In My Dreams…..

It is always warm.

Gentle breezes blow…and flowers bloom

Beyond their season.

There are no bullies, no hunger, no pain,

in my dreams. All life is valued, always.

In my dreams, there is love and contentment.

The world is bright with promise and hope is our watchword.

 In my dreams.

                   Kenju

                   2011

How I Named My Blog

Ruth at Synch-ro-nizing decided we should each do a meme telling how we came up with the names for our blogs. I decided to participate, especially since she said there would be NO awards. As I told her, blog awards are becoming so trite and common. LOL

I started blogging in 2005, and my blog was named Just Ask Judy. I had envisioned it as a helpful place for brides and their parents to get unbiased information about weddings that was not guaranteed to make money for the person answering the question, as it usually is when you ask a professional. Few brides found my site in those early days, and as I began to read more and more blogs written by others, I started to add anything that came to mind on my blog. After two years of that, Blogger changed their templates and started Blogger 2. I had to make a change and I wanted a new format with color options that I didn't have with the old blog.

I thought about it for a while, and one day I was reading a post by Shephard at Schubert Alley Shephard about seeing Carrie Fisher's performance of her one-man show. Carrie talked about the times in her life when her father, Eddie Fisher (married to her mother Debbie Reynolds) was dallying with other actresses, notably Elizabeth Taylor. It was scandalous behavior for the times and at one point, Carrie said to the audience......"Imagine What I'm Leaving Out."

Immediately, I knew that would be the title of my new blog, and I set about to make that happen, in February 2007. Sometime over the last year, it was unofficially shortened to "Imagine", which I now prefer. My favorite college English professor drummed into me that writing should be "clear, concise and concrete." What's more concise than Imagine?

Five Words Meme

LLCoolJoe, of Joey's Pad was one of the people I gave five words to some time ago, as a meme to be answered with how those words have affected your life or what they mean to you. I really thought Joey had given up on it, but on Saturday I got a surprise - his meme - all very nicely done.

My original thought was to post all of the answers, and I had given each of them the same words, because I thought it would be interesting to see how each person felt about the impact of each word or concept on their lives. Unfortunately, some time has passed; I lost my list of people who had already participated and the only others I can remember were Tabor of One Day at a Time and Jen of Starting Over and Greta of To Write is Right.

I hope you will enjoy (as I did) comparing and contrasting what each of these people has to say about the five words, and if you were another of the few who participated, please link to your post in my comments. Thanks!

MEME ~ Five Words

Paul Nichols, who writes here, did a meme recently. If you don’t know Paul’s writing, get over there and check it out, as well as his other blog. He recently published a book of reminiscences, titled "Just Seven Blocks from the Mexican Border".

For this meme, you write about five words as they apply to your life. I agreed to participate, and here are the five words he sent:

Puzzle License Circle Language Entertained

Puzzle:

1. to perplex, to bewilder mentally
2. to solve or discover by labor or ingenuity
3. a problem designed to test ingenuity

I love puzzles of most types, such as crosswords, jigsaws and word searches. I do crosswords everyday, and since I started playing Lexulous on Facebook (a form of Scrabble) it has taken the place of printed crosswords for me. I like that – nothing to throw out or recycle! There is one type of puzzle that confounds me, however, and it is Sudoku*. The first time I tried it, I was doing well – or so I thought- until I got to the last line of numbers and nothing matched up! I was so frustrated. I erased it and started over but soon gave up when it became apparent that numbers and my brain don’t jive (and never have.)

Picture puzzles (jigsaws) are another favorite, but the last time I tried one, my cats had other ideas. I think they didn’t like that I wasn’t in my usual chair, providing soft, warm comfort for them to lie on. So they jumped on the table and batted around every piece they could get their paws on. I put them off the table repeatedly. The first night, I had finished all the border of the puzzle and about 150 other pieces. When I got up the next morning, all but 20 or so pieces were on the dining room floor. It took me a week to find them all.

So while I love puzzles and tests of ingenuity, I am perplexed and bewildered by my inability to do Sudoku and by my cats’ behavior when I try to do jigsaws.

