Spanking for discipline?

On a serious note, I have been reading around the blogs about the issue of spanking since the death of 7 year old Lydia Schatz, whipped to death by her parents who are now charged with murder. Just google her name, and you will come upon a multitude of links talking about this.

This awful happening has brought up the issue of spanking on a lot of blogs. Spanking - yes? or Spanking - no?

I say, 'no' ~ not under any circumstances. I'll post more of my thoughts later when I have more time. But, I do want to be a voice that might persuade people to think of another way to discipline, so I will get to it.

A lot of people with opinions about spanking have no more credentials than I do. They are just parents reading a book that says something about what someone else thinks, or grandparents, or aunts or uncles, or people who have lived ~~

Some of the people who write books that people are reading to help them make the decision to spank really have no more education on this matter than I do.

So, that said ~ I'll be giving my thoughts on the matter, if for no one else but the future generations of my family who will be read this blog.

Why I have so little time right now...

Hah! That's how I feel! Like there are two babies running around here. I cannot imagine how people with lots of babies do manage. They are blessed though, truly.

1. This past weekend there was much activity in my yard. My yard looks great, but I still have this insatiable need for more flowers. I put in different species of butterfly plants. Right now, I have no home set up for hatching the caterpillars, so I have been taking them to the school, and they are taking care of them. I have several species to it gets interesting and beautiful out there.

2. One of the reasons for the extra yard activity is that #1 son is getting married this Friday. Family and friends have started coming in today. Busy, busy, busy, lots of smiling and hugging. I cannot believe I am already tired!

3. I rarely have a week in which every day has something already in it, and now this week, I have things added to the things that have been added to the things of the things already in the week~! My calendar looks like a cave painting!! Please don't ask me to even pencil you in!!

A Wednesday List

1. I do post in random streams of consciousness. I don't post everything I think because sometimes that stream comes while I am washing dishes and then 'boom! like that!' it is gone. Sometimes it comes again, sometimes not...Sometimes it comes again at a stop light.

2. In my relationship I often find myself caught between the Catch and the 22 ... that is, I catch myself asking my husband 22 times to do something because I am forgetting that silence from him is actually an answer. I just don't always know what that answer is...

3. Found this quote today on the Daily OM sight --

"Our own sense of the truth, is the most important piece when taking in information from external sources." --

and yes, that is what people mostly forget to do. It is part of what is called, "thinking" ...

I read a lot. I read a lot of stuff written by the "experts" ...and I have found, as I have gotten older, that sometimes it might take me a while to figure out what it is I actually know about the subject, but sometimes, I realize, I know a whole heck of a lot more than I thought I did.

So don't take anything at face value, run it through your thinking process and make it real to you. Understand what it is you know, and why you think you know it ~

and for heavens sake, understand that You are You and I am I and He is He and She is She and not everyone thinks alike. If you learn anything, learn that.

4. Forgive everyone. You are not perfect and neither am I, or they or them.

5. Pray or meditate on good things. Good things for yourself and for everyone you know. Especially if you are aware of a friend in need; whether it be a monetary need or an emotional need, or any kind of something they might be lacking, pray for good things to come.

6. Always be kind. Always. No excuses. I know there are days I have failed at this, and I know I am always sorry. Just sayin' ...

7. Believe that something good is bound to happen. It always will. Your turn will come. Be ready.

From the School Front...

The first time I saw the little fellow was last year. I was on my way to pick up my nephews from the library at their school when I heard the screaming. One could not miss the commotion.

In the cleared hallway, you could see a tiny figure kicking and screaming in front of the library room doors. Three teachers were squatted around him. No one touching him, they were each trying, individually to talk to him, as no one is allowed to bring him up into their arms and hug him. It seems he did not want to leave the library and took a fit about it. That day, the school officials had to call the police who ended up carrying the child to the office.

I had been volunteering at my nephews school that year working in the office and encountered that little boy in the office quite often. He was never still. Ever. And, he is just as cute as a button and smart. He continued the rest of the year with these encounters of fits, and I would often see the counselor carrying him down the hall, kicking and screaming, as what seemed to become his usual pattern. And, I learned, there is a certain way in which the counselor is supposed to carry him. If he cannot get the child in that position, and the child is still carrying on, then the police will be called into the school to handle the situation (your tax dollars at work).

Then he began to break that pattern and so began running off school grounds. This little tiny fellow running away, with adults running after him, as he headed off toward the wooded areas that surrounded the school. And, think now, teachers cannot leave their charges, so help would have to be gathered quickly to accomplish this task.

This year, I volunteer in one of the kindergarten classrooms. As I was walking to the library yesterday with a bunch of papers to bound into booklets, I heard screaming. I stopped and looked around and at first didn't see anything, but knew that definitely was screaming coming from somewhere.

I paused at the library door. The hallways were empty. The screaming was now turning a corner. And I saw Mr. R, the main counselor, walking slowing towards the office with kicking legs and arms extending out in front of him. It was that little boy.

I enquired later as to what had happened.

What happened was the usual. His grandmother is called to the school to pick him up and take him home. She is 80 and walks with a cane. When she came in yesterday, the little fellow decided he did not want to go home and would not leave the office he was waiting in.

Grandma turned to the reception at the desk and said, "What the child needs is a good swat on the backside." The little fellow was finally talked into leaving the office and went home with his grandmother.

He is six years old.

Health Care Reform

I don't know what to say. I am not against Health Care Reform. So there. I said that.

Does that make me a socialist/communist/government-clueless individual? Leftist/Marxist dumb-dough? At this point, I am not really sure what it makes me, but since I am in debt because of medical issues ~ I can say I have felt the crisis of which people are speaking.

I found this little read interesting. It just seems that health insurance goes wild now and then, and ummmm, because it is something that people really, really, really need, well, that allows them to go wilder. No?

My heart goes out to those in my situation, and to those whose situations are way worse than mine.

I got up this morning and felt fairly normal. I didn't feel any 'ist' or anything at all. I felt kind and good and happy that I have my family to love and who love me.

I begrudge no one ill will. I wish that those that are sick could go to the doctor and not worry, and I also wish that those that think they might be sick could go to the doctor and not worry. So, I'm an 'ist' of some kind?

No, I don't want government in my personal business, but I do want my police force, my fire department, my roads worked on, my libraries open (Glenn-Beck-you-idiot), and yes, even the public schools. Although, I homeschooled my children for most of their years, there are others that don't or can't or don't know how or won't and then what we would do?

But there you go ~ if those thoughts make me an 'ist' of the bad ilk, then ...

I don't know what to say.

A Sharingly Good Idea

Dana at Rosecommon Acres has just posted a fantastic idea with her Share the Harvest and Challenge Giveaway.

I really like her idea ~~

she writes: "This Spring, we’re still deep in a recession with unemployment continuing to rise, and I wanted to do a little something to encourage you to help your neighbors and community by doing something gardeners have done for as long as there have been gardens: Share the Harvest! Except rather than “just” giving out of your unplanned surplus, I’d like you to consider planning now to plant a little extra, an extra row, an extra tomato plant, whatever you can squeeze in, so that you have a little more to give."

I really like that part about planning to give. Nothing keeps your heart stronger and motivated to peace than knowing you are giving to someone else.

I'm an uncommon gardener. I don't know much about gardening rules and live in sandy soil. I have had some success with lettuce, tomatoes and peppers (chili, red and green) and herbs. Once I grew a cantaloupe. I have a picture of it on my blog somewhere. It grew from my compost pile. I was so excited, I could hardly stand it!

Many things failed to actually produce anything but lovely foliage, but I was happy with that. However, as Dana mentioned in her post, the economic situation of the day would be made easier by free food from our yard.

This year, we have lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, spinach and potatoes sprouting up already. Oh, and I bought a blueberry plant, but it is the kind that needs another plant to produce its fruit. I think I'll look through the catalog that Dana mentioned and maybe order some other things.

Dana has suggested that others link to her post and really dig in and share.

Brief notes from the Captain's Log

Star date ~

a Monday AM on the planet earth,

where many people abide and try to survive. Some are waking up as I am, some are laying their heads down to sleep...

somewhere in the world today, a child will go without something he needs. Lord my prayer is that someone will fill that need for them. Someone will hug them and listen and be there to make things right.

The sun shines through my windows and even though there are streaks, I can see the beauty of the sun and the sky through the panes. I can see the light and the love. I don't even really have to strain my eyes to see it. It's there.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within. ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross ...

