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 |  Fibro fog, pain, writing sandwiched in between. Quotes. Sermon notes. Encouragement. |
A Texas Sunrise  A friend, William Taylor, took this picture. He visits Surfside Beach with his dogs almost every morning, watching the sun rise while the dogs prance about at the water's edge. This is only about ten miles from where I lived in Lake Jackson, Texas. Sadly, I only visited this beach about four times in the six years I lived nearby. Each day is a challenge. A challenge to get by without thinking about the fibromyalgia pains. A challenge to stay awake when chronic fatigure wants to take over. And a challenge to navigate through fibro fog. I haven't been writing as much as in the past. For years, I wrote at least 500 words a day. Now, I'm lucky if I write 500 words in month. Sigh. For more information about what my day (or life) is all about with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pains, IBS, depression and everything else thrown in, check this out:
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| Recently, another writer was trying to feed my own words back to me. She thought that I had said that everyone was a writer. No, I certainly never said that! In today's world, everyone writes, but being able to write an email or blog does not make one a writer. Although there is a language created just for text messaging and chatting, it is one that even old farts can learn.  My mother used to use just an "L" rather than "LOL" in her emails. When I asked her about that, she said, "Of course I'm laughing out loud. Have you ever known me to stifle a laugh?" She was right. She also knew that she could get hurt if she actually did ROFL. On the news a few days ago, they showed a list of words used in text messaging. I was reminded of the first classes I had in speedwriting many years ago. In the first lesson, we just eliminated vowels. In the next one we learned a few one-letter codes to use for entire words. Yep, that's what came to mind with the list of code words for text messaging. Back to the subject. Although more folks are writing messages, that doesn't mean they are writers. But I do believe that many are writers - at heart. The need to write words on a page or computer screen is something that grows within us until we finally have to succumb. Some begin writing at an early age. Others stave off the desire to write until they have raised children or other tasks that they decided were more important than the aching in their hearts to write. Often times, people have been discouraged from writing from those who have no creative desires in their own hearts. They don't understand that ache within the person who must create or design. Eventually, though, every writer begins writing, and once a person has begun committing words to the page, the writer is born. Yes, I believe that folks who write - real writing, not just emails and text messages - are writers. But just as in any field or facet of life or work, there are writers and then there are writers. In spiritual terms, some folks talk about "baby Christians." They say that baby Christians are those who have accepted Christ as Lord, but who have not taken steps to develop their relationship with Him. They may pray and read the Bible and go to church. But their prayers are still a laundry list of wants and have-to-haves, just like a child pleading with a parent. The baby Christian has not yet learned to sit and be still and quiet and listen for God to touch his or her soul. He has not yet delved into the Word. She has not sought her true purpose, the one for which she was created. One can be a baby Christian throughout a lifetime, always believing, but never really becoming a true follower of Christ. And so it is with writers. Having the desire in one's heart and then acting upon that desire and writing makes one a writer. But one can be and stay in the "baby writer" stage throughout a lifetime. But wait!!!! Someone suggested that this might make a good item on it's own. Perhaps it will. So...if you want to read the rest of this, click here:
Sorry, guys. This entry was getting rather long... Anyway, I think I might just need a nap. I'm starting to feel like I'm shutting down. I'm getting warm, my mind is getting a bit fuzzy and my eyelids are starting to droop. Those are all signs that my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue are taking control of the day. I hate it when that happens. Later! |
Cool beans. I got a second place prize in vivacious   's contest, "Invalid Item"  Check it out:
There were some great entries in that contest. If you have not seen them all, I recommend a visit. ********* Someone commented to me that she didn't qualify for that no-entry fee contest I mentioned yesterday, because of the age thing. Here's another place you can look for poetry contests without entry fees: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/free/log/frl_results.php You might have to register - free, of course - to view the list of contests. There's also a newsletter that you can get. *********** It must have been last summer when we found out that 3 year old Marcus Fiesel had been killed. His foster parents reported him missing/kidnapped. But they had bound him and put him in a closet while they went out of town. At the trial of the foster mother - Liz Carroll - there was some confusion about whether or not he was actually dead before being tied up. Yesterday, it took the jury between 5 and 6 hours to decide that Carroll was guilty on all counts. The prosecutor was good. In his closing remarks, he showed a picture of what Marcus looked like alive. Then he held up a styofoam coffee cup and said, "Marcus' remains would fit in this cup." (The foster parents had burned his body after - surprise, surprise - discovering him dead when they returned from their trip.) Then he said, "People would say they wouldn't do this to a dog. She wouldn't. She wouldn't. She took her dog on the trip." What a powerful closing. Today, the sentencing hearing took place. Some thought she would get about 15 years in prison, but the judge sentenced her to 54 years to life. I don't know when the foster dad's trial is scheduled. Sadly, the other adult involved in this - the girlfriend of Mr. and Mrs. Carroll (huh?) - is going to get off, since she's the one who got a plea bargain. For telling the whole horrible tale, even though she participated, she'll get off. You have to wonder about the process that decides who is and isn't worthy of being foster parents. After all of this happened, it was determined that the Carroll's could not afford their own children, let alone a foster child. They were, apparently, only into foster parenting for the money. ********** The higher temperatures the last few days and the rain yesterday have melted the snow. Yippee. Here's hoping we don't get any more. I'm ready for bright Spring colors. The shades of gray of winter are some of the things that keep me "down", I think. *********** Here's another poetry contest (no entry fee) for the over 50 crowd. Not just for women this time. http://www.poetryfoundation.org/foundation/Emily_Dickinson.html The Poetry Foundation seeks one book-length poetry manuscript to be published in the Emily Dickinson Poetry Series. The competition is open to any American citizen 50 years of age or over who has not previously published a book-length volume of poetry. In addition to publication and promotion of the manuscript, the winner will receive a prize of $10,000. Submissions accepted: May 15, 2007–June 15, 2007 |
