Today is the last time that any of us will see the month, day, and year all be the same numbers - 12/12/12. The next time this will happen will be New Year's Day, 2101. Do you remember any of the other MDY dates that have happened in this millennium?
01/01/01 - The first day of the new millennium - This was also a "special" date for computer programmers since the date is the same in binary.
02/02/02 - Groundhog Day - Nothing really special about this Groundhog Day.
07/07/07 - The largest mass weddings in history and, conveniently, a Saturday - Many couples thought that being married on this date would bring their marriages luck. I wonder how many of those marriages survived...
08/08/08 - The Opening Ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics - I learned that 8 is considered a lucky number in China.
12/12/12 - The last time we will see this phenomenon. Today is also a special concert for raising money to help those affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Make this a day to remember.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
My Questions for the Presidential Candidates
Ok, I know this is late, but it may inspire you to start tackling this at a local level, which is where it needs to begin anyhow.
Question #1: What are you going to do about education? I know, science and math has been a min focus and we seem to be doing better with that, but the language arts and, especially, the creative arts have suffered.
As far as the language arts (reading and writing), you can read my last post to see part of why I think they are important. The other part of it is that students don't have any idea how to TALK to one another. If communication doesn't happen through a keyboard, they are clueless.
Playing music, drawing pretty pictures and creative writing really are important. These are the types of things that stimulate creativity. First of all, being creative causes neurons in the brain to grow, which help you think better. More importantly (because other activities cause neuron growth), creativity is what solves problems. This is especially the "thinking outside the box" part of problem solving. This is the type of problem solving that it took to figure out a solution to get Apollo 13 home. This isn't "plug-and-play" type problem solving that is being promoted now.
Creativity is also what is used to invent new things. Where would we be today if no one had been creative enough to think of replacing bad organs or joints with new ones? Organ transplants and joint replacements would not exist. What if no one had ever come up with the idea for plastic!? This is science, but this is also creativity.
Music, art, and creative writing also get us to feel. These help us project our opinions about things and share those feelings with others. Wouldn't it be great if we were able get out or anger and frustration by putting it on paper, canvas, or into music instead of these shootings or other abuses? (I wonder, if schools started putting more music an art into the curriculum, would violence drop?)
Music, art, writing, and some other things are what come together to make movies and video games. Even if you don't enjoy the other things, most of us enjoy movies or video games.
We discovered that focusing on language arts and music didn't work, so we are going to try focusing on the other side of the spectrum. We will discover that that doesn't work, either. Here is a novel concept - let's try BALANCE. We need the math and sciences but we also need the language and creative arts.
Question #2: What are you going to do about continuing education? I heard about setting up and improving training programs for new careers, but what if I don't want a new career? What if I just want to learn something for the heck of learning it?
In at least the cases of some community colleges, if you take a class just because you want to, it doesn't matter how well you did, how much you learned, or how much you enjoyed the class. In fact, how good the class was has no bearing on the college. Simply the fact that you were in the class and didn't go on to get a job or transfer to a university, the college failed with you. This will affect how much money the college gets from the government. If you have an exceptional liberal arts college, no matter how good the programs, instructors, or classes; the college is likely to rate as a poor college.
Why is education viewed as a means-to-an-end instead of an opportunity to improve yourself? Do you remember School House Rocks! from TV? Their motto was "Knowledge is Power!" They were right. The brain, like any other muscle in the body, needs to be exercised. Learning can do that. On top of that, if you know how to do something, you don't, necessarily, need to depend on someone else to do it for you. You can also, possibly, apply that knowledge to something else (creativity...).
When I was really young, I learned to ice skate. One of the first things they teach you is how to fall. They teach you to go limp. Naturally, you would tighten up your muscles when you started to fall, but by going limp, you are less likely to break a bone. Several years ago, I was hit by a car. I was thrown into the air. That training (education) from many years earlier, kicked in. I was told that I looked like a rag doll with arms and legs flopping around. One witness told his dispatcher that I had been killed. When the emergency crews got there, I was standing on the side-walk, being quite embarrassed. I ruined a pair of nylons and skinned up my toe. (My shoe flew down the street.) I also had some pretty good bruises on my hips. I was rather sore, but limped away from the scene. I didn't even mess up the skirt and blouse I was wearing. I should have gone to the ER and made sure there wasn't any internal bruising, but I didn't. Physically, I pretty much got off scotch-free. I can be pretty certain that if I had tightened my muscles (natural instinct instead of training), I would not have been nearly as lucky and probably been in really bad shape.
Let's imagine you took CPR through a college and ended up using it to save someone's life. I don't think that person or the family would consider the college that offered the class a failure. What if you used something that was learned in auto-shop to help a stranded motorist? Knowledge IS Power.
Please, support your school's/community's art and music programs. Also, support your local colleges. Even though job training is important, remember the value of being a life-long student.
Question #1: What are you going to do about education? I know, science and math has been a min focus and we seem to be doing better with that, but the language arts and, especially, the creative arts have suffered.
As far as the language arts (reading and writing), you can read my last post to see part of why I think they are important. The other part of it is that students don't have any idea how to TALK to one another. If communication doesn't happen through a keyboard, they are clueless.
Playing music, drawing pretty pictures and creative writing really are important. These are the types of things that stimulate creativity. First of all, being creative causes neurons in the brain to grow, which help you think better. More importantly (because other activities cause neuron growth), creativity is what solves problems. This is especially the "thinking outside the box" part of problem solving. This is the type of problem solving that it took to figure out a solution to get Apollo 13 home. This isn't "plug-and-play" type problem solving that is being promoted now.
Creativity is also what is used to invent new things. Where would we be today if no one had been creative enough to think of replacing bad organs or joints with new ones? Organ transplants and joint replacements would not exist. What if no one had ever come up with the idea for plastic!? This is science, but this is also creativity.
Music, art, and creative writing also get us to feel. These help us project our opinions about things and share those feelings with others. Wouldn't it be great if we were able get out or anger and frustration by putting it on paper, canvas, or into music instead of these shootings or other abuses? (I wonder, if schools started putting more music an art into the curriculum, would violence drop?)
Music, art, writing, and some other things are what come together to make movies and video games. Even if you don't enjoy the other things, most of us enjoy movies or video games.
We discovered that focusing on language arts and music didn't work, so we are going to try focusing on the other side of the spectrum. We will discover that that doesn't work, either. Here is a novel concept - let's try BALANCE. We need the math and sciences but we also need the language and creative arts.
Question #2: What are you going to do about continuing education? I heard about setting up and improving training programs for new careers, but what if I don't want a new career? What if I just want to learn something for the heck of learning it?
In at least the cases of some community colleges, if you take a class just because you want to, it doesn't matter how well you did, how much you learned, or how much you enjoyed the class. In fact, how good the class was has no bearing on the college. Simply the fact that you were in the class and didn't go on to get a job or transfer to a university, the college failed with you. This will affect how much money the college gets from the government. If you have an exceptional liberal arts college, no matter how good the programs, instructors, or classes; the college is likely to rate as a poor college.
