Well written by a Rabbi but updated by me on the latest airplane crash

Friday, December 28, 2012

Reacting to Tragedy

It's become a commonplace, almost a cliché, that we have an incredibly short attention span for even the most important stories in our world. But, as hard as it may be to believe, we seem to have almost moved on, as a society, from the tragedy in Newtown, which took place just two weeks ago. The conversation about gun control, and to a lesser degree mental illnesses, rages on (thankfully), but it seems to me that the conversation about the tragedy itself has mostly waned. Maybe that's just because there isn't much left to say — how many times can we shake our heads and say, "there are no words"? Maybe it's because we have a need to protect ourselves, and dwelling on this tragedy is just too hard.

This morning, I read an article by Anthony Pinn, talking about the theological and humanist responses to Newtown. "Humanist" is a word that gets used very differently in different contexts, but here I think he's using it in the basic sense of "human centered." As in, let’s talk about this tragedy not in terms of God and "why God would let this happen," or, "what God can do for us now," but rather talk about the human side — what have we, as a society, done to enable this kind of tragedy? What should we, as human beings, be doing in response? How can we properly mourn, and how can we act to make a better world?

Why? Well, it's a pretty deep article, especially considering how short it is (so, you really should read it). But, in part it's because he believes that attempting to bring God into the conversation actually exposes weaknesses of theology: 

At best we might suggest that God “dropped the ball”—failed to do what a loving God is supposed to do. Instead, it seems to me, as we read the stories of the victims we are also reading God’s obituary. By this I mean that such extreme human tragedy makes it impossible to talk about God in any useful way.
 Don’t read this statement as a selfish demand for comfort, for an easy life. No, it’s recognition that nothing explains away the destruction of life’s integrity; but instead it highlights the fact that we labor in this world without cosmic aid that can protect us from us. Appeals to free will (as my comments are bound to generate) might not be a limitation God imposes on God’s self. It may simply be a weak way of saying we are in control, or what the late William R. Jones—philosopher of religion—called the “functional ultimacy” of human activity in the world. 

I like that phrase, "functional ultimacy of human activity in the world." Whatever you want to believe about God — God could prevent such tragedies, but chooses not to; God can't prevent such tragedies — the fact remains that God doesn't prevent such tragedies. At least within this limited scope, the world behaves as if there isn't a God. We, human beings, are the ultimate actors.

[Those of you who know my own theology know that this doesn’t drive me away from God, but it does drive me away from classical,dualist images of God]

He also believes that theological justifications do nothing to ease the pain of those who are suffering: 

I write this not to deny comfort for those who have been directly and indirectly touched by this unspeakable act of violence. Mine is an effort to acknowledge and respect grief without so quickly pushing to find some reason behind such tragedy. This loss of life is really beyond our limited human language. The loss experienced by those families, by those associated with the school, and by the collective American and human family is so intense, so absurd, so real that it calls for our full humanity beyond any talk of God. 

That actually matches up, incredible closely, with my own experience. I'm sure that there are people who react differently, but when I've encountered people who have suffered a tragedy, the question of, "Why did God let this happen?" usually comes up. And, they almost invariably find comfort when I use the message of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik who said (in my hopelessly inadequate summary) that that's the wrong question to ask. But not because, in the popular phrasing, "we can't understand God's plans." No, Soloveitchik says, don't say that God has plans, and that this tragedy was a part of those plans. Because, what that really says is that this tragedy wasn't a tragedy at all — it was good.

Saying, "it was all part of God's plans," pretends that we are children suffering through, say, the pain of surgery. For us, there is only pain. But, our benevolent, omnipotent Parent knows that this temporary pain serves a greater good. And so it is, itself, good. We may think that the surgery is bad; they know better.

No, Soloveitchik says, this pain, and this tragedy, were not good. And, there's no good reason to pretend otherwise. Denying that awful things are awful, and evil things are evil, is not sophisticated, intellectually or morally. It is vapid. It is lost. Our ability to know the difference between good and bad, between good and evil, is the one thing which makes us fundamentally different from other animals (that's the real lesson of the Garden of Eden story). Quashing that knowledge isn't high-minded. It's a flight from reality, and from our own essence.

