Category Archives: Random Thoughts

Just a much more appealing way of saying “miscellaneous.”

So,What to Do Now?

17 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Covid-19, Random Thoughts

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Here’s my little conspiracy theory.  I’m hoping it’s just sick and paranoid.  Our current President has been likened to Hitler or any other similar dictator.  There are those who believe, not without ample indicators, that in his heart he is an autocrat.  So here comes Covid-19.  His first attempts at “Never in MY America” were failing.  Damn it! Now if he were a rational person he would have taken a moment to regroup and (re)evaluate.  But that’s not his way. Fortunately, he has advisors who say, “Donny, if you ignore this and many people get sick and die, your chances of being re-elected will be in the dumpster.  On the other hand, if you take charge and institute drastic measures, you’ll be remembered as the President who led his country through one of its greatest crises in history.” [Now, let’s not lean too heavily on the veracity of their claim, just stick with me.]  So Donald thinks for a moment. [I know.  Just try to imagine that scenario.] A lightbulb goes off over his head.  Now he can order people to do exactly what he wants them to do!  And they’ll all have to do it.  And when the crisis is over, they’ll all be in line.  Right where he wants them.  Personal freedom?  Balderdash!  I’m in charge here. Mission accomplished!

On a more personal level, what will I do with all my time as I shelter in place (see previous post)?  I thought I’d compile a completely random list of possibilities.  Since it will be a document in flux as ideas enter my head, I’ll start the list as a separate entry.

Sheltering in Place

17 Tuesday Mar 2020

Posted by in Covid-19, Random Thoughts

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March 16, 2020

A world pandemic is changing everything.  On a global scale, healthcare systems are being overwhelmed, people are getting sick, and some are dying.  Two terrifying things about Covid-19 are that little is known about how it plays itself out in the sick person and that it spreads exponentially.  In addition, like most virulent diseases, it is most deadly in at-risk populations like the elderly and those with compromised immune systems.  All of this is widely known now, and drastic measures are being taken to contain the virus and to identify and care for those who have it.  Throughout the country, public places are closing, events of all sizes are being cancelled, the stock market is plunging, and people are being asked to stay home.  The full effects of all of this on our economy and our way of life are yet to be determined.  There you have a brief summary of the news.

On a more personal level, my way of life is changing.  There is a difference, of course, between staying home because you want to and staying home because you must.  So far, the psychological hardship has not been too profound for me, but it feel it baying at the edges of my consciousness.  I’ve always been pretty good at fighting any tendencies toward depression, but the struggle has already been real the past couple of years because I relocated to Albuquerque from my longtime home in Indiana.  While my reasons for doing so were solid – nearness to family, starting my life over at 70 has been challenging.  I left behind many family members and friends and a happy and active social life and community involvement.  I’ve been very diligent at working to make connections in my new home, but it takes time, hard work, and good fortune.  Now, all my outside activities have come to a standstill because of the virus.  My age puts me among the at-risk populations, so I am taking the shelter in place mandate seriously.  While all this sounds a little whiny, I have to say that I’m finding the challenge rather interesting.

For example, here I am writing in my blog for the first time in several years! (I must admit that I’m rather embarrassed about that lapse.)

Autumn Walks

25 Sunday Oct 2015

Posted by in Photography, Random Thoughts

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Nan at the zoo.

I began the day today with a walk at Mesker Park Zoo with my friend/walking buddy, Nan.  I didn’t take my camera because our goal was walking and I knew it would slow us down since I’d have to photograph everything I saw.  However, I did have my iPhone, of course, so I took a few shots and processed them when I got home using some of the iPhonography apps and tools recommended by the fabulous Rad Drew when he addressed the Fine Art Camera Club recently.  I’ve been meaning to do that, anyway, and had planned to spend today studying various photography materials, so mission accomplished!

Below are a few of the exotic animals we saw.

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The autumn colors have suddenly become much more pronounced this weekend, and I was really feeling the need to get out with my “grownup” camera and take some photos of the foliage.  I noticed in driving to and from the Zoo that the trees in and surrounding the cemetery across the road from the zoo were very striking.  And there’s something about the dying of autumn and the commemoration of the dead that seems so sadly beautiful.  So later in the afternoon, I returned to the cemetery and captured some images there.

