Still sorting through the old stuff

I found this poem I wrote about 28 years ago ....

The sun rises
A rose is in bloom
In a few hours
It has reached its peak of beauty

Night falls
The rose has withered
Only to die
It’s beauty now a memory
Going on

But the thorn on the rose bush
Does not die
It grows stronger
To intensify the beauty
Of the next rose

How fortunate, then,
We must be
For the thorns
In our lives
For they can make us
More beautiful

And

How fortunate we are
Not like the rose
But, instead, like the memory,
Going on Forever

~~Miss Roxie

Potty Training affects us ALL

My sorts are still out, my intentions are on vacation, and my motivation is misplaced or is living in parallel universe under the name of Mis Givings.

I was thinking about child rearing. I was thinking how it much it has changed generationally. That is, if my oldest child is 30 years old, and your oldest child is 3 years old, than surely, the 3 year old of today would be raised differently than the 30 year old of yester-year. Correct? I don't know.

I do know that there are families that span more than one generation. And I wonder, do they apply the same rules of child rearing to the oldest as they do the youngest? Not in teaching their moral beliefs, but in things like, say Potty Training?

It seems to me, that the majority of most children I meet today that are 3 or about 42 months are not Potty Trained - at least not fully. But back in the day, when my 30 year old was 3, the majority of children, if not all his little friends, were Potty Trained. But then again, these little kids I'm meeting are not in Preschool or Daycare. I wonder, are the kids at home not pressured as much as the kids that go to Daycare? Because at Daycare, you pay extra for the untrained child, or you must come from work (or home) to change your child should they have an accident and miss the potty.

I'm beginning to wonder, does it amount to a hill of beans should one wait a longer time to get to the Potty Training?

The articles I'm reading on Potty Training today, (and I don't know why I'm reading them, I have no 3 year olds), advise to wait until the child is ready and the child will let you know. Okay then -- why didn't we then? Wait, I mean. And why do we now? And without worrying about it? Sounds to me like many parents have this little ‘thing’ in their voice that makes them sound not sure if all is well because Little Jeffy won’t go Potty without being told and even then, he’s reluctant, so

Is it all about what the "experts" say?

I am really curious about this.

Is it the diapers? Kids are more comfortable now?
Is it that public restrooms are so horrible that parents would rather not deal with such a thing?
Parents are busy? Parents are realizing there is enough pressure in the world?
Parents don't care about this any more and their parents live far away and aren't pressuring them about it?

If Sigmund Freud is to be believed, problems in Potty Training could really mess up one's life if it's too strict. My father and mother said they never heard this theory. They didn't even know that Freud had an opinion on this subject. They just did what everyone did - Potty Train the children as soon as possible because diapers cost money and washing them was an aggravation – (I mean, I'm just saying that as my opinion on the topic)

Anyway, I just wonder about this critical part of growing up and how much is it worth it to just be annoyed about the child that is stubborn about it. How can parents be cool about it? Really learn to relax about it?

Here is a quote about Freud's thoughts on the matter:

If parents take an approach that is too lenient, an anal-expulsive personality can develop in which the individual has a messy, wasteful, or destructive personality. If parents are too strict or begin toilet training too early, an anal-retentive personality develops in which the individual is stringent, orderly, rigid, and obsessive.

That sounds like a total lose-lose scenario. That sounds like no matter which way your training goes, one will be something ‘anal’. I mean, what's in the middle there? What's between Expulsive and Retentive? Is there no normal Potty Training like Anal-Okay-With-Everything-About- My-Life?

Probably not.

I think the last there was of normal Potty Training was when there were no toilets from Home Depot to install in your house.

I think everyone has a chance to mess up Potty Training. We are, after all, only human.

I think no one really knows, yet everyone is willing to talk about the potty habits of their children, right in front of them, with perfect strangers! and that's because it's one of those subjects that people either think they know it all - because their child cooperated - or people think they are a failure because their child can read Freud but won't go Potty without some little bit of prodding or a handful of M & M's.

It's ludicrous to think we can go into the mind of a 3 year old! You just can't do it! Even another 3 year old can't do it!! The 3 year old is locked up in the last stages of innocence. He is a guard at the last gate of true freedom!

They are being asked to become what you are. They are looking closely. Ummm, they are saying, "Do I really want that?"

