tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58861467549209634442024-03-13T09:00:13.388-07:00Bim Bam BoomerViews on Modern Life Through the Eyes of a Baby BoomerHeidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-87418465112206587712018-10-08T19:05:00.001-07:002018-10-08T19:05:30.172-07:00Can Anyone Save Us from Climate Change? A Nobel prize winning UN panel published a report this week that states that we only have about ten years to take drastic measures to prevent global temperatures from rising by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. If we fail to meet that cap in global warming, we face catastrophic changes to the earth's ecosystem, which include the death of all coral reefs, rising of sea levels, increased droughts, famines, deaths from catastrophic storms and heat waves, and decreased animal habitats. There may be mass human migrations as some now populated land become uninhabitable. Wars may break out over rights to scarce water supplies. Crops that are now grown abundantly may cease to grow, causing widespread famines. Scientists may need to find new drought resistant crops for food sources. Even many of the insects that now populate our planet may cease to exist.<br />
This sobering report makes me feel like Tea Leoni ' s character in "Deep Impact" as she stands with her father on the beach, awaiting the huge tidal wave that is surging toward them. It feels like disaster is coming, with no way to stop it. Our current administration is full of climate change deniers, and seems more focused on short term economic and political gains than long term survival of the species. Who can complain when the stock market is surging, unemployment is down, and the Supreme Court is over half full of conservatives? Which makes me all the more frightened that if anyone is going to take climate change seriously, it's not going to be our U.S. Government. Someone else will need to take the lead.<br />
And if that doesn't happen, then what? One can only imagine what kind of problems our children and grandchildren will face. Anyone who has read Revelations in the Bible is familiar with the horrific imagery there of the last days of human kind. I know that Revelations is highly cryptic and symbolic and not necessarily meant to be taken literally, but there are striking similarities between the "last plagues" of God's wrath that is poured out on the unrepentant inhabitants of the earth and the affects of an earth superheated by climate change.<br />
Revelations chapter 8 tells us of 1/3 of the trees and all the green grass being burned up. In verses 8 and 9, the sea is turned to blood and all the fish die. Could this be a result of red algae blooms similar to those witnessed in Florida this past summer, or increased acidity of the oceans which is already taking place?<br />
In Revelations Chapter 16 God lets loose the full force of his fury in the form of seven vials of plagues released by his angels, in an attempt to get the remaining people on earth to repent and turn from their sins of greed and idolatry. Those plagues include painful sores (caused by overexposure to the sun?); again the sea, rivers and springs turning to blood; the sun is so hot it scorches men with fire; the Euphrates River dries up (from drought?); darkness, pain, and sores. Not to mention The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (Death, Famine, War, and Conquest) mentioned in Chapter 6:1-8. These could all be results of increased tensions between nations over lack of food, water, and basic resources caused by the sudden drastic changes in the environment.<br />
If these dire prophecies in the Bible have anything to do with the future fate of mankind, is there anything that anybody can do to reverse the trend and save us from such a fate? It doesn't seem like the current politicians even recognize the danger or have much political will to do anything about it. We as a society are so blinded by our own infighting. Could we ever put aside oùr differences and work together on a common goal, even one as critical as saving the planet for our children and grandchildren?<br />
When Sodom and Gomorrah were threatened by God with destruction because of their sins, Abraham bargained with God to spare the 10 righteous people in Lot's family who lived there. And when Jonah was sent to warn the people of Nineveh of impending doom, God was convinced to change his mind when all the people there repented in sackcloth and ashes (to Jonah ' s dismay.) Do we have a chance to be spared if we repent of our sins of endlessly chasing after wealth and disregarding the world around us, including those with less of the world's resources? Perhaps if we turn our attention away from our ceaseless partisan bickering and focus instead on solving the climate crisis, even if it means using our wealth and power to do what's best for all the world's inhabitants, instead of just making ourselves great, God will show His mercy and spare us from a destruction that we will have brought upon ourselves by our own selfishness and greed.<br />
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<br />Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-36757012941162969022018-05-23T16:28:00.005-07:002018-05-23T17:19:38.216-07:00To the Moms and Dads of the Class of 2018 To all you moms and dads of the high school seniors who are ready to cry buckets at your child's graduation ceremony, let me say just one thing - don't!! As a mother of two adult "children" and one Class of 2018 high school senior, let me assure you that high school graduation is not an ending but a new beginning. No matter how wonderful it was to see your child navigate through the past 12 years and become the person they are now, this is just the beginning. Although they are technically "adults", many of them have much more growing and maturing to do. Now is the time to stand back and gaze in amazement at how far they have come thus far, but there is still a long way to go until they are fully mature and self sustaining adults. <br />
