just sort of became a family tradition which gets bigger every year. Our house now? Well, dinner is very big, everyone brings something special, there's always a nicely roasted Turkey, baked to a golden perfection. Candied yams smothered in Marshmallows. A ham, glazed with cloves and spiced orange slices, baked sweet potatoes, stuffed peppers with carmelized onions smothered over the top. Fresh baked bread loaves, several types of salads, green bean casserole, ambrosia fruit salad, pistachio jello salad and corn on the cob. Of course, it's not dinner without giblet gravy and mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing and of course, cranberry sauce. Dessert? Of course, pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie, mincemeat pie, brandied fruit cake, pecan pie, custard, banana pudding, cherry cheese cake and a huge carrot cake with rum-soaked coconut flakes. It's always a huge affair and we end the day sleeping!.... |
Ahem... Dreamteller, if I were you I would find another name for that Thanksgiving concoction. "Tofurkey" sounds kind of obscene to me! But after reading everyone's posts, I am hungry now! Thanksgiving cannot get here soon enough. I just hope that I have the will power to fast the day before, thereby creating a big empty hole in my gut to fill. I noticed a lot of people mentioned olives. What's with olives? That's a dish now? Aren't they just something to put on a pizza? Do people actually say things like, "I'd like another helping of olives, please?" Weird... This campfire moves so fast now! I better find some slow posters to join. I can hardly keep up with this pace. Since it's still a week before Thanksgiving, I have a turkey question for you: Have you tried turkey (real turkey, not *blushing as he says it* tofurkey) cooked by one of the alternate methods of smoking or frying? My brother did a smoked turkey last Thanksgiving. I think it took all night, but it was really good. He also smoked a pork roast with it and that was great too. If you haven't tried fried turkey, that's where you dip an entire turkey into a big vat of hot oil. It sounds like it should result in a greasy mess (especially if you forget to remove the giblet bag!), but when done properly it is delicious with a great flavor and some nice crispness to the skin and the parts like wings and legs. Speaking of turkey, my mom eats it all year in the form of ground turkey. She thinks it's the healthiest meat to eat (she doesn't like fish). And leftover turkey? One of my favorites is to chop it up in barbeque sauce and make barbeque sandwiches with it. And I like to boil the stripped carcass to make turkey broth for soup. So let's add that to the topic: How about some ideas for what to do with leftover turkey? |
| Leftover turkey. Always tons of it! We've always just made turkey sandwiches out of it. I like mayo and turkey only (as my husband cringes at the thought of mayo on anything). Of course, if there's dressing and cranberry sauce leftover, I'll just eat it with that, because that's the way it's the best. I've never done anything else with leftover turkey. And I've never actually cooked a turkey. My mom cooks one almost every year and she's never mastered it. It always ends up dry. I don't think she's taken the time to really study up on how to do it. My mother-in-law on the other hand goes through great pains in preparing her turkey. She stuffs in with dressing, bastes it, and it's always very good. I've not tried smoked or fried turkey. I had not even heard of fried turkey until last year! I'm considering buying a smoked turkey from a BBQ place this year so my mom won't have to cook one. I don't even know where we'll be for Thanksgiving this year. I'm hoping with my side of the family, because it's been a long time since we've been there for Thanksgiving. The inlaws leave every year the day after Thanksgiving to go on vacation! So we end up having Thanksgiving with them and then seeing my folks the day after. Last year was very nice because hubby had to work! I didn't have to be stressed or feel bad about not seeing anyone! Instead, I joined him and the rest of the EMS, Fire Department at the station and we had a Thanksgiving dinner there. I actually enjoyed it much more than the normal thing. Too bad he's not working on Thanksgiving this year. (Boy do I feel like a heel for saying that). That's one thing I don't like about being married is the pressure the parents put on us during the holidays to show up. With a newborn this year, I'm sure the pressure will be even greater. I'm thinking of telling all of them to come to us or quit complaining. |
| Great ideas for Thanksgiving dishes everyone. And for the record, I love Tofurkey too! It really is a very good turkey substitute for those who don't eat meat. And, I would like to request a few recipes! Past Voices, how do you make corn pudding casserole? And yellow squash casserole? Maybe you could email me the recipes?  No pressure if you're too busy, but, like I said, I love to try new recipes.Fionnarua, tell me about the rhutabagas recipe? Is it good? I've never eaten them much, but it must be good if you have it for Thanksgiving every year. Catty, what about those stuffed peppers with carmelized onions on the top? Sounds really good to me, and I'd like to try them. And also, your desserts sound really great! The huge carrot cake with rum-soaked cocunut flakes, especially. Just reading about what everyone's eating is making me hungry. On to the new question: What do I do with Turkey leftovers? Sandwiches of course, usually with lots of mayonaisse and sweet pickles, lettuce and tomatoe. With cranberry sauce and olives on the side. Yummy! Then I make soup from the carcass too, and put lots of rice or noodles on the table, to eat separately, or put in the soup, whatever people prefer. There's never been a problem eating all the leftovers. My funniest Thanksgiving experience was years ago. I was having the in-laws over to my house, and making a turkey for one of the first times, so I fussed and fussed to get it just right. Then, I put it all on my prettiest platter to take to the table. Well, somehow, that darn turkey just slid right off the platter onto the kitchen floor. I didn't even look around, just quickly scooped it up, brushed it off, and took it out to the table. No way was I going to throw away that turkey, or tell anyone that I'd dropped it. Of course, as I remember it, it was one of my best turkeys, moist and flavorful, and everybody raved. Ha, ha, ha. I never confessed, because my ex- in-laws had no sense of humor and would not have been amused! Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I'm so grateful and thankful to writing.com for giving all of us a place to share our writing, and get to know each other like this. And, thanks Steve, for creating this campfire. |