Why is education viewed as a means-to-an-end instead of an opportunity to improve yourself? Do you remember School House Rocks! from TV? Their motto was "Knowledge is Power!" They were right. The brain, like any other muscle in the body, needs to be exercised. Learning can do that. On top of that, if you know how to do something, you don't, necessarily, need to depend on someone else to do it for you. You can also, possibly, apply that knowledge to something else (creativity...).
When I was really young, I learned to ice skate. One of the first things they teach you is how to fall. They teach you to go limp. Naturally, you would tighten up your muscles when you started to fall, but by going limp, you are less likely to break a bone. Several years ago, I was hit by a car. I was thrown into the air. That training (education) from many years earlier, kicked in. I was told that I looked like a rag doll with arms and legs flopping around. One witness told his dispatcher that I had been killed. When the emergency crews got there, I was standing on the side-walk, being quite embarrassed. I ruined a pair of nylons and skinned up my toe. (My shoe flew down the street.) I also had some pretty good bruises on my hips. I was rather sore, but limped away from the scene. I didn't even mess up the skirt and blouse I was wearing. I should have gone to the ER and made sure there wasn't any internal bruising, but I didn't. Physically, I pretty much got off scotch-free. I can be pretty certain that if I had tightened my muscles (natural instinct instead of training), I would not have been nearly as lucky and probably been in really bad shape.
Let's imagine you took CPR through a college and ended up using it to save someone's life. I don't think that person or the family would consider the college that offered the class a failure. What if you used something that was learned in auto-shop to help a stranded motorist? Knowledge IS Power.
Please, support your school's/community's art and music programs. Also, support your local colleges. Even though job training is important, remember the value of being a life-long student.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Good Reading and Indie Publishing Advice
One of the things I have enjoyed this summer is reading.
I have read a number of good books, and several bad ones as well. The one that sticks out is The Old Man & The Monkey by George Polley. It is about an unusual friendship. It demonstrates how well animals can bond with humans and detect and share their feelings. When I was done, I actually mourned that the story was over. That is a sign of a powerful book! I know it is available on Kindle.
As far as the books I was disappointed in, they all had similar problems and could have easily been good books. Indie publishers are getting a bad name because of a few simple things that aren't being done.
1. Use your spell-checker.
2. If writing non-fiction, make sure that your information doesn't contradict itself. It would also be nice if it was actually correct as well.
3. You MUST have a proof-reader, preferably one that speaks English and knows at least some basic grammar and punctuation rules.
I get so frustrated when I have this urge to get out my "red pen" and correct the book and send it back to the author. It is even more frustrating when the errors are so bad that I can't even figure out what is trying to be said. I like doing puzzles, but not when I just want to loose myself in a good story.
There is a lot of good technology that makes writing easier, but nothing can take the place of a pair of human eyes! There are things that a computer just can't pick up because it doesn't get the meaning or tone of the story.
It doesn't matter how good of a writer you are. There are mistakes you will never see because you ARE the author. It is just a fact of writing. A good proof-reader will help you take a good story and make it great. Proof-reading may even take a bad story and make it great. Read the acknowledgements of any book and you will realize that writing is actually a "team sport."
The moral is: Before publishing, proof-reading is a MUST!
Thank you to those authors (and their teams) who helped make my summer enjoyable by writing good books.
I have read a number of good books, and several bad ones as well. The one that sticks out is The Old Man & The Monkey by George Polley. It is about an unusual friendship. It demonstrates how well animals can bond with humans and detect and share their feelings. When I was done, I actually mourned that the story was over. That is a sign of a powerful book! I know it is available on Kindle.
As far as the books I was disappointed in, they all had similar problems and could have easily been good books. Indie publishers are getting a bad name because of a few simple things that aren't being done.
1. Use your spell-checker.
2. If writing non-fiction, make sure that your information doesn't contradict itself. It would also be nice if it was actually correct as well.
3. You MUST have a proof-reader, preferably one that speaks English and knows at least some basic grammar and punctuation rules.
I get so frustrated when I have this urge to get out my "red pen" and correct the book and send it back to the author. It is even more frustrating when the errors are so bad that I can't even figure out what is trying to be said. I like doing puzzles, but not when I just want to loose myself in a good story.
There is a lot of good technology that makes writing easier, but nothing can take the place of a pair of human eyes! There are things that a computer just can't pick up because it doesn't get the meaning or tone of the story.
It doesn't matter how good of a writer you are. There are mistakes you will never see because you ARE the author. It is just a fact of writing. A good proof-reader will help you take a good story and make it great. Proof-reading may even take a bad story and make it great. Read the acknowledgements of any book and you will realize that writing is actually a "team sport."
The moral is: Before publishing, proof-reading is a MUST!
Thank you to those authors (and their teams) who helped make my summer enjoyable by writing good books.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Discovering Your World Through Animals
You can learn or notice all kinds of things by watching pets, especially new ones.
Early in the summer, we brought my brother's corgi to live with my parents. The corgi couldn't do the stairs at my brother's house anymore.
The corgi had always lived in areas with numerous lawns. We stopped in New Mexico for the night. Corgi got out of the car and looked up at me like, "Where's the grass?". I pointed to a weed and told him that was his option. After looking at the weed, he looked up at me like, "You have GOT to be kidding!" He has since adjusted to Arizona and using a weed no longer bothers him. It had never occurred to me how our lack of vegetation might seem unusual.
There are some great authors who write from the perspective of an animal. C.A. Goody is one of these. Charlie and the Rodent Queen is a prime example of the world from animals views. In this book, you get to see a hamster from a cat's view and a cat from a hamster's view. You even get to see what is happening from the dog's view. Unfortunately, she is busy doing her own thing and doesn't even realize this discovery is happening. She is like most of us. How often do we miss what is going on around us because we are busy doing our own thing?
If you are up to a challenge, put yourself in the place of an animal and at least think about something from the animal's perspective.
I have found that this exercise has provided me insight to my world. It has also calmed me down when I was furious at a cat for doing something he shouldn't. "But, Mommy, I was just trying to help. You said your plants needed watered."
Early in the summer, we brought my brother's corgi to live with my parents. The corgi couldn't do the stairs at my brother's house anymore.
The corgi had always lived in areas with numerous lawns. We stopped in New Mexico for the night. Corgi got out of the car and looked up at me like, "Where's the grass?". I pointed to a weed and told him that was his option. After looking at the weed, he looked up at me like, "You have GOT to be kidding!" He has since adjusted to Arizona and using a weed no longer bothers him. It had never occurred to me how our lack of vegetation might seem unusual.
There are some great authors who write from the perspective of an animal. C.A. Goody is one of these. Charlie and the Rodent Queen is a prime example of the world from animals views. In this book, you get to see a hamster from a cat's view and a cat from a hamster's view. You even get to see what is happening from the dog's view. Unfortunately, she is busy doing her own thing and doesn't even realize this discovery is happening. She is like most of us. How often do we miss what is going on around us because we are busy doing our own thing?
If you are up to a challenge, put yourself in the place of an animal and at least think about something from the animal's perspective.