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Stations of the Cross

Living the Dream in Someone Else’s Dream Come True

10 Friday Apr 2015

Posted by in Random Thoughts, Travel

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lakedistrictB&B001 copy-2We’re in a rental car driving the winding English roads. We’ve just left the Cotswolds and are heading up to the Lake District.  It’s a scene out of my dreams of pastoral England.  It’s early June, after all, and the countryside is lush and blooming.  As we near our destination, the scene to our left is a landscape painting of Northern England’s sheep farming country. The land rolls up and down as far as the distant rugged hills.  Fields are delineated in an irregular scrawl by ancient low stone fences and are dotted with sheep and cows grazing on the lush green grass.  To our right is a hillside painted with a lavish display of floral abundance only an English garden can create. And winding up the hill to a structure barely visible through the trees and flowers is the drive to our home for our sojourn here.  Moving through the floral paradise, we arrive in the clearing to see a sprawling single-story Victorian house.

Our hostess, the tall, perfectly weathered keeper of the floral paradise, greets us and shows us through the house with obvious pride in this lovingly created step back into the Victorian past.  The walls are bedecked with flocked wallpaper and hung with portraits and landscapes in gilt frames.  Flower bouquets are everywhere.  The furniture would be recognized and loved by your mother’s grandmother.  And our room is spacious and sunny and an old-fashioned haven for travelers who prefer to imagine rural England as it was a hundred years ago.

Over breakfasts in the next couple of days, we learn more about the home from the loquacious host, a former taxi-driver and present day tour guide for the area.  It seems that many years ago, when their now grown children were young, our host drove a taxi while his wife raised the children and ran a small hotel in the nearby village. In his comings and goings he had driven past this property many times.  It was deserted and overgrown for many years, and he was intrigued.  Then one day, he saw a for sale sign in front of it. He went home to his wife and insisted that she come with him to see the property. “Are you crazy?” she replied, “I’m way too busy taking care of the children and running this hotel to come with you to look at some abandoned overgrown property!” He persisted for many days, and eventually, probably to shut him up, she agreed to take a look.  They had to fight their way through overgrown weeds and underbrush to get up the hill to the house.  She walked in, wandered through the deserted, abandoned, and somewhat decrepit house and said, “This is my home.”  They bought the property and moved in with their four small children.  At first the water and lights were not working and she would take the children across the road to bathe in a stream on the hillside. Gradually, they lovingly turned it into the home and bed and breakfast it now is.

Note: This posting is in response to the Day Two assignment of Writing 101:
A Room with a View – If you could zoom through space in the speed of light, what place would you go to right now?

Writing 101 – Day One – Unexpurgated Free Writing

06 Monday Apr 2015

Posted by in Random Thoughts

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Read at your own risk.  Know that it took all my courage to push the Publish button on this one!

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Wow, free write for twenty minutes.  As a former English teacher/English major I know this is a great writing exercise, but I have to admit I’ve never tried it for myself.  My first thought when I read the assignment, since it’s late in the day, was to look at others’ posts to get an idea of how they approached it.  Then I thought, Nah, I need to just jump in and see what happens.  I’m a little unsettled about the task because when I write I want the results to be correct and polished (see English teacher/major).  And after all, free writing should be, well, free.  Ok, so I’ve covered the topic of the topic, so what do I write about?  My mind is usually full of so many different topics, but now they’ve all taken a brief (20 minute, I think) coffee break.

I’ve been thinking lately about my old boss whom I both admired and dreaded.  I worked for him for 25 years and at times he drove me nuts because the two of us were so different, but as time went by I mostly grew to admire him.  He taught me so much about striving for excellence in my work, about being organized and professional, and about his mantra, which was “incremental improvement”, or, as he dubbed it, incrementalism.  Because I’m a not-so-closet perfectionist about my work, whatever it happens to be, I remind myself about incremental improvement still – even in retirement.  Anyway, I just heard that my former boss will be undergoing heart surgery, and I hope with all my heart (excuse me) that it goes well so that he can continue his own retirement which began with a year or two in Hawaii because he always loved the beach and has since moved to the Northwest where his grown children live. Damnit!  Life begins again at retirement for those of us who welcome it, so I hope he lives long and incrementalizes.

So, my retirement.  I tell people that I was born to retire.  Not that I don’t want to work…I still work.  I just want to work at what I choose and devote my time and energy to what I want to do rather than what I must do.  The Wise Ones are always saying that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life.  I think for the vast majority of people, this is just bull shit.  We work at what we have to in order to make a living.  If your work is what you choose, that’s great, but things rarely turn out to be the way you think they’ll be or you want them to be.  I mostly wanted to be a teacher, but teaching is very demanding work and requires most of your time and energy and very often seems to be for naught.  So spend 25 years doing it, and you’re ready for other choices.  Fortunately, I have many interests and am very rarely bored. I’m more likely to be frustrated because the time disappears before the projects are accomplished.

I feel so fortunate in my life.  Although I grew up very, very poor and with a lot of dysfunction in my family life, I was able to go to college and ultimately to build a good life for myself.  I made many, many mistakes and have many regrets, but mostly I’m happy.  I have enough money to get by and to do most of what I want to do, within reason.  I have may people to thank for this.  Timer’s up.  Wheewwwww……

You Like Me! You Really Like Me!