| I didn't name it Tofurky that's really what it's called! I've been teased by my Dad forever about it, but he admits that he likes how it tastes. Very funny ha, ha about that turkey story, Angelterra... She only admitted to this a few years ago, but I would probably do the same if I was in her place. Turkeys take all day to cook! I kind of like that tofurkys are smaller so we only have leftovers for a few days. I used to get tired of turkey sandwiches although I did love the soup. Maybe that was because I was leaning towards vegetarianism even then though. For the leftovers I do have, I either warm it back up in the oven or make sandwiches too. The pies and mashed potatoes don't last long at all. I don't really care one way or the other about olives, but it's a tradition. Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without a bowl of them. How weird huh? I'm always up for new recipes, but the dishes I remember have to be present. I wouldn't mind knowing everyone's favorite recipes either like Past Voice's Sweet Potato Casserole and the Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake. I've never tried a fried or smoked turkey. That just makes me think of the smokehouse in Alaska and the smoked salmon and the halibut. I might have difficulties resisting if presented with something like that. I love your tradition Catty! My Mom has always helped the needy, and I try to be as giving as her. Among other things, she participates in The Box Project and she packs clothes, toys, food etc. in it for her sponsored family. She always encouraged us to contribute to it too, and it made me feel so good as a child to be able to help. This Thanksgiving will be great because my brother moved here recently. He lives just up the street from me. I'm not sure exactly what the plans are yet, but I'm happy he'll be a part of them. I don't usually see him very much. One of my favorite Thanksgivings was spent on a ferry going to Alaska when I was young. We were getting kind of depressed about spending it that way, and we didn't have a lot of money. We had our dinner in the restaurant there and it ended up being great! We socialized with a lot of people, and just had a good time. Plus we were all happy and excited to be traveling and going where we were going. Sherri Q this is just my opinion, but if you don't want to go then don't! Holidays are ruined a lot of times because of other people. Do what makes you and your family happy. If they want to see their grandbaby enough then they'll come to you, or find some kind of compromise. If we don't speak again before the holidays: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you spend it doing exactly what you want to do and have a wonderful time! |
| The only smoked Turkey I have ever had was packaged by Louis Rich. I am married to a fireman. The past few Thanksgivings have been interrupted by fire calls. Mostly brand new Turkey Fryers! Too close to the house, too close to the garage, can't shut it off. I don't think it will become one of my new hobbies. I have enough of my own fire stories to tell, I don't need any new ones! I will be happy to dig my recipes out early and email them. I am a real good cook. I do my daddy and grandma proud I am sure. I have already started crying over the family Christmas letter, I can tell it is going to be a hard one this year. Dad's been gone 16 years and yet this year it feels fresh. SherriQ, you start your own traditions. Make them come where the diapers, wipes, blankets, etc. don't have to be packed in a bag and maybe forgot! Leftovers: I chop up turkey and put it in a white sauce (made from scratch) and serve it over toast with leftover taters and cranberry sauce. There are tons of turkey sandwiches and I provide a variety of breads to put them on. I like mine with mayo, sometimes some honey mustard, but always mayo. My husband and my kids prefer miracle whip. Yuk! My hubby uses mustard with the Miracle Whip and he likes rye. The kids like hamburger buns or wheat buns and Miracle whip. I was at a writing seminar last Saturday where they served us turkey sandwiches on wheat in sack lunches. A lady brought by a bowl and asked if I would like some mayo! Nasty miracle whip, I should have sniffed it first. I also make turkey salad, turkey tettrazinni, turkey and gravy over bread. We always heat up single servings of our other favorite leftovers to round out the meal. This week will go faster than I want it to. Happy Thanksgiving!! Next! |
| Hi Everyone! Yes, Steve, people really do say "pass the olives." lol At least they do at my house. Angelterra, not everybody likes rutabagas, because they have a very strong taste, but my mother, daughter and I like them. It is a tradition in my family going back who knows how far? I peel it with a knife and then cut it up into chunks. This has to be done very carefully as the raw rutabaga is VERY hard. I boil it, mash it like potatoes and add butter and salt. Voila! Very easy. Mixed with mashed potatoes is very good also and the leftover potatoes and rutabaga can be mixed together and formed into potato pancakes and fried. I am like PastVoices - the only smoked turkey I have had is Louis Rich! Turkey leftovers - if I have a lot, I freeze some of it. I make sandwiches too (with a little butter or mayonaise -never Miracle Whip! - and cranberry sauce), cut it up into small pieces and add it to omelets, eat it "as is" as a snack with cut up cheddar cheese, crackers, apple slices. etc., heat it up with gravy for hot turkey sandwiches. Here is a tip for getting very juicy white meat - roast the turkey breast side down. The dark meat remains juicy regardless (unless you burn the turkey somehow) The up side is you will have white meat that is unbelievably moist and tasty - the down side is that it will not result in a picture perfect, beautifully browned, carve it at the table turkey. It is best to carve it and then bring it to the table, because it will probably fall off the bone anyway! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! |
| I love turkey day left-overs. But I have to break away from the pack here, I love turkey sandwiches with bread, meat and good old yellow mustard! If it's heated up, I'll add a slice of white american cheese and eat tomato wedges on the side. I can't go into the leftover dishes because after day one, there's usually nothing left to the carcass! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! |