Pinn and Soloveitchik, a humanist and a devout theist, agree on what the proper question actually is: What do we do now? 

Those who struggled to protect, to safeguard, those young lives—and those who lost their lives to the insanity of murder are more important than any appeal to God. We humans alone must remember them, keep the beauty and value of their short lives ever present through our memorials, through our reflexive words, but also through our resolve to determine and then change the patterns of socio-political and economic life that contribute to collective misery. Think gun control as impulse control, and as a reasonable effort to preserve the integrity of life by making it a little more difficult to destroy it.
 I’m not taking anything away from those grieving, but rather I am calling for greater attention to the framing of life, to the regulations, and dangers embedded in our social relationships that undergird our loss. How many guns are necessary to prove we live in a democracy? How many must die before we recognize collective life requires constraint, a humility and discipline that our pleas to a special relationship with God often damage. 

I've gone in a bit of a circle, here. I started off by talking about how we stopped talking about the tragedy, itself, and only talk now about our longer-term reactions to it. And then, I shared overlapping humanistic and theological responses which, in essence, say that the proper thing to do is to focus on longer-term reactions. Maybe there's a deeper meaning to that, or maybe I'm just having trouble making sense of my thoughts this morning. Maybe, like I said, everyone's still thinking about Newtown, but has nothing left to say, so we are trying to do something productive with our pain. Maybe that’s what I’m trying to do, too. 

Sometimes it is in silence that we are best able to eulogize our collective loss, and to mourn our lack of power over the circumstances that lead to such destruction.

ugh..bugs

Thoughts from Hilda

hildag3@gmail.com... Thanks for stopping by!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

ugh..bugs

Friday, July 9, 2010

Itsy Bitsy Spider....

When I go into my master bathroom, the first thing I do is look into the tub to see if any of my critters have arrived...and sure enough...there are spiders...small ones and big ones.

They don't seem to have a lot of energy...move very slowly...so I guess a sheet of kleenex and make a small pouch into a ball and I toss it into the toilet. One day I hadn't flushed after I had urinated and I threw the spider in and felt bad all day.

At least I could have given him clean water to expire in...it was not the human thing to do.

I felt unclean. God did put all these creatures on earth for a purpose...and maybe he cobbles up small bugs. It is a dog eat dog world. I really have to admire the ants...they carry 10 times their weight and they're very hard workers.

Take a queen bee...she has all those workers doing her bidding. I wonder in the bee world if she has a lot of sex appeal...or I should say bee appeal............maybe her honey is sweeter.

I haven't gotten in the lives of love bugs...but they're always together.... I don't know who's on top of whom...I know they don't bother us...their hormones should be raging.

The only bug that I could never ever dispose of is the lady bug....we treat her with respect! After all she is a lady....and is wearing a beautiful red dotted coat.

Perhaps I owned one sometime in my life.

How sad for my friend...depression time!

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

How sad for my friend...depression time!

I was at a movie with my girlfriend Jean...and she was reading a telegram delivered to Loretta  Young...her lover was killed in the war.
And I couldn't make out the writing
I couldn't read it.   Yes, the doctor confirmed, I was near-sighted and would need glasses. 

When I got my glasses, I was so thrilled I could see the individual leaves on a tree...and not just a big green mass.

We sat in double seats in 7th Grade and I was sitting with Rosie Iozzi.   I noticed when I would copy the work from the blackboard, that she would squint and couldn't see...and had failing grades.

I didn't realize at the time that all glasses had a different prescription..so as soon as I copied the work on the board, I would hand over my glasses to her so that she could copy it into her notebook.    Well, amazingly enough, we had a pretty close fit because it worked.

So for the rest of the year, I copied my work and passed my glasses on to her.

We never complained.   After all these years, I'm not sure anything would have been done to alleviate the situation................these were dark depression years when deprived children got free milk.

