End of the Year/First of the Year--January!

If you are on Facebook, you have seen the FB offering of a year in review. Many of my friends have posted theirs.  I have not for several reasons.  First my posts are few and far between as related to the events in this year.  Thus the post would be a distortion.  Second sometimes these activities are depressing as it is too easy to compare oneself to others. 

What this action reminded me about is this blog  I had hoped to follow the year with thoughts and memories of the main events.  However, some computer glitches as well as other activities helped me procrastinate too much. 

As a result of this year, I have successfully navigated the first year of retirement to my satisfaction.  One of the ways it has been satisfying is that I haven't completed everything on my "bucket list."  Too many retirees try to achieve everything in the first year.  Sometimes this frenzy is necessary if health issues and other changes are forthcoming.  For me that wasn't an issue. 

Do I still want to go back to work?  Meh.  This week I put in two hours volunteering at my local public library and felt exhausted.  Perhaps what I need to do most is improve my stamina.  So far the combination of Social Security and private funds is working.  I am enjoying having more control over my time--an irreplaceable aspect of life.  My memory of working is willingly selling certain 40+ hours of time each week in return for an agreed upon salary.  I sometimes resented having to subordinate personal needs and outside commitments to meet that contract, but not usually as my job was very fulfilling, self motivating, and varied enough to avoid too much monotony.   I did resent those who took advantage of others schedules to rearrange them and seldom returned the favor as they were just too busy. 

So here we are at the end of the year.  As I said once this year was a true adventure.  My definition of an adventure is similar to The Hobbit and other stories where people encounter stresses, hardship, new experiences, new friends, chaos,  and confusion mixed with much happiness, joy, and celebration.  That's it in a nutshell.   Through it all, God has been present as He has for all the others who posted their FB accounts.  In that light, I can read their accounts and rejoice and mourn with them again as we are encouraged to do in the Bible.  I don't have to worry about feeling smug or depressed as I read their accounts.  Hmmm.  Maybe I'll post mine after all!

More tomorrow as my first resolution is to start posting the second year. 

A good time was had by all

A memory about this summer's reading project and thoughts about successful teamwork.

That phrase summarizes this blog and you can skip it if you wish.  With the exception of the summer of 2013, I've been involved in summer reading groups for several years.  At MPOW, we offered three years of reading "contests" for the students, staff, and faculty over the summer.  They were fun, but yielded few volunteer readers or ones who had the time to do it.

Since retirement, I expanded my volunteer work  in the library at My worship place to include the children's collection.  Children were not using the collection and  it was in danger of being removed because of space issues.

After working several months to inventory the children's materials, I wanted to see if we could reignite interest in using the collection.  I suggested a reading contest to the librarian and pastor who oversees this group.  My reason was that summer was a good time to encourage children to read those books which promoted Christian values and life.
We timed it to coincide with the Bibles given to graduates in elementary school.
I was rather apprehensive but I didn't need to be because God was in it.  The pastoral staff took the suggestion and remodeled it to fit a larger need while not excluding my concerns.  They included parents reading to children as well as other ideas.
 They even added a reward --ice cream at a popular ice cream spot.  They mentioned the project several times in church and even once the senior pastor talked about some of the books in the library during the children's section.

I continued to prepare the children's collection for the summer. The nasty fall and fracture I had in July occurred at the start of the contest and the next step:  purchasing new books.  However, this too didn't stop and actually the new material acquisition came at a better time for processing and promotion.  That first Sunday, parents and children came to the library.

I was unable to be at the library for several weeks.  The other librarians were "swamped" to use their words with children in the library.  We tallied around 88 books checked out. 
Thirty people, parents and children and staff attended the ice cream party which was held on a perfect Sunday.  We all thought it was a good end to the project and to the summer. 

Teamwork occurred here without a great deal of effort.  My thoughts on the word, "team," is that it is overused and misapplied.  In some workplaces, everyone has to be together all the time and in total lockstep or they are deemed not part of  the team and little value because their efforts are in a different section of the workplace.  It's like the story of the  boy and the dike.  He didn't need to call a committee to know what needed to be done.  No one questioned that his contribution didn't benefit them all.   Daily work may function better with common goals, but not everyone has to hold hands all the time.  Hearing people say," I'll contact my team."  usually makes me clench my teeth.  My experience has been this is a polite way to not follow through in a timely manner.