Here is a list of Developmental Milestones that I cut and Pasted from the net:

During the third year of life a child typically:

• May sleep 10 to 12 hours at night
• Hops on one foot
• Walks a line
• Walks on tiptoes for a few steps
• Brushes teeth, washes hands, retrieves own drink
• Puts on shoes (no laces)
• Completes a six-piece puzzle
• Draws simple shapes
• Enjoys helping with household tasks
• Follows simple directions
• Plays spontaneously with two or three children
• Identifies some common colors
• Counts to three
• Enjoys "pretend" games such as playing house
• Wets the bed at night occasionally
• Uses the toilet often and may need help (boys may not be toilet trained until later this year)
• Feeds self completely using a fork and spoon and can butter bread with a knife.
• Speaks in three- to five-word sentences
• Uses plurals (cats, dogs, etc.)
• May have difficulty getting some words out (not a sign of stuttering)
• Sings a simple tune
• Asks a lot of the "Five W" questions
• Demonstrates a three-minute attention span
• Remembers yesterday's happenings
• Understands some dangers, such as moving cars
• Feels shame when caught doing something wrong
• Is interested in similarities and differences
• Understands difference between self and younger children
• Doesn't understand difference between self and older children
• May show preference for opposite sex parent
• Develops sense of humor and enjoys making people laugh

Goodness, isn’t that enough? Sounds like a lot of responsibility! Add in dancing and running and killing bugs and spitting out gross food in it’s recognizable form, pulling chairs from across the room at a moment’s thought with no warning, putting their hands in your food, insisting always they want your drink, and countless other things – it’s a tough day this three year olding!

Now that list does mention, 'uses toilet often, may need help’, however, it also says, 'demonstrates a three minute attention span' - come on, sometimes it takes more than three minutes to go Potty!

Also it says, 'doesn't understand the difference between self and older children' - so maybe he thinks you are not talking to him about Potty Training!! You are not talking to older children about Potty Training - so why should he have to listen to it?

"Develops sense of humor and enjoys making people laugh" - key word "enjoys". Are you finding the Potty Training experience humorous? He might think it's really funny!

Oh well, hey, I'm just razzin' on the subject. I am not an expert. Never was. It was by shear luck my kids were trained. Shoot, I forgot all about training my second child until we were going to fly 1500 miles away from home and thought, 'wow, shouldn't he be trained by now? Didn’t he just have a birthday recently? Was he three? I think he was three! Holy Cats! If I see these people and he's not trained, they may think I'm a bad mother!" He was just three. So I got a little chair, and in 3 days he was trained. I guess he was ready.

The only thing I know I did was this - when we were going through the Potty Training - that's all we did was the Potty Training. I totally concentrated on that. But that's how I roll. It’s take all my focus to do the big jobs.

Whatever you do moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and whatever other assorted relatives are involved near any child that is being Potty Trained - be positive, be cool, and it will all sort itself out in the wash (ha, no pun intended). The days to come will one day reveal a child who goes all by himself forever. And will also reveal a time it’s never
Mentioned.

Maybe now and then – Let’s take a survey –

Since my three-year-old nephew is being potty trained, my mother has mentioned the training of all her children. Several times. Seems we were all little genius who gave no trouble. (sure, keep that memory, ma, I’m sure you probably deserve it – I, however, am addressing my anal demons day and night!! Somehow, I got caught in-between, one day I want to clean everything nice and neat, and the next day I want to go to the airport and fly to California for a Jackson Browne concert in a excessively wasteful manner!)

Whatever stage you are into, it is big business now the POTTY TRAINING. They have chairs and books and dolls and lots of things for prompts – all kinds of things. Choose wisely, because doubtful that you need them.

Just make sure your kids get the words they need and understand them. And that they are at least willing.

Let me know. What you think of the whole new way? Or are you using the Old Way? Or do you have an original way of your own? I would love to track your kids for about twenty years, and see what's up! We could maybe change the world. Get them to lighten up on a very important issue. What do you think?

The Dragon is still sleeping

I have lost my motivation. If someone sees it, please return it to me as soon as possible.

Imbroglio

I followed no intentions today. I was out of sorts. It was a lovely day out. I enjoyed some of it. Did chores through some of it, but I let this huge pile of a mess that I created in my green home sit here unattended until Madam B was caught by an interest in something she saw that I had saved -- Pez despensers. So she looked through the papers for a little while.