License:

1. Authority or liberty given to do or forbear any act
2. Excess of liberty; freedom abused
3. That deviation from strict fact, form or rule by an artist or writer for the effect gained; as, poetic license
4. To permit or authorize by formal license

Most of us have to earn or obtain driver’s licenses and various business licenses throughout our lives. I failed my driver’s license the first time I took it, because I couldn’t parallel park my father’s huge car with big tail fins, a 1957 Dodge. I knocked over one of the barrels I was supposed to slide in between. Having waited until I was 17 to take the test, I was flustered and embarrassed when I didn’t get my license on the first try. No one practiced more than I did in the following weeks and when I tried the test again, I passed with flying colors, as they say.

Poetic license is not something I use as a rule, but occasionally, when writing a blog post, I take liberties with exact facts – since most of the time they make no difference to the outcome of the story and may actually make it better, easier to read or protect the innocent (or the not so innocent!) Mr. kenju always takes issue with it, however, admonishing me to change dates, or names or some other small bit of info. He’s a left-brain person, so he doesn’t see how poetic license can be used to make something better, without changing the essence. Take painting, for instance. If you look at a landscape with an eye to painting it and you love everything about it except that one tree in the background that has a funny shape, you can choose to change the look of that tree and make your painting or drawing better, without doing much damage to the “truth” of the landscape. Artists do that all the time. Photographers do it as well, when they choose to crop certain parts of a photo, enhance the color, soften the shadows and change the lighting. Authors do it when they change history in a way that will make for a better experience of the story in a book or movie. Mr. kenju gets up in arms when he sees a film that is not historically factual, even when it appears to be. “That’s not realistic”, he’ll shout, “It didn’t happen that way, and they’re misleading people!” I contradict with, “IT’S A MOVIE! They can say or show anything they want! And so it goes.

Circle:

1. A closed plane curve such that all of its points are equidistant from a point within, the center
2. 2. Something having in general a circular form, as a ring, halo, crown, sphere, orb, etc.
3. 3. A company bound by a common tie; a coterie, a set.

In my dictionary, there are several more definitions of the word circle, but I’ll stop with three.

In high school, I avoided math classes like the plague (see Sudoku*, above). Having applied to the University of Cincinnati Architecture School, I learned that they would accept me only if I would go to summer school (right after graduation from high school) and take Plane Geometry; assuming I would make a passing grade. The next six weeks would be filled with not only circles, but triangles and parallelograms, too! I had all the other classes I needed and was lacking only this one. I dreaded it with a white-hot passion; fear and nausea welled in me the first time I approached the school; not my own, but the rival in my town. They had no air-conditioning back then and the classes were on the third floor. It was hot, humid and generally unbearable. Surprisingly, I did well in that class. When I quit after two weeks, I had a high B average. But I simply couldn’t take it anymore. I chose to forget architecture school and apply to the college in my town, thereby limiting my circle of friends, activities and possibilities for future business successes. And despite that, I believe that I did what I was supposed to do – otherwise – I would never have had the opportunity to meet mr. kenju and get a wedding ring, and I wouldn’t have my three wonderful children or my gorgeous grandchildren.

My circles of friends include co-workers, neighbors, Mr. kenju’s friends and business associates, and people with whom I have come in contact through volunteer work. Also included are blog friends, who have become very important to me over the past 4+ years. I suppose I should include family in there as well, and although most of us are friendly, we do have our moments of estrangement, now and then. I am grateful for the blessing of good friends, no matter the circles to which they belong.

Language:

1. The body of words and methods of combining words used and understood by a considerable community; a tongue.

2. Any means, vocal or other, of expressing or communicating feeling or thought.

3. Specifically, the faculty of verbal expression and the use of words in human intercourse; also the words themselves in their grammatical relationships.

4. A Form or manner of expression; style

How would I explain my writing style? I have no idea. I doubt I would be a good fiction writer; reporting might be more in my line, due to my writing style (which I can’t define.) As a communicator, I have the gift of gab. I will talk your socks off, if you let me. It may not be anything you care to hear, however. Just tell me – I don’t mind. Mr. kenju says “If you ask her the time, she’ll build you a watch.” He also says I have a “communication” problem, such as when I have misunderstood something one of the children has told me and I report it incorrectly. Of course, you know that never happens to him, don’t you?