In this case everybody's contribution was valued and the benefits of this effort has already been blessed and I hope will continue to be a blessing and a great memory.

Tags past and present

OK.  I confess I've had a wasted life.  I've never ever not even once been tagged for anything or asked to do something odd for charity.

I see these tags and usually hoped I wont be added.  Im the one who breaks chain letters. However, there is always the sneaky ego trip when my name is included in something.   perhaps it's for the best as you will see by my list which isn't

but this last tag really is the final straw: name ten books that have affected you.  I'm the kid waving her hand saying yes,yes,yes.   Me,me,me. I know I know I know!  but the teacher smiles and calls on someone else.

Here are my 10, er 12 books.

1 Egermeier's Bible Story book
2.  A volume called Myths and Legends from a set whose title I don't remember.
3.   They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth
4. Giants in the Earth by Ole Rolvaag
5. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
6.  A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
7.  The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein
8.  Your God is Too Small. J. B.  Phillips
9.  True Discipleship by William MacDonald
10.  the Christian's Secret of a Happy life by Hannah W. smith
11.  The Spider King by Lawrence Schoonover
12.  Little House on the Prairie.  Laura Ingalls Wilder

Discussion Thoughts Chapter 2

Sorry--I'm in the ebook mode and can't copy/paste easily.

In chapter two, "Body and Soul," I felt a little out of my depth because of the theology, philosophy, and biological issues which are raised.  Do you believe the two temptations--acceptance or denial--, Packer raises are the only temptations experienced as we age?  If not what other temptations do you see in yourself or in others.

I agree with the author that people who are relatively isolated seem to become more narcissistic--if that's what it should be called.   Depression often is integral to this.  I agree that pride is the root cause of all even of depression.  However, I'm not one to root out pride in others without seeing its existence in myself.  How many times do older people have to ask for help with new technology rather than trying to learn the technology?  Sometimes it's  diminishing eyesight and hearing which may make such activities go slower.

I also think we do find people discounting our experiences because we are old  and just can't be worth listening to  in a respectful way. 

Biologically, aging is a continuum for all of us.  Our genes, DNA, and other factors precondition some health issues to occur if other factors are present.  This is not the same as determinism. I don't think people are predetermined to give in to the two temptations Packer mentions.  If they don't it may be because they have learned to ask for help and are not afraid of being alone or may have a lifelong curiosity and resilience.

I also remembered several poems when I read this chapter such as The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,  and Thanatopsis by William Cullen Bryant/

malware, malfeasance, mal, mal, mal

Boy am I fed up!  I have had to deal with spyware, adware, ad malware this past month  It got to the point that I had to either become a computer programmer and know how to root out those pesky files or spend money to have someone else do it.  Sigh.  I opted for door number too. 

This whole experience has renewed my appreciation for IT staff at colleges and the challenges they face.  I have also wondered again why why why PC and software manufacturers haven't forestalled these problems ages ago with better code.   And why why why we consumers don't refuse to buy another PC until this problem is solved.

With the almost  news that accounts are stolen by criminals all the time,   using a computer is less fun. 
I've changed passwords at least 2-3 times for some accounts and even more for others. 
I have a touch PC right now and it has aps which seem to be functioning better than just going to the Internet.  Time will tell, though. 

Hobby or job?

So, my love of handicrafts has finally morphed into more than gifts for family and friends.  I am not part of a group which crochets for charity.  I can now create washcloths, blankets, scarves, and hats to my hearts' content.  Although there are some proscriptions, it is always gratifying when people report back that they loved the item and want more.

Unfortunately I'm not getting paid except for the occasional pat on the back and the thrill of actually tackling more complicated patterns. 

Should we go into hobbies or pastimes with the idea in mind that they might morph into a paying job with a regular salary which exceeds the break-even point?  For me, this number crunching is usually too disappointing.  There is no way the expenditure is ever going to be less than any income.  I realized back in the '80s that such hopes were impractical for the enthusiast unless we charge what our time is worth.  I don't see adding  $25-100 per hour to a project for income ever going to surpass any competition which will give it away for practically nothing. 