Many have discovered an area of passion, a talent or a skill that they enjoy and are good at and wish to pursue, but some are still testing the waters and have yet to determine what career path to take. Although you will be (and should be) less involved in their day to day activities from now on, they will still look to you for guidance on the "big" issues. Let them test out their fledgling wings. Don't rush in to rescue at every sign of a little misstep. Let them figure it out. They will not grow confident in their own decision making skills if you make every decision for them. <br />
Enjoy your new found freedom! If this is your youngest child that is graduating, you have escaped the world of parent teacher conferences, helping with homework, and working on school projects and committees. You might find yourself with free time to pursue those long abandoned hobbies that you once enjoyed before your schedule was commandeered by your children's activities. This is not to say you did not enjoy and feel fulfilled by those activities at the time. It's wonderful for parents to be involved in their children's lives and volunteer their time for the benefit of our youth, but now it's someone else's turn. Relax, take a breath, and enjoy this new independence, just as your children are now enjoying their new-found independence as well.<br />
Don't worry that your child will no longer need you. They still need you just as much, but in a different way. They may need a listening ear when there are relationship problems, or they are not getting along with their roommate. They need encouragement when classes are difficult and exams are looming. They might just want to call and hear your voice when they are lonely in those first months away from home. A child never outgrows the need for parental love and affirmation - they just need it in smaller doses and at longer intervals. They will still love to see you there at the big moments like college graduation, moving into the first apartment, or getting the first job. They will still look for your face in the crowd when they have big events in their lives. They will relish a few days of home cooking and a familiar room and bed to sleep in when they have a few days away from jobs or college. <br />
High school graduation is a time to look back in appreciation and celebration of the good times, good friends, hard work, and accomplishments thus far- but don't worry! It's not over! Many just as amazing and wonderful experiences and accomplishments are just around the corner. So go ahead and shed a tear or two, but let them be tears of joy and love, not tears of sadness. Congratulations to the class of 2018, and to their moms and dads, friends and grandparents, and all who have supported them along the way to where they are right now, and the fantastic places that they are going to in the future!<br />
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-33991269539518123992017-10-04T16:57:00.001-07:002017-10-04T17:25:27.579-07:00What I Don't Want to Hear After Las Vegas I'm leaving the television off tonight. I don't want to hear about the perpetrator of the Las Vegas shootings, and how he planned it all out in great detail, and how many guns he had and rounds of ammunition her fired off. I don't want to hear about his girlfriend, and what she did or did not know, and how she was guilty or not guilty, and how nobody suspected anything, and how he was just a normal guy who happened to own a stockpile of firearms and modified them so he could kill and maim hundreds of people in a matter of minutes.<br />
I also don't want to hear about the innocent lives that were lost, and the fatherless and motherless children that must now spend the rest of the lives without their parent, and the mothers who lost sons, and the wives who lost husbands, and the communities that the victims had contributed so much to and how much they will be missed. I don't want to hear about how kind and loving they were and how they never did anything to deserve being mowed down and shot like fish in a barrel.<br />
I don't want to hear how the investigators are looking for answers and trying to find the motive. (What does it matter? What possible motive could there be besides insanity?) And how they are combing through details of the lives of countless people to understand how and why this happened, and to figure out what would lead an otherwise "normal" person to want to cause so much death and dismay in the lives of so many people he has never met.<br />
And I don't want to hear that our president commends all the first responders for doing such great jobs, and how it was a miracle that happened there that night. (What kins of miracle causes the deaths of 58 people and injuring of so many more?)<br />
I also don't want to hear about the shrines that have popped up in Las Vegas and how people are sad but things are returning to normal, and the casinos are open again, and the tourists are coming back out of hiding. <br />
The only thing I want to hear is the one thing they are not talking about. I want to hear that our President and Congress will do whatever it takes, move heaven and earth, pull out all the stops, put politics aside, and start tonight to pass new gun laws that will prevent ordinary citizens from owning automatic or semi-automatic weapons and silencers; that will prevent sale of items that allow people to modify guns and turn them into automatic fast firing killing machines; that will double down on background checks and limit the amount of guns or ammunition that any one person can possess; that will prevent the mentally ill from owning firearms, that will protect our citizens and our children from the fear of the next mass shooting. I don't want to hear how sorry people are and what a tragedy this was. I want to hear what somebody is going to do to stop this insanity in our country. I want to hear that we are following the lead of Australia and the UK who have passed laws that have greatly reduced the amount of incidents like this in their countries. I want to hear that the rights of our citizens to live in peace and without fear is more important than the rights of killers who want to make names for themselves. That, my friend, is the only thing I really want to hear, but the silence is deafening.Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-56234478029854118742017-08-27T16:04:00.002-07:002017-08-27T16:04:56.355-07:00Paris - A City for the Senses Our stay in Paris began with a bus tour of the city. Our guide, Madeleine, explained to us that Paris is a very sensual city, in that Parisians like to enjoy the finer things of life through the senses. That is why almost everywhere you look in Paris, you find beauty and extravagance. From the statues and fountains, to the soaring cathedrals and churches, right down to the lamp posts and bridges, almost every surface of Paris is the result of artistry and craftsmanship way beyond the norm. There are very few things that are purely functional in Paris - almost everything is a work of art to be appreciated and admired.<br />
Let me show you some examples:<br />
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Bas relief carvings on the Arc de Triomphe, which was built by order of Napoleon Bonaparte</div>
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This highly carved container was affixed to the stone wall near the entrance of Sacre Coeur Basilica. I'm unsure of what it was meant to hold.</div>
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Fancy brickwork on a building. I snapped this picture from the bus as we were leaving Paris.</div>
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The base of a bridge we passed under while on a boat tour of the Seine. </div>
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A room that was once used by royalty in the Louvre Palace/Museum. This room is about 50 yards long (I'm guessing) and every square inch including the ceiling is this highly decorated.</div>
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Pastries and quiches in a patisserie where we stopped for lunch one day. They are as delicious as they look!</div>
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Intricate wrought iron railings on the balconies, and notice the carved faces above the windows. Each one is different.</div>
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A shop or café in the Monmarte neighborhood behind Sacre Coeur Basilica. If you read French maybe you can tell me what kind of place this is. We did not have time to go in.</div>
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One of the most decorative of the many bridges over the Seine.</div>
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Since Paris is a city for the senses, I cannot do it just by writing and talking about it. It must be seen, felt, heard, and tasted to be appreciated. If you ever get a chance to go to Paris, by all means do so. Just beware of the pickpockets and scam artists who abound.</div>
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-33320307966812374582017-08-02T16:30:00.003-07:002017-08-08T08:52:17.664-07:00Across the Channel to France When I left off my story, we had risen to an early breakfast, packed our bags, and were just departing from London in the morning chill. In order to reach Paris we first traveled by "motor coach" (not "bus") through the English countryside, which looked very much like I imagine the Ohio countryside looked at the beginning of the 20th century. There was not much to see except road, grass, trees, and the occasional herd of pure white cattle grazing in a farmer's field - no brown Herefords or spotted Guernseys in the bunch. The bucolic scenery was not spoilt by gaudy billboards, strip malls, or urban sprawl. After a few hours of gazing at the monotonous landscape, we reached the port of Dover and boarded a ferry, bus and all, for the crossing. It was an overcast gray day, but ceiling to floor ferry windows allowed us to catch a glimpse of the white cliffs of Dover for a few minutes after leaving port. They were lovely to see, and must be a dazzling sight when the sun shines brightly on the coastline.<br />
The crossing was uneventful, with the passengers busying themselves with card games, shopping, and beverages (coffee and alcohol) for the roughly 2 hour crossing. When we reached France, we were hustled through customs and loaded back onto the coach with our newly stamped passports in hand..<br />
At first France's landscape was much like that of England's, except for the appearance of clusters of wind turbines in groups of two, three, or up to a dozen. Then I began to realize where Van Gogh had gotten his inspiration for his "wheat fields" series, because jarringly bright yellow wheat fields began to dot the landscape, along with the spire-like cypress trees so prevalent in his art.<br />
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We continued on. Most of my fellow travelers had been lulled to sleep by the constant hum of tires against pavement, the now near noon day heat, and the shooshing of the air conditioner that only worked part of the time. We stopped at a rest stop for lunch, where we found small shops with ready made sandwiches, fresh fruit, and drinks. We enjoyed making our first purchases in French francs and had our first encounter with French pay toilets, which we would encounter often during our stay. (Most cost a Franc or a Euro.) I spent a few pleasant minutes watching a group of teenage girls play a game of tree tag in the area of the parking lot and marveled at their carefree innocence. Then it was back on the bus again for more monotony, until the road signs finally began toindicate we were nearing Paris.</div>
