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Musings on anything. |
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My blog was filled up. I'm too lazy to clean it out. So I started a new one. |
| I sometimes fantasize about which seven famous people, living, would I have for a dinner party or just a meet and greet. Only seven, because I don't think I could handle ten or engage in conversation during a limited time. It changes at various times. Right now think I would like to have Hugh Jackman (with his Australian accent), Phil Snow, Dr. Oz, RFK Jr, Terry Bradshaw, Vivica Fox, and Steve Harvey, Sometimes, I would substitute Brian Kilmeade or Reba McIntire, if one of the first group declined or canceled. They have different backgrounds and different experiences, so they could have a lively conversation together. I am not as outgoing as any of these people, so I would be doing a lot of jaw dropping and staring in amazement. Still it is a way to spend time daydreaming about why I would like to hear them and what I would ask them, if I could get a word in. I also think about the dead who might have been good company briefly. I'd include St. Francis, Alexander the Great (talk about dominating the conversation), Daniel Boone, Honest Abe, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and whoever I may have read about at the time. I know I would be in over my head. Nice to think about. |
| This must be a day for grieving. I just read that Ken, Hunter's Moon, has passed. We live in the same state, but have never met. That's all I know of him, except that he had wit, loved to write, and read others' writing. He was a bit more liberal than I tend to be. Yet, he was such a constant presence that this news was shocking and depressing. He will be greatly missed. Yesterday, I received news that someone I have known for almost fifty years passed peacefully in her sleep. She was one of the finest people I have ever known and for many years was my mentor. I respected her for her wisdom and good judgment. She was very good at her job, very organized, but also tender-hearted and generous. We did volunteer work together. I carried many of my problems to her when I was a young adult. She always listened. She and her husband, who passed away last year, have been in assisted living for a few years now. I have not kept in touch except by greeting cards. My cousin, about 5 years younger than I, had her fifth brain tumor surgery yesterday. The surgery went according to plan, but when they tried to wake her in recovery, she had a seizure. They had to put her back under sedation. This morning her vitals were stable. I have not heard if they woke her successfully yet. It is very hard to see your family members getting older and suffering. There are so many reminders all around us that we are getting older and nearing the end. We are sad for the loss, or suffering, but we are not honest if we don't admit, this loss makes us grieve just a little for ourselves. Each new loss kindles the embers that remain from other losses. |
| They claim that these activities are supposed to foster a sense of community and connection. I fail to see how sitting in a room alone watching a video has anything to do with community or social interaction. As interesting as the subjects might be, reading comments in the chat box from all over the country and beyond don't make me feel connected. However, I do recommend these events for people over 50. For many of them, you do not have to be members of their organization. In March I learned about Yeats and train stations. In April, I've learned about wetlands of Vermont and birds, as well as Maggie Walker, the first black woman banker in America. I've heard about her all my life, as a trail-blazing woman who was ahead of her time. I never realized she was the first black woman to run for public office in Virginia; she didn't win, but she ran. There were other black bankers, but men only. There have been longer documentaries at night, mostly about immigrants who have succeeded, and awards for actors and directors over 50. Last night, I listened to the London Symphony Orchestra play Stravinsky. There have also been some movies, not released to the general public that were wonderful. I have missed some Zoom sessions on scams and internet fraud. I am looking forward to one next week about hearing, a big deal for us older folks. I highly recommend these events if you are a member, or if not a member, look up events for AARP or Senior Planet. |