Perhaps there are other avenues for remuneration for the expense of a hobby, such as learning design techniques or teaching a class.  Even so, the main problem is still crunching those numbers.

In the meantime, sharing the enthusiasm for crocheting and knitting with others and being blessed with donations of patterns and yarn and other supplies for maintaining my "habit" will have to suffice.

thoughts about three

The old superstition that bad things come  in threes has been widely commented upon.  Visually, it would be three-legged stool.  But after many years experiencing "bad" things which turn out to be good things (like the old jokes and stories about fortunately/unfortunately) bad things aren't threes.  They are more like millipedes--all due respect to that humble species.  Many try to explain the reasons for bad things and their multiplicity.  Some of that is helpful, but others just won't fit the circumstances.

discussion # 1

One activity many retirees don't miss is professional conferences. Not only do they often come at inappropriate times, but they also involve travel and hotel expenses which may or may not be allowed in the workplace budget.
While many conferences were reinvigorating and refreshing, a few left me wondering why I had come, even if for one day. These times were usually the result of poor programs and meetings.  At other conferences, I was literally running between meetings and had little time to reflect or even eat.

The main exception is the Association of Christian Librarians(ACL).  While it does have great programming and professional emphasis, it is also a fellowship of Christians from many denominations.  As a result, many retirees or soon to be retirees would like to continue some involvement in the association.  Therefore at our last conference we started a special interest group for retirees.  For a while we are going to discuss J. I. Packer book,  Finishing our Course with Joy.

This blog will identify these discussions with the title Discussion and whenever I can get around to tagging them with RETsig. If I have permission, I will copy/paste other comments here from the group. Feel free to read or skip

First, I have some thoughts about retirement books in general as I have been browsing them.  Many seem to miss some of the aspects women encounter with retirement.  And since women live longer than men, this seems a lost marketing opportunity.  Women usually and I do stress usually are more connected to their children and other relatives well into retirement.  They are usually the keepers of the stories, although they often do not write them down. Many of the activities women engage in throughout their lives do not end at the loss of a paying job.  As a result some of the retirement issues men face may have lesser impact on most women.

Second, many of the books only glance at religious or spiritual importance in the later stages of life.  The church is a body of and for all ages, abilities, and opportunities, and as such should not limit interaction between young and old.  Believers should seize any opportunity to become better acquainted with Jesus and to increase their faith.  Peterson's book seems to pick up on this aspect better than others.

As has been mentioned in many places ( sometime, I'll do a bibliography) women who age and to a certain extent retired men become invisible in our culture.  The church and fellowships should combat this by providing ways to let everyone's light shine.

Old memories -- new events

On July Fourth, I tried a different walking routine with the possibility of checking out some Fourth activities.  Unfortunately, along the way, I stumbled and broke my right wrist--the same one I broke five years earlier.

Two wonderful Samaritans stopped to help me.  I was in so much pain, I couldn't have done much.  One of them called the ambulance and the other went to my house and with the help of my neighbor shut my garage door. (My house was locked up, and I didn't have a cell phone with me.)

I spent the afternoon of the Fourth in the ER nauseous from the morphine and whatever else given to me.  I couldn't remember the orthopedist clinic I went to the last time and I was mistaken about the number of years.  In addition the splint put on was a little too tight around my thumb  which made it swell.

When I finally got home via a hospital taxi in which I again was nauseous, I was able to contact my family and    make arrangements for my sister to come out and spend some time with me.

Since this had happened before, I was expecting the same routine: x-ray, cast, and little to no using the hand because it had to be elevated to avoid swelling.  Instead, the break was more severe and resulted in surgery a week after the fall. The surgeon who operated happens to be a wrist specialist and the surgery was brief.  However, that day I didn't eat for almost 24 hours. I told one of the nurses, my first words on waking up wouldn't be "is everything ok?" but "What is there to eat?'

A minor complication in all of this is the ongoing problem this year of stabilizing my thyroid levels.