;-) I think my problems are more related to poor hearing; that’s what causes me to misunderstand. Maybe if I didn’t forget to wear my hearing aids…..

All I can say is thank Heaven for language – or I’d not be writing here everyday – and my life would be much poorer for it. Incidentally, if Blogger can be believed, this is post # 1,051 here, and added to 1,016 or so posts on Just Ask Judy, you have proof I am a motor-mouth.....LOL

Entertain(ed):

1. To receive and provide for, especially in one’s home; have as guests.

2. To receive into or keep in the mind; to consider or dwell upon; as, to entertain an idea

3. To provide entertainment, especially for guests

I have received and entertained a few bloggers in my home. Would you believe that you are all welcome? You are. I’d love to entertain all of you some day. I entertain ideas and dwell upon them for the blog everyday. I hope that you are entertained when you read my blog and I hope that this post has been entertaining (even though it is too long).

If you would like to participate in this meme, I’d be happy to choose five words for you. All you have to do is ask.

An Oldie but a Goodie

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE . 'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning. 2. My mother taught me RELIGION . 'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.' 3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL . 'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!' 4. My mother taught me LOGIC . ' Because I said so, that's why.' 5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC . 'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.' 6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT . 'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.' 7. My mother taught me IRONY 'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.' 8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS . 'Shut your mouth and eat your supper' 9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM . 'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck?' 10. My mother taught me about STAMINA . 'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.' 11. My mother taught me about WEATHER . 'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.' 12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY . 'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!' 13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE . 'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.' 14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION . 'Stop acting like your father!' 15. My mother taught me about ENVY . 'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.' 16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION . 'Just wait until we get home.' 17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING . 'You are going to get it when you get home!' 18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE . 'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.' 19. My mother taught me ESP . 'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?' 20. My mother taught me HUMOR . 'When that lawn mower cuts off your foot, don't come running to me.' 21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT . 'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.' 22. My mother taught me GENETICS. 'You're just like your father.' 23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS . ' Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?' 24. My mother taught me WISDOM . 'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.' 25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE 'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.' I tried to get rid of this blue rectangle, but it was part of the email and I can't delete it, so I'm writing on it! My doc called today with some good news. My total cholesterol is now 127 - YAY!!

Neologisms

Once again, The Washington Post has published the winning submissions
to its yearly neologism contest, in which readers are asked to supply
alternative meanings for common words. The winners are:

Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you've
gained.

Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat
stomach.

Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.

Negligent (adj.), a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the
door in your nightgown.

Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

Gargoyle (n), olive-flavored mouthwash.

Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks
you up after you're run over by a steamroller.

Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.

Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified bearing
adopted by proctologists.

Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

Frisbeetarianism (n.), (back by popular demand) the belief that, when
you die, your soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by
Jewish men.

Don't you just love them?! I do, and I am never good at making up my own. Thanks to another email buddy for these.

Oma!

I'm sorry about the rude gesture in the photo; I would never do that to our Oma! I awoke this weekend to find this scratched into the sand on the beach below our hotel room. We were ten floors up, so this had to have been a huge drawing. Seeing as how I already had this post ready to put on the blog, I just had to take the photo, even with that gesture. Someone sure was mad at his Oma, wasn't he?

Recently, I received a book from TravelinOma as a prize won in a contest. The title was:

"No One Cares What You Had for Lunch
100 Ideas for Your Blog"

It was good, quick reading, and had some interesting links and good advice for how to write interesting blog posts . I was sure I could use some help, so I was eager to learn all the juicy tidbits!

The chapters have interesting, provocative titles, such as:

Count your blessings
Spill everything
Hang your head
Exit the comfort zone

In the chapter titled "Be Yourself", she quotes a blogger named Brittney Gilbert (http://brittney.typepad.com) who wrote:

"When I cook eggs I can't just toss the shell without first crushing it in my palm. I like the prickly sensation of the broken, jagged shell in my skin."

My comment to Brittney would be something along the lines of: "That would be an experience I would only need to have once." The important part is that her lines would evoke a comment from almost everyone who stopped to read them. Therein lies one of the secrets of good blogging.