I have found that this exercise has provided me insight to my world. It has also calmed me down when I was furious at a cat for doing something he shouldn't. "But, Mommy, I was just trying to help. You said your plants needed watered."
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
9/11 - Emergency Preparedness Day
We are all likely to have some kind of an emergency in our life and we all need to be prepared for the small emergencies that are likely to hit us. I am talking about the kind that won't make the evening news. Identity theft, house fire or break-in, computer crash, auto accident, or a health emergency are just a few of the emergencies that happen every day.
Are you prepared for an emergency? Today is a good day to do some simple things to help protect you and your loved ones over the next year.
Home First Aid Kit: Replace any items you have used. Remove and replace expired or damaged items.
Auto First Aid Kit: Replace items you have used. Remove and replace expired or damaged items. Check for items that were damaged by the summer heat or the winter cold.
Pet First Aid Kit: Replace any used items. Remove and replace expired or damaged items.
Home Safety: Check flashlight and spare batteries. Check fire alarms, entry alarms, carbon dioxide alarms. Clean the keys on the key pad on your entry alarm. Is it time to change the locks (who has keys)? Are your escape routes and meeting points still good (do you remember them)?
Auto Safety Kit: Replace items that need it. Check that duct tape and those flash light batteries. They don't do well in our Arizona heat.
Credit Card Safety: Check your credit reports and make sure they are accurate. Check your aluminum foil in your wallet that surround both sides of your cards. (Aluminum foil keeps the cards from being scanned without your knowledge. Both sides of the card have to be protected. This is VITAL if you carry only one card like when you go to the gym.) Do you have contact information to cancel the cards if they get lost or stolen?
Computer Safety: Change internet passwords. Update your virus protection software and do a virus scan. Back up any data you don't want to loose. If possible, store that back-up away from home.
Personal Documents: Does anything need updated? Will? Insurances (life)? Power of Attorney? Driver's License (get that SS# removed)? Passport? Medical Records (that list that you are supposed to carry with you)? Does your family know where to find this information and anything else they may need if something happens to you? Do you know where this information is for your family members?
Telephone/Cell Phones: Are your cells ICEd? Do you have emergency numbers current? Poison control? Non-emergency police? Doctors?
Physically: Any doctors or tests you need to schedule?
This is really a basic list of things to do. These will help you be prepared or protect you from more common emergencies.
If you need information on any of the above items, there is all kinds of help on the web. Just do a search. If you are interested in being prepared for larger emergencies, there is all kinds of help for that as well.
I hope you don't use any of these preparations, but if you end up needing them, you will be glad you did!
Are you prepared for an emergency? Today is a good day to do some simple things to help protect you and your loved ones over the next year.
Home First Aid Kit: Replace any items you have used. Remove and replace expired or damaged items.
Auto First Aid Kit: Replace items you have used. Remove and replace expired or damaged items. Check for items that were damaged by the summer heat or the winter cold.
Pet First Aid Kit: Replace any used items. Remove and replace expired or damaged items.
Home Safety: Check flashlight and spare batteries. Check fire alarms, entry alarms, carbon dioxide alarms. Clean the keys on the key pad on your entry alarm. Is it time to change the locks (who has keys)? Are your escape routes and meeting points still good (do you remember them)?
Auto Safety Kit: Replace items that need it. Check that duct tape and those flash light batteries. They don't do well in our Arizona heat.
Credit Card Safety: Check your credit reports and make sure they are accurate. Check your aluminum foil in your wallet that surround both sides of your cards. (Aluminum foil keeps the cards from being scanned without your knowledge. Both sides of the card have to be protected. This is VITAL if you carry only one card like when you go to the gym.) Do you have contact information to cancel the cards if they get lost or stolen?
Computer Safety: Change internet passwords. Update your virus protection software and do a virus scan. Back up any data you don't want to loose. If possible, store that back-up away from home.
Personal Documents: Does anything need updated? Will? Insurances (life)? Power of Attorney? Driver's License (get that SS# removed)? Passport? Medical Records (that list that you are supposed to carry with you)? Does your family know where to find this information and anything else they may need if something happens to you? Do you know where this information is for your family members?
Telephone/Cell Phones: Are your cells ICEd? Do you have emergency numbers current? Poison control? Non-emergency police? Doctors?
Physically: Any doctors or tests you need to schedule?
This is really a basic list of things to do. These will help you be prepared or protect you from more common emergencies.
If you need information on any of the above items, there is all kinds of help on the web. Just do a search. If you are interested in being prepared for larger emergencies, there is all kinds of help for that as well.
I hope you don't use any of these preparations, but if you end up needing them, you will be glad you did!
Monday, September 10, 2012
People are Reading and It's HOT!!
To be honest, part of the reason I hadn't posted was because I didn't think anybody was reading this blog. I also haven't been very inspired recently. What can I say? It's hard to be inspired when it is so wickedly hot outside. I have received a couple of e-mails from concerned readers. To those who are reading, thank you.
I decided that laughing about this heat may be a good blog topic. For those of you who don't live in Central Arizona, these things really have happened! Please note: ALL temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit.
You know you are "enjoying" an Arizona summer when...
...you blister the bottoms of your feet - through your shoes.
...when crossing the street, the bottoms of your tennis shoes melt.
...when you go to bed, at 11:00 PM, the temperature is still over 100.
...when you get up, at 3:30 AM, the temperature is over 100.
...you comment about how humid it feels and the humidity is only at 7%.
...you aren't the least bit surprised that there is no rain with the thunder and lightening.
...when you go over a bridge, you are shocked that there is water in the wash.
...when the doctor asks you if you are having "excessive sweating" or "trouble sleeping", you look at him like he is an idiot. After all, it's 118 degrees outside and it hasn't dropped to below 90 in over a week!
...the type of dust storm that passed through occurs only in two other places in the world - the Middle East and the Sahara Desert.
...you can't charge your cell phone in the car because the over-heating circuit engages.
...the weatherman (correctly) exclaims that it is going to be chilly. The high is only going to be 103!
...you decided you "wanted some green out front" so you spray painted the rocks.
...even the weeds have a burnt look.
...you take a hot shower but only turn on the cold water side
...you haven't even had a cold shower since March.
...you have no clue how hot it is in the car because the LCD display on the thermometer fried and the other doesn't go that high.
...you know how hot it is in your car because you have an analog oven thermometer in your car. The digital oven thermometer had the LCD display fried.
...you have had money try to burn a hole through your pocket and your skin after picking up a lost coin in a parking lot.
...you do much of your cooking outside in a solar oven.
...the one day the clouds moved in and cooled everything off to 85 degrees, you wore a sweater.
...you left a CD laying on the seat of your car and it warped.
...when it starts to rain, you run outside to stand in it.
...you could hear rain hitting the roof and awning, but it evaporated before it got to your head.
I hope everyone's summer has been enjoyable.
...you take a hot shower but only turn on the cold water side
...you haven't even had a cold shower since March.
...you have no clue how hot it is in the car because the LCD display on the thermometer fried and the other doesn't go that high.
...you know how hot it is in your car because you have an analog oven thermometer in your car. The digital oven thermometer had the LCD display fried.