23 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in Random Thoughts

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liebster awardLike most egomaniacs people engaged in social media, I like to be noticed and recognized, so when A Life in Libraries nominated me for the Leibster Award, I was flattered.  But fame has its price, as I soon discovered in reading her nomination post. You don’t get to just blather on about yourself.  You have to find ten other people to nominate, create questions for them, and then contact them.  Of course, I can’t refuse such a profound honor. But, let me start with the all about me part and save the work sharing for last.

  1. Why did you start blogging?
    Hmmmm.  I want to have a record of important happenings in my life.  I also find that when I write I uncover thoughts that I didn’t realize I had. I like the creative outlet for my words and my photos.
  2. What time of day do you blog?
    In the morning is best, but sometimes I start in early evening and forget to stop.
  3. How old are you?
    On April 22, 2015 I’ll be 67.  Send cake.
  4. What are you wearing?
    My PJs (Thank goodness I already answered question 2!)
  5. What’s your favorite color? Why?
    Golden yellow.  It’s the color of sunshine.
  6. Do you have pets? How many, what kind, and their names?
    My cat is named JJ.  He has incredible green eyes and thinks he’s a dog.  We call him a cog.
  7. Who is your role model/hero(ine), and why?
    Tough one.  Depends on “what for?”  But the answer that immediately sprang to my mind was: my Mother – she was the strongest, kindest woman I’ve ever known.
  8. What’s your favorite movie?
    Impossible to answer.  I love movies and go to them all the time.  This would be an essay answer for sure!  Maybe a blog post in the future.
  9. What’s your favorite song?
    Amazing Grace, but not for religious reasons.  The music is beautiful, and I’ve always identified with “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”
  10. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
    Paris. (But there are people I’d have to take with me.)

OK, for you lucky folks I’m nominating here are the rules of the game:

Rules:

  • Each nominee must have under 200 followers
  • Thank and link to the nominating blog
  • Answer their 10 questions and propose 10 new ones for your nominees
  • Nominate 10 blogs and tell them that they’ve been nominated
  • Write a post containing the questions
  • Include these rules in the post

(Isn’t this how epidemics start?  Really, though, the idea is to draw attention and followers to relatively new blogs.  I promise to nominate good ones for you!)

And here are the questions you must answer:

  1. If you could have dinner with a famous person, living or dead, who would it be? What would you ask her or him?
  2. Do you cook?  Why or why not?
  3. What’s your favorite hobby?
  4. What are you learning about now?
  5. What’s the most interesting place you’ve ever visited?
  6. If you could have a talent you don’t currently possess what would it be?
  7. Dance or sit it out?
  8. What have you read lately?  Was it good?
  9. Tell me about a really good book you’ve read.
  10. Post a picture of someone or something you really like.

And now the big ta-da!  Here are the lucky nominees:

Rendezvous en New York
Womanseyeview’s Blog
handikwani02
Galaxy Jane Cruises the Universe
Be Kitschig

I can count.  I know that’s only five nominees, but I’ve already devoted far too much of my day to this and other blogging activities.  So would each of you answer twice, please? Thanks.

Quote of the Day

20 Friday Mar 2015

Posted by in Family, Food, Philosophy, Random Thoughts

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“People who love to eat are always the best people.”

                                                                                 – Julia Child

Ironically, this quote comes directly from a dish towel.  I don’t know if Julia actually said it, and I suppose I could look it up on the Encyclopedia of the Internet for veracity’s sake.  But I want to believe she said it, so I’m taking the word of my dish towel.  I also want to believe that it’s true because I love to eat, I love to prepare food, and I love to hang out with other food lovers.  My family is very good in this regard.  In fact my niece is responsible for the towel – it was her contribution to our family’s Christmas gift grab, and I grabbed it.

pie -2My family and many of my friends and I love to prepare food and then talk about food while eating.  In fact, in an act of extreme self-sacrifice and good food sportsmanship several of said friends and family members showed up to eat pi-e when I planned a last minute celebration on 3/14/15 at 9:26:53.  It was a monument to our desire to commemorate a once in a lifetime mathematical event.  Plus, I make damn good pies.  They were the talk of the evening.