My Father always worked...we were the lucky ones.   We also had help in our house.    A coalminer's  daughter would live  at our house and become one of the family.  If we went to a movie...she went.     These girls would stay with us until they married and we went to the weddings in a hall....their families were happy to have us because it was one less mouth for them to feed.  I think we paid $3.00 a week...that was the going  rate.   My mother taught these girls to be good housekeepers.    My sister and I still had to help with the dishes and make our own beds.   We had the 'good life'.

Now that I look back at  those bleak years, why oh why didn't I go to  the principal or  teacher and complain.  It never even entered my mind.   I  think I have matured since then.

Today...I'm old and smart...and  would certainly fight for the social issues of glasses.  I look back at those times and I believe that's when I learned about sharing.

I wonder  if Rose Iozzzi remembers those days...or if she's even still alive.   I'm a member of United Order of True Sisters and one of the agendas of our budget is to buy eyeglasses for needy children.

The Second Hand on a Watch--an annoyance!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Second Hand on a Watch--an annoyance!

 My friend Harriet...and I might include myself also, find the second hand troublesome..it gets in the way.

However, I shouldn't complain...we've come a long way from the sun dial.  Wonder if  I'd have ever been able to figure that our.   My brain is very challenged when it comes to numbers.

No more tick tocks to listen if your watch is actually working.   I guess I look at the second hand and that gives me the nod whether I need a new battery.

However, batteries are $3 and $4 and a new watch can be bought for $10 or $12...so I guess watches that aren't expensive can be considered disposable.

About 20 years ago I bought my husband Allen a new watch from K Mart with many features, which were a pain in the butt, but I wasn't aware of it when I purchased it.   I thought it was just fantastic.

Well, between the 2 of us, we weren't very technologically-sophisticated...so when daylight savings time approached, we were very frustrated.    After many hours of Allen's working on this new device, I had the bright idea....this watch is very  inexpensive.      So...why not buy another one...just for daylight savings time.....and then we'd never have to worry about this again.

After all.....we moved to Florida to play....not to have to study the workings of this thing.

As I'm writing this, an old old song comes to mind....about My Grandfather's Clock was to large for the shelf...and it stood 90 years on the floor.   It was taller by far than the old man himself....anyway, this song must be over  100 years old.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3tlIMJ9bK0     Jeff used to play this song on the piano.

Back to the 2nd hand.......I believe we just have to learn to live with it....it's not removable....and time is such an abstract...it moves so fast and yet so slowly.........and I'm trying to make the most of it.

Time is a gift from Our Creater and we must cherish each day.   I do !

I'm so fortunate!

My son Jeff and his wife Donna moved here to South Florida and they're only about half an hour from where I live.


Almost all my friends have gone north to be closer to their kids....but mine came here...and for that I am truly blessed.


It's so difficult to believe that I have retired children and that I have great grand nephews who also have baby sons.


My family is growing and the years are passing by.   And technology has taken over the world.   We can actually watch a war in progress via satellite.


I can see the Olympics no matter where they are in this world.   I don't understand any of it....how my kids work in their homes instead of offices for major corporations.


And when I want to see my family, they Skype me and we have a truly loving visit.   I watch them bathe their children...see their first smiles....and I can see their entire homes.


Lucky lucky me!

Another interesting story from Debbie who worked in our toy store many years ago

Web Clip

Fool.com Headlines - Facebook, Inc. Earnings Tomorrow: What to Expect - 3 hours ago

Re: this and that Important mainly because it was sent directly to you. Click to teach Gmail this conversation is not important. Inbox x Debbie Maloney <dsmaloney57@yahoo.com> 4:14 PM (5 hours ago) to me Our puppies do give us much joy.....and, at times, frustration.  As you probably know, labs are very intelligent.  And I really think that they know it.  They can really try to get away with stuff, just like a kid.  The other night Kel and I had let them out.  There are woods behind us, and many types of animals live there.  We sometimes see deer walking along, and there are quite a few squirrels, birds, and who knows what else in them 'thar woods.  Anyway, Luna had come in when we called them, and M'Hija stayed out (which, of course, she's not supposed to do:  she's supposed to come when called).  All of a sudden we heard M'Hija bark and growl at something in the woods.  Luna tried to run back out and join in the fun.  Kel caught her and stopped her from going out.  I went out to call M'Hija in.  Of course, she decided that whatever she sensed in the woods was more important than listening to her mother, so she continued barking.  I laid into one of my "mom" yells that no kid likes to hear, and she still didn't come in.  I went to get a flashlight so I could see her (black dog in pitch black - very difficult to see), and when I got back to the door to go outside, she was at the door.  I opened it and she sulked in just like a teen would do, and gave me a death glare, just like a teen would do.  I guess mommy interfered with her fun.  By the way, our yard is fenced.......we abut the woods.