Hey, thanks for that "upside-down turkey" tip, Fionnrua! That will work out perfectly for me. I'm not the one that hosts Thanksgiving. It's at my brother's house this year. But with turkeys going on sale, I can't resist one of my own, and of course it doesn't have to look pretty, just taste good. The only problem I see is that the little pop-up "done" indicator will be pointing at the bottom of the pan, but I'll just stick my own thermometer in the up side! Lots of good turkey ideas, everybody. I like the gravy (white sauce) idea, PV. I've done it before, but forgot about it. Have to be sure to do it some this year. My mouth is watering for all the turkey I will be eating for the next two months! Hahaha! Then it's back to fish and chicken until next Thanksgiving. That "Do your own thing on Thanksgiving" advice is easier said than done. I would feel guilty the rest of the year if I bailed out on Thanksgiving. But it's no problem because I really want to go. Sherri, good luck with Zoe Elise. I think she's too young to be forced into meeting her social obligations. Give the kid a break. Stay home this year. In a few years you will be able to hear her say, "Awww, mom, do I have to go? It's so boring."If everybody wasn't so fast I would have talked about Christmas, but it's still not Thanksgiving yet! Okay, here is a very short Thanksgiving topic, a contest really: Who has to travel the farthest to get to their Thanksgiving dinner? I am going to my brother's house, about a 90 mile trip. I'll pick up my Mom and drive to my sister's house to pick up her family. Then all of us will take my sister's car the rest of the way to my brother's house. He has a big house on acreage in the country, so there will be plenty of room for a big Thanksgiving. His wife's relatives will be there as well. And what's the prize for the one who has to travel the farthest? A Special Mention in the Barney Campfire Newsletter. Yay! |
| Well you have me beat, Steve! I only have to drive about 50 or 60 miles to my relatives. We are going to my aunt's house this year which is right beside my parent's house. Then the next day we are driving about 10 miles to the inlaws's. Fun fun. Travelling with baby Zoe isn't too difficult, if timed right. We have to leave directly after feeding her or there's the potential for some crying time in the car. Thanksgiving get together's have always been rather boring with my family. As kids, my cousin and I would always go off in a room and lock the door and play board games (usually Monopoly). We were the only two similar in age. So, I'll understand if little Zoe ever complains of boredom! I may just teach her the lock yourself in a room trick and lock myself in there with her! Speaking of...she's calling my name! Gotta run... |
| I'm not going to win this one because I'm only traveling actross town, a couple of miles, for thanksgiving. Thanks for the rhutabagas recipe Fionnrua, I'm going to try it for Christmas this year. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! |
| So would you rather we didn't respond, Steve? It looks like you are the winner so far for the amount of traveling to do. I don't have to go anywhere. The past two years it has worked out where my family has come to me. My mom, sister, and brother only live across town, and I'm right in the center of all of them. I would love to see my Dad too which is about 300 miles away, but it doesn't always work out that way. I did see him this summer though, and I spent last Christmas there. You're right, Steve doing your own thing can be easier said then done. I would do whatever it takes to be with my family if that's what I wanted to do, but if people are forcing you to do things you don't want to do then you do need to consider what is best for you. If you are the only one ever making sacrifices then you'll start to resent it. I'm not even saying this is the case at all in Sherri Q's family or anyone's, but it is o.k. to do what makes you happy. Again I wish for you all to have a delightful Thanksgiving Day! |
| Newsletter? The campfire has a newsletter? Why don't I know this? Should I care since it isn't that far from my kitchen to the dining room table. My daughter who told me she was coming from Kentucky has cancelled. My sis-in-law has a boyfriend this year. She usually stays two to three days. This year they will travel 2.5 hours to stay a few hours because boytoy resents being made to smoke outside! That put a damper on my joy in getting ready today! Recipe hunting is taking a little longer than I planned, but I plan to have a recipe folder up by Wednesday afternoon. There is a great deal to be said for doing it yourself. My sister who resents my birth (not this round guys) would never eat at my house. So, when she disowned me after dad died (seems she was his favorite until I was born and I shoved her over and have bee shoving her over all my life) was no skin off my nose. I really don't miss her white-glove inspections and disparaging remarks about my child-rearing. At least I don't have two out of four that are drunks, one out of four a pedophile and a commitment phobic. Knock on wood, my laid back non-perfectionist approach to child rearing just might have some merit. I called mom today (I am not her favorite child of six either) and said, "Hey, the kids wanted to know if you were coming with your green bean casserole Thursday?" The reply was a very curt, "No, I am going with your brother to his in-laws. Good-bye." Some days I wonder if I am just torture hungry. Dad died and the family dynamics of holidays died with him 16 years ago. Oh dear, now I am crying AGAIN! OK, do I win for shortest distance? Five-and-a-half feet from stove to my end of dining room table. We may have snow, I could serve it out on a picnic table so Terry could smoke all the way through the meal. I am supposed to feel sorry for him cause his bird died the other day (expensive parrot), African Violet poisoning. Do you think the bird saw a turkey documentary and commited suicide? Sherri Q, take it from one who dragged twins and a 6-and-a-half-year-old on the "rounds," tell them to make it easier on you and come where the diapers and baby food already are. And while they are at it they could bring the food! The twins first Thanksgiving, I stayed up until four in the morning making complementary outfits for the babies. Hers was a slate blue wool jumper with plaid piping and pockets and a white blouse. His was a the plaid in a short jumper with solid slate blue side belts and pocket and burgundy shirt. My husband's grandparents trailer burgeoning with two grandparents, four children with spouses and the resulting 11 grandchildren and their spouses and too many great-grandchildren. Wool was a "bad" choice! I am rambling. Could be the hour or my most recent decision of five minutes ago to drive off a cliff instead of Thanksgiving. (Kind of kidding!) HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL AND TO....oops, I'm getting ahead of myself. NEXT? |