...you have had money try to burn a hole through your pocket and your skin after picking up a lost coin in a parking lot.
...you do much of your cooking outside in a solar oven.
...the one day the clouds moved in and cooled everything off to 85 degrees, you wore a sweater.
...you left a CD laying on the seat of your car and it warped.
...when it starts to rain, you run outside to stand in it.
...you could hear rain hitting the roof and awning, but it evaporated before it got to your head.
I hope everyone's summer has been enjoyable.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
A Belated Father's Day Thought
DAD, forwards and backwards is still DAD. Dads are special people and there is no one in our lives like a dad!
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Farewell, Joel
One of the greatest experiences of my musical life was the opportunity to study string bass under Joel di Bartolo. I knew he was an awesome bass player, but I didn't realize how great until I just did a search to make sure I was spelling his name correctly. He was obviously not a boaster! M*A*S*H and Star Trek TNG are two DVD series that are often playing in our house. My Trekkie husband will be shocked to hear about this.
For those of you who do not recognize his name, please take a minute to read Joel's Obituary.
Just before Easter, I found out about his passing. It has taken me this long to accept it and grieve. I never got the opportunity to thank him for taking his time with me. I am not a world-class bassist. I am not even an outstanding bassist. I am a recreational bassist but I am a much better bassist because of Joel.
Before Joel came to NAU, I had taken private lessons under another instructor. That year of lessons was a nightmare. I hated it and I vowed I would not take any more private lessons. The next year, the orchestra director somehow convinced me to at least give Joel a try. This would be the first (and only) time I would really get to study under someone who actually played bass. At that point, I had been playing bass for 8 years. I spent my first lesson playing open-string whole notes. We went back to the very basics. I learned more in that one year than I had from all my other private lessons combined. I only was able to study under Joel for one year because I was graduating and moving.
He made a list of changes that my bass needed done so it would be the best bass for me. When he would be doing something special and not want to bring his bass, he would ask to use my bass.
Joel didn't try to mold me into his vision of "the perfect bassist". He helped me discover my particular style and how to overcome my shortcomings. He worked with me on bowing techniques and how to play so I wasn't causing more wrist pain. I remember him saying, "Playing bass should never be painful." Wow! Not buck up and deal with it, but, let's find a way so it doesn't hurt! He accepted that I played bass solely for fun and not because I wanted to make it a career. He also never treated me like I was wasting his time because I didn't want to be a professional. It was OK to play bass just because I wanted to. His attitude of taking each bassist as an individual gave me confidence I had never had as a bassist.
Would I have continued to play bass after NAU if it wasn't for the confidence Joel helped me build? Would I have played in groups where I was the only bassist if it hadn't been for Joel? Would I still even enjoy playing bass?
I mourn for all the bassists who will never get a chance to experience his wisdom, talent, and humor. I mourn for those bassists who will stop playing because they will not have instructors that help them find their styles and tell them it is OK to just play for fun. I mourn for our loss to experience a master make the bass fluently speak in so many musical languages.
Thank you, Joel, for helping me discover the tools so I could continue to enjoy playing bass. I mourn that I will never get to sit next to you again and receive those jewels of wisdom you would share. Thank you.
For those of you who do not recognize his name, please take a minute to read Joel's Obituary.
Just before Easter, I found out about his passing. It has taken me this long to accept it and grieve. I never got the opportunity to thank him for taking his time with me. I am not a world-class bassist. I am not even an outstanding bassist. I am a recreational bassist but I am a much better bassist because of Joel.
Before Joel came to NAU, I had taken private lessons under another instructor. That year of lessons was a nightmare. I hated it and I vowed I would not take any more private lessons. The next year, the orchestra director somehow convinced me to at least give Joel a try. This would be the first (and only) time I would really get to study under someone who actually played bass. At that point, I had been playing bass for 8 years. I spent my first lesson playing open-string whole notes. We went back to the very basics. I learned more in that one year than I had from all my other private lessons combined. I only was able to study under Joel for one year because I was graduating and moving.
He made a list of changes that my bass needed done so it would be the best bass for me. When he would be doing something special and not want to bring his bass, he would ask to use my bass.
Joel didn't try to mold me into his vision of "the perfect bassist". He helped me discover my particular style and how to overcome my shortcomings. He worked with me on bowing techniques and how to play so I wasn't causing more wrist pain. I remember him saying, "Playing bass should never be painful." Wow! Not buck up and deal with it, but, let's find a way so it doesn't hurt! He accepted that I played bass solely for fun and not because I wanted to make it a career. He also never treated me like I was wasting his time because I didn't want to be a professional. It was OK to play bass just because I wanted to. His attitude of taking each bassist as an individual gave me confidence I had never had as a bassist.
Would I have continued to play bass after NAU if it wasn't for the confidence Joel helped me build? Would I have played in groups where I was the only bassist if it hadn't been for Joel? Would I still even enjoy playing bass?
I mourn for all the bassists who will never get a chance to experience his wisdom, talent, and humor. I mourn for those bassists who will stop playing because they will not have instructors that help them find their styles and tell them it is OK to just play for fun. I mourn for our loss to experience a master make the bass fluently speak in so many musical languages.
Thank you, Joel, for helping me discover the tools so I could continue to enjoy playing bass. I mourn that I will never get to sit next to you again and receive those jewels of wisdom you would share. Thank you.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Living Juliette's Dream
When Juliette Low started Girl Scouts in 1912, her vision was an organization for ALL girls. At the time, the only people who "really counted" were affluent whites, especially in the South.
This weekend was the Annual Meeting for our local Girl Scout Council. Sitting at the table at lunch, I was talking to a Muslim (in full garb) and a Jew. One of them was in her mid-50s and the other her 20s. Then there was me - a Roman Catholic in my late-30s. Between the diverse religious differences and the age differences, we probably wouldn't have met under other circumstances. What made me realize the diversity of the three of us was the Muslim lady sharing about going to a Catholic school.
Girl Scouts is an organization that promotes "colorblindness". Although we celebrate our diversities, we also meld into one group. We are all human beings and even though we each have our own story, we are all Girl Scouts (or Girl Guides).
I have talked to a couple of ladies who were military brats while growing up. As the military would move the family all over the world, these girls-at-the-time, would have to change schools, and often countries. They have all said that no matter where they ended up, they had built-in friends in their new Girl Scout troops.
We have a long way to go before we can all look at each other and not see our differences first. When that happens, World peace will be a lot closer.
I wish Juliette Low could have seen the three of us visiting last Saturday. I think she would have been proud to see that her dream of diversity is coming true.
This weekend was the Annual Meeting for our local Girl Scout Council. Sitting at the table at lunch, I was talking to a Muslim (in full garb) and a Jew. One of them was in her mid-50s and the other her 20s. Then there was me - a Roman Catholic in my late-30s. Between the diverse religious differences and the age differences, we probably wouldn't have met under other circumstances. What made me realize the diversity of the three of us was the Muslim lady sharing about going to a Catholic school.
Girl Scouts is an organization that promotes "colorblindness". Although we celebrate our diversities, we also meld into one group. We are all human beings and even though we each have our own story, we are all Girl Scouts (or Girl Guides).