Wonderful surprise email I received

 Debbie walked into our toy store and made herself right at home and got busy so we just had to hire her.  She made our lives so much easier...and this is what I received from her.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




Thu, Jan 22, 2015 at 8:58 PM, Debbie Maloney <dsmaloney57@yahoo.com> wrote:

Hi Mrs. Gordon,

I just happened to see a blurb that you wrote on "Memories Only" of New Kensington back in 2010.  I thought that I would try and see if the email address you had posted was still active.

This is Debbie Shelleby Maloney.  I worked for you and Mr. Gordon around 1975 or so.  I remember meeting your son (Jeff is his name, right?) and he came over to my house.  I think you know that I married my high school sweetheart back in 1978.  We have 2 girls - Erin is 29 and Kelly is 26.  We have lived in Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, New Mexico and now - Ohio.

Well, I just wanted say 'Hi".

Keep in touch 

Debbie

-- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Debbie Maloney <dsmaloney57@yahoo.com>	9:35 AM (12 hours ago)

I just took a look at your blog.......read about 10 or so entries.  You do a wonderful job.  Congrats.I love it!!!

I have thought of you and Mr. Gordon often through the years.  I guess I did kinda throw myself at you two.  Sorry about that.  I really did enjoy my time working there, and being with both of you.

Yes, I did move to Michigan right after Michael and I married.  We rented a small house on the lake, and within a year bought a different house on the lake.  I had considered going on to grad school, but never did.  Instead, (and should I blame this on you because maybe you helped to put "retail" in my blood? - just kidding) I went to work for JCPenney.  I spent 10 years working for them.  During that time, we had our 2 girls.  Well, we didn't have Erin until we had been married 7 years, and we didn't have Kelly until we had been married 10 years.  Almost a year after we had Kelly, we bought an 1880 farmhouse.  They're neat, but also a lot of work.  But we bought it so that we could have both a bigger house and a bigger yard for the girls (lake living is expensive).  I quit Penneys and went to work at a local print shop doing accounts payable/receivable, typesetting and bindery. (It was a small shop.)  I also worked for our personal accountant part time - in addition to working at the print shop.  During that time Michael went back to college full time for 3 and a half years straight - no breaks for summer.  We worked our schedules around not having to use daycare, so we could afford to let him return to school.  He graduated with honors.

General Motors had transferred Michael around to different plants in Michigan, which had all been within a 50 mile radius of where we lived, but in 1996 they decided to move him to Minnesota, which was definitely not commutable.  So, off we went to Minnesota.  We lived bout 20 minutes from Mall of America.  As Michael said, 'it's a whole different meaning of 'can we go to the mall" when they're referring to mall of America'.  Around 2004 GM decided to move his job to Wisconsin, but he commuted it daily because it was 53 miles each way, and Kelly was in high school and Erin was being seen by specialists in St. Paul.

Which brings us to why Erin was seeing specialists.  On Dec. 30, 2001, when Erin was 16 and we were still in Minnesota, she was snowboarding, wiped out, and got a closed head brain injury, cracked ribs, a partially collapsed lung, was knocked unconscious for a few minutes, and lacerated her spleen.  Because she was only 16 they decided to keep her spleen.  On Dec. 12, 2002, when she was 17, I had a County Sheriff come into my work (I worked at JoAnn Fabrics for 13 years) and tell me that my daughter was in a helicopter on her way to a St. Paul hospital.  (Yes, it was a different St. Paul hospital than the one she was transported to with the snowboarding wipeout.)  She had either hit black ice or had a blowout, they're not sure which, and had rolled the car down a hill and was thrown about 25 feet from it.  She suffered 2 brain fractures, a fracture in her ear so that she now is partially deaf in one ear, they removed her spleen, and she was unconscious and on life support for 6 days.  They didn't expect her to live and, in fact, had commented that she had died on the way in the ambulance to the first hospital.  She had to relearn everything, but she managed to walk with her graduating class 5 and a half months after the accident.  We then enrolled her in  a post graduate transition school for 3 years.  It's a school designed to help disabled youth learn to be a little more independent. 

