First names Poem- Patience, Rage & Piaget February 26, 2008

Middle School 2008

In honor of Bill Nye The Science Guy: I have taken the liberty and time saving opportunity to only list the most “interesting names” on this modified poem.   One student -Piaget- does not attend our school.  She was a contestant in a regional spelling bee and I couldn’t resist adding her name in with these!

Acacia~Aurora~Devorian~Justice~Maximillian~Octavia~

Patience~Piaget~Qutashia~Raegine~Rage~Raven~Reasan~

Rothstein~Sadarius~September~Shanekqua~ Sky.

It is not with irreverance that I share the uniqueness of these names.  We enjoyed naming our own children and mulling over the possibilities and combinations.  Here’s to Juno aka Junebug!  Great movie!

Pink- Who Knew? February 24, 2008

I love this song!

And the cowbell song; Don’t Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult. (giggle)

Today’s topic is friendships.  Daughter A was talking to me recently about “unfriending” someone on Facebook.  I loved this new term!  A few months ago I checked out a neat book from the library called The Friend Who Got Away: 20 Women’s True-Life Tales of Friendships that Blew Up, Burned Out or Faded Away. (2005)  Here’s what the reviewers said that I couldn’t have said better. ” anthology…humor…saddness…sometimes anger…extraordinary pieces simultaneously capture the uniqueness of each situation while illuminating the universal emotions evoked by the loss of a friend… cast new light on women’s friendships….”  I think I will re-read this.  In our fast paced world, there are so many types of relationships, work, neighbors, children’s friends parents, acquaintances, college friends, high school friends, sister-in-laws etc etc etc.  It is all so amazing, wonderous and confusing. Things constantly change too.

I am also reading a gem called Growing Up With Dick And Jane     Learning and Living the American Dream by Carole Kismaric and Marvin Heiferman. It is a sociological ”commentary” on the rise of a Wonder Bread type basal reading series and its reflections of our society as the Boomers were growing up. Very thought provoking!

This has all gotten me to think about writing diaries.  How I have been resisting this for years due to privacy issues.  Yet somehow, having a blog and facebook don’t seem to bother me.  I can erase, delete and backspace while rewriting. I am “free- falling!” ( A song from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - sung at the 2008 Super Bowl.)

Alaska Wildlife- The Travel Channel February 18, 2008

Unsure of what to expect, we watched a neat show last night on the Travel Channel.  It was narrated by the groom on My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  A pleasant voice! ( What’s his name?) The absolute cutest animal was the sea otter!  Watching them carrying their babies on their tummies and swimming on their backs was fascinating.  Then, to watch a sea otter place a rock on her tummy and keep it there while cracking clam shells was amazing!  One Kodiak bear mother had quadruplets while hibernating! We are both more interested in seeing sea otters than whales when we go to AK this summer.

I have started making coffee purses again.  It’s fun. Pictures- tomorrow?

We were proud to be a part of voting for Obama last Tuesday here in VA.  It is tempting to spend too much time on all the hype, so we don’t.  We are more than ready for a change!

I just finished reading another midwifery fiction book.  I highly recommend it!  It’s called The Birth House by Ami McKay. (2006) It takes place during WWI in Nova Scotia.  Visit her website for more info on hysteria, vibrators and remedies!

www.TheBirthHouse.com

Valentine’s Day February 15, 2008

We had a dusting of snow yesterday morning.  As I commuted further south, it was more than a dusting.  Gorgeous!

My sweetie wants to give me a new cell phone for this holiday. I have been having trouble deciding what I want, need and will use.  I love the colors!  Oh my- too many choices and let’s get practical.  ( I remember when all phones were black, rotary dial and on the wall!)

Bling..bling..bling…….