I have talked to a couple of ladies who were military brats while growing up. As the military would move the family all over the world, these girls-at-the-time, would have to change schools, and often countries. They have all said that no matter where they ended up, they had built-in friends in their new Girl Scout troops.
We have a long way to go before we can all look at each other and not see our differences first. When that happens, World peace will be a lot closer.
I wish Juliette Low could have seen the three of us visiting last Saturday. I think she would have been proud to see that her dream of diversity is coming true.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Titanic's 100th Anniversary
With the anniversary of the Titanic sinking, I have been thinking about how tragedies seem to be required to force us to make changes. Many laws were put into effect that are still in use today because of the Titanic sinking. One is that there has to be a lifeboat seat for every person on the ship. Another is the requirement of lifeboat drills.
What was special about the Titanic that caused these changes? There must have been other passenger liners that had sunk and had much loss of life. First of all, the irony that an "unsinkable ship" would sink on its maiden voyage had to help. The maiden voyage of the Titanic was a major event. All the best were on there, from crew to passengers. The finest of the crew were collected from other White Star Lines to make this the finest voyage to date. Many of America's most influential men of the time were also gathered. I believe that it was the loss of these influential men that caused the changes.
I also find it interesting that the Titanic is credited with being the first to use the, now common, distress signal SOS. I have heard that SOS is an acronym for various things, but in reality, in Morse code, it is just easier to pick out of a conglomeration of sound than the CQD that was used until that time. CQ basically stands for "calling anyone" and the D is for "distress". So, if CQ is used for looking for others, whether or not there is an emergency, a CQD could easily be missed. On the other hand, SOS has a distinct sound, being easier to distinguish. Also, when in an emergency, our adrenaline kicks in and it can be harder to think clearly. The 3x3x3 of SOS is much easier to remember than the, well, um, I don't remember, of CQD. (Da-di-da-dit, da-da-di-dah, da-di-dit)
Have you ever wondered what happened to the life boats the survivors were in? I guess I always assumed they were left at the site of the Titanic. They were dumped shortly before the Carpathia came into harbor so they wouldn't be available to be photographed. This was done out of respect for all those that were suffering the trauma of the event. What a difference it would be in America today...
One last note: Titanic: A New Musical is my favorite musical. I saw it performed by the Phoenix Youth Theater (?). It is NOT a stage production of the James Cameron movie. Besides the amazing talent of the young performers, I fell in love with the music. It is quite an amazing and powerful musical.
What was special about the Titanic that caused these changes? There must have been other passenger liners that had sunk and had much loss of life. First of all, the irony that an "unsinkable ship" would sink on its maiden voyage had to help. The maiden voyage of the Titanic was a major event. All the best were on there, from crew to passengers. The finest of the crew were collected from other White Star Lines to make this the finest voyage to date. Many of America's most influential men of the time were also gathered. I believe that it was the loss of these influential men that caused the changes.
I also find it interesting that the Titanic is credited with being the first to use the, now common, distress signal SOS. I have heard that SOS is an acronym for various things, but in reality, in Morse code, it is just easier to pick out of a conglomeration of sound than the CQD that was used until that time. CQ basically stands for "calling anyone" and the D is for "distress". So, if CQ is used for looking for others, whether or not there is an emergency, a CQD could easily be missed. On the other hand, SOS has a distinct sound, being easier to distinguish. Also, when in an emergency, our adrenaline kicks in and it can be harder to think clearly. The 3x3x3 of SOS is much easier to remember than the, well, um, I don't remember, of CQD. (Da-di-da-dit, da-da-di-dah, da-di-dit)
Have you ever wondered what happened to the life boats the survivors were in? I guess I always assumed they were left at the site of the Titanic. They were dumped shortly before the Carpathia came into harbor so they wouldn't be available to be photographed. This was done out of respect for all those that were suffering the trauma of the event. What a difference it would be in America today...
One last note: Titanic: A New Musical is my favorite musical. I saw it performed by the Phoenix Youth Theater (?). It is NOT a stage production of the James Cameron movie. Besides the amazing talent of the young performers, I fell in love with the music. It is quite an amazing and powerful musical.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
More Animal Joy
In the last couple of weeks, I have had two more times that I have enjoyed "animal watching."
The first was a gila woodpecker. They were making a new nest in our palm tree. The male was working on the inside of the nest. Every 30 seconds or so, he would pop his head out and blow the wood from inside his beak. It was such an awesome and rare site.
The other was a cat. He lives down the street from us. There are actually two of these cats. One has a tail, the other doesn't. The coloring of these cats are what first caught my eye. They have tabby coloring and markings on their backs and haunches, but on each side, they have a huge spot surrounded by an open ring. In all the books I have looked at about cat breeds, I have never seen anything like these markings. Anyhow, we had a "situation" in our park and down the street from us was part of a crime scene. There were two police officers watching the crime scene. There was also one of these cats. He wanted attention from these officers so badly. He would weave in and out of their legs and lay on their feet. He almost got stepped on a couple of times. He stayed with them for at least three or four hours.
Take time to listen to the birds or marvel at a flower. If you get a chance, watch a bird as well. If you are someplace where a cat or dog wants attention, give it to him. Taking the time to slow down and enjoy these things are good for us.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Joy from Animals
I have had three experiences with animal recently that brought joy to my life.
The first was last Sunday. I was sitting in the car reading and I heard a bird cheep behind me. I turned around and a sparrow was sitting on top of the fire hydrant across the street. He then hopped onto the chain attached to the plug and, hanging upside down, drank the water that was seeping out of the hydrant. He then left and came back and repeated the process for the other plug on the hydrant. Too bad I didn't have a camera, but then I wouldn't have wanted to move and startle him, either.
The second experience was yesterday. I stepped outside and heard a bird singing. We don't get much in the way of singing birds around here. I looked up and sitting on top of the street light was a red-throated grosbeak. His throat was so red it almost hurt to look at him. It was so joyful to stand there and just listen. He probably had his eyes on a girl (and, most likely, it was not me.)
The third was last night. It was more of a learning experience that excited me. When a cat purrs, he actually expels the air, with force, through his nose. I did not know that the air had such force and I didn't realize that a cat purrs only on expelling the air. I put my head down near our cat (we've had two for almost eleven years, now). He lifted his nose up and purred in my ear. It actually felt like someone blowing in my ear. Although the experience wasn't life changing, I was awed by, what seemed to me, like a simple discovery. I was also surprised that I hadn't discovered it before.
I hope you take time in your day to experience a little bit of joy. Take even just 30 seconds to listen to a bird sing or watch a cat. Even watching a cat sleep can be joyful. Notice the position he is in. Notice the pure contentment. Focus on his peace.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Happy 100th Birthday, Girl Scouts!!!!
Monday, Girl Scouts turned 100! Unfortunately, my slow computer didn't want to let me on to blog, so here's a late "Happy Birthday!"