Sometimes it's buried so deep in hurt and neglect and unloving situations that someone does not see it right away. I pray that the light and the love in each of us will be found by another before it's too late to enjoy it and feel it and experience it, while we are here for now in this realm.

In this place where I live, I have so many reasons to look forward. I am rich in those things that money can't buy. I have love. I have love to receive from my family, and I have love to give them. It overflows from my heart and my homestead. I mark it on my door that those that enter this house will be loved and cared for and offered more than they need. I will give as much love as God allows me to give, and I am finding him to be a source that is unending.

Through my life, I have felt pain, I have been physically and emotionally hurt by others but one day, I discovered that without love, one has nothing. I discovered that love is a never ending stream of consciousness with powers and properties to heal, and if one allows the beauty of love to flow through and shine out like light ~ one can change the world for the better without so much more strain than a smile and a helping hand.

It may not look to be changed in the minute ~ but love is timeless and active in time. Think of love as light.

Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished. ~Michael Strassfeld ...

You never see it travel, but you know it does. You never see how fast it moves, but you know it does. Love and light travel together through all the broken parts of us, through all the hearts that are born ...

"Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There's a crack, a crack in everything
That's how the light gets in."
~~Leonard Cohen ...

Ahhh, the morning ~
rich in great thoughts.

Thoughts of others...

1. In the United States today, there is a pervasive tendency to treat children as adults, and adults as children. The options of children are thus steadily expanded, while those of adults are progressively constricted. The result is unruly children and childish adults. ~Thomas Szasz

2. It is not easy to be crafty and winsome at the same time, and few accomplish it after the age of six. ~John W. Gardner and Francesca Gardner Reese

3. "I must do something" always solves more problems than "Something must be done." ~Author Unknown

4. Most of us can read the writing on the wall; we just assume it's addressed to someone else. ~Ivern Ball

5. I don't see the point of being a human being if you're not going to be responsible to your fellow human beings. Selfishness thefts away the human and reduces you to just a being. ~Candea Core-Starke

A reason for tenderness

The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him. ~~Pablo Casals ..

My granddaughter copies just about everything I do now. It's amazing that every word she says does mean something. I feel frustrated at the times when I can't understand them.

When she's pointing and saying something and I can't figure it out ~ I'm thinking to myself, what must it be like for her? 15 months old. Doubtful you will remember anything about this time but I hope you remember the love.

Movement speaking out against the Pearls

A terrible thing has happened. It's an incident that will be very disturbing to your soul. The story headline reads Paradise parents face murder, torture charges.

A Paradise couple Tuesday were charged with the murder of their 7-year-old adopted daughter during a discipline session at the family home last Friday and the "torture" the previous day of her 11-year-old sister, ....

Finding this out, reading this, just breaks your heart. In the name of discipline a child is killed? How outrageous is that? How cruel is that?

Because of a connection to the philosophy of Michael and Debi Pearl and their "chastisement" theories, there has been a lot of blog activity speaking out against the Pearls and a call for book dealers to stop carrying their material.

Because my head is still all over the place with the thoughts of this horrible, cruel, evil injustice done to this little child, Lydia Schartz, I am going to link others who are speaking out much more clearly than I.

I wish to pass that information on. I am siding with those who wish to speak out against Michael and Debi Pearl. I'm choosing this blog Quiet Garden to link as she is showing a list of other bloggers who are speaking out.

Rebecca's Ramblings has read the Pearl's material and is writing about it on her blog. Tulip Girl has also been following the Pearl's misguided ideas for a long time.

Tulip Girl featured a link to this blog, which tells of this mom's experience with the teachings of the Pearls. Her link here also list others who are speaking out.

In the good and humble opinion of this blogger, any child rearing idea that thinks babies should be spanked needs to be totally disregarded as hogwash. Any child rearing idea that says one should carry a spanking tool around their neck and place one in each room, IMGAHO, should be totally disregarded as hogwash. Now, who, on God's green earth, could not agree with that? I am perplexed to think there would be anyone.

Turtles Can Fly ~ The Movie

I just watched this film, and it was amazing. The story is a hard one. But, truth told is often brutal and ugly and makes you cry.

This is a story of children in a refugee camp that is located in Kurdistan and what they do to survive which is disabling land mines. It takes place just before the American invasion. There are no trained actors in the film. These children are real.

A quote from the director, Bahman Ghobadi:

"This is the first film that has been made in Iraq after the fall of Saddam. Prior to anything, here, I should confess that from a Kurd's point of view, I'm very glad that Saddam's dictatorship has finally fallen. That is when I have decided to make a different kind of film.

I traveled to Iraq along my film and camera crew in order to take a variety of images from different subject matters. We captured many shocking images, if we chose to display all of them, they would be so unbearable to the audiences. Whatever is seen in the film is absolutely and truly documented and the comedy and funny parts have mostly come from the local people and some from myself."

There were no Special Features to tell me about the makers of the film and the fantastic young actors, so I Googled for information and was surprised to find that, although, the film was given many awards (scroll down) and a 90% on the Rotten Tomatoes film thermometer, some people thought it was supportive of the American invasion of Iraq.

This is where my dumbness begins to show as I cannot understand, how, if one watched the film, they would get this idea.

My emotions on this topic run deeply and wildly and my expressions may not be coherent, so I have linked others who give information better than I ~~

Roger Ebert gives a great detailed review.

This article from a London Film Festival writer Shahram Heidar gives information I was happy to read:

With financial help from friends and colleagues, the blind toddler has been operated on his eyes in Baghdad and hopefully soon will regain his eye sight. We also supplied health insurance for the handicapped kids so that they would also receive a little financial help for the rest of their lives. The young girl who acted in the film lives in "Soleymanieh" and holds a job at the local TV channel and the youngster boy who played "Satellite" desires to become a director. He is to accompany me in my next film as first assistant director.

We have a responsibility to children in this world, do we not? I did not support the invasion in Iraq; an invasion that would eventually became a war that would be called a war on terror, an abstract term for fear, and then would become what looks like, endless, and God knows I hope I am so wrong about that.

Man has spent much of his time on this planet robbing the innocence of children. I do not understand this concept, and I am grieved at the thought.

Watch this film if you think you can stand becoming emotionally connected with the world.

The Syrian Bride

The story ~ A young woman is getting married. On her wedding day she will leave her family and never see them again. They are all aware of this. It's what the land they live in dictates.

The place ~ The Golan Heights which is a very small area of land bordering Israel and Syria. Who knew it was there? Not me. Actually, this link of Roger Ebert tells you the story of The Syrian Bride, as well as I could if I felt like writing it all out.

The movie was enjoyable, there were subtitles which I do like for a change now and then, but more interesting than the actual film, I found, was the interview with the actress Hiam Abbass. I had checked out the film from the library and her interview is in the part called Special Features.

She speaks of what it is like to be a Palestinian born in Israel. She is Palestinian blood, but because she was actually born in Israel, she is considered an Israeli. She was raised in a Muslim household.

She spoke of the unrest in her part of the world and said that if others would stay out of it, she feels they could resolve their differences on their own. Wouldn't she know better than some of us?

She also mentioned that the film was a collaboration of Israelis and Arabs. The differences known to the world of their dislike for each other did not touch that film set. Gosh, it really makes one wonder, what is going on in this world, you know? What is real and what is fake? Why such effort to keep hate brewing for something different than yourself going? What's it all about, Alfie?

It just makes no sense, sometimes, no sense at all.

Clouded illusions or Lying?

I want to understand why the people who say that the profits of insurance companies "has not shown an increase", don't understand how tax returns work for corporations. Their profits don't go up because they revel in the deductions which turn out to be benefits for them.

1. Bonuses are a deduction

2. Big parties a deduction

3. PAY RAISES a deduction

4. Profits are a DECISION. The companies decide what is profit and what is not.
4a. That means big pay raises for CEO's which don't count as profit,
4b. and on and on ad infinitum.

5. Look it up, seriously.

Corporations DO NOT file their tax returns the same as the regular EVERYMAN. Never have, and most likely, never will. Corporations have long held this advantage.

The profits of the poor little ole insurance companies are being misrepresented. That is my opinion stated from what I know of stuff. Maybe from what you know of stuff, you have something different to say and can defend the insurance companies - health and otherwise -- who are now standing with their brother and sister corporations and taking over things they have no business taking over --

Which is ~ making a profit from someone's illness.