If you happen to run across this book, I recommend it for blog fodder that you may not have thought of yet. And to TravelinOma, I say - THANKS again!

Behold! + Pie + New Definitions!

BEHOLD!! Here I stand with the great and wonderful wizard......no, it's Roxanne of Melange - who doesn't post often enough lately, but promises to try and get back to it soon. It was a special treat to meet her and share an afternoon of gabbing over oyster (mine) and fish (hers) sandwiches, and she crab soup, at Rudee's in Virginia Beach. I know that seeing this photo will make some of you envious!! Sorry, Beverly. Maybe some day we can drive up there together and do it again. And Vicki? The same offer is extended to you! Wouldn't we all have fun together?!

This is the receipt from our family dinner the night before. The Jewish Mother restaurant is an institution in Virginia Beach; it has been there since we started going there in the 60's, and maybe before that.

Our granddaughter's split a piece of pie and we were laughing at the way it was listed on the receipt: peanut butt pie. They will probably never order that again! LOL

[[[[[]]]]][[[[[]]]]]

New comment word verifications seen in the last few weeks seem to be coining new words, after months of nonsensical groupings of letters chosen only for their ability to confuse people!

I think most of these could be new, useful words, if only we knew what they meant. You guys are wonderfully smart and creative, so tell me your best definitions for any or all of these:

varnenta

depingli

prignisp

pedsto

sciasox

pingshi

fideque

tousist

wanclina

gosmulan

uningi

1979

My son, age 18 months and age 13.

My sweet sonny boy was 12 when he wrote this, in response to the quote at the top of the green page. He won his 7th grade Language Arts Medal with this one.

Shortly after I found this while I was cleaning out a closet, he called. I read it to him and he said it is somewhat ironic now, since he doesn't really like his chosen profession. I wish he could instantly change to something he'd enjoy. Last time I checked, however, beachcombing didn't pay well enough to support a family!


EDIT: When I posted this, I forgot that Carmi's theme was "kids" this week. Go over there to see the other people who participated in it.

*********

When I posted my wedding dress yesterday, I should have mentioned that I still have the dress. I wore it to parties several times after the wedding, since it was fairly casual. At some point, I spilled coffee on the sleeve, and it would not come out. Finally, in desperation, I dyed the dress brown to cover the stain, and I wore it several more times after that. I look at it now, and I cannot believe I ever fit into it!

Out of the Mouths of Babes

I was casting about for something to post tonight, so I opened a file cabinet and looked under "Kids", where I have some school papers from long, long ago. There are several essays written by one of my daughters; they made me chuckle and also made me thoughtful. I don't remember reading this before. She was ten when she wrote this.....

A Gift I'd Like to Give

"I'd like to give my parnets (sic) a special gift. I want to give my parnets a big poster of all the exciting things we do together, because they give me everything. I hardly give them anything. When I do, it's not as nice as what they give me. I sometimes forget to say thank you when I had a fun time on fun trips. That's about all I have to say. "

She illustrated it with a drawing of a wrapped present with a big bow on top.

This made me smile and be wistful for her childhood. This is an almost perfect child, both now and in the past. She has brought us nothing but joy her whole life. She is a gift. Thank you, my child, for being you! It's all the gift we need.

Here's another one; also from age ten....

My New Year's Resolution

"My New Year's Resolution is to be able to grow eight inches because I want to get to my mom's height. I also want to be able to be taller than... [my sister] . My School Resolution is to have straight "A's" and to be a better understanding student because I usually get all over people when they do something wrong. I also want to prove to myself I can get A's."


So, what's a little jealousy or power trip from an otherwise almost perfect person??!!

Geneaology Pays Off

I have been reading a post in three parts by Farrago, who tells of taking his father back to Italy to visit relatives and friends he had not seen since WW2. It is a wonderful story for anyone who loves family and relishes the connections of friendship that outlive the tests of time. I recommend that you go and read all three parts. It starts on march 19th, and continues on the 20th and 21st.