One of the things I love about Girl Scouts is that it accepts all girls, including the outcasts. I have heard from multiple women that Girl Scouts made their lives easier. These ladies were military brats so their families moved regularly. Wherever they moved, they had immediate friends because they joined the local troop. In my case, I was the outcast at school, but my troop accepted me. With Girl Scouts, you have friends worldwide.
Another thing I really admire is the positive influence Girl Scouts has on young ladies. They help ladies that would have otherwise been unsuccessful, be successful. Ladies that would have ended up pregnant in high-school and, probably, dropping out, instead, not only graduate high-school, but some become college graduates as well. Ladies in Girl Scouts have grown up to become astronauts, teachers, governors and other politicians, ministers, doctors, and hundreds of other professions, all, hopefully, making our world a better place.
One of the things I love about Girl Scouts is that it accepts all girls, including the outcasts. I have heard from multiple women that Girl Scouts made their lives easier. These ladies were military brats so their families moved regularly. Wherever they moved, they had immediate friends because they joined the local troop. In my case, I was the outcast at school, but my troop accepted me. With Girl Scouts, you have friends worldwide.
Another thing I really admire is the positive influence Girl Scouts has on young ladies. They help ladies that would have otherwise been unsuccessful, be successful. Ladies that would have ended up pregnant in high-school and, probably, dropping out, instead, not only graduate high-school, but some become college graduates as well. Ladies in Girl Scouts have grown up to become astronauts, teachers, governors and other politicians, ministers, doctors, and hundreds of other professions, all, hopefully, making our world a better place.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
A Way to Improve Your Skills
I read this interesting article yesterday. http://www.spinningdaily.com/blogs/amy/archive/2012/02/15/finding-a-use-for-junior-high-algebra.aspx The part that really caught my attention as a blog topic was when Ms. Moore commented that she was becoming a better spinner by volunteering at a school.
When I was in high school, my orchestra director asked me why a string bassist can pick up any bass and do pretty well with it, but you give a violinist a different violin and the violinist doesn't seem to know what to do with it. (We are pretty much talking about the average high school orchestra member.) My answer was very simple. A violinist tends to use only one instrument. He rents it or owns it and that is the violin he always uses. For a bassist, he tends to use whatever bass is handy. Basses are cumbersome and can be difficult to transport. For starters, he probably uses a different bass at home (if he practices) and at school. In my case, when I was in the Flagstaff Youth Orchestra, I also used a bass from whatever school we were rehearsing at.
Each of the basses I used had its own intricacies for me to master. By working with each of these basses and getting to know each one, I got to experience many more subtle differences than the violinist that only used a single violin. One of the basses I used was made by the same maker and immediately after another bass I used and even they were different from each other.
If you want to become a better knitter or crocheter, use needles or hooks made by a variety of companies and a variety of materials. If you want to become a better musician, use a variety of instruments (string players, use a variety of bows as well). If you want to become a better seamstress or machine embroiderer, use a variety of sewing machines or embroidery machines. (Even the same make and model can have differences between machines.)
If you want to master something, really use a variety of tools. Learn the mood of each one. Yes, you will probably have a favorite that you are most comfortable with (which may be different for different circumstances), but experiencing (and hopefully mastering) those subtleties will give you the skill to adapt to something unusual that is thrown at you.
Another skill-builder is teaching your skill. It gives you a chance to experience, figure out, and try to solve mistakes you would have never made yourself. (Two can make twice as many mistakes as one.)
When I was in high school, my orchestra director asked me why a string bassist can pick up any bass and do pretty well with it, but you give a violinist a different violin and the violinist doesn't seem to know what to do with it. (We are pretty much talking about the average high school orchestra member.) My answer was very simple. A violinist tends to use only one instrument. He rents it or owns it and that is the violin he always uses. For a bassist, he tends to use whatever bass is handy. Basses are cumbersome and can be difficult to transport. For starters, he probably uses a different bass at home (if he practices) and at school. In my case, when I was in the Flagstaff Youth Orchestra, I also used a bass from whatever school we were rehearsing at.
Each of the basses I used had its own intricacies for me to master. By working with each of these basses and getting to know each one, I got to experience many more subtle differences than the violinist that only used a single violin. One of the basses I used was made by the same maker and immediately after another bass I used and even they were different from each other.
If you want to become a better knitter or crocheter, use needles or hooks made by a variety of companies and a variety of materials. If you want to become a better musician, use a variety of instruments (string players, use a variety of bows as well). If you want to become a better seamstress or machine embroiderer, use a variety of sewing machines or embroidery machines. (Even the same make and model can have differences between machines.)
If you want to master something, really use a variety of tools. Learn the mood of each one. Yes, you will probably have a favorite that you are most comfortable with (which may be different for different circumstances), but experiencing (and hopefully mastering) those subtleties will give you the skill to adapt to something unusual that is thrown at you.
Another skill-builder is teaching your skill. It gives you a chance to experience, figure out, and try to solve mistakes you would have never made yourself. (Two can make twice as many mistakes as one.)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
An Age Ouch
There seems to be a moment for each of us that makes us feel old. For many teachers, it is when they teach their students' children or grandchildren. My husband comments that it was when the music he listened to in high school was heard on the "classics" radio station.
Personally, I have been having more and more little moments that make me feel old. I remember that when our cats became seniors, it hurt. I had quite a painful moment this last week, though. We were making signs for vintage Girl Scout uniforms. The uniform that was brand-new when I became an adult Girl Scout was on that list. Worse yet, the uniform that was the one AFTER mine was also on that list! Ouch!
Personally, I have been having more and more little moments that make me feel old. I remember that when our cats became seniors, it hurt. I had quite a painful moment this last week, though. We were making signs for vintage Girl Scout uniforms. The uniform that was brand-new when I became an adult Girl Scout was on that list. Worse yet, the uniform that was the one AFTER mine was also on that list! Ouch!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Never Ask a Cat for a Gift
This weekend was my birthday. The absolute best part was talking to all the family members that called. I even got a line of "Happy Birthday" from my father before the phone died.
After the cats got dinner, Worm came up on our bed. I asked him if he had got me a birthday gift. My goal was simply to interact with him. He looked at me and I said, "What? You didn't get me a birthday gift?" He promptly proceeded to burp. I guess I should count my blessings considering that many of the "gifts" cats can give need to be cleaned up.
After the cats got dinner, Worm came up on our bed. I asked him if he had got me a birthday gift. My goal was simply to interact with him. He looked at me and I said, "What? You didn't get me a birthday gift?" He promptly proceeded to burp. I guess I should count my blessings considering that many of the "gifts" cats can give need to be cleaned up.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
One of my Favorite Authors - C.A. Goody
C.A. Goody is one of my favorite authors. She isn’t too well known, but she should be. She is the author of a series of “children’s” books that feature Charlie the cat. I put children’s in quotes because they are good enough that adults can enjoy them as well. She told me her goal was to write them so an adult could read them with a child and both could enjoy them.
The books are about Charlie’s various adventures from Charlie’s point of view. The very first one I read was “Charlie Moves to Arizona”. It was so funny reading about Charlie discovering the Arizona desert. It helped me realize how unique an area I live in.