What happened was, the thought of having all my little keepsakes up in the attic, took away my ability to look through them when I wish, so, I have to figure something out.

Actually, some kind of boredom or melancholy came over me today. I just had no motivation to do anything but read. But, of course, I always do laundry because then there's that sense of 'getting something done' - but no goals were accomplished. I feel wickedly weird in my head, my mood is really strange. No motivation. It's probably on the return after a good night's sleep and a day out at the park tomorrow.

Best guess is that my motivation and the idea network part of my brain will probably return around Wednesday. Just a hunch.

Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

Saturday ~and it's going to rain today

It's Saturday
The day of doing many things,
Having coffee with your sons and daughter,
Nursing your Hubby through his cold,
Washing, cleaning, taking out trash, filling the recycle bins,
Hosting guests who drop by,
Throwing things away,
Sweeping, playing with the cat as it's only Harley now,
Feeding flowers, planting a bush that's been waiting since October,
Ordering Pizza because your daughter is to shy to call,
Taking in the mail, laughing with your neighbor who pretends to almost run you over,
Making phone calls,
Watching the train with Jacob,
Sweeping the porch, reading poetry,
Saying you don't believe something you just heard,
Rejoicing in someone's good news,
Feeling sad for another's distress,
Marking your calendar for future events,
Wishing there was something in your email inbox,
Baking banana bread,
Smelling the rain coming,
And breathing deeply ....
Waiting for a new discovery.

The Green Party

Not to be confused with a group of Irish men on St. Patrick's Day, the Green Party keeps saying they are 'green'. But they used plastic cups at their gathering. Somehow - I could be wrong - but isn't plastic ungreen? Honestly, don't go by me, I don't really know. Maybe the best green way is to write 'bring your own glass' on the invitation? - And then you take it home and wash it?

I watched a showing of An Inconvenient Truth - the film by Al Gore. It was interesting to watch it edited of any political commentary. The group edited out all the political statements or references, or references to anything personal about Al Gore's life. It was interesting. My mom has this saying she's always used to demonstrate 'to each his own', she says, 'whatever floats your boat' --if Al Gore is right, you might be living in a boat if you are anywhere near any water on the earth.

The information in the movie made a lot of sense. The suggestions that were made by Al Gore made a lot of sense. I hope people in the world decide to think about the options they have for the future. What I see is that 'one-world government' coming. If the film is in anyway a truth about what's to come, one-world ideas will be about the only way to survive.

But, honestly, I'm just a poet with bad iambic pentameter, who doesn't rhyme her poems properly, and plants things where the directions say they shouldn't go, writes backwards haiku, puts coffee grinds on her roses, banana peels on her gardenias, drinks green smoothies and thinks chocolate should be in the food pyramid. Who should listen to me?

"My mind is troubled, like a fountain stirred,
And I myself see not the bottom of it."
~~William Shakespeare

Jacob is Three

It was windy today

And so was Jacob

As the earth offered up her energy

In mighty gusts, Jacob grabbed hold for the ride,

And with both hands he held tight and flew

He flew higher than any of us remember how.

He rode the wind and

When his feet touched the ground

With the swiftness of the birds in flight

They would glide with freedom through his sky.

Jacob loves the energy of the earth.

He drinks it in.

As it refills the center of his being

With strength

and with happiness,

With the child's play that is his work.

There in Zeus park,

He crossed the moot with his band of merry men,

he slain the dragon,

He rescued the princess,

He captured the flag,

He rode the magic carpet

And the wings of his bike

Carried him to places

We can only try to remember from our childhood.

If you want to go there,

To that special place of Innocence,

Then, Follow Jacob,

He knows the path.

There is no windy day wasted on Jacob.

There is nothing the earth has to offer that is wasted on Jacob.

It was windy today, and so was Jacob.

~~Miss Roxie

(Jacob's Aunt Sasha)

My Coffee Haiku

Jamaican Blue Mountain Haiku

Whirring of the bean grinder
only minutes now
before java stains my veins

~~Miss Roxie

Wearin' o' the green and Coffee

Today several cities hosted an Irish gathering of some kind. They all featured walking in the streets wearing green, carrying a beer, weird hats, and live bands. One band was singing, "I see a red door and I want it painted black" when I got there. Very Stoney Irish, I suppose.