After the surgery, I was in another splint and 10 days later in a brace for at least a month.  NO CAST!
Except for the first two weeks, when I tried to keep my hand elevated as much as possible and apply cold packs as needed, I am now encouraged to use my right hand as much as possible.  I do remember some of the exercises from my previous experience, and my surgeon told me to do those.

Another difference is that with a brace, I can return to driving myself as soon as I feel comfortable.  A cast prohibited that because of gripping problems, not to mention a right wrist break is a little difficult for driving.

Last time, I didn't own an ipad or Kindle or PC, and the weeks home I felt isolated.  This time, I've been in contact with may on FB and email and have greatly appreciated their prayers and wisdom.

Last time, I returned to work within a week, but sometimes felt I would have been better off at home.
This time I'm retired and  only have to worry about a few volunteer activities.

Last time, I didn't use my right hand in any significant way until the final cast was removed. As a result the therapy concentrated on both restoring dexterity and strength.  This time I can tell the dexterity is greater and I hope with the brace to have less physical therapy sessions. Right now I'm composing this with both hands. And I'm back crocheting.

The biggest difference, however, is that my sister, Ruth, came out and nursed me through the post op
days, especially as nausea continued. She is a great cook and driver, and has helped and is helping me return to normal and to deal with daily issues.

My lesson is that if God sees a "little sparrow" like me surely He sees the great needs of other Christians in Ukraine and the Middle East. While the answer may seem delayed, the response will not be denied. Our prayers are the greatest weapon we can wield.

"Life well lived"? Fiscal Year in review

At this month, a new FY year begins for many academic libraries.  Some don't start until October because of government connections, but mine POWs always seemed to start now.  For that reason alone, I have the habit to review activities over the past 12 months.

Since I'm no longer working full time--or even part time right now-- here is what I've accomplished around my house.  I've already reviewed briefly some of the educational and entertainment activities.

These lists help put into perspective those areas we hoped to accomplish and what we actually did.
This year, I hoped to  replace linoleum and carpeting in my house.  This was a decade long project which kept being delayed because the money went to travel instead.  However by August I had done this.
I also had plans to repaint most of the downstairs and was able to finish those tasks as well as paint my bedroom.  I still have to repaint two rooms but I'm not in a hurry about that.
I was able to set up the repairs on my deck and hope to have that done within the month.

I repaired the screen to my deck.  This was an accomplishment which required waiting until I could find someone with the right size vehicle to carry said screen to a Home improvement center.  The hole in the screen was too large for a mending project.  The good news as that at the time I needed to finish this for the year, my church started a helping neighbors group which would do small projects for people in the church. That was in God's timing which I didn't foresee when I discovered this chore.

Here's an area some women would deride, but I've always wanted a better way to keep my house clean without using up the only free day in the week.  I've been able to do that and have significantly reduced the amount of time involved in completing the weekly cleaning.  As someone once said cleaning isn't really enjoyed, but the results of not cleaning are less desired.

My washing machine developed a problem which turned out to be again in God's timing, as the repairman located the problem--a switched hose-- but proceeded to perform a maintenance inspection and fix other problems for the fee he had to charge for coming out.

In sum, houses are money pits in large and small ways, but some pits don't have to be dug immediately!

Always learning?

I'm finishing another set of free lectures available from Yale Courses as seen on YouTube and Open Culture.  These video lectures are what I term lite learning as they do not require interaction with anyone else nor any additional cost other than my time to listen to the lecture.  However, they are learning in that I'm covering material I either never had time to take before or have forgotten the basics. 
I used many of these basic lectures for reference purposes as a way to help with undergraduate research.  When we move beyond the basics, we often forget what is not Old or lite or basic is new to those just encountering them. 
These may be considered 'lite" from another perspective.  The courses I chose are based on my own interests in the humanities rather than required learning in the sciences and math. Required courses really are the grindstones which help even out a student's grasp of the surrounding world. Another way of putting it is  one might find that one is driving on 1 superinflated tire, two relatively even tires, and one highly flat tire.  While that's metaphor has flaws, sometimes undergraduate education is the attempt to make the tires--so to speak--relatively even.

So here's to the Yale and Harvard lectures with a deep thanks to other "free" courses which I've been looking and listening to over the past year.  Thanks for engaging me enough to continue on with other readings and reflections.  I hope to keep reviewing them and enjoying them for a long time to come.