I believe Ms. Goody is the only author who has written a book that both my mother-in-law and I have enjoyed. We have totally different tastes in books and that is OK. I figured she would be hesitant to read a children’s book, but I was pretty sure she would enjoy it. When I handed her a Charlie book, I told her, “If you aren’t enjoying this by the end of the first chapter, don’t bother reading it.” She didn’t even make it through the first page without laughing.
My mother has just been reading “Charlie and the Rodent Queen”. She told me last night that she is enjoying it, despite feeling rotten.
Now, if I have whet your appetite to read about Charlie, Ms. Goody has “Charlie’s Halloween Adventures” available as a free PDF on her website. Go on over there and check it out. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m sure it’s good.
Oh, you need to know the website? Here it is: http://charliethecat.com/
The books are about Charlie’s various adventures from Charlie’s point of view. The very first one I read was “Charlie Moves to Arizona”. It was so funny reading about Charlie discovering the Arizona desert. It helped me realize how unique an area I live in.
I believe Ms. Goody is the only author who has written a book that both my mother-in-law and I have enjoyed. We have totally different tastes in books and that is OK. I figured she would be hesitant to read a children’s book, but I was pretty sure she would enjoy it. When I handed her a Charlie book, I told her, “If you aren’t enjoying this by the end of the first chapter, don’t bother reading it.” She didn’t even make it through the first page without laughing.
My mother has just been reading “Charlie and the Rodent Queen”. She told me last night that she is enjoying it, despite feeling rotten.
Now, if I have whet your appetite to read about Charlie, Ms. Goody has “Charlie’s Halloween Adventures” available as a free PDF on her website. Go on over there and check it out. I haven’t read it yet, but I’m sure it’s good.
Oh, you need to know the website? Here it is: http://charliethecat.com/
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Charity Items Make Great Gifts
Charity items make great gifts. There are times when you feel like a little something should be given. This is true especially around the December holidays. An example would be little gifts for coworkers or neighbors. So many of us are on diets and don’t need another little item to take up room. Also, as the gift-giver, the cost of these items can add up quickly. This is a great place to give donations. Donate a hand-made item to a charity in the person’s honor. My experience is that many people appreciate this more than a small box of chocolate. This is also great for places where you want to thank a whole group, like our vet’s office. I donated to an animal-friendly charity they support. When I sent their card, I told them about the donation. A bonus is that, for those who don’t appreciate the donation, they probably wouldn’t have appreciated the gift, either, but the donated item still brought cheer to the person who needed it.
These charity donations don’t just have to be around the holidays. These can be used as thank-you’s when someone does something extra special. These are also great memorial items. When someone dies, instead of sending flowers, I send items. In most cases, it is a month’s worth of items. I put this information in the sympathy card. The families have been quite touched by this.
You can start on these charity items now, donate them, but use them as “gifts” next Christmas.
These charity donations don’t just have to be around the holidays. These can be used as thank-you’s when someone does something extra special. These are also great memorial items. When someone dies, instead of sending flowers, I send items. In most cases, it is a month’s worth of items. I put this information in the sympathy card. The families have been quite touched by this.
You can start on these charity items now, donate them, but use them as “gifts” next Christmas.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Don't Forget the People you Know
Although I believe making items for charity is important, it is also important to not forget to make things for people you know.
First of all, don’t bother making things for people who aren’t going to appreciate a handmade gift. If the recipient isn’t going to appreciate the time you spent, save that time for someone else and just purchase a gift.
Second, there are other people in our lives besides friends we see regularly and family. There are the people who we really appreciate, yet tend to forget. I am thinking of people like those at a doctor’s office or vet’s office that always take good care of us. It may be a cashier at a store or a waiter at a restaurant. These are people you probably won’t take the time to make a sweater for, but a small handmade gift is unexpected so it is a double treat. This year, I took ornaments for the employees at our local pet store. This is a small store (5 employees) where we get our cats’ canned food. They have been great. When we are ready to get the food, we call them with our order (on Monday), they order it for us and it is set aside and ready for us when we arrive that weekend. They are always friendly and ready to help answer questions. The ornaments I made were really quick to crochet, but when I delivered them, the recipients were so excited and touched. I once took a little jack-o-lantern to an afternoon doctor’s appointment that was on Halloween. The doctor’s face sure did light up. These are quick projects, but that little something often brings a great big smile, especially to someone who has been having a bad day.
The most important person to remember and make items for is… YOURSELF. If you see something you want to make for yourself, you have permission to stop making items for charity and other people (unless someone is paying you for it) and make something for yourself. This may seem obvious, but for some of us, we need permission to do that. At one point, I would feel guilty if I was making something for myself instead of charity. I had to consciously give myself permission to spend time on something for me. I have come to the point that I can take time to make something for myself and not feel the slightest bit guilty.
First of all, don’t bother making things for people who aren’t going to appreciate a handmade gift. If the recipient isn’t going to appreciate the time you spent, save that time for someone else and just purchase a gift.
Second, there are other people in our lives besides friends we see regularly and family. There are the people who we really appreciate, yet tend to forget. I am thinking of people like those at a doctor’s office or vet’s office that always take good care of us. It may be a cashier at a store or a waiter at a restaurant. These are people you probably won’t take the time to make a sweater for, but a small handmade gift is unexpected so it is a double treat. This year, I took ornaments for the employees at our local pet store. This is a small store (5 employees) where we get our cats’ canned food. They have been great. When we are ready to get the food, we call them with our order (on Monday), they order it for us and it is set aside and ready for us when we arrive that weekend. They are always friendly and ready to help answer questions. The ornaments I made were really quick to crochet, but when I delivered them, the recipients were so excited and touched. I once took a little jack-o-lantern to an afternoon doctor’s appointment that was on Halloween. The doctor’s face sure did light up. These are quick projects, but that little something often brings a great big smile, especially to someone who has been having a bad day.
The most important person to remember and make items for is… YOURSELF. If you see something you want to make for yourself, you have permission to stop making items for charity and other people (unless someone is paying you for it) and make something for yourself. This may seem obvious, but for some of us, we need permission to do that. At one point, I would feel guilty if I was making something for myself instead of charity. I had to consciously give myself permission to spend time on something for me. I have come to the point that I can take time to make something for myself and not feel the slightest bit guilty.
Monday, January 2, 2012
My Charity Work
Good morning.
I figured since Derya blogged about my charity work, I would expand on it. First of all, the quote from my e-mail to Derya best describes my work.
"My New Year's resolution, every year since 2003, has been to make an average of at least one item for charity each day. Every year I have beat that goal. For many of those years, I have made over 1000 items. That goal has been beaten while dealing with fibromyalgia. One year I had shoulder surgery and this year, I did it after dislocating and fracturing my shoulder last December.
Who have I made these items for and what have I made? NICUs (booties, hats, afghans, sweaters), infant loss programs (burial outfits, afghans), hospice (magnets, ornaments), nursing homes (lapghans, scarves, hats), the military (hats), animal shelters (cat toys - from otherwise unusable yarn like stained yarn). I think those are the main groups."