All that blather and I want to add one more thing:

I think there are some up there in Washington who are fully aware of what I am fully aware of, and I wonder how it is they sleep at night. I wonder how it is they really think that causing financial disaster to ill and dying people is in any way a good thing.

For all the thinking I have done about it, I can't see where that decision is the best and better one.

Just sayin' ...

1. I do not care what Tiger Woods and Toyota have in common. I prefer hummus to hubris. I did not give my time over to the 14 minutes Tiger talked about his major mess up. Tsk, tsk, tsk ~ it's a fine mess that you have both gotten yourselves into, Ollie.

2. There is something different about Peanut M & M's these days. I haven't figured it out yet, but they look, uh, different. They are all funny and odd shapes and have just a wee bit of nut in them. I have got to get a photo.

3. According to recent reports, the use of marijuana is increasing for Baby Boomers. And well, I guess so. Their need to relax increases as the continuous accusations of their being at fault for the breakdown of the country continues daily!

They are, after all, the cause of everything! Health care going bust, retirement care on the rise, tax burdens and ad infinitum. Everything is the fault of the Baby Boomers. So, they light up another joint and try to deal ...

4. The Democrats and the Republicans continue to fight about how to fix health care. Shame on them all for not just coming up with a plan that treats everyone fairly that needs health care and that keeps us all from going broke. If they would just let their prejudices fall aside, and do this for the good of people, I think they could work it out. But nooooooo ...

5. A training program on laughter as a health benefit costs $349.00 per person for a two day class. Somehow, I don't find that funny. That is a lot of money IMGAHO. But, one does get a t-shirt and a box lunch on day two. And a continued education certificate is available at an additional cost. Maybe that would make someone at least smile?

War. Why can't we just say no?

"War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today."
~ John F. Kennedy

Last night we viewed the Academy Award nominated film, The Hurt Locker.

I am not really sure what to say about this film. It is about a special military unit in the Army - the bomb squad - stationed in Iraq. It's a day to day count down, almost appearing documentary at times, which is what makes the realism of that so sad.

The film's subject matter I don't like ~ war ~ but, if there is going to be war, and people are going to allow lives to be sacrificed, then they should probably view this film.

There were times I had to look away.

I could not understand what made the film's main character tick. I could not understand why taking a risk was such a thrill for him, but I couldn't help imagining that, perhaps, if there was not a war for him, that he would maybe have found happiness in bungee jumping or climbing Mount Everest.

Whatever reason we might come up with to have a war, my prayer is that it is a damned important serious kick ass reason. Otherwise, I cannot, can not, allow myself to support such a venture.

So, as far as the film is concerned, be warned. The material is delicate, and those viewing will have to deal with the cold hard fact that this is going on, and also, that you, yourself, may have supported such an atrocity.

I did not, will not, and shall not.

"Prayer is meaningless unless it is subversive, unless it seeks to overthrow and to ruin the pyramids of callousness, hatred, opportunism, falsehoods.
~Abraham Joshua Heschel

Today my daughter is 20

I have always labored over birthday cards, always feeling that I could do better than the words written in them and just despising the cost these days, but, I found this card, and I would compliment the writer from Hallmark --

How to Make a Beautiful Life

Reflections for a Daughter on her Birthday

Love yourself.
make peace with who you are and where you are at this moment in time.

Listen to your heart.
If you can't hear what it's saying in this noisy world, MAKE TIME for yourself. Enjoy your own company. Let your mind wander among the stars.

Try.
Take chances. MAKE MISTAKES. Life can be messy at times, but it's also full of surprises. The next rock in your path might be a stepping-stone.

Be happy. When you don't have what you want, want what you have.
MAKE DO. That's a well-kept secret of contentment.

There aren't any shortcuts to toromrrow. You have to MAKE YOUR OWN WAY. To know where you're going is only part of it.
You need to know where you've been, too.

And if you ever get lost, don't worry. The people who love you will find you. Count on it.

Life isn't days and years. It's what you do with time and with all the goodness and grace that's inside you.'

MAKE A BEAUTIFUL LIFE...
The kind of life you deserve.

No sense, some ability

Today I thought I was some kind of super gardener. I decided to transplant a geranium.

I thought I could use a very large shovel with one hand. No. I have not mastered this skill.

I dug up the geranium and with a very large shovel in right hand and geranium in left hand, I decided to dig a hole, one handed. I would not recommend this.

The shovel handle flew up in my face. And it felt like a knock out punch. I thought to myself, "Stupid is as stupid does." (Stupid)

Curious things...

My sister solved a mystery:

I had mentioned that I am reading Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control.

My sister told me to read this book because one day, last week, and the reason I mention , last week - is because I called her right after I left my parents house because I was freaked out (again) that my father makes me so uncomfortable when he comes into, what I would consider, my personal space,

and I am thinking that this should not bother me any more. So, I shouldn't feel like I'm going to come out of my skin any more, I was thinking. So, I felt a little freaked out and even guilty, and I just knew that was weird and uncalled for at this autumn season of my life!

I mean, after all, he is just approaching me to talk (and talk and talk) and because I keep backing up or moving away, he keeps coming closer, and I become extremely uncomfortable and experience a flight or flight response.

Since I am, now, older than Jackson Browne and constantly working on becoming a better person and conquering ego and all that higher evolving stuff and trying to practice love and forgiveness, I really thought I was 'over it' with my dad (as our relationship was sharp edged and rocky.) But, I knew his story now, how he was abandoned and mixed up and confused as a child~

Anyway, so I called my sister this day - last week - and asked her, "What in the hell is wrong with me!? I know dad is trying to be kind in his old age, but I cannot stand for him to get that close to me! Why does this keep happening!?"

And she said, "Because he threw a mattress on you."

I didn't answer right away. The mattress incident is such a mystery to me, but from the eyes of a 7 year old, here is what happened:

One day I walked into my parents room, cannot remember why. My parents were doing something with the mattresses, or something like that, and I looked up to see a mattress falling on me. I began to smoother. I did not call out, and was very, very scared. I thought my father was aware of the situation and did not care that I was in it. I was afraid of him, so I fought for breath until the mattress was lifted off.

Neither of my parents acknowledged that I was under the mattress, let alone close to passing out.

The incident has perplexed me a good portion of my life and certainly did nothing to endear me to my father and left me in a state of confusion about my mother. My father has always scared me. I think I have some kind of sensitivity disorder and loud yelling at random moments directed at me for reasons I did not know, made my heart beat uncontrollably.

I realize now, he knew nothing about parenting in the emotional sense. My parents were 17 and found themselves in a situation, and dealt with it best they could.

In the book, I found information in Chapter One that addresses the memories of trauma in a child's life. I would consider the incident with the mattress, trauma.

And so what happens, apparently, is that when my father gets close to me, that memory and the others that are trauma like and as unresolved as the mattress incident, produce the feelings that make me want to back up into the wall and keep going as far away from him is I can, and it makes me feel really strange.

Just reading the information in this first chapter, turned my head in another direction. Today when I saw him, I didn't feel the fear.

That's all I can say about this right now. But, that is better than the way it was.

A book I'm reading

"Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control",
Author Heather T. Forbes, LCSW
and B. Bryan Post, PhD, LCSW

I have read very little of the book yet. My sister has suggested it, and I was reading through the Foreward last night. It is a book that is attempting to help a parent (or person) deal with disrupted attachments.

Attachment is something that happens from the beginning moments of life in this realm. When a child is placed in our arms for our protection, something begins that will affect things forever.

More later.

I so can cook...and I found my potato peeler

On the home front ...

1. Today was a day off for me, and it kind of turned into an off day. I spent my time cleaning out one drawer in my bathroom. The top left drawer. It was a major task, of sorts, I will not lie. I think everything I own had made it's way into that one drawer.

I have this really bad habit of putting anything left over in my hand in that drawer (How fortunate to find my potato peeler!). That way, I can be sure to find whatever it was later (in another life maybe).

Only, the day had finally arrived in which the point of ~ drawer saturation ~ had been reached. (It can happen.) A coup dʼétat, one may say, as the drawer had reached its limit of tolerance for my total disregard of putting anything away, away.

My catch-all, sure safe, no-lose anything drawer was no longer able to allow me to sustain my need for the ability to identify one single item without moving and shifting and lifting just about everything in it. So, I gave up, and today I cleaned it. I dumped the contents on my bed. (And the bed collapsed.)