TexansBeatTheMiamiDolphinsBy3  says I keep finding poetry contests with entry fees. Here's one with no entry fee.  A poetry contest - no entry fee - for women over 50. http://portiasteeleaward.org/contest.htm Deadline April 15, 2007; Awards announced June 16, 2007 $100 awards. Publications seeking submissions: http://thedabblingmum.com/writersneeds.htm http://www.faithtoday.ca/writer.asp |
| Rain and warmer temperatures helped melt a bunch of the snow yesterday. It also caused us to have lots and lots of fog outside. Now the temperatures are back down, but the fog remains. I just heard the weather person call it "freezing fog." Don't think I ever heard that term before. ******* I had some interesting comments about yesterday's entry. One person asked privately if I really thought there was no difference in crimes committed against an elderly woman or a gay men. I told him that I saw no difference at all. When I was a young woman, my grandmother was attacked while waiting for the bus. She hung on to her purse when the thug tried to grab it, so she was dragged. I think she must have grabbed his leg, so she was kicked too. I don't remember all the details, but I believe she spent at least one night in the hospial for observation of her wounds. (And probably to calm her down!) Around that same time, a young gay man was robbed also while waiting for the bus. He was dragged and kicked and spent a night in the hospital. Maybe the creep who attacked the young man didn't like homosexuals. But, we don't know the motivation of the young man who attacked my grandmother. Maybe he hated women. Maybe his grandmother was strict and he hated elderly women because of that. Even today, those kinds of questions would not be asked of someone who attacks the elderly, because no one cares if hate is involved in crimes against them. Each of these individuals - the gay man and my grandmother - experienced the same crime. I think that the punishments for each one should be the same. I think it's more likely that these criminals hate themselves and everyone else as well, and that they see gay persons as easy marks, just as they see grandmas as easy marks. Criminals should be punished. The more heinous the crime, the worse the punishment should be. But the measurement should be in how much suffering was inflicted, not in the color of the victim's skin or his/her sexual preferance. 'Nuff said. ********* A sense of humor was something my mother shared with her siblings. (She had three sisters and two brothers.) When I was a kid, we all gathered each year in North Carolina for family reunions, and even then I can remember laughing and laughing at their quick wit. They were all different, but the were all comedians. I have already lost one aunt and one uncle. My mom and the two remaining aunts have forgotten how to be funny. Actually, they have forgotten many things. In my Mom's case, she has pretty much forgotten everything - what day it is, where she lives, when my Dad died. The only thing she has not completely forgotten is how to make crosses on plastic canvas. I have hundreds of them! (And that's another story for another day...) Strangely, as the humor of our parents and aunts and uncles has diministed, the wit of the next generation - of my cousins and myself - seems to have increased. It's as if the baton has been passed. Just a few days ago, I got an email from someone here whose only comment was, "you're so funny." I never thought of myslef as funny. But sometimes, even as I re-read words that have escaped onto the page, I smile and think, "Did I write that?" I guess it would have been about seven or eight years ago when my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Most of my cousins gathered in Pittsburgh for the event, and it wasn't until later that I realized what quick wits each one had developed. When we were together in a group, we laughed and laughed, and we took turns being the joker or the jokee. Now, when I consider our children, the next generation, I wonder if they will develop this wit as they age. They all seem so serious. Were we that serious too when we were young? What kind of a world do we live in when kids can laugh and old farts can laugh, but those caught in the middle find the world so serious that they hardly ever smile?  |
| Yesterday I received an email from a conservative source about HR254. The official name of the bill is The David Ray Hate Crimes Prevention Act, but in researching, I discovered that many have started calling it The Thought Crime Bill. The subject of the email I received about this bill was: Hate Crimes Bill Would Crush First Amendment Freedoms and Place Bible Preachers in Peril. Other web sites and blogs use these words: Threatening Our Civil Liberties, Assault on Freedom, What About the Fourteenth Amendment That Guarantees Equal Protection? I read what I could find about this bill, and, although I didn't see where just quoting Bible verses would be construed as intimidation, I do know that other locations (states and other countries) with hate crime bills have considered this to be the case. Here are some of the things I've discovered in my Internet search: 1) The bill was introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas). 2) Those who are opposed to it say that it could criminalize Christianity. 3) Some say that the new Democratic majority in Congress is catering to militant homosexuals. 4) This legislation imposes penalties on those who commit crimes against homosexuals and establishes unequal standards of justice for the same crime, depending on the criminal’s motivation. There are those who say it will also be used to crush criticism of homosexuality and punish Christians for witnessing. 5) This bill is being proposed even though statistics from the years since 2001 show a decline in violence against homosexuals. In today's world, an individual is more likely to be attacked for being a Christian than being a homosexual. (Same-sex domestic violence increased by 13% since 2002.) 6) In Philadelphia, Christians with Repent America, including a 75-year-old grandmother, were arrested for quietly witnessing at a city-sponsored gay celebration. 7) In Canada, Christians have been fined and forced to attend "sensitivity training" for letters-to-the-editor setting forth the Biblical view of homosexual relations. 8) In Sweden, Pastor Ake Greene was prosecuted for a sermon. 9) There are persons who say this pending hate crimes bill could also be used to stifle a frank discussion of Islam and that questioning the Koran’s teachings on Christians and Jews could be considered a criminal offense. 