What I'm reading now

I'm starting a new--to me-- kind of post.  Sometimes it will be reading, other times listening.
I an reading or have read the following titles in the last few days:
Sanderson, Brandon  Words of Radiance --  The second book in a 10 book series.  I'm still trying to determine the overaching theme, although it seems to be determinism versus free will.  The authorhas a gift for developing cultures and worlds which I enjoy.  The problem with this book and the rest is that is has just started, and the reader will have to wait a long time before reaching book 10 if ever.

Spencer-Fleming, Julia  Through the Evil Days.  This mystery continues the story of Episcopal Priest, Clare Fergusson and Miller Kills Police Chief Russ VanAlstyne.  Very enjoyable story because of it includes Christianity within the framework of the plot and has contemporary feel about the kinds of crime which occurs in small towns throughout the United States.  If I say any more, I'll spoil the plot.


Tamora Pierce  The Immortals.  A  work classified as young adult because the main characters are in  their teens, although this seems to have many characters from previous works.  While I have a hard time accepting some of the so-called magic in the plot, her series have enough suspense and misdirection to make me keep turning the page to see what happens next. 

Marr, Melissa & Tim Pratt. Eds. Rags and Bones: New Twists on Timeless tales.  Haven't started this yet because it was buried.  18 stories using older myths and folktales as their base.

If it's Thursday...

So much for trying to write every day.  I'll just have to keep trying.
I'm still trying to decide what labels to place on each day as a guide for readers about topics. 
Unfortunately, unless I use foreign names for days, I'm not going to find an alliterative meme such as Flashback Fridays or Take a Stitch Tuesday. 
Here goes a thought for one day.
Poverty.  We've heard much about poverty lately.  It seems to be couched in financial terms, although many people may be cash poor but not consider themselves poor.
Here are some of my thoughts on poverty from a financial setting.

Poverty is being unable to replace a valuable item if it wears out or is broken.  If you can run out and charge a broken or lost  item such as a refrigerator or even a computer, you are probably not really poor.  If you can replace something even when you still have perfectly good resources, you are relatively well off.

Poverty is probably not having shoes or badly repaired shoes. 

Poverty is being unable to replace a service such as water or lights if it is turned off or never seeing such a service in your area.

Poverty is hearing your children cry themselves to sleep at night because you don't have money for enough food for that day, week, month, year to adequately nourish them.

Poverty is never seeing a doctor in your area--ever.  As a result you have parasites and other diseases which you may consider normal but could be treated if a doctor or healthcare professional were nearby.

Poverty is having to walk miles to carry potable water for daily use.


Like most Americans I have never had to deal with any of these, although I grew up constantly hearing my parents say "we don't have money for that."  We always ate well, had shoes, a roof over our heads, and good transportation. We children took any delays in repairs or goals as just that--delays.  Sometimes they were disappointing, but we never truly considered them unreachable.

Proverbs 30:8 describes our lives which echoes the sentence in the Lord's Prayer:  "Give us this day our daily bread."

The worst kinds of poverty are not monetary but in other areas such as spirit or imagination or character.  More on those later.

Great memories

What is success?  is it a no-hitterhttp://www.usnews.com/news/sports/articles/2014/06/19/kershaw-throws-no-hitter-dodgers-rout-rockies-8-0 which is defined a not quite a perfect game.  I would say close enough for those of us who would never be able to strike out even one batter.  

Would an event as this be emblematic of the Hebrews 12.  We witnessed the cumulation of the results of years of practice and probably many home runs by this pitcher.  yet we would have encouraged him to keep on.  Do we do this with our friends and loved ones ?  just a thought.

6 months and counting

I wrote a save list identifying thoughts to record.
First, the last six months have been about learning to rebalance life.  Maybe those who have husbands and families are able to resist moving on the work continuum toward workaholic, but I have often found myself inching toward true workaholism in every job I've undertaken
The New Retirementality identifies the best retirement as not retiring from but retiring to.  However, something in between seems to be there for me.  I've had to leave jobs to actually retire to better balance.  These six months have helped rebalance me.  I resisted too much volunteering or jumping back into a part time job so that I could enjoy large blocks of free time. 