It reminds me of a story I may have written about before, but I can't locate the post. Mr. kenju has been doing research into his family geneaology for many years. At one point, a search led him to learn of a family with our surname who were living in NC only about 2 hours away. He questioned whether he ought to contact them and ask about their family history - and he waffled back and forth for almost 2 years before he finally got the courage to call them. As it turned out, the man was his cousin from a branch of the family tree that had "broken off" due to an argument between brothers (Mr. kenju's grandfather and the other man's brother.) Shortly thereafter, mr. kenju travelled to their home to meet and talk and found not only a cousin, but a man with whom he knew he could forge a deep friendship. Unfortunately, after only 2 visits, the other man was diagnosed with cancer and he succumbed quickly. That was four years ago. We attended the funeral and I met his wife and son, as well as other members of the family - all of us marvelling at the fate that brought us together so long after the brothers quarreled and split forever.

Fast forward to Friday, when we saw the wife and son (and his fiancee) again for the first time in four years. We picked up just where we left off four years ago, as if there had been little passage of time since we saw them last. I am sorry that it was so long between the first meeting and this one, and we hope to keep that from happening again.

Now for a really heartwarming story, go and read Farrago's tales of travelling to Italy with his aging father, to meet family and old friends.

How Long....... Could This Be Going On?

(sing along with me now.....)

Do you know how long it takes to re-subscribe to over 100 blogs with Bloglines? Waaaaay tooooo long!

Part of my computer troubles involve losing all the links in Bloglines to the blogs I like to read, although it didn't wipe out the blogroll, which is odd since it is there courtesy of Bloglines. So I had to click each and every one listed in my blogroll and re-subscribe. The even odder thing is that a few blogs that wouldn't allow me to blogroll them before are now available in bloglines and they show up in the list of updated blogs - but they haven't appeared in my blogroll. I just checked - and they are listed as public - so why aren't they in the blogroll?? It's all too weird for me to comprehend.

I have been sitting here for four hours while clicking and typing away......Excuse me while I pry my stiff legs from the leather chair and attempt to get my back to straighten up so I can go down to the fridge and get my bedtime brew. I'll be back later.....LOL.

(Scroll down for the latest wedding photos).

The Empress of Planet Brenda has awarded me a very nice plaque! I am less than certain that I deserve "powerful words", but I admit to being shameless much of the time, and I do write something everyday (even if it is only a grocery list) so perhaps it fits.

"How does it work? Above are copies of the award that we can each distribute to those people who have blogs we love, can't live without, where we think the writing is good and powerful. I thought interested members could kick things off by publishing the award on their own blog, naming five people they would like to give it to (members or non-members), and accompany the image with three things they believe are necessary to make writing good and powerful. The recipients then do the same, passing it on to five other people, and so on."

Several that might have been on my list have already received the award, so I will choose carefully and hope that they will pass the award on to deserving writers.

Badaunt, who is originally from New Zealand and now teaches English in Japan, is one of my favorites. Many of her posts are photographs of ducks and other animals, with the most interesting and humorous captions and stories. Others tell of students who have hopelessly misunderstood the language or failed to take it seriously. Interspersed are tips for teachers and rants about administrators, done with clarity and compassion.

Mamacita, another teacher from my blogroll, is the teacher we all want for ourselves and for our children. When she writes about teaching, students and administrators, we see the depth of her passion. Intelligence, wit, compassion and guidance shine powerfully through all her posts. We are left wishing that we had quality teachers like her; we want to meet her, have pizza with her and trade cookie recipes at Christmas! And above all, we await her next post.

Pat of Past Imperfect, has written the most interesting stories about her life and times in England, her love story and her fascinating career as a model, illustrated by photos. I enjoy reading her "asides" as much as the continuing stories; written with humor and spirit.

Poopie, of Keeping the Faith, writes with a definite Tennessee-flavored voice, but the humor (there's that word again!) and gratitude and yes, faith, are central to the subject. She can get right to the heart of any matter as easily and quickly as anyone I've had the privilege to read. We're hoping that 2008 will bring her Prince Charming, and I have no doubt she will write just as eloquently about him as she does the pecan trees on her farm or her Baby Girl.

Shephard, of Shubert Alley combines all the best things there are to like about a blog. He writes well, he takes wonderful photos and he captions them with great wit. His essays on Medicine Monday (a past series) always provided food for thought.