11) A law like this almost passed in the last Congress, with a Republican majority. If you are opposed to this bill - after prayer and research!!! - then contact your elected officials. U.S. Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 The White House (202) 456-1111 For months, I had quite a discussion going with a gay writer on our site. He was interested in what the Bible said and what I thought the Bible meant about homosexuality. Our discussions - via email - lasted for about three months. If this bill does see words as intimidation, then I might not have been able to have that discussion. There is a discussion forum here for Christians and Muslims. Would this bill would make participating in such discussions a risky business? I do not condone violence against any individuals, no matter what their gender, race, religion or sexual preference. But I do think it is wrong for our laws to give greater punsishments to those who harm persons who are gay or of a different race than the criminal than they do for harming children or the elderly. Hate, or at least indifference, is involved in all acts of violence and crime, not just against those who are gay. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.254: http://www.house.gov/writerep/ http://www.shelleytherepublican.com/2007/01/18/briefly-patriotic-the-hr254-thoug... http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Evils%20in%20Government/Police%20State/hr254.htm http://www.indianavoiceforthefamily.org/PDF%20Files/hatecrimes.pdf |
| ...but I just had to add this before I forgot. I have already written about what I think about the use of "Please?" by some many Cincinnatians. "Please? Oh Pah-leeeeeze!" And I have mentioned - elsewhere - how funny I think it is that folks from Cincinnati think spaghetti sauce is chili. http://ezinearticles.com/?Only-in-Cincinnati&id=322784 This other thing really puzlles me, although it's about Ohio and not just Cincinnati. I have lived in PA and in MI. I've lived in three different cities in MI. In PA, although I always lived in the Pittsburgh area, I did live in four separate areas in or near the city. In every one of these the local governing agencies had ordinances about snow and sidewalks. In each instance, the local governing bodies insisted that homeowners and business owners remove snow from the sidewalks in front of their properties by shoveling and salting them. If someone fell on the sidewalk outside of your home or business and you had not removed the snow and ice from it, you could be in big trouble. You could be sued. And, in the areas where I grew up in the 'Burgh, you could be cited and fined for not tending to your walkways, even if no one ever did slip and fall on them. Here in the state of Ohio, things are different. If you DO shovel snow on your sidewalks and otherwise tend to them like a normal person would, and someone falls on your sidewalk, you can be sued. If, on the other hand, you just let nature dump snow and ice on your walks and ignore the fact that you have mounds of snow on your walkways, you cannot be sued if someone falls. Don't you think that's completely backwards????? I surely do. Besides, in other communities where I have lived, the US Postal Service could refuse to deliver mail if your sidewalks were not shoveled and there was not a clear path shoveled and salted to your mailbox. Obviously that must not apply here either. How weird is that? |
| So much to say...so much to remember...so much to ponder... Incurable Romantic 's daughter, Tiffany, was with us this weekend. At one point, she and I were lovingly teasing her dad about something. She made a comment, then said, "Ooops. Did I say that out loud?" And I laughed so much that I almost did roll on the floor.  I can't even remember what we were discussing before that.Things turned rather...well, sticky, when Tiff was supposed to leave us yesterday afternoon. Her mom was asked to switch her day off from Tuesday to Monday, so she asked that Tiff be taken to her grandmother's house. Boy, oh boy, the (tear) floodgates opened up on that one. Tiff did not want to spend the night at grandma's. School is out today, and obviously Tiff needed a place to be today with supervision. I'm home, but Tiff's mom doesn't like me and thinks I'm waaaay too sick to take care of her kid. (I think it's more that she doesn't like me.) Tiff did end up staying here one more night. Now we just have to pray that her mother doesn't get verbally abusive to her about the incident. Because of her mother's schedule (starting at 5 a.m.), Tiff spends many nights with her aunt or grandparents. She's really getting tired of bouncing around, and I can't say that I blame her for that. Her mom also seems to have a short fuse and is a very loud person anyway. And she is doing what divorced single moms are advised against time and again. 1) She's putting down dad at every opportunity. And 2) She talks to Tiff as if she is an equal - a girlfriend - rather than her child. (She's only ten!) And Tiff is getting way too much information that way - about how her mom feels about her dad, about men in general, about money, about life. I was a single mom myself for many years and I know that it's tempting to talk with your kid about these things or to vent about them. But you just don't do that to a kid. You just don't. Of course, this is the soft version of what the weekend was like, since it's a public blog. ******** Supposedly, we're supposed to see near 50 degrees this coming weekend. My first reaction to that is certainly, "YIPPPEEEEE!!!!!" Then reality sets in and I realize we'll be singing, (to the tune of There's a Hole in the Bucket...dear, Liza)..."There's a flood in our backyard, our backyard, our backyard. There's a flood in our backyard, our backyard, a flood." There will, no doubt, be flooding down by the Ohio River as well. And I'll be wondering why in the world people choose to live there and be flooded year after year. Just like I always wondered about - when I lived in TX and FL - why folks stayed on the Gulf Coast. Oh well. A swampy back yard isn't too bad at this time of year. At least it's too early for mosquitoes. See? There's a bright side... |