I filled 5 of my empty candle jars with items from aforementioned drawer. I wrote on the jars with black permanent marker to help me identify the contents at a glance. Like one say "eyes". And I drew an 'eye' on it. (I guess, just in case, it would be late at night, and I couldn't read my own writing or see what was in the jar??) I put all my contact cases, refresh tubes of eye stuff in ~ and then I was thinking, "why do I need 9 contact lens cases?" Since I did not have an answer to that question, I put the jar in the cabinet with all the eye related materials and moved on.

My favorite jar is the last one I did. I got tired of cleaning out the drawer, so I marked one the jars 'miscellaneous', threw the rest of the stuff in there, and voilà! I was done~ and reveled in my brilliance. The drawer is now mostly empty. (I am tempted to put a piece of paper with the date in it and follow up on how long it takes to fill it up again.) All jars fit perfectly in the cabinet!

2. Because I spent so much time cleaning a drawer, I didn't get to the grocery store. I really did need to go there. But I am getting really experienced at this, that is making dinner from what appears to be nothing ...as that is what it did appear to me. Here is what I had: one pound of hamburger and for my vegetarian daughter, one can of refried beans.

So. What could I add to that? I had one half an onion and one quarter of a red pepper, so I sauteed the onion and the red pepper, then added the ground beef. And since the refrigerator was so bare, I could plainly see some green salsa. (That stuff can adjust the flavor of anything to the positive for us!) After the meat was finished, I drained off all the fat, and added the green salsa.

I searched the cabinets and discovered a jar containing a cup of white rice. We stopped eating white rice a long while ago, but white rice never dies. And, an added bonus!~ I found a wayward package of enchilada sauce. Oh happy day~!

I got the rice going and divided the enchilada sauce between the beans and the meat (being careful not to mix the spoons, you know, my daughter the vegetarian?)...but I still needed something green, and I wasn't sure I could count the salsa as a vegetable.

The freezer held very few items, but I could clearly see a folded package of something in a zip lock bag and lo and behold~! Peas!!

I rinsed the peas off really, really well and sprinkled them with Nature's Seasoning and garlic powder (which I also sprinkled in the meat the the beans). As soon as the timer went off for the rice (yes, I cook with a timer, a most needed tool for me) I added the peas and let it sit for 5 minutes ...

And wow!!
What a dinner!

3. I'm ending the day rewatching Sense and Sensibility. And thinking of myself as one that may have no sense, but comes through on the ability.

Can you see the forest?

Miscellaneous stuff I need to get out of my head to make room for other stuff:

1. Sarah Palin's palm notes (or as other writers noted: Sarah's Palm Pilot). Those who love Sarah and the Republican party jumped to her defense with this type of logic:

-- remarks akin to 'doesn't everyone use palm notes, or notes'?,

--and, as far as I can tell, which really who knows how far that is, that wasn't the point of pointing out the palm notes ...

-- *I* think the point was that she was referring to President Obama as "a charismatic guy with a Teleprompter". So, in effect, she created an oxymoron. (Hilarious!)

We can look at both of these people and their prompters, albeit their palm or their teles, and study them intensely with bold headlines and front page news and read blogs which takes stances on either sides of the matter, but in the end, you have two human beans who need notes to remember what they want to say. Oh my, the humanness of it all. (Such deep discovery.)

But, what I find fascinating about myself regarding both these issues is that:
I really don't care.

2. I have been told I am a Swing Voter. I was actually hoping that had something to do with dancing. But apparently, it does not. Upon further study of this discovery, I find the term - Swing Voter - fits me finely. I am independent, and I do like to dance, and even though I try always to be kind, I really don't like to be told what to do.

To some people being a swing voter means that I am throwing my vote away. (Bless their hearts.)

To some other people it means that because there is such a thing as a swing voter, politicians play harder directing attention towards my area of concerns, meaning they try to stay to the center of whatever side they are really leaning towards, which means I am responsible for their presenting a false front of sorts, or as some term that is loosely used in areas such as these --- *lying*. (Now, I have a headache.)

I have been lectured by people, who are party dominated, boldly noting the regards of the importance of stating a case for concrete distinctions in decision making and the all importance of choosing a party plan to support. (Bullocks of a headache, now.)

I feel this type of thinking leaves nothing for a margin of error, of which there always is and this fact of life which is often ignored, does need to be considered.

So, I just go in the voting booth and boldly vote how I want. Every time. When something is so concrete, and so set in stone ...Yikes! That is just to scary! We are talking about ideas here, not statues in a park!

Politicians should not know everything about how things are going regarding who is going to vote for them; they should stay a little edgy and keep sharp, and concentrate on telling us the truth about who they are and what ideas are really in their hearts.

Swing voters make them a little nervous, as one never knows what a swing voter is going to do, -- and no politician should ever have it so easy that he/she thinks that votes will be there for them like lovely presents, all nicely wrapped under the tree on Christmas morning.

They need keep sharp and on their toes; learn to deal with the unexpected, the maybes, and the could bes and learn to think about that existing margin of error, because, it. is. out there.


3. President Obama is setting a trap for the GOP. Oh man, oh man ... this one is still rolling around in my head, but I have got to admit...there is a lot of laughter going on in that space.

The Nestle Crunch Hot Line

I just received this information from my cousin:

Call the Nestle Crunch Hotline at 1-800-295-0051. When you are asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish, just wait quietly for about 10 seconds and you will smile. Promise! Keep going and press 4. Listen to the options...then press 7.


I did press 7 as she suggested, but I suppose you could have chosen another option.

Nestle's may have truly tranformed the whole if you want to (whatever) press a number.

Bad Moon Photos

...don't say I didn't warn you. (My kingdom for a really great camera...)

I thought the moon was round. Here the moon looks like it got deflated on the side. I kind of think it looks like a heart shaped M & M.



This one looks like a heart shaped moon.



This is like a proton or a placebo or the moon squinting at me. The moon, quite possibly, could have a sense of humor. You don't know.



This one is like a jelly bean. Actually, a lot of my moon photos look like jelly beans that shine in the dark



This last one is the one that probably looks the most like the moon. But still and all, it's probably a good thing that I don't work for NASA.



These was taken January 29,2010. That night the moon was the fullest it will be for the year. If you click on this link, you'll find more interesting information including the fact that it's all an illusion.

But illusion or not, I have been fascinated with the moon since those early days of childhood when being outside at night was just about the coolest thing ever.

I find there is something stabling about the night time, and knowing we all look up in wonder of the same moon is fascinating to me. I imagine my friends going out and looking up at the moon. I've always been able to see the Man in the Moon. It's never been a problem for me.

The moon is not going to fall out of the sky. It will sit there for you to look at it for as long as you wish, you can call it any kind of cheese, and it won't get mad at you, and when it goes away, it always comes back.

I've never been disappointed by the moon. It keeps a perfect calendar and is always right on time.

This link will give you some information about your Moon Type. You can click on it if you are not disturbed about knowing these kinds of things.

Some Much Ados about Nothing

1. How your hair looks. (Really, it's not that big of a deal. No one actually cares. Not. Really.)

2. The Tim Tebow Superbowl ad. (Geesh, all that uproar, and then Tebow tackles his Mom on national televsion? Boy, if one of my kids tackled me like that ...whoa, ;) )

3. President Obama blames President Bush, one more time. (Someone has to tell him!)

4. Brad and Angelina. (Remember Swine Flu? Killer Bees? Y2K? Well, someday you will think that way about Brad and Angelina, and you won't even have to get a shot, wear a pith helmet or roll change. It'll just happen. Trust me.)

5. Michael Moore getting a million dollar tax credit for making a movie in Michigan. (If they didn't like it, they should have watched his movie and did away with the tax credit~ 'cause that's what he said...)

6. Coffee is bad. (Coffee is necessary. I wish people would just stop ragging on coffee. I mean, seriously, if you want to do yoga and drink tea, so be it. Just stop ragging on coffee! It's been around longer than most people!!)