| Hi Everyone! I think I am tied with Past Voices for the shortest distance. I too, alas, only have to go 5 feet from kitchen to table. My mother gave me another tip for cooking rutabagas. Cook them with carrots and mash them together. The carrots sweeten up the rutabagas a little bit. One of my exercise buddies at "Curves for Women" said she cooked her turkey this past Sunday, sliced it, froze it, and on Thursday, all she does is heat it up and pour gravy over it. She is 70 years old and looks like she is in her very early 60's. She looks great and she has a great attitude. I just joined Curves a couple of weeks ago. I was looking for somewhere to work out (I need structure to keep me going, otherwise I get bored with it and would give up if I were just doing it on my own). Unless I have a dog to walk and run with, then I don't need an exercise program - but - I have no dog now. Anyway, I toyed with Jazzercise and I did a little bit on my own, but with poor results for various reasons. Anyway, my catalyst came when my husband and I were watching "The Batchelor", and Cindy, one of 3 remaining young ladies vying for Byron's attention and affection, wore some sexy dress for her date with him and my husband called her "bodacious"! I want him to think I am bodacious too, so off to Curves 4 times a week! I also want my clothes to fit me again!!Happy Turkey Day! |
| {/i}I am hosting this year, so my miles are zero! Not too much time to respond tonight, Happy Holiday everyone... |
You mean I actually won on distance? What a bunch of stay-at-homes! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I had a good time at my brother's house, about 20 people there altogether, with only 2 of them being little kids, so things were pretty peaceful! We followed the usual pattern of an hour or two of talk, then the big meal, and then more talk (I think I sat in the same chair for about 3 hours straight) and then the "nature walk" to hopefully burn off enough calories that we can at least get our belts to close. Why am I always on the last hole of my belts? Then the long drive back, so it was a full day. Guess what? We actually have a new face at the campfire. Meet NightOwl. I hope she has enough to say that she can be the topic. Okay, NiteOwl, the pressure is on. You better be interesting or we are gonna kick you out! |
| Oh gee, thanks a lot. Steve. I am not big, hairy, or purple, but I am obviously the youngest here at 14 and probably the only one who actually watched and was corrupted by Barney. My Thanksgiving was pretty normal. We talked, ate, watched the Lions lose again. My Yia-Yia(Greek for Grandma)'s birthday is coming up, so we celebrated that too with the tiniest cake ever in our family (someone else was supposed to bring pies, but never showed up). The only mildly interesting part was when we looked at my aunt's jewelry. She makes it and recently started up a business with a few others. We spent two hours looking at all the pretty jewelry. We would have bought everything if we could (except for this one bracelet with chunky red beads. They have dots that look like eyes. It was creepy!) Okay, maybe I should tell you a little bit more about myself. I don't know if I am funny or not. My family and friends are too annoyed with me to tell. I have two dogs, Ginger and Sydney, and two cats, Simba and Nala (how original). They all get along fine, but this might be because Simba is declawed and Nala only has back claws. Sydney always eats the cat food and is afraid to go outside in the cold. I am beginning to wonder if she is a dog at all. Ginger was our first dog. She was a chicken addict for the first few months of her life. I also have a little sister, Alexis. She is OBSESSSED with Disney Channel. I kid you not. One time last summer I come down around 11:30, only to find her watching.... THE WIGGLES!!!!!!!!!!! I asked her what she was doing, and she said normal Disney Channel is gonna be on in a 1/2 an hour and that was her justification. I informed her that it won't come on til 2 and that is still a poor excuse for watching the Wiggles. OK, I've rambled on enough for now. I guess I'll leave you with a more definitive topic. Do the people/animals around you have really annoying habits? |
| Welcome to the club, Nite Owl! If you ask me about annoying habits of people or animals around me, I have a long list. I don't know if that means I'm just easily annoyed or what (probably). I don't have any pets (they all annoyed me too badly). The humans I can't give away. Not sure if I should go into their annoying habits. I'll pick out the more funny annoying habits...My father-in-law has a habit of rubbing his hands together and patting his legs or chest real fast when he gets excited about something. I don't find any of the habits of my mother-in-law funny, as they are very negative. My dad has a habit of taking his time. He walks slow. He talks slow. He takes 5 minutes before he'll answer a question. Usually by then I've forgotten I asked him anything. My mom has a habit of ignoring everybody if there's a baby within a 1 mile radius. She has radar that hones in and then is unable to focus on anything else. I can't think of any annoying habits my husband has, which is a good thing for him. Actually, he's about the only person who does not annoy me. That probably says a lot about me, but hopefully a lot about him too. I have a friend, who is 15. She purposely tries to annoy me. She makes it her mission when we are together. Sometimes she succeeds. She's nicknamed me Stacey, just because it starts with an "S." And she calls my husband Chuck because it starts with a "C" (his name is Chris). And she pokes. She pokes me on the arm and on the cheek. And that is what gets me. My baby girl has no annoying habits. I don't think she's developed habits yet. Hope everyone's Thanksgiving turned out okay, despite some of the negatives with the families. ~Sherri |