Yes, I am proud of what I do, but my circumstances allow me to be able to do this. First of all, I am disabled with fibromyalgia so I don't work. I also don't have any children to take care of and we aren't caregivers for either set of parents. In other words, I have time.
For many, time is so limited that doing even one item a month may be impossible. For those, if they can donate even a few dollars, that can go a long way as well. Take the Ships' Project as an example. Here is a link in case you aren't familiar with the group.
http://www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm
It doesn’t matter how many items Ellen receives, if she doesn’t have the money to send them on to the troops, they don’t do any good.
```````` (a comment from the cat – he stood on the keyboard)
Speaking of cats, one of the things I make is cat toys for the local shelters. This was originally started to use up some rug yarn that I didn’t know what to do with. I crocheted a ball and put a jingle bell inside or stuffed it with scraps of fabric from what my serger cut off. I also used little scraps of fabric and made tiny sacks that I stuffed and added a touch of catnip to enhance. I then sewed across the top to seal them. These are simply a way to use resources that otherwise would be thrown away. When I get a bag, I go to a big box pet store that has animal adoptions that day. I go in and hand them the bag and ask if they would like some cat toys for their cats. I have yet to be turned down.
A note for those of you who are making booties, slippers, mittens, or socks for charity. If you tie both pieces together with a piece of thread or yarn, it is more likely both pieces will make it to the recipient. When I do baby sets, all pieces are tied together.
Have a good day.
I figured since Derya blogged about my charity work, I would expand on it. First of all, the quote from my e-mail to Derya best describes my work.
"My New Year's resolution, every year since 2003, has been to make an average of at least one item for charity each day. Every year I have beat that goal. For many of those years, I have made over 1000 items. That goal has been beaten while dealing with fibromyalgia. One year I had shoulder surgery and this year, I did it after dislocating and fracturing my shoulder last December.
Who have I made these items for and what have I made? NICUs (booties, hats, afghans, sweaters), infant loss programs (burial outfits, afghans), hospice (magnets, ornaments), nursing homes (lapghans, scarves, hats), the military (hats), animal shelters (cat toys - from otherwise unusable yarn like stained yarn). I think those are the main groups."
Yes, I am proud of what I do, but my circumstances allow me to be able to do this. First of all, I am disabled with fibromyalgia so I don't work. I also don't have any children to take care of and we aren't caregivers for either set of parents. In other words, I have time.
For many, time is so limited that doing even one item a month may be impossible. For those, if they can donate even a few dollars, that can go a long way as well. Take the Ships' Project as an example. Here is a link in case you aren't familiar with the group.
http://www.theshipsproject.com/Home.htm
It doesn’t matter how many items Ellen receives, if she doesn’t have the money to send them on to the troops, they don’t do any good.
```````` (a comment from the cat – he stood on the keyboard)
Speaking of cats, one of the things I make is cat toys for the local shelters. This was originally started to use up some rug yarn that I didn’t know what to do with. I crocheted a ball and put a jingle bell inside or stuffed it with scraps of fabric from what my serger cut off. I also used little scraps of fabric and made tiny sacks that I stuffed and added a touch of catnip to enhance. I then sewed across the top to seal them. These are simply a way to use resources that otherwise would be thrown away. When I get a bag, I go to a big box pet store that has animal adoptions that day. I go in and hand them the bag and ask if they would like some cat toys for their cats. I have yet to be turned down.
A note for those of you who are making booties, slippers, mittens, or socks for charity. If you tie both pieces together with a piece of thread or yarn, it is more likely both pieces will make it to the recipient. When I do baby sets, all pieces are tied together.
Have a good day.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Welcome and Happy New Year
Welcome to my little corner of the internet.
When I was in college, my roommate's friend once made a comment that I "could help cure depression by being locked in a closet with a tape recorder." It was actually meant as a compliment based on the fact that I spend a lot of time rambling to myself.
That is basically the basis for my blog. When I find something that excites me, I want to share it. When I create a new pattern, I want to share it. I don't actually care if anyone really listens to me or uses what I share, but I want that information to not be lost.
I have come here by a round-about path. Writing is not my forte. I actually don't even like writing... I think. That was certainly the case until a couple of years ago when I met Ms. Stella Pope-Duarte. She was the key-note speaker at a graduation ceremony I was performing at. She was so fascinating to listen to. During her speech, she made a comment that she was going to be teaching a writing class that summer, so come to the class and we would have fun. I called my mother from the parking lot and said, "I want to take a writing class this summer!" Talk about some of the last words she ever expected to hear out of my mouth! It was a great class. I'm not totally sure it was fun, but I did grow. I discovered that I could write for myself and I don't have to care what others think of it. Those days of peer editing and abusive comments are gone.
The final nudge came from Ms. Derya. She wrote me:
"I am absolutely astounded by your passion, perseverence and your desire to help others. You make more items for charity than many organisations do! I hope you make a website soon. It's very quick to start a blog with a service such as tumblr.com and I know your challenge would inspire many people as it's inspired me."
It was the right words at the right time. I decided my New Year's resolution would be to start a blog. I didn't reaize how easy it really was. I guess my next resolution will be to get some of my patterns written out and put on Ravelry. That may be more difficult since I need to get the pictures off my camera.
If you want to read about my inpiration at her blog, visit: http://www.laylock.org/blog/2011/12/the-charity-knitting-challenge/
I hope you enjoy your visit. I want this to be a place to explore and inspire.
When I was in college, my roommate's friend once made a comment that I "could help cure depression by being locked in a closet with a tape recorder." It was actually meant as a compliment based on the fact that I spend a lot of time rambling to myself.
That is basically the basis for my blog. When I find something that excites me, I want to share it. When I create a new pattern, I want to share it. I don't actually care if anyone really listens to me or uses what I share, but I want that information to not be lost.
I have come here by a round-about path. Writing is not my forte. I actually don't even like writing... I think. That was certainly the case until a couple of years ago when I met Ms. Stella Pope-Duarte. She was the key-note speaker at a graduation ceremony I was performing at. She was so fascinating to listen to. During her speech, she made a comment that she was going to be teaching a writing class that summer, so come to the class and we would have fun. I called my mother from the parking lot and said, "I want to take a writing class this summer!" Talk about some of the last words she ever expected to hear out of my mouth! It was a great class. I'm not totally sure it was fun, but I did grow. I discovered that I could write for myself and I don't have to care what others think of it. Those days of peer editing and abusive comments are gone.
The final nudge came from Ms. Derya. She wrote me:
"I am absolutely astounded by your passion, perseverence and your desire to help others. You make more items for charity than many organisations do! I hope you make a website soon. It's very quick to start a blog with a service such as tumblr.com and I know your challenge would inspire many people as it's inspired me."
It was the right words at the right time. I decided my New Year's resolution would be to start a blog. I didn't reaize how easy it really was. I guess my next resolution will be to get some of my patterns written out and put on Ravelry. That may be more difficult since I need to get the pictures off my camera.
If you want to read about my inpiration at her blog, visit: http://www.laylock.org/blog/2011/12/the-charity-knitting-challenge/
I hope you enjoy your visit. I want this to be a place to explore and inspire.
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