Blogging 101 Days 8 and 9 – Get Lost in Venice

14 Saturday Mar 2015

Posted by in Art and Creativity, Random Thoughts, Travel

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I Wonder as I Wander

Venice1 copyA number of years ago a friend and I took a trip to Italy.  We were on a guided bus trip, but for us that just meant transportation and sleeping accommodations.  Our real guide was Rick Steves.  We had his Italy book, and he was our guru.  When we arrived in Venice, Rick said, “Get lost in Venice.”  His point was that the best way to experience that place was just to wander.  It’s an island, for heaven’s sake, you can’t really get lost! He was completely right, of course, and wandering the streets and backways of Venice was the most charming and memorable part of our whole trip.  All these years later, I can still picture the quiet little squares lined with ancient houses and enticing shops and cafes and bordered by canals with boats out of your dream of Italy. And guess what? We made it back!

That experience popped into my head more than once while navigating the assignments for these two days, which were to visit new blogs, browse, view, read, and possibly leave meaningful comments.  Heading into the complicated web of streets that is the blogosphere (and not even the entire blogosphere, just the WordPress portion of it) felt like getting lost.  One blog or link led to another where you might pause to visit and admire or have a chat, then to another where you might look in briefly then pass on by. In many instances, I couldn’t tell you why I arrived at a particular location or how to get back to it. Finally, since we were asked to link to some of our favorites, I began making notes about some blogs that I loved so that I and others could find our way back to them.

As with any good travel experience, I learned a lot. I learned about some of the people who blog.  I learned about what appeals to me when I’m spending my time in the blogosphere. I saw a variety of formats and styles in both the way people express themselves and the way they present their material.  Some of what I saw and read inspired me to examine and improve my own blog.

Great Destinations: Blogs I Loved

I like to read blogs that are well written and articulate.  I love visual interest – photos, drawings or other art work, interesting typography and formatting.  And, of course, topics that appeal to my interests – travel, art, photography, reading.  Here are a few that I found and plan to follow:

Deformedly Gracious

  • Stories both fictional and nonfictional accompanied by delightfully whimsical drawings
  • A favorite post: Moscow Metpo

My Truant Pen

  • Writes about everyday life, weather (she lives in New England-snow central), and my favorites – books and writing
  • Well written, nice photos

And, importantly, the blog listed and linked in the comment below

All of this brings me to part III of today’s post:

An Open Letter to Michelle and Blogging 101

[The format of the below is inspired by and with great respect for one of my new favorite blogs, Sincerely, Becca.  This blog is beautifully written and illustrated and alternates between completely moving and hilariously funny.  One of the writing formats she uses is the letter written to individuals or organizations.  Here’s one I particularly loved: “Dear eHarmony, Should I Talk about Back Fat in My Profile?”]

Dear Michelle W. and Blogging 101,

I can’t decide whether to hate you or thank you!  On the one hand, you have given me the tools and motivation to reactivate my blog and experience other people and even other places.  You’ve encouraged me to think and write more creatively and to communicate with other bloggers.  I feel more mentally stimulated than I have in a long time.  My blog is looking better and better. And I’m super excited about all that I’m learning.

On the other hand, I’m spending hours thinking about what to write, writing, grooming my blog, and strolling through the labyrinth of other blogs. And you’re feeding my technology addiction.  Now, in addition to checking Facebook and email on a regular basis and getting lost in all that information, I have blog checking to add to the distraction. Furthermore there’s the increased vanity, not to say self-worship, of checking all these locations to see if anybody’s talking to me or admiring my clever comments and creative genius.  In the meantime, my house is beginning to look like someone broke in and ransacked it.

OK, so let’s see: learning, new writing and creativity, mental stimulation, and communication with others vs. a clean house and a less inflated ego.  Hmmmm…. THANK YOU it is!!!

Sincerely,

Jeanne

Blogging 101 – Days Five through Seven – Change it Up!

10 Tuesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Random Thoughts

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Because I’m pretty compulsive about balance, I felt the need to post something about days five through seven of the Blogging 101 challenge.  Day five’s assignment was to play with themes and change the theme of our blog, should we desire to do so.  I did change my theme, and I like this one – although it’s not dramatically different than the earlier one.  I like that it’s simple and not distracting, but I prefer its fonts and general appearance.

Today I completed the day six and seven assignments.  I’ll get these two knocked out in short order! The day six assignment sounded simple enough: create or spruce up our About page.   WOAH!  It may have sounded simple, but I’m a little embarrassed to report that it took me most of the day to come up with mine.  I just had too many thoughts and it was hard to get them focused and to make them seductive enough to actually be read.

For day seven we were to create and add a header image or a text widget. Since I already have a header image, I chose the widget option, but first I had to learn what a widget was and how to make it happen.  The result is the little descriptor you see on the top of the left column.  I hope it rocks your world!

Done blogging for the day.  Now on to today’s next task.  It’s now 4:40 PM, and as soon as I get dressed, I can go to number two on the list. Once again, proof for my conviction that things always take longer than you think they will.  Waaaaay longer.