Thanksgiving was everything I hoped for. I started cooking at 11:00 a.m. and got to sit down twice for five minutes each (to peel potatoes and sweet potatoes) before I put dinner on the table at 5:15. It was awesome. I tried a new recipe for a Cream Cheese filled Pumpkin Cake. It disappeared rapidly!!!! So, this year the pumpkin pied lasted longer than usual. Annoying! Funny you should ask, that was pretty much the topic of conversation at our family counseling session last night. I love my twins, don't get me wrong, but they annoy me consistently on a daily basis!! They are 22 now (23 come January 18). Seems to me they should be getting easier to live with, but that isn't the case. I was asked why I invited my daughter's boyfriend to the session (he didn't come by the way). It is because in the past year and a half, he is one of the most annoying disregarders of my respect that I know. My daughter gave him a copy of the key to our house. IF, indeed, it were for when she forgets hers, I wouldn't mind. However, he lets himself in in the wee hours of the morning on Saturdays to come over and go up and sleep in her bed with her. Neither of them sees why I have a problem with this. Am I "oversensitive" because I think if they climb into bed together (even if it is just to sleep and "cuddle"), they should do it in their own place and not my home? My son annoys me because he is always here. He doesn't have a job, most of his friends are away at school, married with children or overseas. I need some space from him. I am alone right now, but the twins just left and in maybe 10 minutes my husband will walk in. They either turn on the TV next to my computer OR ask endless questions requiring my full attention. Am I oversensitive because this annoys me? You know, maybe it is me, maybe you are fine Sherri, I just know that I need more space than any of my family is giving me and many of my writing projects are suffering from family interruptus! NOT writer's block, family interruptus! (But Sherri, really, give this kid some boundaries on what is acceptable or tell her to come back after she grows UP!) I could go on and on, but this campfire turn thingy only holds so many characters and I hate to have to trim off the cuff pieces! Ta ta! Short of drowning them, kicking them out (my husband, another annoyance won't allow it) or leaving them, if any one has any suggestions or would like two 22-year-old freeloaders for a while to give me a vacation and some much needed writing time, PLEASE do tell! |
| Hi Everyone and welcome to NiteOwl! I had a nice, relaxing, Thanksgiving Day. While I was cooking, I actually thought of Steve driving his 90 miles, and wondered how he was doing?! Annoying behavior? Bridget, my husband's pet cockatoo, has an annoying habit of screeching and flapping her wings while she's on your shoulder if she thinks that you are not paying enough attention to her! Sometimes it sounds like the jungles of Borneo here. My mother has an annoying habit of humming or singing to herself 4 notes over and over- "doo-doo-doo-doo". She also has an annoying habit of looking over your place, checking where you put and use ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING she ever gave you in your entire life. And she gets insulted if you don't have it out in plain sight too. next, please! |
| Hmmm, well I used to live right accross the street from my Mother and Father in Law, but I actually loved that! Just the weekend before Thanksgiving, they moved from California to Texas, I miss them both so much! Wierd? I know. My Mother lives with us, she's ok, sometimes she wants to rearrange the house around and it drives my hubby up the wall because it's his house and then they both want me to pick who's right! Really, what a choice! My twenty-one year old son moved out and left his pregnant girlfriend living in my home, why? Because if I want to make sure my twenty month old grandson is taken care of, I have no choice! What annoys me? A fly landing on a nice hot plate of food! |
| Can I stop eating turkey now? I'm glad everybody had a good Thanksgiving and thank you, Fionnrua, for thinking about me and my 90-mile trip. My brother-in-law did the driving, so it was a pleasant ride for me. But it ties in with the the "annoying person" thing. He always does the driving and two trips ago a rock hit his windshield and cracked it. It surprised us, because there was no obvious reason for it, but I hypothesized maybe a bird dropped it. I've heard of that happening, although usually when a rock hits your windshield it's because of the vehicle in front of you. Anyway, last year when we made the trip, as soon as I got in his car I noticed that the tiny crack had enlarged into a crack that ran all the way across the windshield, so I told him that most auto insurance policies will replace a windshield and without charging a deductible. So this year, the first thing I said when we were all settled into his car was, "Hey, you got the windshield replaced!" and he said, in what I thought was a kind of grim tone, "I wondered how long it would take you to notice." Heehee... So now I am thinking that maybe I was an annoying person for him! Well, as you probably know, campfires are limited to 250 posts, which means we are getting to the end of this one *sob*. I want it to last long enough to wish you all a Happy New Year, so if it moves too fast I will delay the last round so we can share that event. Meanwhile, we have all just gone through another year of our lives. Some of us, like Sherri, had major life-changing events happen, while others of us, like me, can say, "It was pretty much the same as last year." Although last year I wasn't on writing.com, but don't worry, I had already found other websites where I could babble, rant, rave, and write. So a possible topic might be Anything remarkable happen to you in 2004? or if nothing did, then possibly Got any exciting plans for 2005? and if you can't answer that one either then your topic will be How I manage to keep on living even though my life totally sucks. |
| I started high school. Greatest thing that happened to me in 2004. Actually, probably one of the greatest things that happened to me ever. Middle school SUCKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Especially 7th grade. Don't know why really, it just did. High school is like a godsend. A couple months ago, I ran into Brooke in the incredibly long lunchline (but at least nobody can push their way to the front like in middle school Anyway, Brooke was the school president last year. She's pretty, popular, yada yada yada. Cheerleader type. Oh excuuuuuse me, she's a pom girl, not a cheerleader. She asked me how high school was going so far, and I said it was going great. She asked if I missed middle school, and I was like "Are you kidding? No way. MS sucked." And she's all "Well I hate HS. In MS, I knew everyone, and now I don't." Well duh, there's over 5000 kids. No way could you know every last person. In MS< life sucked mainly because I had almost no friends. ever sat in a cafeteria by yourself? It sucks. So anyway, now I have at least a few more friends, and I'm not all depressed like I was in MS. There's 2004 in a nutshell. a big nutshell. Uh, Steve, you could always start a new campfire. Long Live Barney version 2.0 or something like that? |