Kelly writes her own blog, like you do.  She is thinking of starting her own business of soapmaking and/or nail polish making.  She loves reading.

Back to Michael - In October 2008 GM decided to get rid of Michael's position throughout the corporation, so he was forced to take an early retirement which also means a lesser retirement package.  After being "unemployed" for 2 years, he went to work for Cargill. Even though their world headquarters is about 20 minutes from where we lived in Minnesota, they put him in Texas.  The city is in the middle of nowhere.  OK, maybe not that bad, but seriously it is situated 50 miles north of Lubbock and 75 miles south of Amarillo.  If you want to shop, you take your pick of how far you want to drive.  After 2 and a half years, Cargill closed that plant due to the drought that Texas has been in for about 8 years, so Michael went to work for Leprino.  Even though Leprino's world headquarters is in Denver, they put Michael in Roswell, NM.  Yes, Roswell.  Home of the aliens.  So we lived there for a year and a half.  It's not the worst place to live, but, like where we lived in Texas, it's in the deset mountains and hot and dry.  

While we were in Texas (actually Michael was in Texas and the girls and I were still in Minnesota, getting the house ready to put on the market), Michael's father unexpectedly passed away.  Being 1500 miles away from family at a time like that is difficult.  Michael is in the Patriot Guard, and his father wanted him to have Michael lead a Patriot Guard procession for his funeral, so Michael rode his motorcycle the 1500 miles (a 3 day trip) from Texas to PA to lead the procession.  It was then that we started to think about how far away we really were.  We also learned a few months after Dad (Michael's father) died that Mom (his mother) had Alzheimer's for 3 years and Dad hadn't let anyone know.  

Anyway, we moved to Roswell and Mom started going downhill faster.  We knew we really needed to get closer to PA.  Michael accepted a position from Mauser (whose world headquarter's in Germany).  So now we live in Ohio, about an hour east of Columbus.  We're 3 and a half hours from home now.  Mom is in Stage 6 of Alzheimer's.  But we know we can get home any time we need to now.  Of course, we're readapting to winter weather.  There is something to be said about living in the south during the winter.

I've been getting into genealogy the past few years.  And I still do crafts.  We also have 2 "puppies".  We call them our Pittsburgh Puppies.  They're 3 years old.  M'Hija is a 78 pound black lab, and Luna is a 55 pound yellow lab.  Yes.....little, teeny, tiny puppies.  :)

Well, better go. 

Talk to you later,

Debbie

Kevin and Cheryl

Once a year our pool is visited by two

really nice people...who come from the

far north...Massachusetts. We look so forward to their visit because they're very interesting and funny people.

Kevin is a teacher and writes books and spends a great deal of time at the library.

Cheryl is such a pleasure...always laughing...what a sense of humor.

This is what makes our pool so exciting.

Virginia looks so thoughtful!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Virginia looks so thoughtful!

I decided to have a neighborhood party months ago ...but didn't want to work too hard cause I'm not so young anymore.  

A good way to host a party in your home is to order salads from Wendy's.  They're delicious....reasonable...and easy to serve...right in their own containers.and so easy to clean up after.

Ordered them from Wendy's the day before...and they had them all ready.  However, I didn't use their plastic utensils.  I used my stainless forks and knives.   It looks like we're all boozing it up...but not true.   I got bottles of green tea for everyone...I want my friends to be healthy.

The reason my friend's picture is here...she helped me with everything...and I couldn't enjoy the lifestyle that I do without  Virginia.

She is my source...I call her when I'm in trouble...and I don't wish her any mishap...but I sure wish she would reciprocate when she feels the need.