| Our pastor was on vacation with his family - skiing in West Virginia - on Sunday. We watched a video for our sermon. Usually, I prefer hearing the testimony of a lay speaker or a real, live substitute pastor/teacher/speaker to watching a video. (Maybe it's an age thing?) But I did enjoy the video on Sunday. We heard one part of a two part message by John Ortberg. I doubt we'll hear the second part, but part one stood alone quite nicely. If that name sounds familiar, you might have seen some of his books. He's the author of If You Want to Walk on Water, You'Ve Got to Get Out of the Boat and others. He's also the teaching pastor at a church in Menlo Park, CA. Anyway...Ortberg started by talking about how many people the Bible mentions as walking with God or where the phrase, "God was with _________(fill in the blank)." That's certainly true. If you look, you'll see that "the Lord was with Joseph" and "Noah walked with God." There are many other examples. Okay... I copied a phrase that Ortberg said, "It's better to be in the desert with God than in the promised land without God." Amen. He talked about how the day really begins at night and that God created evening and morning. He reminded us that other cultures and faiths begin celebrating feasts or holidays or holy days at sundown. And he talked about how we should leave our burdens and requests for God at the end of the day. We can sleep - well and soundly - knowing that God will be up all night taking care of us and of those problems we relinquished. Hmmm. He said that how you sleep sets the tone for the next day. If you go to bed stressed, you'll like wake up stressed and that not only sets the tone for the day, but it becomes your normal pattern. After learning to de-stress and to give our burdens to God at night, we also need to learn to wake up with God. Perhaps even before putting our feet on the ground, we should talk with God and invite Him to be with us throughout the day. God is a polite God. He won't just intrude on our lives. He waits for our invitation, and we need to learn and remember to extend that invitation each and every day. Won't our days be different if we know that we have asked God to be with us throughout the day? If we know that He is with us as we act and react to the world around us? Ortberg suggested that we: 1) Start the day with God by acknowledging our dependance upon Him. 2) Identify our fears and remove them from our lives by just allowing God to take them over for us. 3) Renew our invitation to have Jesus spend the day with us each and every day. 4) Know that our Spirits are fed by words - good or bad words. So getting close to God, reading His word and talking with Him and allowing Him to talk with us is important - to counteract the negative and bad words that will try to feed our Spirits throughout the day. He suggested that we grasp onto some of the Bible verses like Phil 4:13 and recite them to ourselves and think about them through the day. He suggested finding other such verses, ones that give positive statements about who God is and about His strength and repeat them throughout the day - to help combat negative influences. And to give us strength. 5) Allow interruptions by God. Be open to God's Holy Spirit and ask for discerning when interruptions do occur, so that you can tell the difference between an annoyance and a God opportunity. Ortberg said that what looked like the worst interruption of all - the interruption of Christ's ministry - turned out to be the greasest service of all. Now that's something to ponder - and remember - when that irritating neighbor knocks on your door - again. Does she just want to chit-chat again? Or is she wanting some of that joy you have? The Holy Spirit can help us know the difference. 6) Show confidence. Knowing that God is at your side - all day long - should help you exhibit more confidence. Ortberg said that if we really do invite Dad to be with us throughout the day - the whole day - then eating too much shouldn't really be a problem. Nor should starting or stopping another habit or activity. Not if we know that He is ready to wrap His arms around us throughout the day to help us get through anything. The whole bunch of us laughed when Ortberg talked about our fast food eating habits. He said, "There you are with two Big-Macs in front of you and 70 grams of fat and you're asking God to bless this food to your nourishment. That's asking for a miracle!" Now that's a fact. What are we thinking??????? |
| The alarm was set so that I'd jump from bed and rush to to pick up Derek at work. Hubby was going to bundle up to brush off what he termed "a dusting of snow" from my car's windows, plus see if there was ice underneath that he needed to scrape. Suddenly, my cell phone rang and we discovered that Derek had a ride home. Yippee. I didn't have to get cold. Hubby quickly jumped back under the covers and, I'm sure, was out in no time. I prefer getting up early, so I logged on here to see what damage I could do. When I looked outside at my car, I decided the hubby and the weather dude must have gone to school together. Snow dusting? There's at least 1 1/2 inches of snow on my car! Hrrrummmffffff. As a girl born in the 50's, I learned all about dust and dusting. Back then, women still did all the housework. Ooops, excuse me. That hasn't really changed, has it? Anyway, about that dust. Dusting was one of the first tasks little girls could do - excitedly - as they learned from moms and grandmas all about the art of housekeeping. Oh boy, oh joy. And on laundry days, we also were fortunate enough to be able to iron things like hankies and pillow cases. I didn't enjoy that very much, but I did love doing the sprinkling.Dust is something that one can almost remove from the surface by puckering one's mouth and expelling air towards it. It is certainly something that comes off with a quick swipe of a soft cloth or a feather duster.The stuff on my car, while it appears to be that light and fluffy kind of snow, is a bit too thick to be just "whooshed" away with a cloth. A small broom might do the trick, but that's doubtful. And now...the snow is coming down even more. Okay, I admit it is mighty purrrrty when you're inside looking out. Especially if you've spent 25 years not even seeing the white stuff. But it would be so much nicer if it was like that fake snow we use at Christmas time. You know....NOT COLD! Before I decided to write a few words here, I checked my email. One of my writing newsletters was there, and I explored some of the links in that, plus wandered around in cyberspace even more. It's amazing how we move from one site to another to another. Then if the computer crashes or freezes up and we try to find our way back, it isn't always possible. I know, I know, put it in your favorites file before that happens. You should see my favorites file. It's like the one here at WDC. It gets rather full. Anyway, I did run across some interesting sites that I DID make note of: Somehow I've missed seeing this magazine. Good Old Days I'd probably get lost in these pages...Check out the writer's guidelines: http://www.goodolddaysonline.com/pages/magazineinfo.html Rewind the 50's http://www.loti.com/ The Dollar Stretcher...for frugal folks or wannabes http://www.stretcher.com/index.cfm Back Home Magazine - sustainable living...very popular topic lately. http://www.backhomemagazine.com/current_issue.htm A few neat things here. One page shows a review of some software that you can get - not that expensive - to record your poetry, with or without background music. http://www.thepoetrymarket.com/ Love this one! They're looking for 750 word essays on Which Should you Trust More-your Head or Heart? No submission fee TexansBeatTheMiamiDolphinsBy3 . http://www.think-off.org/Yesterday, TexansBeatTheMiamiDolphinsBy3 commented on the links I had provided the other day. Submission fees were required. That often happens with poetry contests. Not usually with other contests.I was pondering that. Maybe they give the fee directly to the folks having to read a ton of bad poetry. After all, because of some of those yucky poetry sites that tell everyone who submits he/she is a super-duper poet, I'm sure other poetry contests are forced to read some horrible stuff. You know those yucky poetry sites that I mean...they tell each "poet" that he/she is in line for prizes....if he/she just pays a bundle of cash to go to the awards ceremony and, oh by the way, if he/she wants a copy of the book that will be about a day's pay for a fast food worker...two to three times what some books cost. I'm just figuring that these sites have created some monsters who really think their work is better than most of the US and half of Europe. And because of that, the other contests have to charge reading/submission fees so they can survive. Sound about right?Okay. Maybe I need another cup of coffee. Then I have a list of things I really need to do today. None of them include going outside in the cold! |