7. Tap water will make you something akin to unhealthy and wrinkly. (Doubtful, so, so doubtful. If you are thirsty, and no one has bottled water near by, go ahead and drink from the tap. Honestly, you will probably live. Just don't drink it from a water fountain. Yuk.)

from "On Becoming Fearless"

"The first step to becoming fearless about our physical appearance is knowing that our fears of inadequacy are manufactured and mass-marketed. The fear-generating messages of perfection we measure ourselves against come not from Moses on the mountain-top but from the multibillion-dollar cosmetics and fashion industres whos profits are directly tied to our levels of insecurity. ***

"That's only half the story, however. We are, after all, the ones perpetuating the game of comparisons. The urge to compare, to see how we're doing relative to others, is a part of the human condition. But we can enlarge our perspective to dilute the power of our narrow, self-destructive comparisons. I know this is hard, but if we can't completely stop playing the comparison game, we can at least start changing who we compare ourselves to."

-- Aríanna Huffingtòn, "On Becoming Fearless," page 20

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

I copied and pasted this from a comment on a link I misplaced. But I like what it says. I'm not sure of the exact quote because of the misspellings, so I think I'll look for the book myself and check it out, but it does seem to reflect what Arianna Huffington might say.

The young women of today, and maybe me included a little bit, are affected by what the outside world says we should be, should look like actually, and that is so wrong.

Rise above it all and be yourself.

The Moon Again

("I'll go look at the moon with you, Grandma...")

Tonight, January 29, 2010, is going to featured the hugest, largest, fullest moon of 2010.

You can link yourself anywhere to find the information, if you already didn't have it in your inbox.

Go out and take a look at the moon. Enjoy. Tomorrow, it will be waning.

First day in Kindergarten

Way back in the day, when I was a young lass, there was no government requirement of attending kindergarten. So, I missed it. I started first grade as a five year old. Somehow I muddled through ... but today, I went to kindergarten for the very first time. (Okay, well now, that might be stretching it a bit as my oldest son was in public school kindergarten, and I did go to his class...)

I arrived at 9:15 AM. The class was in Relative Arts and were to arrive back shortly. There were 18 of them. Eighteen little heartbeats to sit at their little desks and learn all the important things they will ever know, if one is to believe some books that declare all you need to know you learned in kindergarten. And, I am volunteering to be a part of this, so I'll be on my best behavior.

While the class was getting settled, I prepared 36 pieces of a napkin type paper that can be recycled, two for each child, to be placed in front of them. These were their imaginary *math mats* with an imaginary line down the middle, of one for the purpose of working out their math problems. (One map would hold their 10 bunny shaped marshmallows, and the other would be for working out the math problems.)

I liked the idea of using manipulatives. Each child worked with ten bunnies.

Mrs. Evans, whom I met and observed last year during the time she was my youngest nephew's tutor (and is now his teacher), is an excellent teacher, in my good opinion.

In this unit of study, she wrote a math problem on the board. When she used the + sign or when she used the - sign, she reinforced what that stood for and what action was being taken. I liked that she allowed the children in her class to call out in discussion. She asked for numbers to add or subtract from, that were not higher than the number 10. The class would then work the problem with their bunnies, and call out the answer when called on. They seemed to know when to raise their hands.

I recall now, yes, it was that she instructed them to put their finger on their noses when they had the answer. I thought this was quiet a brilliant thing to do. Then, they raised their hands and she called on a student to answer. If they were incorrect, Mrs. Evans had very positive ways in her dialogue with them to keep the discussion going without telling any child something that would not keep them thinking in the round.

One other thing Mrs. Evans did during this exercise was to set up each child with a partner. She displayed a way of knowing, very quickly, whom would be a good help for whom. She called out children's names and had a few change seats, not one bit of complaining was done during this time that I recall.

The learning abilities of 18 children are going to ebb and flow. And, no one teacher, in my good opinion, can sustain them all, but if it can be done, she will find a one to try to find the best way to attempt it. She will try to hand each child the baton ~ although, I can see that some of them will not grab for it and go. The reasons for those things are yet to be known, and may very well, never be.

Today was an early release day. Which means that school is out by 12 noon.

We went right from math to journal writing. The children went back to their regular seats for this activity. The group leaders of each little table is responsible for going to a drawer unit at the each of their tables, and fetching the journal books and supplying the pencil needed. The children wait for the book to be handed to them and start writing.

At this point I was on free reign of sorts. Mrs. Evans needed to do some individual testing with each child, and I guess my being there allowed her to do that, so I walked around helping children with their entries.

I am very familiar with phonics and their sounds -- phoneme. My homeschooling background helped me with this. Helping sound out the word "vampire girl" was interesting. I did my best not to cheat and just give someone a word -- I did give one child the g and h in night, explaining the *Mr. gh* rule, because she wanted to write the word *nit* but for night to have a long i sound, then she would have to put an e at the end and have - nite - but I thought, oh well, I'll just go ahead and let her in on the secret of *Mr gh* because if she knows now then she has forgotten it, and if she doesn't know, it certainly will not hurt her to know (right?).

I continued helping the children with their spelling for their journal writing entries until it was time for recess. After recess was over, while Mrs. Evans read the children a story (and with great animation, I must say; such a fine job she did!), I cut out penguin wings for the next project which they began, but will finish later.

At the end of the day, my little nephew took my hand, and we prepared to leave the classroom together. I then remembered it would be nice to clean up the mess left after the penguin wings cuttings, so he helped me do that. He knew which recycle bin to use.

We were then walking out and he said to me, "Aunt Sasha, are you glad this day is over?" I told him that I thought it was a very fine day, and I enjoyed it very much, "How about you?" I added.

He said, "I've got so much of it still in my head, I feel like it's still going on..." He's 6. Priceless, just priceless.

Just Here For Now

I just renamed my blog. Well, I renamed *this* blog. When I first started blogging, several years ago, I didn't know at all what I was doing. I started a blog, and kind of lost it.

It was called "Just Here For Now" ...

And, all these years of blogging, I have thought that was a better name for my blog, as that is how I have always felt ~ just here for now.

I am just here for now on this planet, in this realm, because I am not going to live my forever existence where I am now.

There is to much unfinished inside me to do that. And, I am finding that I cannot move fast enough, on the outside, to match all I wish to do, on the inside.

A Poem ~ by Nathan

Two Choices...One Chance
~~by Nathan S.

You got one shot...One chance...Two choices...
Do you steal the cookie from the cookie jar?
Hoping your won't get caught?
Or do you do the right thing and wait patiently
For your mom to get home and ask permission first?
One chance...Two choices...
Do you accept the smoke from your most trusted friend,
Knowing you are not of legal age?
or do you walk away, thinking about losing a friend forever?
One chance...Two choices...
Do you steal your very own parents' money,
Knowing you can't pay them back?
One chance...Two choices...
do you smoke the marijuana,
Hoping the cops won't catch you?
or do you turn down your so-called friends?
One chance...Two choices...
So there you go - What is your choice?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My nephew's poem has been selected in a Creative Communication Poetry competition. He's in the 8th grade. Our family is very proud of him.

Doing?

When one is doing dishes,

and talking on the phone,

and cleaning the stove,

and then

closes the oven door

on ones' little pinky finger,

one does have to wonder,

just what the

*hey*

one is really doing?

Stories that can silence you

I recently found this blog -- 6 year med -- and this post, All of My Days, was the first I read. I fell speechless. My eyes welled with tears. My heart swelled and a new kind of silence fell upon me.

The lady who parked the wrong way

Why is it, that when one decides that one should work on a part of their character,

The part that involves not letting stupid things people do bother you,

A lady decides to park the wrong way in the pick up lane at the Extended Day Program?

She had out of town license plates.

I figured she didn't know the rules.

But, the traffic got really piled up on the one way we all had to go

And, she still didn't even look up to see

What a mess she was causing.

And, I,

I looked at her.

Two or three times,

Actually, and I thought of rolling down my window

And declaring, even nicely, the wrongness of it all.

But, I said, to me, "You Idiot,

This is your challenge.

This is the *thing* --

Let it go."

It took me longer than I would have wished it would.

And, still it is probably not gone,

Because,

What am I doing now?

Posting about it.

So, Maybe she wasn't even real.

Maybe nobody saw her but me.

But, here I am thinking about the lady

with the out of town license plates

who parked the wrong way in the

One Way Pick Up Line...

I lose.

Focus, Grasshopper, Focus

What does one think when one cannot see the skillet because it is upside down?

There is much to learn here, grasshopper.

Just a really weird day

The really weird day ~
And, of course, I got up late. I do not like getting up late.