| Publish Book or Bust!! for 2005. As for 2004, the year has flown faster than any I can remember since I started having children (when I first started noticing the years slip by at a rapid rate). In terms of life, this year has been one of sacrifice. I lost a 38-year-old friend, who had a three-year-old adopted daughter, to cancer and a 95-year-old friend to cancer as well. The 38-year-old needed more time. The 95-year-old was snatched back from death into a horrifying six month extention to her life. The dichotomy is still confusing to me and that was this summer. Friends also lost parents. My mother turned 81 and decided not to have anymore to do with me. My adult children are trying to be adults, other than I would have them be or I would be, under my roof. This is beginning to sound like the "Why my life sucks" topic, but it truly isn't. Even in times of despair, I know I grow. I was liturgist on Christmas Eve at church. I was renewed and strengthened in God reading the Christmas Story as told by Luke. There may be days when I forget to turn to Him, but I know without Him, I couldn't go on living. Today was my 26th Christmas with my husband of 25 years (December 14 anniversary). I should be used to having nothing under the tree from him as he has only given me three presents in 25 years, but it tugged at my heart as he kissed me and thanked me for his gifts. I do not give gifts to receive gifts, but I always expected my husband would give me gifts when I dreamed of being married. Maybe if my marriage wasn't lacking in other areas, I wouldn't notice so much. Earlier this year, I had sent a poignant email to a friend in South Carolina that I exchange gifts with each year. I didn't remember pouring out my heart and pain until I opened my main gift from her this morning. It is a three foot stuffed lamb in pink and white. It is one of the so soft plush animals around today. Hugging it is comforting! A note accompanied the gift saying, "Sometimes I read emails and I act rather than answering." I am so grateful to God for introducing us 18 1/2 years ago. My sister-in-law, lil sis, more than made up for her brother's omissions with presents dear to my heart. The neighbor boy, in the Air Force, who will probably be overseas (SOMEWHERE) next Christmas gave me miniatures of six U.S. Lighthouses and a book about American Lighthouses. Anyone familiar with my port knows why this is so significant to me. As the year winds down in these last six days and my husband crosses over the forty line into the big 5-0, I am reflecting. This campfire has been a tremendous writing tool this year. Steve, I do hope you clone it!! I don't condone cloning on a pet or people basis, but I will miss sharing here and getting to know others on a real basis as we do here. I hope your Christmas was merry and pray all good blessings for the New Year ahead! |
| Hi Everyone! Yes, yes,yes! I agree - Steve, please do a version 2 of this campfire. I think it is a great emotional outlet as well as a great venue for getting to know each other. I plan to get published this year too. I was inspired by someone here in northeast Ohio who was interviewed by the Cleveland paper. Six years ago this woman was on welfare! NOW she lives in a $300,000.00 house and she expects to make half a million dollars this coming year from her writing!!! She writes online books, she also has other author's works on her site from which she takes the lion's share of the book price. The stuff sells and the writing is NOT THAT GOOD! How does she do it? Erotica. She (and her other authors) writes romantic erotica, sci-fi erotica, western erotica, mystery erotica, etc. etc. If there is a known writing genre she couples it (no pun intended) with erotica. So you can write VERY explicit garbage and make a lot of money evidently. I considered it, greed and dollar signs flashing in my eyes, BUT then I thought of the down side - confessing to my Pastor what I was doing to supplement my income as a church musician!! YIKES! The scene did NOT play well. Plus, although I could do it technically, I would be embarrassed to do it, and I would need a pen-name for my pen-name. So the moral issue, for me, won out over my greed and semi-starving artist reality. Did I tell you guys about this before? I can't remember and I don't have the heart to skim over a hundred posts or so to see if I did, so if this is a repeat, I apologize because my life is "same old". But a lot of times that is a good thing! Happy New Year Everybody! |
| I write some erotica, but not for the sake of erotica. I personally write with character development, story line, etc... Some stories are written better than others, but I'm not sure I could submit any of THAT writing for publication! I don't think my stuff is that good to tell the truth. My hubby tries to tell me otherwise, but I think he's biased. Happy New Year and if Steve doesn't start a new one, I'd be happy to host a 'continuation' camp fire (with Steve's permission) of course! See you all in the new year! |
| Happy Holidays! Writing for money. That's a VERY interesting topic! (And erotica is a pretty good topic too!) Although I have never tried to sell any writing, I am enjoying writing more and more and the idea of writing something that would actually be published is exciting. Maybe I wouldn't make much money, but wouldn't it be sweet to pull a book off the shelf and say, "I wrote this." Catty, that's a great offer to host a "Barney Lives On!" campfire. If you will do that then we can all keep yakking to each other. Look out, everybody! Here comes 2005! !!!HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! |
| Hmmmm, writing for money. Not gonna happen to me for a loooong time. I'm only 14. I mean sure, there's that one guy who wrote Eragon, but he graduated early and his parents own a small publishing company. And I was in the bookstore a few weeks ago and saw another fantasy written by this girl named Flavia or something like that, and she was only 14 or 15. I would love to get published someday though. If I could ever finish anything like a novel. I'm trying. I guess that's my New Year's Resolution. Not that I've ever gone through with any of those. Has anyone here ever made a New Year's resolution they actually kept? |
| Writing for money...not something I really plan on doing. I do have a few children's book ideas I'd like to pitch to a publisher, but I'm not really that motivated to do it. Writing isn't my dream. I don't really expect that I would write for money. I'm the type that I splat something out and then never look at it again to edit or improve. LOL! I lose interest immediately. I don't think I've ever kept a new year's resolution. I start out okay, but by the end of January it's toast. Part of it is because I set unrealistic goals and try to do too much too soon. The only resolution I keep well is the one: "I resolve not to make resolutions!" I'm excited about new years this year! This is the first time hubby and I have something special planned! We are going to the Medeival Times restaraunt for their special show, tour of the dungeon, and new years activities! My mom is keeping the baby, so we can stay the night in a nice hotel as well. Yay! |