I'm still not doing leisure very well, but I've been able to start exploring a passion for crochet and want to improve other needle arts as well.  The temptation to be busy is still there.  I think it is probably an addiction at times as Overwhelmed states.

My conclusion is that one size does not fit all.  Just because some people ease into retirement while others go cold turkey doesn't mean one of them is wrong.  Perhaps we need more people who eschew the common job oriented approach to life the 20th and 21st century espouse.  However, I cannot recommend a viable alternative, except to say follow God's leading and pray!

Final thought here is from a series of books by Guideposts
The two female characters in the book are visiting a beauty shop.  The elderly character says to the beautician, "Don't do anything special."  Whereupon her friend reminds her not to fall into the trap of not taking care of herself just because she has fewer social contacts.  "You're retired from a job, not life."  Jones, Annie. The Flight of the Sparrows.  Guideposts, 2009 (p. 62).

So, the upshot is that I don't know what I'm retiring to as yet, but I hope to have many more thoughts and memories to add to the past 60 years. 

Just for today

I will amend this later to add the novel which incorporated this poem into its work, but I want to remind myself of  Robert Browning's poem Grow Old Along with Mehttp://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173031
I'm perturbed by all who dismiss early literature and history because they are about dead white men.
first, that's a racist comment by people espousing nonracial epithets.  Second, dismissing early figures because they are dead falsely assumes that we can learn nothing from the past or those who lived there. This is a very dangerous and naive assumption.  I expect to hear those kinds of comments made from teens not from adults who should know better.  Yes, history and literature may have a bias we don't agree with, but are the accounts and stories we like any better or give more affirmative life lessons?
Yes, the best may yet to be, but it comes at the price of living and loving from the past years no matter how immediate.

Regrets. I've had a few...

My way isn't appropriate for Christians but the song's reflections sometimes resonate with us.  What I regret the most is those opportunities when I could have chosen to be a better Christian. The wonderful aspect about being a Christian is that we never stop growing and learning from other Christians.  Here's to those opportunities to come and those encouraging memories.

Build good memories

Sometimes we forget that decisions result in actions which build memories.  Decide to smile, act with love, be more tolerant but resist rudeness.Say yes when no isn't necessary.

Ready,Set

Going to Conference when one is retired is an odd feeling.  For the first time no school I was entered by my name, just a blank space.  I'm going to recommend they put at least the address or status.
But conference attendance is a loose end as committee work goes beyond employment.  I will always have fond memories of past conferences and look forward to adding this one to those memories.

Just another thought

How does one give advice without sounding pompous or sanctimonious ? I think the listener has to be ready to hear the advice.

Post 9 Monday, Monday

Thoughts about today.
For most Monday starts the workweek.  For the retired, it is probably just another day.  What does one do on just another day?
Take pills and weigh.
Clean the toilets,
write a list of things that need to be done this week as well as stages to complete on long projects.
Listen to Fox and C-Span to insure the world is still turning.
Iron fabric and shirts
Block a premie blanket.
Write out bills
Walk to the nearest mailbox to mail them.
The mailbox is next to a big box store so I walk on and purchase some items.
Return home.  Help a man find his way out of our complex to the main street. 
Change the AC Filter
Enter budget items and look at how little money is left for the rest of the month.  Yipes.
Start another premie hat.  These use little bits of yarn and I'm guessing as to the right size so I don't have to change yarn.
Cut squares for mugrugs.
Try to get excited about sewing said squares and crocheting more rows.  I know I have difficulty with inertia and once started things will be fine.
Write this blog.
Listen to a lecture on a series about the American Revolution. 
Plan some of the packing for the conference coming up,
And then one hour will have passed! --Not really  This is just the morning. 

Minutes, years, decades

The month of  May marked several milestones related to graduations.  Two nieces received their diplomas.   My nephew, Riley, remarked "Has it been three years since I graduated?"  That question reminded me it was 5 decades since I walked that line the first of at least three for a diploma.  What was once a monumental occasion has dimmed and been placed in the context of other achievements.  However, the high school Commencement is probably the most important of all.  Up until the last part of the 20th century a high school degree was rarely achieved.  Indeed, only 50 per cent of those entering high school actually receive a diploma even today.  That statistic is reprehensible considering how little we value that degree today.   