Recently she invited me to go to the beach with her...and lo and behold, I fell on the way down...and embarrassingly, I wasn't able to get up.   Virginia reached out her small sweet hand to help me, but I wouldn't grab it...to bring her down with me.

Finally two gentlemen came along and each told a hand and I was upright ... like an old piano...but I wasn't feeling good about myself.   Where the heck did my balance go???

She also accompanied me when we went to Ryan and Daniela's wedding...and we had to share a big bed.  Never went to a Hyatt where they didn't have twin beds..but that's the way it was.

Anyway...I'm sure glad that she moved next door...fate has a way!

Poop

hildag3@gmail.com...it would be nice to know someone reads it I would be thrilled to hear your comments. Thanks

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Poop

As I was discussing my walk down my cul de sac with Jeff and Donna on Skype, I happened to mention that I saw a dog answering nature's call.  I explained that I stood there waiting to see if the owner would do anything about it.   And sure enough, she grabbed it with a plastic bag and that was the first time I'd ever seen that done.

I had witnessed pooper scoopers but I had no seen this before.

So...I asked my kids about it.   Do you use regular plastic bags...is it awkward to grasp it...and all kinds of delicate facts like this.

So...Jeff gets a specially-store-bought bag for just this occassion and showed me how this is handled!    While he was doing this, I snapped their pictures....because who else owns a picture...or wants to own a picture like this.

1. 1
   Poop scooping services are popping up all over the place.^[11] While this is a costlier option, it is worth the cost for some people, especially if the dog waste accumulates in a fixed place like your yard. And if there is no service in your area and you're an enterprising sort, why not start such a service?^[12] It could be very rewarding!
2. 2
   Ask dog owners you know if they know of any good "waste handling" services.
3. 3
   Ask a local landscaper or pet-sitter if they'd consider providing this service.
4. 4
   Look up a service in the Find-a-Scooper International Directory at http://www.apaws.org/search/adv/default.aspx.

Dealing with dog poop rebels

1. 1
   
   

   If you come across someone who won't pick up their dog's poop right in front of you, assert yourself.
   If you come across someone who won't pick up their dog's poop right in front of you, assert yourself. Explain to them how unhygienic their action is and how it is disrespectful to the neighborhood. As well, explain that it lets down all dog owners who get smeared with the thoughtlessness of the few who don't pick up the poop and ends up with more bans on where dogs can go. There's no need to make a song and dance but do insist, and if it's a violation in your area, contact your community association or other suitable contact and report the incident.
   • You might say something like: "Sir/Madam, I realize that it's not the most pleasant task but as dog owners we have to show everyone else we are responsible and care about both our dogs and our neighborhood. Dog poop harbors disease and people don't want to tread in it. So, I'd really appreciate it if you'd pick up after your dog, just as I do."
2. 2
   Offer the person one of your bags. The gesture is difficult to turn down because it's polite and it's showing the other person that you expect them to behave responsibly.
3. 3
   Set an example to others by being proud to pick up your dog's poop.^[13] This shows other dog owners an example of good dog ownership and lets people know that any mess around isn't from your dog.

I'm proud that my kids are good citizens!

.

      

Unregistered Comment on December 17, 2008 at 6:32 PM9

9

I used to have a neighbor with a sweet massive great dane. I adored the dog, and I think the feeling was mutual. In fact, I like most dogs more than I like most people.

His dog was constantly leaving coffee table sized lumps on my lawn. I politely asked him to simply clean up after the dog. His reply: "How do you know it was my dog?"

Never mind the fact that the neighborhood was zoned against horses, the only other domesticated animal large enough to leave such a prize. I had seen him do it repeatedly.

So. The next time I saw one, I used a plastic bag, scooped it up and left it on the hood of his car in the North Carolina summer sun. When he asked me about it, I replied: "How do you know it was me?"

Of course, the dog and I were no longer able to be friends. The really irritating thing is that he stopped his dog from using my yard after that. So it was something he could have done all along, but by choosing not to was just being an asshole.