| Happy New Year everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and that 2005 will be great too. I want to be published, as in a book in all the major book stores, and maybe, just maybe, that will finally happen in 2005. This is short, but I'm doing so much this month I'm seriously overwhelmed. Steve, I hope you do this campfire, part 2, in 2005 too. It's been fun, and I've loved hearing all about everyone else's lives. Happy New Year to you all! |
| Hello all! Welcome NiteOwl! My holiday experiences have been wonderful this year. It was the first time in maybe 10 years all of us kids were together with Mom, and it was under much better circumstances than last time. I'm excited for the new year. My little sister is moving in on the 1st which will be great! She in college, and needs to save money, and we will love having her there so it will work for all of us. I'm not sure how long she'll stay, but she welcome as long as she wants. Last year was very productive for me with writing. My Imaginative Writing class seemed to unblock me for some reason, and I wrote a lot of new things. I just need to get them all on here now! I just had more writing ideas in general that could even one day turn into a book, and I'm totally o.k. with getting paid for it! I was very lucky this year too for some reason. I won a nice digital camera, a portrait package, and yoga classes. I enter things a lot, but this year is the only time I actual won any of them. My son won a Teen Titans playset (his favorite super heroes), my niece won a year's worth of pizza, and my sister won a $100 gift certificate. Our family is blessed right now! I'm just waiting to hear I won that million dollars, or rounf the world trip... I don't do resolutions. I try to think about what I want to accomplish in the coming year, and what steps I need to take to do that. If I am able to let go of things that aren't positive for me along the way then great, but I'm not going to stress myself out with unrealistic goals. Besides, I know me, and my procrastinistic nature! Well I babbled on long enough, but I'm glad to have to chance to talk with you all again, and I hope we are able to keep doing this Steve! Happy New Year! |
| Steve, you aren't saying you will continue. It wouldn't be a Barney campfire without you!! I quit making New Year's Resolutions (I never kept them anyway) years ago. 1987 was a really baaa-aad year. We were living in South Carolina (not pleasant if you are northern by birth) and I had fallen while trying to save a $20 toy from destruction and had the first of the surgeries on my right knee. On New Year's Eve, as my husband and I welcomed the New Year, I said, "1987 was the pits, bring on '88!" Just in the first five months OF 1988 my daughter had a half-sister die in a horrible mistake of an accident, by June my hubby and I had both lost our fathers and filed bankruptcy even losing our home. I have tried to stay in the present (not wishing to trade current status) ever since. Making resolutions is kind of like promising to do something I don't want to do, just because everyone else is. If I lose weight in 2005, that is to the better. If I make publishing happen, it will be because I got off my tush and did what needed to be done! If I clean my house every single day, it will be because aliens have taken over my body and so on and so on. A new year is a fresh start. This one has come more quickly than I wanted it to, but here it is. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. My husband, born between 9:30 and 9:50 p.m. on that night in 1954 is stressing about turning 50 tomorrow. I ordered a cake with firefighters on it. This makes the fourth such decorated cake in two years (father's day and birthdays), we will have to build him a miniature firehouse for his men and equipment. He wants no fanfare and no company (just a few intimate friends he doesn't know about! How on earth could I uninvite?). On the other hand 2005 means that I will also ascend to 50 in July. Pull out all the stops, throw me a bash, put it in the newspaper, publish a website, in other words PAHR-TAY!!!!!!!! I have earned every mile. Finally being published (big time, not the 400+ times in small markets) will be because of my wisdom gained over years which will shine through my writing! Writing.Com will have been my home for two years next month. This place, all of you (even the ones who haven't posted in a while) are all important to me and my accomplishments since coming here! Don't take any wooden nickels in 2005! HAPPY NEW YEAR 2005!! BLESSINGS ON YOU AND YOURS IN THE COMING DAYS!! |
| Hi Everyone! I don't do New Years Resolutions. I set mini-goals throughout the year and do better that way. A few weeks ago, I went to workout and they had a free bone screening test available. They put some type of sonic device on my heel and that measured whether or not I had bone loss. The rotten news is: yes, I do have bone loss. Therefore, that is a new goal for me- to improve my calcium absorption. I don't want to end up with a "Dowager's Hump" 20 years down the road. My Hubby and I have nothing special planned for tomorrow night - just spend a quiet night at home together, which in itself is kind of special Happy New Year! |
| Happy New Year to everyone! I have set up the
We'll wait to start adding to it until this one is officially closed, hope to see you all in the New Year! |
Yes, I am still in it and it is still a Barney Campfire! It's just not in my portfolio for Season Two. And when Season Three gets here, I hope someone else (PastVoices?) will step forward to be the host. Wouldn't it be neat if Barney II ended at the end of 2005? We would have a tradition of starting a new Barney every New Year.One very good thing about a new campfire is that the loading time on dial-up connections will go down. I know most of you are probably high-speed, but for my dial-up buddies who get impatient like me, this will be a good thing. Looks like everybody had a great 2004. Dreamteller is on a roll. We have to let her buy the lottery tickets for the group. We'll split the Powerball 10 ways and still have over a million dollars each! Yes, that's right, I don't have resolutions, I have dreams! I resolve to tighten up my schedule and be more productive. It's amazing how much time I spend accomplishing nothing. Although I do believe you need some of that "nothing" time every day, but maybe I'm getting too much. Fionnrua, on the calcium thing: Don't forget about orange juice and