Anyway, we ate at a pub called Rooney's, watched many people go by dressed in much green, and drinking freakin' dark beer. I ordered a fried cod fish sandwich, which was the least awful thing on the menu I thought, the bread for the sandwhich was wonderful!

That was that...

Watched people who wore green somewhere on their body. Watched people watch me and my sister in law.

Came home - watched Addicition on HBO. Boy, lot to learn if someone in your family is suffering from Addiction. Sometimes, I think we are all addicted to something.

Oh well, I don't have a PHD and don't even do things PDQ, so I shouldn't be telling everyone that they are addicts of some kind as we are all fallen creatures. You normal people know who you are.

I am not normal
I need coffee every morning
I need to move into the day slowly
and quietly
I need to read some inspirising things
I need to open the window and look outside
stand in the fresh air and breathe it in
and hope that no one talks to me for
awhile.
I need my coffee hot. Sometimes I heat my cup.
I love that.
But I need to drink that first cup,
undistrubed by anything
if possible
and then let the thoughts flow
and connect while
they are fresh and kind and willing
at that morning coffee time
and I know for sure God Loves ME
then, later I will probably forget
The morning is clarity
The day is clutter
The evening tries hard to shine a light on it all
so I can see it again
But oftimes the pieces have been moved
too, too much,
and I can't recognize my morning plan
I gather my notes in a pile
find clothes for tomorrow
and wait for the sun to rise again
so I can enjoy that next cup of morning coffee...
~~Miss Roxie

I had some dreams, they were clouds in my coffee. ~Carly Simon


In Seattle you haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while it's running. ~Jeff Bezos

is there a Global Warming crisis....

or not?

I live in Florida. A hot spot for Global Warming fanatics who believe in Global Warming. I can't figure it out.

I tried reading somethings about it. And mostly, what I can gather is there is Global Warming. But what I can't get a clear focus on is ....the threat to my homestead.

ReasononLine Blog and This blog provided a piece that I think provides some kind of hope in that we are not in terrific danger. Quoting from a quote in the blog piece --

"If temperatures continue to increase by 0.08 degrees Celsius per decade, the planet will warm by 0.8 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. That compares to an increase of 0.6 degrees Celsius during the 20th century. Not much of a crisis. Richard Lindzen says he's willing to take bets that global average temperatures in 20 years will in fact be lower than they are now."

These blogs I'll probably check out, too. See, I am keying in on that phrase up there "Not much of a crisis". What it is, is, I don't feel a crisis in my gut. I've never had a wrong experience with my gut. Of course, I don't have an 800 # or anything, I kind of keep my gut feeling details to those around my inner circle.

When we went to war with Iraq, I felt a crisis in my gut. My whole being said, "oh expletives of different kinds we are in trouble now why is he doing this he should not do this this will not be good" ...and with Global Warming, I haven't gotten that tug of fear. (Maybe I've lost my abilities to get the gut going?).

I mean, not to think that the state of my insides are the closing statement on important issues ...oh haha, never met to infer that, but it's always worked for me as a leveler in the past.

anyway, my sister in law is a Global Warming fanatic chripping in my ear like a minor bird on a sugar high, and I listen patiently, and suppose I must find some facts of my own. So I'll be researching and if anyone wants to add some thought, that will be great.

I'm thinking an odd thing like - why are people, who are believing Global Warming is going to be the reason Florida will be washed away in less than 10 years, bother to buy plants for their front yard? Why would they spend water watering their yards? Just little things like this pop in my head.

But, that's enough for this evening. I'll look at some more stuff and report back what I (think) I see something that makes a little bit of sense to me. If I am supposed to be worrying. I truly want to know and understand the reason as a truth.

A Sunny Day

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.
- Sir John Lubbock 

What a lovely long day.

I still haven't recovered from the time change and probably won't until June. I'm dragging every morning to get out of bed at 8:30, which is really my normal time of 7:30 ~ (grrrr) ~

My computer is still on the blitz. Right now, I am on Madam B's computer and she is poking me in the back of the head with her parasol or some kind of long strange umbrella thing she bought. It's really cute actually, and she is bouncing her slinky off my back. She is being totally silly.