I love dogs. I have a dog. I clean up after him every single time he goes to the bathroom. The people who don't clean up after their dogs are the first ones to complain when they aren't allowed on the beach or in parks, etc. I love their dogs, but I HATE those people.

Music that highlights the Holiday Season

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Music that highlights the Holiday Season

My musical senses tend to heighten when I listen to PBS this Christmas time of the year.   Melodies I've heard played over the years bring joy once again into my life as I lovingly recall this group playing and singing the sweet strains of familiar lyrics, digging deep into the recesses of feelings buried deep within my heart...American Folk Music..

Although she's not with us any longer, I just watched a nostalgic rerun of Peter, Paul and Mary singing one of their very favorites and mine too...Puff the Magic Dragon.  Most of their music had a distinct message of human kindness and giving....and causes, not just empty words.

This trio used to glue our little family together as we watched the two guitarists singing, playing along with Mary who was tall and stately...as the years passed, she got heavier and bigger but her voice never changed, nor did her smile.

In the decades prior to the '60s, through the work of such avatars as Woody Guthrie, the Weavers and Pete Seeger, folk music had become identified with sociopolitical commentary, but the idiom had been forced underground in the Senator Joe McCarthy witch-hunting era of the late '50s. By the time Peter, Paul and Mary arrived on the scene, for the majority of America, folk was viewed merely as a side-bar to pop music which employed acoustic instruments. At this critical historic juncture, with the nation still recovering from the McCarthy era, the Civil Rights Movement taking shape, the Cold War heating up and a nascent spirit of activism in the air, Peter Yarrow, Noel (Paul) Stookey and Mary Travers came together to juxtapose these cross currents and thus to reclaim folk's potency as a social, cultural and political force. But few at the time could have realized how fervently and pervasively the group's message of humanity, hope and activism would be embraced. Having their music associated with causes and solutions is as natural as breathing for Peter, Paul and Mary. The music they purvey and the action it generates are equally important to them and lie at the heart of their story. Most recently, their individual and collective efforts have focused on such crucial issues as gun violence against children, the rights and organizing efforts of strawberry pickers in California, homelessness and world hunger. "We've always been involved with issues that deal with the fundamental human rights of people, whether that means the right to political freedom or the right to breathe air that's clean," Travers points out. No American folk group has lasted longer or amassed a more loyal following than Peter, Paul and Mary

They invited the listening audience to sing along with them...and I DID.

Great fantastic memories to cling to.

Virginia made me a garden

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Virginia's 'language of flowers'

Outstanding moments in my life are surprises in my memory that I was sure would always remain with me.   For instance, when there was a big puddle in the street when I was very young, my father would take one of my arms...my mother the other, and I would be lifted happily to safe ground again.  

Another great moment in my life, when my uncle Lou,  the same uncle that was killed in world war 2,  gave me my first puppy and we instantly fell in love...I'll always remember Prince.

The day my father came home with a 2 wheel bike for my sister and me..my enthusiasm, was unparelled.  I had this bike long after I was married!

When I delivered Jeff and held him in my arms for the first time, I knew that God was watching.  A wondrous moment!

When Allen said he was in love with me and would I marry him!

An eventful moment, when Paul brought Barbara home to meet us and we knew that Paul had grownup.

The phone call from Jeff that he met someone online...and they wanted to come to visit...breathtaking!
Now I have another great event...I went out my door and lo and behold, instead of my dried up woody branches that I expected to come back to life, I witnessed 3 of the most beautiful large pots of flowers, on a bed of peat moss.

Virginia, my friend who happens to live next door, knew that my kids were coming to visit, and she did this for me.   Bunny, who lives across the way, helped her with the peat moss.   I stared and gazed, and couldn't get over this grandiose gesture, and I still can't.  What message this communicated!

It makes me believe all over again of the goodness in people ... and how they try to please.   Virginia certainly blew my mind with her loving generosity.

I will never ever forget this gesture...and I don't know how I can ever re-pay her...because to me, this was a step above anything I could ever do.

Charming Virginia created this for me...and she did it with such grace.  She never knocked on my door to say look outside...no...no...she waited!.