grapefruit juice enhanced with calcium (double bonus! - calcium plus vitamin C!) and there all those great calcium-high foods like cheese, pizza, lasgna, sour cream, yogurt, ice cream, etc. And don't forget to gnaw the bones when you cook meat and poultry... NightOwl, don't let being 14 stop you from getting published. Age is only a factor when you are dealing face-to-face. At a distance, like the internet or the postal service, it doesn't have to be a problem. Am I 12 or 120? I don't even know! This is a good time to invite some new members to the campfire. Is there someone you know who would post promptly? That's important because nobody wants to wait two months for the turn to come back around to them. (Catty, be strict! Be sure to skip turns when you have to.) Okay, everybody go accept your invitation to the new campfire, because we are moving over there as soon as Catty's turn comes up again. It will be a smooth transition and since my turn here follows hers here, I'll just make my next addition here a final post here and disable this campfire. I assume the order of turns will be different at the new campfire, but Catty will have the first turn there. LONG LIVE BARNEY! |
| I waited because I wanted to make the first post of 2005. My mom thinks I am spending wayyyyy too much time on the computer and I am wasting my life away. This may result in outright bannings, so don't be surprised if I am gone for short spurts of time. I will try to post promptly, though. We just had the New Year's Party at my Yia-Yia's. She makes this HUGE pita with BIG chunks of meat. There's a quarter in one of the pieces, and whoever finds it has good luck all year. My uncle in Florida got it two times in a row, and he's never even here! Yia-Yia still cuts a piece for him and my cousin Nick because "they're here in our hearts." For those of you who don't know, Yia-Yia is Greek for grandma and I am half-Greek. I have nothing else to say and my annoying little sister is pesteringf me to get off so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
 I should say something profound since this is probably my last post on this version, but oh well. I'm a more concerned with the fun little bracelet I got for Christmas that is leaking. It is purple plastic filled with glitter and gel. My son accidentally pulled it off my wrist, and I have some toxic material on me now. Just a sec.. O.k that's better. I loved these as a kid, but I don't remember this part! Fionnrua: You should take Steve Ellen advice about the calcium enriched orange juice. There are some studies that say we get more than enough calcium in our diet, but not enough vitamin C. Vitamin C helps you absorb the calcium so if you're not getting enough of that, extra calcium won't help. Past Voices: "If I clean my house every single day, it will be because aliens have taken over my body and so on and so on." That's hilarious! I have had a wonderful time getting to know everybody here, and I thank you Steve for inviting me. I can't wait for the coming year's posts. I really need to get call waiting though because I'm driving my family and friends crazy being online so much. Also, as great as all the old entries are, I will be grateful for less load up time at the new campfire, being one of those dial-up people.  |
| (e:snow3}Thank you dreamteller! I have a friend and a colleague who constantly tell me I am funny, but it is nice to hear it from someone who isn't standing right in front of me. I know sometimes I say things in front of people to spare them my real thought processes (and spare myself what they might do to me to retaliate)! Happy New Year 2005!! AGAIN! This is the year I get to turn 50! Since I decided years ago that old is around 150 and middle age doesn't start until 80, I am just a sweet young thing yet. My birthday is not until July, but unlike my husband (who is still freaking after turning 50 last Friday) I am psyched!! My grandmother (mom's mother) lied about her age most of her life. She was 39 every year until my mom turned 39. That year she had her 49th birthday (she thought we grandchildren couldn't add). When she turned 65 (for real), my brother-in-law had to go dig in courthouses in southern, southern Illinois to dig up her birth certificate. A task made even more difficult by the fact that she had never gone by the name listed on the birth certificate. I never understood her need to be younger than she was. I feel that age gives me some seniority and wisdom that people younger than me (unless they have had a horrendously hideous and difficult life) haven't attained!! Where was I? Oh yeah, it is a new year!!! I have only written one check so far, but the date was right. I use to have difficulty with that. You know, still using the year prior in March kind of thing. My daughter just came in after going to the college to pick up her books for the new semester. She is changing majors AGAIN!!! She insists that since her grade point average still isn't high enough to declare a major, she isn't changing majors. It is semantics and if we are lucky, she will graduate with some degree in 2007 or 2008 (having started college in 2000) beating my brother who avoided the draft by attending U of I from 1964 to 1970; however, he did graduate in the top half of the class with two (count them, 2) bachelor degrees. She gets mad, but when we watch the movie "Son-in-law(?)" and Krull tells someone he majored in Karate for two semesters, I compare it to Catherine (my daughter) and send her into a tizzy!! I see I am rambling and I really don't want to leave. But the fire is waning and we have run out of wood. So, I hope to share some more with you all around the new fire down the beach!! Be sure to bring your floaters, nose-pinchers, water-proof sealed food items and bottled water in case of (extremely large) waves!! Till then... |
| Hi Everyone, Thank you Steve and Dreamteller for your advice about the calcium enhanced OJ. I also bought some calcium supplements (which are huge). My hubby and I took this past week off from work so that we could spend time together and we both came down with a cold last Monday! However, I pumped us both full of vitamin C, echinacea, goldenseal, propolis, onions and garlic so both of us felt ok, just a little bit tired on Monday and Tuesday. We went to see the movie version of Phantom of the Opera this past Sunday. We really enjoyed it. The music is still going around in my head. My husband has also seen the stage production but I haven't. That 18 year old girl who played the Christine part was excellent! See you all at the new campfire! |
| ------------------------------------------------- Okay, Everybody! Let's go play at Catty's house!
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