Sean is frustrated with the computer situation because it worked when he hooked it up at his house, so - what could it beeeeee!! (grrrr)

Jake and I went to the park, as per usual, and no one was there, and I thought, 'oh, pooh, we're going to have a lonely long day.' But then in a little while, after we walked the whole park area, we saw Sage, who is the dog of one of the artists we met who paint together in a garage across the street.

Sage had his lease dragging on the ground, so Jacob and I (oh and haha on this scene) managed to corral Sage and get the leash. If someone had a video, they could have made some money because an old lady, a dog, and a three year old running around in circles is kind of funny.

Anyway, we took Sage back over to the house and the artists - 6 of them who paint together - were working away and Sage's owner didn't know he was gone. Sage is like a big lab who is still a puppy dog and will probably be gigantic when he is finally grown.

We visited for awhile and watched them paint. (Well, I tried, too. Jacob walked around and around and I had to keep track of him. And there is a lovely nature conservatory in the front of the garage with a butterfly garden and stepping stones to follow and you know three year olds, they have to know where stepping stones go)
Anyway,
They all have different styles. It's amazing to watch them just put their brushes to the canvas and make things like flowers and people and oceans and trees and sunsets -- and even gnomes. Which is what Jacob went home with.

Suzanne, the artist who owns the garage studio, said to Sage's owner (who's name I cannot remember, and shame on me), she said that he should paint Jacob a picture because he takes such good care of Sage and brought him back. And he did. He painted a gnome and signed it, and matted it and gave it to us before we left. I'll probably make them some cookies or something next Wednesday. They paint together every Wednesday.

Then we went back over to the park and a friend of mine, that I met at the park, came with her 4 year old son, Daniel. And we had just a great visit, and walked around and enjoyed the most beautiful day. We didn't leave until almost three o'clock!!

I didn't cook dinner today. We had left overs and I made a big salad. Then I decided I needed to go to the beach. So I called my sister in law and we did that. It was just so good to breathe all that air and I felt the need to be overwhelmed by something bigger than myself. And the ocean does that for me.

It was windy tonight. The waves were rough. But I love the colors of the ocean this time of year.

Madam B has stopped poking me and is now trying to put together a new digital camera I have. And she keeps asking me to turn around and she is taking photos to test the flash. I am blind now.

I'm going to bed early tonight in hopes of combating this time change thing. Maybe that's the way to do it. I really don't know.

I just got flashed again.

If you're going through hell, keep going.
~~Winston Churchill

Computer problems

Yep. What a bummer. Don't know what is going on, 'cause I just don't have that computer gene. My son Sean has taken my hard drive and is trying to save me and my stuff. Tell you what, it's a nightmare not being able to take care of your own stuff.

It's actually been a rough two weeks, not feeling well. Not getting much done, and now that I'm finally feeling better -- Mr. B is not better and Madam Blueberry is sick!

And this month is presenting a list of things to do - My sister is having surgery on her knee and is coming here to recover. Then there is Easter and my husband's relatives are coming to town (they bought a huge house here, have furniture but haven't totally moved in), and I guess they are being talked to about hosting the whole Easter dinner there. They wouldn't provide the food (we would). Just the place. Ummm, I don't know how I would feel about having 20 people in for dinner when I didn't quite live in my house. Oh well. They are certainly better folks than I.

I think I'm going to go ahead and get a laptop. That will free up some space in one of the rooms. And we need space.

I have fallen behind on my organizing my tiny house. That's bugging me. But how can I let it bug me when it's something I just can't get to? So therefore, I have to just accept. And just carry on.

Some people swallow the universe like a pill; they travel on through the world, like smiling images pushed from behind.
~~Robert Louis Stevenson

Splog ahead for the sake of time

The hour - messing with my mind and body. I will be jet lagged. I should be sleeping now! Right now! Now! And I'm not.

I set my clock back last night. That didn't help. That only meant that I got up 'late' as 9:45 IS late to me even when it was really 8:45.

So, I ended up giving my car a cat's lick of a washing, as Mr. B was going to do it, but he is still sick, and which I didn't want to do because I have scheduled a mobile cleaning place to do it Tuesday, but I had to do it today because there were 6 of us going to a concert tonight,

but it wasn't until the last minute that two cancelled and Mr. B had already cancelled (real bummer because he is the one I got the tickets for!!) - so my niece Shannon got one ticket and she was beyond the zone of thrilled - that was fun to witness- but we didn't take my car.