| Actually, according to RealAge.com, any writing about your emotions or your deep thoughts can make you more positive about them. And that can help lower stress, help depression, even boost your immunity. Since blogs may show more of our emotions than other writings and are often spur of the moment rants, they're really healthy. So, blog on! Every once in a while, I have to check the list of blogs, just out of curiosity. Just this morning, my blog showed as 196 in terms of the number of views. I suppose that's not so bad considering that I've only been blogging for five months and some started two years ago. The personal stats are interesting. About one third of my views have been from non-members. Sometimes you can tell by the links at the bottom of the stat page how folks came to your blog. For my blog, they have arrived after doing a search for "fibro and aunts" and once for a word I (and they - two of them!) misspelled. But I wonder about the others - over 400 non-members have arrived here and many of them in the past few weeks. I wonder how and why they wandered in... Last week, David McClain gave me quite a compliment on my blog. That made my day!A few others have commented as well. I guess there are lots of blogs out there where the writers don't use punctuation and capital letters. And the fact that I try to use proper grammar is pleasing to some who come here. Indeed, some write their blogs just for themselves, or so they say. But personally, even when I write journal entries in notebooks that no one will see until I've been called Home, I still try to use correct grammar and spelling and such. I'm sure there are some errors, but if there were lots and lots it would irritate me. Unless you have set your blog to "private", then it really isn't just for you only...is it??? ********** I'm hoping I don't have to go out today. Well...at least not until tonight when I have to take Derek to work. The news folks said that the temperature was zero this morning with a windchill factor of minus 8. That's cold! At least the sun is shining...and from the inside of the window the sun sparkling on the snow and ice is rather pretty. I never did get a picture of the tree just outside the window beside my computer. When I went to try using my digital camera, the battery was dead. These cheap digital cameras that Derek, hubby and I got are great. But for some reason the batteries seem to die quickly. I'm thinking that may be why they were marked down. Hmmm. Perhaps afer using them we need to remove the batteries. I seem to remember that when I was a kid, my brothers toys were that way... *********** Hubby and I were trying to get the house refinanced, 'cause the current mortgages was one of those that had a decent interest rate and payment amount for a specified time, then it changed. The house payment has gone up by over $200 a month. Ouch. Unfortunately, the appraiser decided that the house is now worth $24,000 less than what is owed on it. Looks like refinancing is out. The only good thing about that appraisal is that it should mean we also pay less in real estate taxes. Meanwhile...maybe I can find a way to write enough to make up that $200 a month increase in the mortgage. I wish I could just work... Or...I could get off here and list that hubby's antique player piano in the paper. If we could get that $14,000 it would certainly help the finances. ********** Okay, I'm going to do that right now. After I put my contact lenses in. I've been resting my eyes this morning. Don't think I ever said anything about that - the contact lenses. I started wearing glasses - bifocals!!!! - at the age of 10. They were horrible, ugly things, those glasses. The lenses had to be big, because back then they didn't make bifocals like they do now. And the side pieces had to wrap around my ears because I didn't have much of a bridge to my nose. I hated wearing the glasses, but I was thrilled that I could see again. There were actually leaves on trees! Wow. I'm not sure if my eye condition had a name, but my prescription changed at least every six months. Kept getting worse and worse. Finally, my eye doc told my folks that if I got contact lenses the progression would probably stop. So...at the age of 12, I got my first contact lenses. Back then, they only had the hard lenses. And with me having blue eyes (the most sensitive eyes - did you know that?), it always felt like I had sand in my eyes. I still climbed trees at 12, roller skated, rode my bike everywhere. And...I lost lots of contacts. Fortunately, my folks had contact lens insurance (weird, huh?) and replacements were only about $5. I hated the contacts even more than glasses, but I understood why I was wearing them. I surely didn't want to end up wearing glasses with three inch thick lenses, nor did I want to be blind. The doc was right about the contacts. Wearing them did stop my eyes from getting worse. But I could not wear them more than about 6 hours at a time without my eyes screaming at me. That meant that I had to take them out at school. Back then, kids didn't carry back packs or purses to school. I had to, though, so I had my contact lens case and solution, and glasses and their case with me. What a pain. Still...if I didn't take them out after 6 hours, I paid. I would end up with burning eyes - my folks said they could even feel the heat from them - laying on the sofa with a cold cloth on my eyes. And I would miss school the next day, since the irritation usually didn't go away for about 24-36 hours. I learned not keep the lenses in too long! At 16, I got my first colored lenses. Blue, of course, so my eyes were reeeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllllyyyyy blue. Purrrrty. At the age of about 24, I got my first pair of soft lenses and I thought I was in heaven. What a difference it made in my eye comfort. They also didn't just fly out of my eyes like the hard lenses sometimes did. (Once, while I was driving on the freeway!!!) Those funky first soft lenses came with an electrical contraption that I had to use to sanitize the lenses each night. But it was worth the trouble to be able to wear them all day long! They were pricey, though. Those first soft lenses cost almost $300! When I hit 35 - overnight, really - I could no