Songs for Playlist and life February 11, 2008

There are two songs that remind me of days gone by and I never get tired of hearing them.  Harry Chapin sang Taxi and Dan Fogelberg sang Same Old Lang Syne years ago.  They take me to a different place in time that I don’t often revisit. Its good to be nudged in that direction once in a while.   Its not good to dwell in the past however. (I don’t have time for that; by design.)  Occasionally I consider and re-consider the value of effort it takes to find an old friend and accidently uncovering unnecessary pain or saddness.  There is also the positive side, I realize. I have been looking for an old friend of my older sister’s for a while now, but not whole- heartedly. In a lackadaiscal manner.  She has been in Nepal for 30 years at least. Without paying money for a private detective, there are places such as classmates.com that for a $ price can facilitate the re-connections.  I used to have enthusiasm for this, but now as I am mellowing, it just isn’t very exciting. What’s up with that? Must be fatique.

Anyway, I finished a felted purse last night and love the color called English Rose.  We watched 2 romance movies on ABC Family and so I got my fix for the week and for the Sunday night dread.  You’ve Got Mail and My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  I have never allowed myself the indulgence of watching a movie more than once or much less two movies in a row, but it was a marvelous diversion while knitting ! Too fun! Knitting soothes the soul and so does music and film!  (The photo is not my new purse- maybe tomorrow!)

Patience & Rage February 9, 2008

This may be the title of my new names poem.

Update on Bubbaville- The 7-11 clone has been closed for a while. Duh.

I am juggling reading 3 books.  (Why do I do this to myself?)A Debbie Macomber double hitter called The Heart of Texas Vol 3.  That is my romance hit.  Also, Snowfall at Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs. She is a new author to me; also modern romance. Think snow.  And lastly, I am back into midwifery fiction with The Birth House by Ami McKay. ( It takes place in Nova Scotia during WW I!)

The weather has been mixing up my sense of seasons.  When will we have snow again…if any?  I love the soundless feel of the flakes descending upon us.  (For good karma, I recently put away all decorations that are snow related.)

We must have patience and must control our rage. How’s that for a Friday night?  BKB and I just came back from a soup dinner at Panera’s, where we once again got to sit by the fireplace.

Being tagged February 7, 2008

Daughter A, tagged me to share 7 random things about myself.

1. My favorite outdoor game as a child was tetherball.

2. I went all the way through Girl Scouts; before the days of the Gold Awards. We met at the Audubon Society and had a male leader!

3. I only skipped one class in HS and that was typing. (!@#$%^&*) I walked around in the falling snow gleefully. I hunt and peck to this day; happily!

4. I do not approve of any standardized testing.  harumph!

5. I went to Jimmy Carter’s inauguration.  It was extremely cold!

6. I went to Europe for the first time at age 47! I have restless legs and could not sit still in coach seating on the red-eye. wiggle-wiggle

7. I would like to visit all 50 states and a few more countries. We are going to Alaska this summer!!!!!

8. A Bonus!  I got my driver’s license in a blue Pontiac Catalina convertible in 1972.  I can parallel park on either side of the street!  Thanks Dad!

 I tag Marla!

Super Bowl Sunday and other Americanisms February 3, 2008

Discussing retirement, savings, financial planners with an agenda to sell “products’, taxes, trailer parks, communes, being homeless, bubbas and looking at the Sunday newspaper ads for Valentine’s Day are all interesting ways to start the last day of the weekend.

After reading about Iceland , we have determined that we are misfits in America.  There are times when I am drawn to consumerism and marketing of sentimentalities in our culture. It is a continunal challenge to not be sucked into the constant barage of  needing, buying and owning “things”.

I am working with a person who is a Jehovah’s Witness.  It is so fascinating to feel free to ask about this religion and cultural aspects of “being different”. Thank goodness I was brought up to be curious and respectful.

I am looking forward to some societal changes in 2009. (Yes, I am still optimistic!) I hope our culture can “right” itself after the Bush years.  Tolerance and seeking understandings are the way to go- not pointing fingers. Listen. Read. Listen some more. Take the time to ponder; please.

Its time for a walk in nature and looking at the sky.  Maybe I will put on my Lady Liberty crown as I stroll through the ‘burbs with Chloe.