Today nearly everyone in my family has at least that degree if not more.  Before my generation, only about 2/3 graduated and before that,--well life's circumstances such as poverty, custom, and work, tool precedent.  So congratulations to my two nieces.  You follow in a good tradition, and I wish you all the best and pleasant memories.

Yesterday

Missed it just as I missed a brother's birthday and a wedding anniversary! One of my sisters reminded me the number of birthdays and other family events which used to be celebrated by our family the last week of May: three birthdays for people who have passed away since then.  Sometimes missing helps jog memories such as how disappointed my nurse aunt was not to be present at a great nephew's birth in May because she had been away at another wedding out of state.  That birth was the first one she had missed in over twenty years.

Missed and remembering those who helped make great memories and those who are still helping make memories.

Lists to remember

Finish blogger with links and lists of blogs.
    Topics for different days
Finish material for children's library as car as can go
    Annotate some
     Identify Scripture passages
     Spell check
New crochet to do after chain gang meeting
   Probably striped afghan and caps
    Work on sampler
    Bavarian crochet
Items to write beyond blogging

Archives and yesterday

Just a thought.  If anyone in your family told or wrote down stories about a war experience and it isn't formally published, check with your State historical archive about donating a copy to them.  Future historians will thank you.
If you aren't sure what an archive is, look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archive

Memorial Day Tribute

It's not often the first video in a search yields such a powerful tribute. It's  a little over 8 minutes but worth watching all of it.

A bookend post

Here's to all the social media sites, which have been incredibly useful throughout the years.  From Google+ to Skype, Twitter to Facebook, and Pinterest and YouTube.  While you may track some of my --ok all--I may be posting, you've helped me connect and reconnect with people and ideas in so many ways.  I've benefited from expertise which would have been scorned by publishers, and in turn been the "expert" at times to answer questions.
At incredibly difficult moments people have prayed with me and have opened themselves to letting us pray with them.  I've laughed at funny videos and stories, oohed and ahead over new babies and important moments.  For all these and so much more, thanks for the memories.

Dear Spam rant

When. I started using email, you were only invading my phones and mailboxes.  I was forced to go to voicemail and shredders to combat your egregious use of my privacy.  Now you've not moly discovered my email accounts, you've REALLY discovered them.  I will have to shell out money somewhere somehow to attempt to block a bit of it. Shame on those sites who feel they must sell email subscriptions to be viable!
So, No I don't want to be your soulmate, help you by sending you money to get money out and I resent your poking your fingers through my stuff, looking for items you think I want.
 I will continue to be as vigilant as possible even if they only temporarily do the job.  The image of a fisherman with a net comes to mind as I change passwords, email accounts, and delete, trash, report spam.
One day I really pray you will become a memory!

First Thought

Hello again.
Last December I officially "ceased" publication of my work related blogs. They had been limping along for a few years anyway.  Since then I have been thinking about a new life-related blog.
stumbling block was crafting a name which wasn't too similar to another blog out there.

Several titles occurred to me. Laundry lists, mundane ragtags, magpie mob, and so on.  All of them seemed to retrieve searches from commercial sites or other people.  Now, I don't mind this serendipity sometimes.  Who hasn't enjoyed finding Ellis Peters books when looking for Elizabeth Peters?

My purpose here is to be more open to all those blogs I wanted to post in my others but felt the stated goal restricted me. 

Anyway a poem by George Herbert, " Sin's Round" reminded me of the connection between thoughts and actions. 
Today, our thoughts and actions are more under scrutiny by the public rather than for personal reflection and repentance. 

Here are a few more words about what to expect before this post gets away from me.  It will be published at least once a day if at all possible and the  posts may be one sentence, links, lists, in short,  anything I remember or am currently thinking about.  World shaking?  hardly.  I don't propose to be a Mt Etna or the Tower of Babel as Herbert describes.  I do propose to find something sometimes which strikes a spark of thought or memory in you. 

Welcome to the first memory.