longer see to read. This is true. I read something just before I went to bed and the next morning I could not read with my contacts in. (I could with them out, but then I could not see anything at a distance.) My eye doc was in walking distance to the house, and I insisted he see me that day. He was over 65 and ready to retire. And he laughed and laughed at me. Said I was getting old...and just needed reading glasses on top of the contacts. So, for about 10 years, I wore reading glasses in addition to the contacts. Then I asked my eye doc about bifocal contacts. (Another eye doc in another state.) Instead, he suggested monovision lenses for me. And that's how I've been scurrying about ever since. I have one eye corrected for distance and one for close-up. The doc said that some folks can never get used to this, but my eyes adjusted immediately. It's fun being 54 and not having to wear reading glasses. Especially since my younger siblings do! ********** Okay. Now I'm really off to call the newspaper. Meanwhile...if any of you know someone with huge house and a few (well, more than a few) extra bucks who would like to have a baby grand antique player piano - in wonderful playing condition and beautiful as well - then do let me know. |
| Just a few short weeks ago, the temperatures were unseasonably high. In fact, even though the leaves had fallen, a bird's nest appeared in a tree in our front yard. The birds were confused, I think. That was then. Now, it's unseasonably cold.  The sky cannot decide whether to dump rain or sleet or snow or all them. And the temperature cannot decide whether to be warm enough to melt a bit of snow or cold enough to turn everything into ice. So...it's all happening one after another. I hate to keep harping on this, but Punxsutawney Phil DID say that Spring would arrive early this year. Okay. I think it should start being Spring tomorrow. Who's with me on this??? ******* If you're a Christian writer or poet, here are some links. These were listed in a newsletter for poets I received today. One of the links is for a poetry contest, and one lists some Christian writing markets. http://www.utmostchristianwriters.com/ http://www.thechristianpoet.org/ http://www.utmostchristianwriters.com/markets/wrpubs.php ******* I wonder how people survive without the joy (???) of being a pet owner. Our almost-year-old kitten - Opera - has only two speeds. Faster than anyone can chase her and...sound asleep fast. I wonder if that's why she doesn't gain weight. I have never seen a kitty (or puppy, for that matter) rush around the house like she does. She's smart, too. At this point, she really does know a bunch of the things that are no-no's, but she enjoys doing some of them anyway. She'll watch me to see if I'm observing her, and if I am, then she'll start her purring machine in anticipation and jump on my lap and look at me so sweet and innocently. Right. I'm supposed to fall for that? Problem is that I do. And she is keeping our cat busy. I believe our decision to get a young buddy for Piewacket was a good one. She loves chasing around the house too, but not as much or as often. Thankfully. When they're both diving over and under everything, sometimes they knock stuff over. Pie is also good at admonishing the kitty if she catches her misbehaving. Awww. ******* Guess I'd better think about feeding my hubby. I'll be reading some blogs later. Unless I fall asleep like I did last night - in a chair in the living room. Hubby says he talked to me and tried to get me to go to bed. But I don't remember a thing. Hmmm. I forgot to ask... Did y'all see the accident that happened on the loop around our city? It was on all Good Morning America this morning and hubby said it was on NBC news this evening. It was the one where the cop's cruiser camera caught the Fed-Ex truck smashing into a red car. Guess it was a 7 car accident and no one seriously hurt. But that footage got lots of exposure. |
| When I sat down to write a few words (Yeah, like that's every gonna happen! Me? Write a few words???), my fingers started typing and out came that last entry. Sometimes that is the way things work. Rather than putting off writing the other things I had in mind (since my fibro fog could certainly kick in ), here goes.If you're wondering what kind of money you should charge for your writing, should the opportunity arise and someone asks about your rates, go to Salary.com. Put your zipcode and the job title (it can be anything...not just writing) in the boxes and it will give you a salary range for that job in your area of the US. Here's a link: http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layoutscripts/swzl_newsearchexp.asp There's also a place where you can find out what Mom's are worth in your area. (Or Dad's!) I was very conservative about the amount of time I can work at cleaning and doing laundry and such, but it still said that I'm worth about $38,000 a year. Not didn't that make me feel great! Okay, I'm done. Later gators. |
| When I logged on today, my devotional from Jason Mitchener was waiting in my inbox. I've written about him before. He's confined to a wheelchair and breathes with the help of a machine, but he has a ministry - devotionals that he tries to send out daily, if his health allows. He could be angry about his situation. Instead he allows God to use him in mighty ways. And he's full of God's love and joy. I admire that. And...I have to admit that the messages I receive are usually just what I need to hear on any particular day. Today his devotional was titled, "Love is a verb." I've used that title myself. As you might remember, at the beginning of the month I spouted off about Valentine's Day. I do think that far too many men (and women, most likely) spend their days without showing much love at all to spouses and family members. Then they buy a box of candy or a bouquet of flowers and present it to their loved one(s) expecting that all will be well and forgiven for the next year. I'm one who would much rather have a few clues throughout the year that there is love in the house. Anyway, back to Jason's devotional. He used 1 John 3:18 as his reference: "My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." That's what I'm talking about. Of course, Jason mentioned how God showed love to us in a huge way by sending His Son to die for us on the cross. And he mentioned that Christ loved us so much that He showed it in a huge way by dying on that cross for us. Wow. When I became a parent, I started to realize - in a mini-version, I know - the love that God has for us. No parent wants thier children to be hurt, and we'll usually do anything to make sure they are not. But it was even more recently that I realized what real love Dad and Son both showed. One year, just before Good Friday, I read the words of a medical doctor about what would have happened to Jesus that day and I was brought to tears. I had never really considered the pain He would have felt. Then, the only time I ever went to the movies alone was in Michigan when I was living with my elderly parents. I saw The Passion of the Christ. The movie theater was packed like I had never seen before. And since I had forgotten to bring along a few tissues, I stopped in a dollar store before going to the theater. Many of those around me had forgotten their tissues, so I passed my box down the aisle. By the end of the movie, the tissue box was almost empty. Yeppers. That's real love. It makes showing love to the world seem like a pretty simple task. We may have to come out of our comfort zones to do that, but we don't have to suffer physically. I guess that's how I would like to see us use Valentine's Day. It should not be meant as an easy way for us to make up for the fact that we ignore our loved ones all year long and suddenly have a way to make up for that. Rather, it should be a way that we can hug the world around us.  So...today, I'm hugging my fellow WDC members. Oh yeah...and here is some candy  and here are some flowers  ...just in case I have not shown enough love...or need to make up for neglecting you. |