That concludes my list, in the interest of brevity - never my strong suit. I could point out several more who wold be prefect for the list, but I'll save them for another time.

Three things that constitute good and powerful writing? First: Humor or wit, without which little interest is built. Second: Grammar, which means following the rules for acceptable language and syntax. For me this also precludes most curse words, for as my mother taught me, those are used by people who have no vocabulary. Third: intimate knowledge of your subject matter is of prime importance. It will be readily apparent if you don't know what you are writing about. Unfortunately, that doesn't stop some people.

Can You Decipher This?

Last week I was driving around, thinking and musing, and I had an idea for a blog post. It was such a good idea that I just had to write it down, so I grabbed a napkin and at the first stoplight, I wrote:

disuse

decay

death

and then....

Work is an auspicious start to the new year.

What the heck was I planning to write about? If you can figure it out, I'd sure like to know.....

A book recommendation...

The back jacket reads......"A meditation on love in its many forms - love of food, language, humanity, God, and most meaningful for Gilbert, love of self...Gilbert's wry, unfettered account of her extraordinary journey lets even the most cynical reader dare to dream of someday finding God deep in a meditation cave in India, or, perhaps, over a transcendent slice of pizza."

(Los Angeles Times)

"If a more likeable writer than Gilbert is currently in print, I haven't found him or her....Gilbert's prose is fueled by a mix of intelligence, wit, and colloquial exuberance that is close to irresistible."

(The New York Times Book Review"

The book starts in Rome, where Gilbert goes to escape the ruins of a failed marriage and another failed relationship. She eats her way across Italy, making friends and touring, learning to stop and smell the roses - or more likely - linguine and gelato!

From there to India, where the life of an ascetic and meditation lead her to experience internal power in the form of kundalini, and a new friend from Texas, who calls her "Groceries" gives good advice.

Indonesia comes next - and love - which is postponed for a time, finally beckons in a way that cannot be denied.

This is a book that will probably appeal to women more than men, but everyone can learn something about themselves here, as Gilbert bares her psyche in brutal honesty.

Spell Check

Hope sent me this in June, and I put it in a folder and forgot it! Sorry, Hope, and thanks for the poem. (Hope doesn't have a blog, otherwise I'd link to her).

OWED TO A SPELLING CHECKER

I have a spelling checker.
It came with my PC.
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks I can knot sea.
Eye ran this poem threw it,
Your sure reel glad two no.
Its very polished in it's weigh.
My checker tolled me sew.
A checker is a bless sing.
It freeze yew lodes of thyme.
It helps me right awl stiles two reed,
And aides me when aye rime.
Each frays come posed up on my screen.
Aye trussed two be joule.
The checker pours o'er every word.
The cheque sum spelling rule.
Be fore a veiling checkers

Hour spelling mite decline,
And if were lacks or have a laps,
We wood be maid to wine.
Butt now bee cause my spelling rule.
Is checked with such grate flare.
There are know faults with in my cite.
Of nun eye am a wear.
Now spelling does knot phase me,
It does knot bring a tier.
My pay purrs awl due glad den
With wrapped words fare as hear.
To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud,
And wee mussed dew the best wee can,
Sew flaws are knot aloud.
Sow ewe can see why aye dew preys
Such soft wear four pea seas.
And why eye brake in two averse
Buy righting want to pleas.

Da-da-da-da-da-ta da!!

In case you can't hear it - that's a trumpet flourish up there in the title! I have big news about Just Ask Judy, the old blog I abandoned. When I quit writing there 0n February 9th, 2007, I had 83,667 hits. Sometime yesterday or the first of September, I hit:

***100,000!***

I think it is great that an old blog lives on like that - and I can credit g**gle and other search engines for helping people find me. It seems that the more eclectic your subject matter is, the more hits you will have. I thank everyone who has made that happen. Your continued support for the old blog and this one, is very gratifying, as are your good wishes and concern for my current plight with mr. kenju. I don't know what the near future holds for me, but I sincerely hope that blogging will continue to be in it. I can't imagine losing you!

A Great Story!