| Relax. I'm only talking Caddyshack type war, so you can skip out before going further, if you like. I have groundhogs, slightly bigger than gophers, but underground creatures nonetheless. I have a friend who is doing her own personal war on groundhogs. She's driving stakes in the ground, then stomping on the holes, hoping to make the dirt fill up their little tunnels. She's done the water hose bit like Bill Murray's character to no avail. Both of us want to stop short of explosives. I've tried blocking their entries, when I find them, with sticks and boards. Instead of Bill Murray as groundskeeper, picture a frumpy older woman wielding tools and stuffing holes. My friend is tall, skinny and blond, but she is a grandmother. She has tried more chemicals than I have. I put down lots of lime because it is supposed to burn their feet. But they only dig new holes somewhere else. With her insecticides and rodent poisons or my lime, you have to repeat every time it rains. I have a cage, but what will I do if I trap one? My brother has offered to bring some not so kind traps, but I'd have to find someone to dispose of a dying body. I have one tree in their area which put out a lot of leaves last fall and had purple blossoms that is dead now. Dead, dead, dead. It had really big roots overground. I am convinced the groundhogs killed it by tunneling around the roots and making their home deep under it. I want to put out rat poison, but I would feel terrible if a neighbor's cat got into it. If I were really humane about it, and not so like Bill Murray, I'd hire some company to catch them and tote them to a faraway place. I don't want them released on my side of town because I know they would find their way back. When I'm out there in work clothes and tripping over indentations in the ground, I mutter under my breath and I feel a kinship with the seedy groundskeeper played by Murray. |
| I'm kind of excited. I finally started my class in logic. I am a little fearful that it will be difficult to comprehend and remember. Maybe I'm not logically inclined. So, I don't presume to teach anyone else. I am writing about it here only for my own practice in memory. First, I learned that logic is not a form of arguing, as I had previously believed, but it is defined as the art and science of giving reasons. This class is in the classical logic and rhetoric-- classical as in a long established style going back to Aristotle It is a liberal art. I've always thought of the liberal arts as anything not technical or science-oriented. This professor says liberal means a human free to think as he chooses. According to him, the liberal arts are only five: grammar, arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy (not modern astronomy as we know it). Another definition before I continue my studies is physics means the whole material world, much more than what we study in a physics class. He further explains that science is a body of knowledge derived through contemplation. The example from the first class reminds me of high school geometry. Aristotle is human. All humans are mortal. Therefore, Aristotle is mortal (and will die). A-B. B=C. therefore A=C. That is a basic form of logic that everyone understands and can anticipate the outcome or final statement. There is so much more. I have to get all these basics down pat or I will be lost as I go on. It's always like that in math classes. You have to understand the definitions and basic rules before you can build on it or use it. Lots of study ahead. |
| I've never heard anyone explain why it is called Maundy. Most just accept that it commemorates the last supper and will even go to services. So I researched it. Maundy is from the Latin for mandate. It is factually the commandment that Jesus gave to his inner circle (John 13:33-34), not long before his arrest and trial.. It is generally felt that this commandment superseded all previous commands and was the culmination of the three prior years he spent teaching and training his core group. Ir goes"A new command I give you, that you love one another. As I have loved you, you must love one another. By this all men will know you are my disciples, that you love one another." There are three legs to this mandate. First, it is a command, not a suggestion or a hint. Second, he said that he had modeled this behavior for them. They had traveled, worked, played, ate, healed, and talked together. He had healed family members for them. He performed miracles with them and in front of them. All that traveling around, they spent a lot of time together and shared each other's thoughts and problems. The third part of it, the coolest part, is that outsiders will know you are his followers by how you treat other people. It isn't just you follow Jews, or disciples (it would be a while before they were called Christians). In the movie The Robe, Victor Mature's character explained to Richard Burton's character that it includes slaves and free men, women and men, Romans and foreigners. So, this is what Maundy Thursday is all about. It is a call to change your behavior or to remind you of your behavior. That just seems so important. I can't believe churches don't make more of a big deal about its meaning. |