| It looks like I've almost missed creating a meaningful blog entry today. The clock is ticking and it's almost midnight. What a day it has been - weatherwise. Golly gee whiz. We've had sleet, then rain, then things got really icy - including our porch and sidewalk and finally it snowed on top of everything. The tree in our front yard was so pretty this afternoon. I have a purrrrty picture of a tree that was in my parent's yard in Michigan, with snow lacing the branches. Today, the tree in our yard was just as awesome, but it had crystal clear ice hanging from the branches. Just beautiful. Hubby drove my son to work this evening. I have never driven in icy conditions and really don't know why I should start now. As hubby was warming up the car - after having had to get a layer of ice off the windows and mirrors - my son said, "Well, with both of your fellows going out in this stuff, aren't you afraid we'll get killed?" It had crossed my mind that I would have rather had the kid call off work. But he wasn't feeling well last night and called off, so he really couldn't do that tonight. Thankfully, he has a ride home in the morning. The weather dudes are telling us that on top of the ice and snow and ice that we'll be getting even more snow. Maybe another inch or three. As my mom and grandma used to say, "Lovely weather, isn't it, dear?" Right. Just a few weeks ago some of the local folks were complaining that we weren't having any winter weather. Hope they're happy now. |
| Days ago, the weather folks started talking about this winter storm heading our way - to the mid-west. Right now, I guess it's a low pressure system over Texas. Frankly, I love my friends in Texas but I wish they would keep that ol' low pressure system or maybe send it off to the Gulf. Instead it's heading for us'ns. But different TV and radio stations have different thoughts about what's about to happen. Even the weather fella and his own computer model are differing (bickering?) now. The computer thinks the way the system will hit means only rain and sleet for Cincinnati. The human part of the equation says, "Nope. We're getting snow and ice and sleet and rain." I wish the guy and his computer wouldn't fuss. But I also wish - hope - pray - they're both wrong. I hope we have some warm and light drizzle of rain. Why not? Remember...Punxsutawney Phil said that Spring would arrive early this year? So, let's have it already! I do feel sorry for the folks out in Colorado and those in up-state New York. Getting six feet of snow is just unfathomable. I don't like the snow, but I do like that word - unfathomable. Incomprehensible - that's what you call getting that much snow in such a short time! In the news, I saw men on their roofs shoveling and sweeping snow from the roofs to the ground. That much snow can wreck havoc on rooftops and the ceilings underneath. Wreck havoc? Using those two words together seems, well, redundant, doesn't it? But, hey, I remember us using that very phrase growing up in Pittsburgh and it has stuck with me. I know, I know that they both have to do with destruction, devastation and damage. But that's the way we talked. (The dictionary suggests, "work havoc.") I have not retained many of the Pittsburgh phrases with which I grew up, but that's one. Also... gum bands - for rubber bands cucky - yucky doohickey - something whose name you can't remember and nebby - nosey. For more Pittsburghese see: "Please? Oh Pah-leeeeeze!" Supposedly, in about 30 minutes we should be seeing some kind of precipitation around here. Unless you switch the TV station and listen to that guy say it should start in about 90 minutes. Maybe it won't start at all. And that would be a blessing. Later gators. |
| I forgot... Budroe gave this to me. Wasn't that sweet? Also, I used to write a bunch at PearlSoup.com. Then things got rather ugly over there - writers sending each other really nasty emails and giving bad ratings and posting strange public comments. So I came here and...well, sometimes I guess that stuff happens here too come to think of it. Once in a while, I still post writings at that other site (and some others as well). Imagine my surprise at seeing my face on the front page today...with my latest writing chosen as "Pearl of the Day." You'll have to get there before the day changes, I guess. Or check the archive link. http://www.pearlsoup.com/index.cfm I have posted this item here as well. "Acts of Love" |
| For some reason, I was thinking about my grandma early this morning, and I remembered the "swear words" she taught me as a child. Yes, this is the same grandma who taught me about "Time, Talent, Treasure" and about whom I wrote "Grandma's Was a Simple Faith" . "Grandma cussed?" you ask, astonished. Yes, she did, but in her way. Sometimes when something didn't go quite right, we would hear the simple word, "Sugar," from the kitchen. Often times when something a bit more serious transpired, she mumbled, "Well, hallelujah Hattie!" I think she had an aunt named Hattie, but I'm not really sure where her cussing phrase originated. And on really "bad" occasions, Grandma raised her voice and said, "Sugar on two sticks!" There were more cuss words and phrases that Grandma taught us in the ten years we were blessed to have her living with us. But those were the only ones I could recall early this morning. I did recall something that came out of my mouth when my son was about thirteen. I'm not sure what happened that day. I really don't remember. But I remember being angry enough to cuss and the words that came from my mouth were, "Phooey fizz farts!" My son just started at me, frozen in time and space, with his mouth agape. "Gross, Mom," he said. Then he proceeded to laugh and laugh and laugh. You know how infectious laughing is and, of course, I joined in. I guess that's why I don't remember why I was so angry. But I remember the words I spouted. They were rather gross.