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I don't know from which direction,. but I do know we entered Paris through a seedy side of town. Judging by the run down ramshackle buildings, garbage piled high around unattended trash cans, and the appearance of the inhabitants, this was the low rent district. I don't wish to be unkind or appear xenophobic, but this neighborhood was inhabited by immigrants. These people were not French born or of French descent. I would not have wanted to walk down any of these streets alone at night.</div>
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As our coach wound it's way through ever more dense traffic, the neighborhood improved, but not by much. The streets was still rather dirty with litter scattered about. The sandstone colored buildings though were now a bit more elegant with the trademark wrought iron balconies at each window. To our surprise the bus parked and we disembarked. This was where we would eat supper every night of our stay in Paris.</div>
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We were directed to a modest restaurant where we were served an evening meal of chicken cordon bleu with chocolate mousse for dessert. The meals here were of uneven quality but I imagine it's hard to find a budget restaurant that can server 160 people at a reasonable price.</div>
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Thus began our three day stay in Paris, a city of many contrasts which I will elaborate on in my next post. </div>
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<br />Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-56838145954495888072017-07-26T16:57:00.000-07:002017-08-02T16:32:58.556-07:00Visiting London - A City With a Past<div style="text-align: left;">
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The first stop on our grand tour of Europe was London England - the city of pomp and circumstance. Rather than give you a blow by blow account of our every move, let me just give you my impressions. London is very proud of her past. That is evident in the huge amounts of time and effort spent showcasing the palaces churches, and abodes of the royals, living and dead. The many historic buildings, from ancient old Windsor Castle to sprawling Buckingham Palace to the fairly modern looking Kensington Palace, are scattered over the city like jewels on a crown. Being an American and having never really thought about it much, I didn't realize how much real estate the royal family owns in London, and that it's not all bunched together in one little area of the city. Each building is miles away from the others, with the sprawling city between. </div>
When I asked our tour guide the reason for this, he stated that when William the Conqueror came to London he had to lay hold of as much property as he could as quickly as possible, and he could only do that by having a fort every few miles or so. You must remember, back in those days there was not much in between them except maybe a few peasants huts, I would imagine. The city has grown up between them over the ages. So if you want to see all the royal forts, towers, and homes, expect to do a good bit of walking or driving from spot to spot. And don't expect to get too close to many of them. There is plenty of barbed wire, spiked walls, electric fences, and iron gates to keep the public at a safe distance, and if there is any doubt, there are warning signs anywhere you get treacherously close to trespassing on royal property.<br />
Not so say the royals don't allow the commoners to share in the beauty of their properties. The sunken garden at Kensginton is open to the public, and lovely now as it is adorned in white blooms in remembrance of Princess Diana on the 20th anniversary of her death. You can take a tour through the public areas of Windsor Castle, for a price, which we did not have time to do.<br />
One can't help but wonder how it feels to be living within that bubble of royalty, surrounded by all that barbed wire and security. It's no wonder the royals have a reputation for being a little odd at times. They are as much caged into their lifestyle as we are caged out.<br />
Apart from, or maybe because of the presence of the royals, London is a very clean city. It's the only town I've actually seen paid workers on the streets sweeping up cigarette butts and bits of stray trash, in an effort to keep the place tidy.<br />
Everywhere you look in London are statues - most memorializing some battle or King or Prince or Queen, many covered in gold leaf paint. There are lots of open public parks, such as Green Park. The story is, when one particular queen (I forget which one) found out her husband had picked flowers in this park to give to his mistress, she forbade the growing of any flowers there from hence forth. It's only been in the last few years that Queen Elizabeth has allowed daffodils to be planted.<br />
The food in London is decent but expensive. I didn't have any fish and chips but I did have a pretty good "steak & stout" meat pie in Covent Gardens one particularly rainy evening. You had to be quick and persistent to get a table at the fish and chips joint there, and we were neither, we were just hungry.<br />
Our breakfasts in the hotel were buffet style with scrambled eggs, sausage (better than Bob Evans), pancakes, cereal, baked beans and tomatoes....wait.....what?? Baked beans and tomatoes for breakfast??? We weren't quite sure what to do with those. Some put them on their eggs. Some mixed them together and ate them like that. Some just avoided them. That's what I did.<br />
London is doing its best to roll out the red carpet to it's guests, despite certain recent terrorist scares. Chartreuse vested police are everywhere on bikes and on foot. We were told that only a small percentage carry weapons, but there presence was reassuring just the same. When we had to cross the Thames River to get to the London Eye, I noticed there had been steel barriers placed between the roadway and the sidewalk, to prevent cars from driving up onto the sidewalk. I never really felt unsafe, but I was with a tour group and may have been lulled by the "safety in numbers" mindset. Our bags werechecked thouroughly before we were allowed entrance to any museum or public building. It seems that London officials are making a serious effort to keep the public safe.<br />