| My church has a service once a month for challenged teens and adults, physical and mental challenges. We have a couple of kids and some people who show up just to be supportive. We call it Messy Church. You can be messy, noisy, disruptive, and move around at will. We have a girl in a wheelchair who comes regularly. We do crafts together, sing, and do a little sign language for the deaf. There is story time, of course, with no worry about behaving. On Thursdays at the public library, there is a special group for such young adults, no religion involved. Our assistant pastor is also a librarian, so she attends. Her interest in sign language is her granddaughter who can't hear from birth. Every other month we go one day to a public center for these same individuals who need care while their families are working. Today for the first time, I joined them. I sat with two young men who didn't talk and couldn't eat pizza with us or have soda. When we were singing, both of them just stared at me and grinned. I told them next time they are going to sing with me. They couldn't do crafts, so I worked with some people who could almost succeed alone. We made butterflies. It was kind of cute. They were pleased with their creations. I didn't force them to do them a certain way, but let them decide. I assisted as necessary. They liked to introduce themselves, the ones who talked that is. So, I shook hands with a number of them and gave my name. They liked to ask, "How are you?" It wasn't a bad way to spend two hours. One girl in particular captivated me. She was beautiful, perfect bone structure, smooth skin, dark hair. She was petite and fragile. Both feet were in foam boots. She was bound in a wheelchair, but could laugh and answer simple questions. It broke my heart to think this beautiful young woman was trapped in this body that fails her. Most of them are well trained, well-mannered and friendly. There were no behavior problems. I am glad so many people work at this for a living, helping these people to feel engaged and active. I am glad for so many volunteers who want to use art to help them express themselves. It is not work for the impatient or the perfectionist. I plan to go again. |
| I challenged a man today with NaPoWriMo. He's in his 90;s and likes to write poems. He self-published one small book. He gets lots of positive reinforcement from people who encourage him in his hobby but who don't take the time to read them. I told him to write 30 poems in 30 days starting tomorrow. He scoffed at me and went on to tell me how hard it is. I told him I knew this but he could write two in one day to make up for the day when he couldn't finish one. He claimed he didn't have the inspiration, I suggested he listen to music, then write. I only see him once a month. He can't drive any more, so I'll see how many new poems he has next month. They don't have to be masterpieces. He can go through them in May, throw out the stinkers, and fix the ones that are workable. That's the plan I have for myself. I may not do a single one worth showing to anyone, but I'm going to try. At least I'll something on paper, and maybe the effort will improve as I go along. Sometimes, it's just takes that first step. Poetry is a great mind game as you try to shape the language into different formats. I'm giving it the old college try. |
| It was a nice sunny day, but a little cold. I felt lazy and lethargic, but I was tired of seeing a big stack of garbage bags in my garage. So, I put down the backseats in my little SUV and lined the back with cardboard. I loaded up four months of garbage (I don't make a lot) and drive out to the recycle/waste landfill. They placed it in a very pretty farm area with mountains right across the road. You'd think it would look junkier, but they are keen on ecology. The car was a little fragrant with tuna cans and egg shells, but I managed. For $7 I got rid of 3 1/2 months of garbage. To have it picked up at my house, I have to pay $41 a month. A 15 minute ride out into the country is worth the savings. If I had a bigger vehicle, I could carry more. You drive over a scale when you go in and again when you go out. If you go over the limit, they charge a little more. They're pretty sophisticated for businesses. You can dump used grease or restaurant food separately from household garbage. They even have a section for brush and grass clippings. And of course, paint and chemicals are separate. Furniture can go with household, but anything with refrigerant has a special higher price. It feels nice to see my garage empty of the bags. I also moved some big empty flowerpots outside. Now I have to clean out the car and dust it before pollen starts to cover everything. I even have a fire going in a big drum with some brush. It's hard to believe a few hours ago, I just wanted to sit and vegetate. I guess making the first step is all it takes. |
| My area could have frost for two more weeks. That's only a possibility not a definite event. Frost has appeared as late as April 21, but, I am gambling on the prediction that all frost possibilities end April 10. I have my pots planned and waiting. I will need some more good planting soil. I have a little used, and some humus, I'm keeping busy while I wait, harvesting chickweed, and raking leaves that hung onto the trees all winter but are on the ground now. |
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