1. Daughter was not supposed to work today, which was good because Dad needed the truck which she drives to work.

2. Daughter ended up having to work - and was very upset and tired because she had worked last night, closed as a matter of fact, and didn't get home until after midnight and had to be back at work at 8 AM.

And, she had had a horrible evening/night at work because of theft -- 19 movies were stolen. And, customers were grouchy, one customer even told her very harshly that they never rented a movie that she told him he didn't return because he would never, never, ever rent that type of movie...

3. So Dad made other arrangements for a vehicle. He took Mom's ride because she didn't have to be at work until 3:30, and Dad said, surely he would be back by then.

4. So what happens? Mom gets a call, at home, at 2:15 and is told that her nephew (that she picks up from school everyday) is in the office because she's not there to pick him up (what?). Mom tells the nice lady on the phone that Jacob goes to EDP (Extended Day Program) on Tuesdays. Nice Lady says, "Oh, Okay", and assures she will take him there.

5 minutes later the phone rings again. Jacob is not signed up at EDP (Jacob has been attending the EDP program every Tuesday and Friday since school began...), so they won't take him, and here is Mom without a car.

So, Mom calls Grandma. Grandma goes and gets Jacob and then picks up Mom, so she can go back with her to Jacob's house and take care of Jacob.

5. Dad ends up with some furniture (from the job he was working at)... a desk and an office chair, which we needed, and a huge TV -- 40" color, perfect condition TV -- that we did not. So, Dad has this TV in Mom's car and since no one needed it (we called about four people; yes, I love cell phones); he took the TV to a place near our house, called House of Hope (it was formerly called Jesus' House of Hope but because of political reasons and not wanting to stifle contributions, they changed the name to House of Hope, dropping Jesus on the outside, but they say, not on the inside) ...

....and they couldn't take the TV, as appliances have to be dropped off somewhere else, but it's getting time for closing and Mom needs to be picked up from work...

...so Dad sees some lawn workers that he frequently sees in the neighborhood and pulled up and asked them, "Do you know of anyone who wants a working 40" TV?" Seems that they did and very happily so.

6. Daughter had to work longer than her scheduled shift because the fellow coming into take the next shift had to wait for his wife to come home from work, and she was late, and they only had the one car...

...and then, Daughter sees a fellow in the store stealing movies ...(drat). She called the top dog boss, who told her to call 911, (who said she did do the right thing, because she wasn't sure, she told the officers, that 911 was the right number to call for such a thing as theft from a video store, and they said, 'oh yes, you did the right thing.')

They did catch the guy. (Pray for Daughter's safety, though, these things make me nervous)

And, also, the specific customer who had told her he never, never, ever rented that type of movie...he came in and returned the said movie and apologized for his rude behavior.

Giving Freely

Those that give may find that those they give to, don't give anything to them, even if it be in times of obvious need.

But, those that give with a free and loving heart, with no conditions or strings attached, will find that the universe (God) will give back freely to them what they need.

Surrogate ~ a movie with Bruce Willis

In this movie Bruce Willis plays Bruce Willis. It's about Bruce Willis taking (another) beating and saving the world (again). But I jest ...
I thought Sixth Sense was great.
The film, Surrogates, made me think of the Matrix. One of those centralized ideas about how we don't really live life, don't want to get old, get hurt, or basically experience anything bad, and you know we can't live like that. It just never turns out that way. Life has it's ugly parts. You have to get down and dirty and get wrinkles to really live.
Actually, when the film began, I grabbed my computer and Googled "Bruce Willis gets plastic surgery" ...LOL. When he first appeared on screen, and I knew nothing of what the film was about, I thought, 'holy batman, bruce has gone batty with surgery!'
http://tinyurl.com/yhj3gwu
Turns out, all people in this time have surrogates to live their lives for them ,and Bruce had one, too -
...fake perfect robots to live as them, as they (the people) lay hooked up at home. (-- maybe thinking they are waiting for Neo, but Bruce shows up instead. Since they both have about the same amount of facial expression, I suppose it could get confusing - I'm just kidding, tongue in cheek movie humor).

So, _All_ the surrogates are beautiful and lovely and nothing bad ever happens to the people, only to the surrogates, if something bad happens to them at all.... And, then Bruce Willis wakes up.

He raises all kinds of hell, pushes the wrong button, cuts the red wire instead of the blue, and all right and reason is restored. This last line can be the repeated mantra for 98 out of 100 Bruce Willis films.

All kidding aside, we like Bruce Willis. Matter of fact, we have nothing against Keneau Reeves, either.

If you pay money to see this film, I hope you are a Bruce Willis fan. That will make it a lot better for you.

Snow in Sunny Florida

Icy roads, freezing temperatures...my front yard is covered in sheets and blankets, so we will see what survives. As many plants as I could gather are on the front porch. I would sorely hate to lose them for a couple of bad nights of weather....(Didn't get this post up, power outtage through the morning and the night.)

So, for this cold evening we three stayed inside, made coffee in the press, Mr. B cooked potato soup (yes, all by himself -- with my phone tutelage, but still, kudos to the cook) -- then, we watched a movie "And When Was the Last Time You Saw Your Father" with Colin Firth, (who is really Mr. Darcy and will always be Mr. Darcy, others may try, but still -- he is and remains so to us.) -- (and we are all ready for another round of Potato Soup.)

The movie was great for discussion and comments about how it was shot, as there was such a use of mirrors that it soon became obvious to look for them.

After the movie we went next door to visit Great Grandma Rita, with Shaylin and her Daddy, and laughed out loud at Shaylin and her antics. She is at just the most humorous age, best to entertain the old people.

We came home and made meat for tacos, refried beans flavored with green salsa, brown rice, grated some cheese, opened a can of black olives, and found some sour cream in the back of the 'fridge. Man, good to go!

We looked at old photographs and recounted the great fun of the beach and vacations and family, old friends and cats who are as good as old friends and most definitely like family.

It was still cold. Very cold. Lost power on Sunday so went to Uncle Don's to feed the baby and visited with Abuela (great) and Shayling actually threw the ball. Great laughs.

Movies watched:
When did you last see your father
Half Nelson
A Harry Potter (not a Potter fan so don't know which one they watched)
Last Orders

Book currently reading:
Pride and Prejudice

Current Obsession:
Sudoku (Still on Light and Easy Challenge)

Pride and Prejudice

I have decided to open the new year rereading Pride and Prejudice. It's been four, or perhaps more, years since I have read it. And, I think the last was an attempt; I may not have finished it, having too often watched the A & E production of it during the time my daughter was in her high school years. And then, when Mr B came to be noticing of it and liking it as well, we probably lived on it's viewing for awhile.

Recently as day before yesterday, I've tried to entice my sister to read along with me, but she has not yet accepted my suggestion, and I will ask one of my sister in laws if she would like to join us, but I realize assignments such as this appear all to tedious to those who work at full time jobs, have homes to keep, and younger children to run to and fro.

I am currently working part time, leaving me mornings and evenings for helping out with, visiting and generally cooing over my granddaughter. My youngest child is just shy of 20 and requires not much looking after, sadly for me. My husband is currently only employed part time, sadly also, as that makes things difficult for paying bills and buying things like food, but he helps around the house a lot, and this leaves me more time for reading novels.

And so I shall.

In Chapter Three, I find the first description of Elizabeth Bennet that I totally enjoy --

"...for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in any thing ridiculous."

Delighting in things ridiculous, 'in my good opinion', is healthy sport. It is so much better than the opposite choice which is letting them anger you. One must never allow the careless remarks of someone we do not know to cut into our hearts or bother our countenance, or give allowance to a moment of lost sleep.

"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." ~~Albert Einstein

Things in a marriage...

1. I leave dishes needing to be washed on the left hand side of the sink. My husband leaves things that are washed and dried and ready to be put away, on the left hand side of the sink.

As anyone can probably already tell, I am rewashing clean items, and husband is putting away dirty items. I'm not sure where the 'tween shall meet. Maybe the doctor's office...

2. I have been carefully watching our spending budget. I have been completely baffled at the generous amounts of toilet paper we have been using. I thought to solve this by being smarter in my purchasing. So, I explored buying different brands, but still, it seemed like a lot.

I began to stand in the stores, and carefully look over the square footage noted on the packaging; this was so perplexing me! I took my calculator with me to make sure my conjectures were correct because still, I found myself spending an awful lot on a product, that is, indeed, necessary. (A crisis seemed at hand and one was tempted to begin a subscription to the newspaper to get ahead of this problem!)