Therefore, if you've followed any of this trip down whinery lane, I didn't have to wash after all and vacuum my car. Today. But I did anyway. It gave me a headache and my chest hurts. I'll take two ibruprofen and probably survive. However, now the debate. Do I cancel the guys for Tuesday? Mr. B says no.

The concert was great - Lindsey Buckingham. I'll write about that later.

yesterday, I spent the entire day - and I worked all day - doing laundry. Washing, folding and putting away. I was exhuasted by days end. I did take a nap and that was wonderful. But clothes can get boring. I did go to the store for food for dinner. Oh. how so exciting.

We watched Man of the Year last night. Did I mention that? No? Well, it's nothing to run out to the video store for, but it certainly won't harm anyone to watch it.

Why Me Lord?
~~Kris Kristofferson

why me lord?
what have i ever done,
to deserve even one,
of the pleasure i've known,
tell me Lord,
what did i ever do,
that was worth lovin' you,
for the kindness you've shown,

Lord help me Jesus,
i've wasted it so help me Jesus,
i know what i am,
but now that i know,
that i needed you so help me Jesus,
my soul's in your hand,


try me Lord,
if you think there's a way,
i can try to repay,
all i've takin' from you,
maybe Lord,
i can show someone else,
what i've been through myself,
on my way back to you,


Jesus, my soul's in your hands

Getting Over it

The 'bug' I mean, the one that is going around, or the allergy,or the 'whatever it is' that has everyone sick one way or another - hacking, coughing, under the weather - I am ready to abandon ship! I think I have coughed unattractively for long enough.

I have done everything right except get enough rest. There is no rest for the cougher/hacker/choker woman who also has to keep up the rest of her deal in the bargain of life. If you get that, you are a mom, wife, friend, neighbor, sister, aunt, and might have a job.

Life will not stop for me, probably even when I'm dead.

It is all including of a wave of dirty laundry and unpaid, unopened bills, and an empty refrigerator that people stare into. They, most probably, are looking for the wisdom to impart into their brain that there must be some way in which they too, can participate in filling it -- only without going out of the house and to an actual grocery store. (Unlike MY car, which goes there automatically if I change the radio station or happen to be distracted for just a second while driving.)

The others in the home are not interested in the envelopes that lay in a pile freshly gathered from the daily trips to the mail box, or the mounds of laundry that refuses to color code itself with an honor guard salute --

No. They are interested in The Food.

But. No matter how hard I try to avoid it, things will shuffle around to a version of normal again, and again, the laundry will dance into it's proper places, and the bills will circulate around the world to it's proper topographic point, and food will once again fill the 'fridge.

Meantime, I think I'll take a short nap.

“When a thing is new, people say: ‘It is not true.’ Later, when its truth
becomes obvious, they say: ‘It is not important.’ Finally, when its
importance cannot be denied, they say: ‘Anyway, it is not new.’”
—William James

Kris Kristofferson - After all these years!

Last month I saw Kris Kristofferson in concert. I cannot believe the man is 70 years old!! He was great! And he sang for an hour and 50 minutes.

I attended the concert with my brother, who is nine years younger than I, and I'm not as old as Kris, and my dad, who is almost a generation older than Kris - and we all thought this concert was great!

The audience was loaded though with every fan in the city that could get a ticket, as Kris' concert sold out in one hour. It was the only Sold Out concert at the Lyric Theater in the 8 months I've lived in this town.

Kris came out with just a guitar. Just walked out on stage and said hello and started playing. His set list was great. He sang all the best ones that you could remember, and all the new ones, I totally enjoyed.

If one is to believe he is a songwriter who tells about himself than you know these things:

He realizes he is a lucky man.
He believes in God.
He loves his family and friends.
He appreciates everyone who ever gave him a break or covered one of his songs.
He owns up to his past mistakes.
He is saddened when he looks around and sees the state of the world.
He is not happy with this administration.
He is grateful for his fans.
He is still not sure why women might find him attractive. (And he still is!)

Although, he didn't talk a lot, you could feel his conversation with you in the songs he sang. His voice is raggedy, but it fits him so well. That's part of the draw. Probably a love him/or leave him kind of fella!

