I've Got to Get Organized, or Buried Treasures.

I was told by a writer friend that she'd attended one of those writer conferences, and they advised writing diet books that don't work. Then, to write another one a year later...that doesn't work. That seemed likely, as I've probably read every one of them. 
Well, I think I'd make a good living writing organization books that don't work.
 Like if I'd followed the author's advice, today, I would have set the timer for 15 minutes before tackling the kitchen closet. What was also suspicious was, the author said, make sure you've eaten enough ahead of time in preparation for organizing...for just 15 minutes?
  After 15 minutes, the timer goes off, and all sorts of "stuff" is on the kitchen floor, with a residue of thick dust under it. Also, if I was to go by the author, obeying the timer, I would have left all of it on the floor for the next day's 15 minutes.
 How do you think that would have flown with my husband? 
Took 40 minutes, and that was just a start.
  But, so far, I've found a few treasures, like a beach ball, with which my youngest grand girl has fallen in love, the boots Bill has wondered whereof they had gone for the last two winters, a sack of canned goods to be put out for the mail carrier just in time for yet another request, and....money. 
  Don't get too excited, it was a Movie Theater Popcorn Box, half-filled with nickels.

What are You Playing, Grandpa?

The inevitable happened. Four-year-old Naia finally got to go down to the basement with Grandpa (looking for something that might be wrong with the vent) and discovered what Grandma keeps in her basement: many years accumulation of creative dramatics puppets, props, stuffed animals, and costumes. I figured she'd be overwhelmed if she saw it, and she was. When I replaced my things she'd brought up, I thought of the many years and stories acted out. I guess it's time they get introduced to children's theater.
 (By the way, nothing was wrong with the vent. It was an old aerial t.v. set that got kicked on and was making noises. The thing about that was, it never ever turned itself on, and I could never switched it on ever again - strange.)

...And when Grandpa was sick at home, Naia talked to him on the cell phone and asked him, "What are you playing, Grandpa?" I guess when you play a lot of games with lots of gadgets in your house, and even do magic tricks, grandkids think that all you ever do is play. 
   He himself used to watch his own grand-dad take a deck of cards with him to work, but that was because they were having a strike there, and his grandfather was the foreman. When his grandfather came home, they played games together, so Bill thought that's all he ever did, too. 

Little Naia asked me what I was going to do with Grandpa tonight, and I replied, I don't know. So, she counseled me; I should go home; then, we could eat, then, "play with our toys", then, go to bed. We had a good laugh about it, but when you really think about it; I'm "playing" on the computer; he's "playing" pinball and pool (on a miniature pool table); we watch t.v., read books...She's got it right!

 — feeling entertained.

Once, when she was at a family gathering, she and Grandpa were coloring.  Then, she put one in his hand and left the basement.  She came upstairs, and I asked her where Grandpa was.  Her vocabulary was limited then, so she thought a minute, and said, "Markers".  I figured out where he was and what he was doing.  He'd been left holding a marker, so she thought he'd  entertain himself, coloring alone.

What Ever Happened to S&H Green Stamps?

I woke up this morning in a very good mood, which was surprising, as I'd gotten up with the clock radio music.  This was so I could get to choir.  In other words, I didn't have the luxury of sleeping in.
A little ditty kept going through my head as I prepared my coffee in Mr. Coffee.  It was a song which my brothers used to bring home to sing while they were still in college, to the tune of "Greensleeves".
"Green Stamps were all she gave.
Green Stamps were all I took.
Green Stamps were all I saved,
And I pasted them all in my Green Stamp Book."
I thought, "Boy, that sure dates me!"
Then, I thought of my daughter and me, pasting the accumulated stamps in the books, with our tongues turning green.  She said, she didn't like it, but she did it "to get all the stuff".  But then, I thought, "Gee, that even dates my daughter," whom I consider a young mom. 
Then, I thought about my early married life, when I'd accumulated enough stamps to put into books, from whence I bought a hair dryer.  Now, understand, I'm not talking hair blower...hair dryer.  You sit on your couch with curlers in your hair.  I didn't even need curlers.  My hair is naturally curly, but we women succumbed to pressure, so we all thought we needed them. This balloon puffs up around your head, attached to something that looks like the back of a clothes dryer, and you busy yourself with something, like maybe, reading recipe books,. That was because newly married women like me, didn't know "diddly squat". Still don't. 
Then, I realized, "Even the hair dryer dates me."
So, what ever happened to S&H Green Stamps!

After Listening to Chris Hayes

I'll agree that a lot of smart, successful people don't finish college, but my problem with Walker is his entire ATTITUDE toward people who do value education.

I figure my dreams are my business, but after seeing things on friend face, about Walker taking down UW, my home away from home when I was merely an "aspiring" college student, (i.e. high school in a nearby town) this is what I dreamed.

I had a college classroom, as a teacher, without books.  I had a hard time figuring out what I was supposed to be teaching, something about "literature in expression".

So, I went around interviewing students to see what they had to offer.  It was time for finals, and I didn't know what to test them on.

Then, a whole bunch of new students popped up, and I told them they'd have to re-enroll for next semester.  I even told the same information to my youngest grandchild, and because she's only two, I explained it to her by saying, the "next time frame".

I felt like a failure, a teacher in training, and didn't realize the problem was having no books in the first place.

Apprehensiveness (B&N Writers Impromptu)

The flavor was a blend of cherries and pomegranate.  She knew that both were excellent nutritionally, which is why she'd bought it at the Stop-n-Go and placed it in her cooler in her backpack.
However, if the flavor was off-putting, despite its nutritional superiority, it would be a wasted purchase.
She also had some house-brand Greek Yogurt available, which she had seen toddlers "upchuck".  But she thought either flavor could enhance the vanilla-based yogurt.  And she was an adult, after all.  So, she would handle the possibly bad combined flavor as an adult.
Yes, she would not react as a baby would.  First, she would combine the pomegranate with the yogurt.  Then, she would try the cherry with another batch of yogurt, as well.
She would be brave, because she could not face the possible fact that all three purchases could have been a dire mistake.
So, with hesitation, she placed the vanilla yogurt in a plastic container.  Then, she mixed in the pomegranate, with its juicy seeds. She'd forgotten about the crunchy seeds that stuck in her teeth.  For awhile, she'd bought pomegranate yogurt to avoid the seeds and the bitterness.  But alas, those pomegranate-flavored yogurt containers were no longer on the shelves.
She didn't want to be lacking in pomegranate.  She knew it was good for her, but she didn't know why.  She'd forgotten.
So, after mixing the ingredients carefully, she braced herself...for a first...spoonful.

Legacy of Marcus Borg

I found out this morning that Marcus Borg had passed away.  Having had the opportunity of seeing him and hearing his lecture at the then Christ Community, I wrote it up for the church newsletter.
   I begin with some personal references regarding some people I knew from church, who were also in attendance.
   Looking back after actually reading some of his books, this seems quite simple, but it was my first response.

The Spirituality of Forrest Gump

"Forrest Gump":  Been away for awhile, but had the opportunity to watch this film again, so thought I'd repost.

This was published in our Unity Newsletter, the Quest, so there are references to Unity and a minister who served and spoke there. There is also a reference to something I re-posted on 4/16/13 here.