Time is an abstract

I'm sitting at my computer, and it's almost midnight....but  for some reason I feel anticipation.   Maybe not eager anticipation...but a feeling that we're entering a new year...and what that will bring.


The world is moving faster than my mind....and maybe Shane knows more than I do already about technology.   It blows my mind what that computer chip can do.


Would I like to go back to the old days when on the back of our school tablets, the alphababet and multiplication tables were listed.


We had no television but we did have wonderful radio with great performers, and we knew all the lyrics.    I couldn't imagine Jeff and Paul getting older and becoming grandparents for Paul, two of the most adorable male babies.  I'm so grateful that Ryan and Eric and Jeff picked wonderful wifes   I'm 90 years old now and on the down side of life...but I'm still curious what has to come. My car is acting up and since our flood I can't use the remote to open the doors and 3 doors only open.


Is it time to hand over my keys or should I get a new used one.   I like the idea of going to a super market when I feel like it.


The greatest thing I have in my life is Skype....and already Shane is growing out of that phase...he sid no more Hilda.   Can't blame my baby...it must seem very strange to him...and then I wear headphones.


All in all....I'm very fortunate.

It can't get any better!

I'm beginning to feel more complete.   My little family is growing.   To brag a little, I'd like to mention that my son Jeff and his wife Donna just moved to Florida, just 15 miles from me.  Just knowing this is such a comfort to me.


They moved from Virginia and drove in two cars, a small caravan, carrying 2 dogs.


Now they wait for their furniture to arrive so they can settle in and enjoy life down here in the sunny south.  The house they bought is really very nice and has a lot of features, including in the backyard an orange, lemon and banana tree.


My next big brag is I have a brand new great grandnephew whose name is Davis and his mom and dad are Ryan and Daniela, two of the most wonderful parents.


You all know about my little 21 month old Shane, and his mom and pop are Eric and Becky.


Thank God for Skype.   I get to see these two darlings and I watch them as they grow.   Shane is now throwing kisses my way before we hang up.


I'm so fortunate to have all these wonderful people in my life.    Paul, my nephew is coming to visit me and we have so many stories to tell one another.   We go way back.   His mom was my sweet sister who had a very short life, but she loved Paul dearly.


I'm so blessed!

It's a living breathing thing!

Thursday, May 1, 2008

It's a living breathing thing!

A salamander was running alongside the top of my fence on my patio. I believe I sat about half an hour watching this tiny specimen creature, one of God's creations.

A little red thing would energize every couple of seconds from his throat area and I didn't know if it was his breathing, catching bugs, or a sexual thing.

One thing I do know! It reminded me of how a dynasaur must have looked a billion years ago except a lot diminished in size.

Is this part of the reptile family? Is it a bug? Whatever, he was so cute that I would never dare deliberately take him out of this world. Some people refer to them as geicos...others as lizards.

Little children when they visit from the north want to take them home with them...but I explain that it's a tropical creature.

Some people meditate...others do yoga. Me...I watch salamanders.

Time to forgive!

Friday, January 11, 2008

Time to forgive!

I'm of an age where I remember World War 11 extremely well. I do have to admit that I had never heard of Pearl Harbor until we were bombed. I actually had a wonderful uncle killed in Hawaii....

Why I'm on this tangent tonight is because I had a Japanese tasting party in my home today and it was really culturally interesting.

The hostess of our party, a charming middle-aged Japanese woman who came to visit for one week.

She wanted to shop, cook and feed us for a tasting party. Some of the ladies enjoyed the food...othes didn't.

I had the pleasure of collecting the plates with soup and noodles designed to enter my trash bag.

Most of it was very good...very healthy cooking with soy and beans mixed into interesting concoctions.

We all asked Kuniko different questions about her family life and her government. She admitted that she doesn't care for the emporer. I didn't know that he is the grandson of Hiroshima.

They watch CNN in their country and she drives a 17 year old small car. Gas is $7.00 a gallon..so I guess we shouldn't complain.

Everytime we asked her something, she thanked us over and over.

It was an enlightening day..and one I want to think about for some time.

The world has become very small...very global...and I guess we're all sisters.