Kris got a standing ovation and was giving a signal to the audience that he would sing one more song by holding up one finger and smiling. He sang that song. Then the applause and he signaled, okay two more. He sang those songs. Then more applause, with people standing, and he signaled again, one more.

The hairs on my head were standing on end for a lot of the songs – but especially In The News. If you click on the song title, you can hear the song. There is a video to watch, and honestly, I think, regardless of your voter’s registration card, you will feel something deep in your soul when you listen and watch it.

To me, that song is saying, we are throwing away innocence in the name of God, and how sad that is. I’m not asking anyone to agree with me or disagree with me, or change your mind about things that you think – I just feel that the world is in a very sad state of affairs. It makes my heart heavy.

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to attend the concert. My brother had bought tickets for my mom and dad and himself, but when I moved here and found out about the concert, it was too late to get tickets, so my mom gave me hers. It's funny to see Kris up there after all these years of being a fan. I'd never seen him before.

At this point, Kris may not be someone's cup of tea because he's never been a singer, nor I think did he claim to be. So listening to him sing might not bring one solace or pleasure, for that you might have to be a fan. And for the life of me, I just can't figure out why I am!! But I am. And have been since I bought his first album Me and Bobby McGee back in the early seventies, and the song Why Me Lord? has always been one of my favorites. Matter of fact, that song kind of sums up some of what, I think, he was trying to say.

Maybe his age has caused him to touch more openly on his spiritual side? Maybe he's always been that way and that was the attraction for me.

In the end, to each his own. But I am glad that I attended the concert!

The New Blogger sent me here

For weeks I have been ignoring the New Blogger notice. I've not the time as of late to participate in one more thing -- but yikes and bewilderment, Old Blogger was saying good-by and New Blogger was saying, no more warnings, this is it - figure it out you ole duckie. So I did (I think - haha)

Anyway, much has been happening - I'm tired right now. I've had that hacking, very unattractive cough from unknown sources called allergies. I don't know. Just been coughing and loosing my voice and making all kinds of weird noises.

I need to catch up with myself - so I'll best make a quick list and then expand later ...

My sister came to visit.
Saw my niece in prison.
I got laryngitis.
I developed a bad, annoying, hacking cough.
Rented the movies Wah-Wah and Sherrybaby (Don't recommend them to children).
Jacob went through some discomfort going to library classes this and last week - I figured out he uses his 'park behavior' during library story time and it's not a hit with some of the moms.
Went to the park almost every day - I enjoy it actually.

Sean was in a car accident, and I was so proud of him for how he handled the whole situation. He wasn't hurt and it wasn't his fault. I went down to the scene anyway, just to make sure his car would start, and it did and he went on to work, after being in the road (one of the main ones) for 2 1/2 hours! Three cars were involved and the real culprit got away!

Here's what happened:
This is an intersection at which the left turn lane has it's own light and it is delayed as the southbound traffic has a green light first. So Sean is proceeding with the green light --
suddenly, someone in his lane realizes they can't turn left -- SO
they hit their brakes because (like an idiot) they don't want to keep going south and miss their left turn!
(When all they need to do is go up a short distance and make a U-turn) -- SO
the cars following this (idiot) car begin to brake, and the car behind Sean, a young girl, doesn't get what's going on because she's all focused on the fact that the traffic next to her is moving, and the light is green, so therefore, she doesn't think about STOPPING,
and she doesn't.
She plowed right into Sean, who barely bumped the guy in front of him, but Sean's car has about $4,000 worth of damage.
(Of course, these days, even a bumper costs $500.00) -- SO
she tries to blame the whole accident on Sean saying he had just STOPPED because he had hit the car in front of him (which when you look at the damage, you can see that's not so) --
Sean wasn't ticketed. She was. The other guy had just a scratch, but he had to stay there for the 2 1/2 hours anyway...I felt sorry for her at first, but I didn't after I realized she wasn't going to own up when she saw the evidence of what happened, and almost lost my cool when she started screaming about Sean not getting a ticket.

But the officer on duty explained to her that Sean getting a ticket or not, had nothing to do with her situation. She was getting a ticket regardless.

Anyway, Sean handled all the rest of the stuff, insurance calls, rent a car, getting his car dropped off -- and I very proud of my son. He didn't lose his cool for not even one minute.

The rest of the days ~ just a blurr.