I just found a great story over at Granny Annie's. Go and read it and then come back here for another one. I'll wait. Go on.....

Back in the 70's, my son had a basketball goal on the driveway of our former house. There were often a group of boys from the neighborhood in residence and most were well behaved as they shot baskets and played horse. There was one who didn't always act in a good way, and his fun was achieved by sarcasm and trash-talking my boy, who was at least 6 years younger. I stood inside the house, watching and listening one day. I happened to pass in earshot and didn't like what I was hearing. When the mean, nasty, degrading talk became more than I could take, I went out and told the kid to go home if he couldn't treat my boy and my yard with respect.

He started to leave, tossed the ball over his shoulder and turned, saying..."Kiss my ass." From somewhere deep down inside, a memory of an insult I had learned 20 years earlier, I replied....."It looks too much like your face."

For several days, I berated myself for talking in a manner that was actually down on his level, and for saying in front of my boy, who was about 8-9 at the time. Finally, I sat my boy down and apologized for getting involved, and for what I had said.

Know what he told me? That the kid had a great deal of respect for me now that I had answered him in kind - and he probably would not be bothering my boy again. And he didn't.

Don't Ever Do This!

Last Friday morning, I got this email from my bank. I clicked on the link, even though at that exact moment I had a sinking feeling in my belly that I was doing the wrong thing. Luckily, the window that came up said "Page cannot be displayed". Otherwise, my business might be in deep trouble financially.

I decided to print the email and take it to my bank, and when I showed it to one of the VP's, she said it is definitely a fraud. She told me, "We will NEVER email you for ANY reason. No bank will ever email a client."

I asked her if I had done any damage by clicking on the link, and she said I had not, since I didn't enter any identifying information. The person who fabricated this email is looking for passwords. I am so thankful he didn't get mine!

The oddest thing is that when I printed the email, instead of just the message above, I got what you see here below as well. At that point, I KNEW it was a fraud. I am hoping that this person can be caught, but apparently bad writing alone will not get him a jail sentence.

According to the bank rep., I am not the only person to bring them a similar email; however, the other ones have different stories. Perhaps the person hell-bent on computer fraud is also a frustrated writer. When he is finally caught, he will have a lot of time to write - in prison.

While I was in New York .....

at the end of March, Michael Althouse, at:

http://25yearplan.blogspot.com/2007/03/thinking-blogger-award.html

did me the honor of naming "Imagine What I'm Leaving Out" a blog that makes him think. Imagine how terrific I feel! I'm not certain I merit it, but there is a mutual-admiration-society between us. I had said the same thing about Mike's writing, even before these awards began.

Receiving this award charges me with a task. I have to choose five blogs that make me think; the hardest thing I've been asked to do recently, because it is so difficult to limit it to five. I am aware that some I have chosen have already been awarded by someone else. I do not expect them to choose five more blogs (unless they want to). Here is my list (in no particular order):

1. Joared, at Along the Way:

http://www.joared-along.blogspot.com/

2. Maya's Granny, at:

http://mayagranny.blogspot.com/

3. Carmi, at:

http://writteninc.blogspot.com/

4. Minerva, at:

http://womanlyparts.blogspot.com

5. Mamacita, at:

http://weeklyscheiss.blogspot.com/

6. Shephard, at:

http://www.shubertalleyshephard.blogspot.com

7. Carol, at:

http://thecerebraloutpost.blogspot.com/

I am supposed to write a paragraph about each of the blogs I chose, but I will do it differently. First, let me say that there are other blogs that make me think too, but I must limit my list! Had anyone other than Mike given this award to me, he would definitely be on my list.

All of these writers not only make me think, but generally they do it with intelligence, a grasp of grammar and spelling, obvious wit and humor (whether broad or sly) and the ability to phrase things in ways that I could never imagine. They have all demonstrated a compassionate spirit as well.

~~~~~~

The participation rules are simple:
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

Addenda: I am twice honored; tonight Sonia at Leaves of Grass also nominated me for the same award. Go and visit Sonia here:

http://leavesgrass.blogspot.com/2007/04/nomination-for-thinking-bloggers-award.html

Thank again, Sonia and Mike. I am grateful.