Then, I happened to a place in the laundry room, glancing over at a space between the air handler and the hot water heater, and my eyes fell upon, dozens of rolls of toilet paper! Of different brands!

It seems this helpful man of mine had a special place he had designated for the storage of toilet paper. (An epic fail to not let anyone else know about it!) But hence, a great stash. So good on him, as we are no longer behind in the need for toilet paper, (and there is nothing really useful in the newspaper anyway.)

3. My husband knows where all the tools are and loves to use them. I use butter knives, nail files, and other various kitchen ware for all my tool needs.

4. My husband tells me to buy cereal only then to find he has no milk. He tells me to buy milk, and, as the odds would be, he then finds he has no cereal. I don't eat cereal nor do I drink milk, so I don't keep track of the lesses and the mores of the whole thing.

(Complicated in these facts, is the fact that our daughter eats dry cereal as a snack, but doesn't drink milk. Thus, milk ~ no cereal.)

I'm not sure how this will end. It may continue to be a complicated long rotation of the never meeting 'tweens.

(Note: Actually, I quit buying milk and cereal. No one has said anything...)

5. My husband does do laundry, and bravo! most married women are cheering, (yes, I can hear you from here). But, then forgets about it (probably off to fix something with his real tools). I usually find it the next day; then I do it again. Good intentions are sometimes met with a higher electric bill, (but there is not one thing in my house that is broken).

6. My husband thinks all my jokes are funny, he thinks I'm the greatest cook in the world, and he gives me all his money. I know he would lend me his real tools if I preferred them, he doesn't mind cleaning the kitchen, and he knows, deep down, that milk is bad for him. And, if I had not gone into the laundry room the other day to see if he had left a load of wash in the machine, I never would have found the toilet paper!

2010 ~ Here for 365

Last year has dissolved into the c-span of thought energy, notes on paper, and vibrations in the air. Trees grew. Flowers blossomed, this year my roses especially, and I was so surprised! I thought they were done with me.

And, my granddaughter is almost walking. When I thought about it the other day, her walking that is, I got all teary eyed. Time just passes so quickly. It's hard to figure out what I have learned. I know I've learned something, surely, I mean surely I did. But what? When you learn new things, you grow, and you change. I'm wondering how I have changed.

I still believe in God. I still love happy endings in stories and in life, I love seeing butterflies come to life in my garden, and flowers are just the most beautiful to me. I love hummus and avocados with cracked pepper and olive oil crackers.

I still only drink water, coffee, wine and tequila (oh well, might as well be honest ~ deal with it). I like my coffee strong and bold, my wine merlot and not too cheap, and good tequila is a must. As for water, well, I still prefer it filtered at least.

I still get the flutters of happiness when my children walk in the door or when they call me. I melt at the words, 'hey mom' ~

I still need a new pair of shoes, or two every year, but haven't had to buy a jacket in over 5 years, or a sweater. I didn't even buy a new pair of jeans last year. I kind of gave up jeans, they just aren't that comfortable any more. If I ever find a comfortable pair, then maybe again...But I would like to have a cool jean jacket! Maybe I'll see one this year that is worth purchasing.

I still have cut flowers in my house as often as I can, I love looking at my plants and feel guilt when they need water because I know they can't water themselves, after all.

I still don't like bullies. Even though I know they are people who have issues, I don't like them. One of my nephews has had his share of this bullying in his middle school experience. This is his last year of middle school. Another one of my nephews was bullied at the elementary school he attends. Both of my nephews are really great kids. They wouldn't hurt anyone. It seems unfair and mean, and makes me want to go down to the particular schools with a posse of family and ask them, "What is this all about and How can we stop this?"

But in all that, I did support my nephews, ended up going down to one of the schools, in a posse of sorts, and we all had many talks of how to learn to deal with this stuff and then let it all go. But I still don't like bullies this year.

It's late. I'll think about more changes tomorrow. I won't be so tired and perhaps I can study my thoughts a little more objectively.

Kicking up the spirit

Just a quick little snapshot ~ and there it is. I hope your Christmas Season kicks up as much joy in your life as my Granddaughter does in mine.

Just a Simple Well Wishing to Those Non Thinking Souls

To all those people, who during the year, have hit our cars and then decided not to own up to your responsibility by driving away... May you experience the true joy of commitment. May what you have given us, come back to you, two fold and twenty. You know who you are, my chicken hearted little darlings.

May you come upon that experience that teaches you redemption, may you always wonder when it will happen to you, but here's hoping it's right after you make the first payment on that brand new ride you saved up for with the dollars you used to cheat others by not paying for the damage you have done.

To all those who are driving while talking on their cell phones, oh, you are the special and dear ones.

The universe has not given you enough time to declare just how important you are above others, and it can't be your fault that you find yourself in the position to risk the life of mankind, as you mindlessly chatter on a piece of compressed plastic, while motoring a 2000 pound machine forward or backward or into a small parking space, and heaven forbid, making a left turn on a yellow light.

This universe is not good enough for you. May the aliens find you and lift you off to the regions of space where you can roam free and in harm's way of no man.

If the aliens should not find you, may your connections be lost, your cell phone bill ever rise, and you see the lights of your local police in your rear view mirror, always.

To those of you on the top of the corporate ladders in all companies, like not excluding Wall Street and At The Down and Dirty Mortgage Loan Companies or Insurance Companies or Pill Coporations,

who don't look down and see how they got there, who don't take the time to give back to the little guy who bought your countless amounts of stuff and stock and not so great loans, may the explanation of your rise come to you clearly, and may you reap what you have sown.

May your children learn the song Cat's in the Cradle as their anthem, may each of your friends treat you with the feelings you have for those less fortunate than you, and as you enjoy your massage and spa treatment at the expense of people loosing their homes, may the the massage therapist be one of them.

To those of you who care nothing of sneezing and coughing into the universe, with your grossness of wild abandon all the while, sharing your cold and flu season germs, and to those of you who allow your children to do the same, May you be rained upon with knowing the profits you have coughed and sneezed up for the cold and flu medicine industry, the ER rooms you have helped fill, the doctors time you have helped waste, and the countless number of people who had to take time off work because you couldn't take the time to either stay home or at least sneeze into your sleeve, and May you be blessed in heaps with that which you so freely share with the rest of the world. For you, there is not enough tea in China.

In the end, we all get back what we put in, as many of the wise sages before us have tried to tell us. It all comes back on you, People. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of us, as we are the sum of the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

So make it a good one for yourself and others.

On figuring it out

1. Every dollar you spend is spent on your education. You either learn something or you don't.

2. Silence is not awkward.

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCFCeJTEzNU

I tried to post it properly, but it's just not working for me. But it's called Silent Monks sing Hallelujah ~~ But sometimes it's spelled Halleluia on the link.

4. More stuff later.

Spinach Balls with Stuffing

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups finely crushed herb-seasoned dry bread stuffing mix
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl combine spinach, stuffing mix, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, black pepper, Italian seasoning, melted butter and eggs. Shape into walnut-sized balls and place on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through and browned

~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have these premade and will be cooking them tomorrow for a family party. I did use a Seasoned Pepper - which means I kicked it up a knotch.

I'll make a note to let myself know what I think of these.

A List of Noticing Things

A List of Noticing Things:

1. Lots of people think they see things as they are. When they don't really. They see things as they are.

It would take much stillness for all people to see the same thing. And, stillness of soul and spirit and body? ~ very, very hard to do, grasshoppers. It is hard to cross those streams.

2. Sockdolager is a strange and crazy word you don't hear everyday. Or any day, that I can recall. I don't even recall reading it in a book! I found a definition here, but they seem to be of very different meanings.

3. Watching others living life and not taking your good advice is tough. Try to remember whether or not you took everyones good advice. It's a giant paradox we are in.

(My advice is: give the good advice anyway, just make sure you give it with kindness and caring and no swear words.)

4. It's hard to accept that all is as it should be when we don't feel comfortable with what we are seeing. (Part of the paradox, you know.)

5. Many people speak on about how at Christmas time we remember the poor, but at other times of the year, we don't. But, try to remember that the poor are looking forward to Christmas just as much as anyone else, so reach down in those pockets and give a little more to the poor. (And then make sure you remember them the rest of the year, as well.)