************* I was feeling under the weather this morning and hubby went to church without me. I think the cold and gloom is getting to my muscles and joints and to my brain. Actually, I was hurting all over, and had a horrible headache to boot. I told hubby I would be quite content to just hunker down and hibernate for the rest of the winter, thank you. I'm cold indoors and outdoors. Just can't seem to get warm anymore. Add to that the horrible headache I had this morning, and trips to the smallest room in the house, and I just was not able to get to church. I did, however, watch a TV preacher - Joel Osteen. Okay, okay. I know some folks don't like him, think he's New Agey, think he makes way too much money, etc., etc., etc. But believe you me, there are worse TV preachers. Joel's message is usually a simple one, one every one of us can understand. Although he does sometimes use some weird Texas phraseology, but having lived in Texas for a number of years, I'm used to that. You know...as folks around the country are making fun of Bubba W., lots of Texans are scratching their heads and saying, "What?" But that's another topic for another day. (Don't y'all get on me about that. All y'all know it's true. There are some fine word and phrase combinations peculiar to Texas. I think they're meant to be code words and phrases to weed out yankees or Texas wannabes.) Anyway...I was talking about the church service. Joel spoke about one of my soapbox topics - spending time with God first thing in the morning. But his laid back way of saying things...I wish I could give you his words...just make the whole thing make perfect sense. He suggested that folks get up a bit earlier than usual so they could start their days with God, in prayer and in His word. Makes sense to me. I know I always function better that way. We eat breakfast first thing in the morning because we need the fuel for our physical bodies. Why in the world don't we realize we need our spiritual fuel first thing as well? As a kid, I was blessed to live next door to a dear lady who taught me what "pray without ceasing" is all about. She taught me to pray for family members as you fold their clean laundry, as you clean the toilet, and as you stir soup in the kitchen. Smart lady, she was. Lots of folks wait until the end of the day to talk with Dad - and to complain about how the day went. Imagine how different things might have been if Dad was included from the very beginning. As Joel Osteen said this morning, "folks are leaving home without their Living Water." ******************** I should stop at the grocery store tomorrow morning after I pick up Derek from work. We're expecting quite a winter storm in the entire mid-west. How the weather band approaches our area still is up in the air, but whether we get just snow, just rain or snow, rain and sleet mixed together, they're expecting it to be inches and inches of precipitation. Lovely. So I guess I better hit the store first thing tomorrow to stock up on a few things. But I would rather hibernate. |
| Yippee! My computer is back to behaving and it only cost $33 to make it behave. That's a blessing. And it's great the Incurable Romantic and I don't have to share his computer anymore. I'm sure he's pleased too. If you have not discovered Angela's Niece needs Praye 's "Invalid Item" , be sure to check it out. I'm sure she was looking for some more romantic posts than she has received. But, as TexansBeatTheMiamiDolphinsBy3 can attest, sometimes our contests take on lives of their own. Personally, I think it great that people are thinking more of the world than of themselves.A few days ago - well, back on post #55, I think - I wrote about Valentine's Day. This morning, a few lines of poetry insisted that I write them about this topic:
My son is quite the romantic. He really enjoys holidays, but he's also good about giving the rest of the year as well. A gift from him on a special occasion is something to cherish because he really takes the recipient's likes and dislikes into consideration. He also makes many of his best gifts and spends hours and hours making them. And...it isn't just on holidays that he gives, but year round. I like to think that I had something to do with that. But I'm sure that my mother can take some of the credit for his giving habits. When he was a toddler, mom watched him a bunch and she was always making some kind of gift or writing a poem about an event that took place. Funny thing, though. Derek asked me - when he was probably in kindergarten - why his grandmother didn't make special gifts for family members. She was forever making special gifts for people she didn't even know. Friends of friends, or the kids of people with whom she worked. A few years later, Derek asked if my mom wasn't making things for the recognition and not for the pleasure of giving. He had specifically asked Mom to make something for him that she never did make. And that bothered him. It also bothered him when met people in the grocery store or in gift store where she worked who raved about what a wonderful mother I had and how blessed I was. He thought she was so busy making the world see how special she was that she didn't have time to be a special mom or grandmother...at home. My son. Sadly, he was always able to see and feel beyond his years. |
| What a day. Again. Had the car out for the first time since it snowed so much. My son had to dig out behind my tires. The roads may be clear, but it's been cold enough to keep the six inches of snow in the driveway and yard. And there were icicles hanging from my bumper to the ground. ************** Had a gasto doc appointment scheduled today, just as a follow up to see if the changed meds (from a month ago) were working better on my digestive system. It's hard to tell, though, since I had the virus and bronchitis, antibiotics and super-duper cough syrup. Doc was poking around my abdomin, as usual. It's usually my left side that is tender. Back in July, a CT scan and MRI showed that I had some inflammation, but they insisted that if I ate properly and took my meds that would go away. Today when the doc poked on my right side, I thought I would go through the roof. Talk about pain. So...more blood was drawn today and I'll have another CT scan. Doc says the burping I do after every meal and in between can be from all kinds of digestive problems or from any of the meds I take. Wonderful. Guess it could be worse. It could be another kind of gas. Either way, though, eating with anyone besides hubby is a bit embarrassing. A bit? Who am I kidding? Even Tiff looks at me as if I'm some kind of piggy. ********** Oh yeah, the subject line says my computer is back. It is! Yippee!!! And our repair geek is priceless. Truly. I guess my virus scan did isolate the trojan it found. But after being infected my computer needed a defrag desparately. I guess that's why it still seemed like something was running in the background. The framgments were all over the place and if I had too many things going at once it was having to grab them from everywhere. (Can you tell I'm a real technical person??) Anyway, our computer fella charged us for only 30 minutes. Less than $35. Isn't he great??? Got the computer hooked up and my mouse wouldn't work. Now I have a brandy new optical mouse. Cool beans. Bye for now... |
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