6. There is no excuse for driving badly. None. (Nope, not one. Sorry.)

7. Don't ever let something get you down. Maybe let it stand you still for a second, maybe leave you speechless, or even breathless ~ but don't ever let something get you down. And if it does manage to get you down ~ don't stay there.

Food.Inc ~ The Movie

Food.Inc.

Wow. This film made an impression on me. I've eaten only refried beans and vegetables since. It's not a new film, 2008, but I just got around to watching it. I would recommend this as a must see for everyone. Actually, I would challenge everyone to watch it.

I had heard a few people say that once you watch this film it will be hard to eat for a week. And, depending on what you eat, it just may very well be so (and perhaps longer than a week)!

Does it matter to you that your food is being genetically altered? If that fact is, indeed, true, don't think it won't affect you because it will. Everything in this universe is connected. The evil and the good all cycle around, well, maybe it's like a spiral, but it is all connected. And when you eat food that been fooled around with, your system is about to be fooled around with, too. You can believe me, or you can just take your chances. Either way, it is what it is.

I don't want to eat meat from animals that have not been able to breathe the fresh air and been treated kindly or forced to eat stuff they don't naturally eat. My gosh, salmon are even being force feed food they don't normally eat!

You may not think that has anything to do with you, and maybe it won't. Maybe you are older, like me, but it sure will have something to do with your children, (or grandchildren, as they are still developing.) I say To You People, give this film a viewing and at least give the kids a chance. Educate yourself. If the people who made this film are all crazy, then walk away mumbling how those of us who are still shaking our heads at what is happening with our food are all crazy, too. I would seriously recommend you take that chance.

My head is spinning here after just viewing this...but maybe you should view it, just to be sure this blogger is not stark raving mad...

Think:

1. If you begin to eat genetically altered food, what do you think your body is going to do with that foreign stuff entering your body? It has to deal with it. And your body will become genetically altered, or mutated, as it were, or something other than the normal we know. It may even evolve into another species. Maybe you think that means nothing to you, as I am not a scientist, so how could I possibly know what I'm taking about.

Then, I ask you, does the word natural mean anything to you? If it does not, then fire up the grill and cook up some burgers and steaks and go to sleep tonight without thinking that the meat you are eating, unless you know specifically where it has come from, has, most likely, not lived a lovely life, and is quiet possibly shot up with some kind of something-weird that doesn't belong in your system, and, also it has been washed in ammonia to kill some bacteria that will kill you, and who knows what else.

If it does mean something to you, then you need to get on the train that will try to stop this madness. It may not be too late.

2. Does anyone out there have a concern about the government having to much control? What would you think, if you knew that maybe three or four Corporations had control over what you eat and what you eat is fed, and doesn't want anyone to know about it? And They and the Government are best friends?


3. Do you know what Veggie Libel means?

"The realistic objective of the frivolous 'veggie-libel' statutes and lawsuits is not money," says consumer advocate Ralph Nader. "It is to send a chilling message to millions of people that they better keep their opinions to themselves."

Not a fan of Ralph Nader? Is he to liberal for you? Better Goggle the topic for your own research and information.

There is no side to be picked here, except for the side of health. But the corporations are not picking that side. They are picking the side of ....well, watch the movie and draw your own conclusion.

I am Spatially Impaired ~ Respect That

If I kept this blog the way I would like to, it would take a lot more work. I think I am lazy. I get so messed up on the simple things ~ like Archiving and Labels. I forget all about labels. I'm not sure anyone cares enough that I should even bother with it.

Truth be told, I have enough trouble just locating my shoes on a daily basis (okay, well, hourly, or any time I need them. And I live in a small house, so - I have no excuse).

All the above was injected and has nothing to do with what I was actually thinking about.

Directions is what I was thinking about.

I am Spatially impaired so, i.e.

Map reading, transformation of visual arrays, navigation around an unfamiliar space are just some of the many tasks which are beyond the spatially impaired brain. Suffers display the phenomena of neglecting the left half of their surrounding space and the inability to recognise even familiar objects viewed from unusual perspectives.

I was thinking about directions today. I was thinking about people who give me directions. I try not to find these people irritating, you know just to be fair, because what I am realizing is, everyone is in their own little world, with their own little view finder, and have their own little way of seeing things.

And, if someone tells you, "it's on the west side" -- they really have no idea that you have to stop and figure out where the ocean is, so that you can find WEST. And, while you are trying to remember where the ocean is, your brain has no input to any of the words they may be saying. But, as long as we on on the topic of directions, let's discuss some general rules that really should work for anyone. Even those of us with special needs.

Here is a beginning list:

1. Never tell anyone, or even use the phrase "It's just a little ways down the road."
There is no such thing as "a little ways" in driving. Unless, for some stupid reason, I have to make a complete perpendicular turn that keeps me from going into a ditch, do not say 'it's just a little ways' because you know that it is not. It never is that. That's a myth.

"A Little Ways Down the Road" might be the name of a band, or a song, or a movie, but it is definitely not a driving direction.

(I have a friend, a darlin' from the South, and once, she told me to drive a little ways down the road -- how about 15 miles?)

You could say, "a short distance" or "a car's length" or "make the turn as soon as you can or you are going into the ditch". Those things would work.

2. Never tell anyone, "You'll go through a couple of lights" if those lights are miles apart. Firstly, a couple of lights is only TWO lights. And when you say, 'you'll go through a couple of lights', I will tell you honestly -- People think those lights are together.

And, if they go through the first one, and the next one is not for 4 miles, they will forget about the first one they went through when they go through the second one. So. Write that down.

3. Never say, "You will see a long line" ~~ What? What does that mean anyway!? A long white line painted on the road? A line painted on the side of a building? A line of people waiting to get in a building? A line of cars? I could be sitting in a line of parked cars for hours! (which I did do, so seriously, it could happen). But, just never say that.

4. Never give to many details. Especially all at once.

Never say things like, "You'll go through the round-about near the hospital that isn't really a hospital it's an old folks home well not really it's a rehabilitation center and my friend's father's uncle was there a couple of years ago maybe three and he and his family used to go through that round about and forget to turn in it was the funniest thing going over there with them and they would just go round and round...but you'll see a tree and a rock and a shell and there's a flag pole with a pair of shoes on it if there are still there and..."

(I am scrunching my eyes shut real hard right now in the conversation, and my jaw is held firm in an effort to not let my mind just totally drift away to the planet Narcan where directions are no longer feared... and this is what I hear you saying "wot wah, wot wah, wot wah, and blah blah blah blah blah blah blahhhhh.")

Stay on task, say, "Go to the round about, and keep to that first right which will bring you right into the road you need to be on". That's all you say. Learn when to shut up. It's a polite thing to do.

I'll continue this list later. This is all I can handle for now.

Lists again. Spelling Optional.

1. I was listening to Christmas songs on the radio today. The station played all different ones from all kinds of standards to rock groups who had made a contribution for a Christmas song. Some people get really annoyed by Christmas songs.

I mostly just get annoyed with people getting annoyed with things. So here is a message for you all:

~~You know. People are going to do stuff you don't really like. So what? You're most likely not going to die from most of the things that annoy you. So time to just Get over it.~~

2. Last week at school, police officers blocked the pick up car line while they approached one of the parents, had her get out of her car, then handcuffed her - all this in front of her wide eyed little girl -- then after what seemed like forever, they uncuffed her, and told her they had the wrong person. And they left.

No apology. No Have a Nice Day.

3. Tiger Woods. Whatever reputation you had before -- ummm, I'm not sure it will be all about your ability to handle a 2 iron that will be remembered most in the days to come.

4. Christmas Day is tomorrow! Not really, but it might as well be. Time will be flying fast now, you watch. Get your stuff done!

5. Pray for your children. They need it. You need it. It will be the tie that binds.

Does your 'fridge tell a story?

A lot of families I know, put things on their refrigerator for lots of reasons --

1. Special photos
2. Reminders
3. Inspirational Stuff
4. Magnets from stores and doctors they frequent
5. Calendars
6. Etc, you get what I mean ....

Which made me think of something, which is that some people's refrigerators are so full of stuff, you don't see any story; you see nothing but a cluttered mess,

So, this gave me the idea, to have your refrigerator tell the story of a year! Then, if you wish, you can take all that stuff down, and scapebook it, or put it in a zip lock bag and mark it that year, or frame it up ...any way you want to remember that year ~~

And then, January One of every year, you can start again~!! That's my idea. And that's what I'm going to do.