The weather was rainy most of the days we were in London - and that's not a stray shower or tow. It was an all day drizzly drippy wet rain, with chilly temperatures for June (mid sixties farenheit during the day.) If you forgot your umbrella and didn't have a raincoat, you were pretty miserable by the end of a long day sightseeing. We felt that the drizzle just contributed to our full London experience.<br />
I enjoyed London immensely. There's so much to see and do there, and so much history to soak in. The theater district is a musical lover's dream, with the Globe theater, Queen's Theater, and many others. London shows are some of the best musical productions in the world! We were lucky enough to see Les Miserables and it was by far the best live musical I've ever attended.<br />
But alas! our few days in London soon came to an end and it was time for our next stop, so we gathered together our things, boarded our buses and set off for the City of Lights - Paris!<br />
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-27351044641163291592017-07-19T18:39:00.000-07:002017-08-03T02:57:27.045-07:00Impressions of a Novice Traveler - The Hop Across the Pond <div style="text-align: center;">
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Our flight to London was scheduled to leave Minneapolis around 11 p.m., but first the airline had to find some passengers who they could bribe into delaying their departure until the following day. It seems that the flight had been "accidently" overbooked, as happens so often these days. We did not want to be separated from our traveling companions, so none of us took the bait. The ante was upped from $500 to $1000 and eventually a few willing volunteers were found. At least nobody would have to be dragged off the plane. Soon we had boarded the plane and were on our merry way to England.<br />
We no sooner had taken off and gotten settled in the darkened cabin with our airline-supplied earplugs, blankets, and pillows when the lights came back on again and we were served supper. It felt odd to be eating chicken cordon bleu at 11:30 at night but it was "free" so we ate it. Then once again cabin lights were dimmed and so began 6 or 7 hours of attempting to sleep while cramped into a seat with your knees pressed up against the seat in front of you and nowhere to put your head. My 6 foot two son inch tall son was particularly uncomfortable. He finally got a few winks by balancing his backpack on his lap and leaning against it. Although I disagree with her Twitter beratement of airline employees and innocent fellow passengers, I do understand why tall and lanky Ann Coulter was upset at losing her specially chosen seat with the extra leg room. Airline seats are not built for the average American frame. Even for me, a petite five foot two inches, trying to sleep was futile, so I gave up trying and settled for closing my eyes and resting my brain.<br />
One thing I did notice was that once we were out over the open sea, the flight seemed to get less bumpy. It remained that way until we had crossed the Atlantic and were over land again, and then the gentle jostling returned. We never got into any serious turbulence, thank goodness. We were flying above the clouds so by about 4:30 a.m. the sun was shining brightly through the windows of those who had them unshuttered.<br />
Those who did manage to drift off were awakened in about the sixth hour of the flight by the stewardesses serving breakfast. Soon after breakfast was cleared the plane dropped down through the clouds, approached London Heathrow, and we were on the ground. We were quickly herded through customs and had our passports stamped. We had arrived in the UK!<br />
Next: London - A City With a Past<br />
Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-64356612200116801642017-07-16T13:45:00.000-07:002017-08-03T02:56:10.850-07:00Impressions of a Novice Traveler - Preliminaries <br />
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At the ripe age of 59, having never left my home country of the U.S.A. except for brief childhood jaunts across the Canadian border to see Niagara Falls from the Canadian side, I recently took my first trip abroad. While raising a family, vacations always were of the camping variety, always within driving distance. This year when my youngest son was invited to be a part of a traveling concert band touring Europe, my husband decided this was a good time for all of us to take the trip. We would be traveling with a group of 120 young choir, band, and string orchestra students, plus numerous directors and chaperones.<br />
We signed up well over a year in advance which gave us plenty of time to obtain passports and assemble the appropriate gadgets and paraphenalia for a 2 week whirlwind tour of Europe. We were to visit 7 countries, stopping to perform concerts in about 5 of them.<br />
It also gave me plenty of time to fret and worry about certain recent terrorist events in and around London and Paris. My husband finally convinced in the end that, although horrific to those affected, the likelihood of any one person being caught up in one of these incidents was slim. Nevertheless, when another deadly attack occurred a few weeks before our departure, I visited my family doctor and got a prescription for non-addictive anxiety medication which could also be used as allergy pills and for motion sickness. I was set.<br />
I spent much time prior to the trip reading up on smart packing and travel capsule wardrobes, which focus on color coordinated separates that can be mixed, matched, and layered to get the maximum number of outfits from the minimum number of articles of clothing. The majority of my wardrobe was bought in s second hand store, where I also purchased a Travelon purse which doubled as a carry on bag. I also bought a money belt, travel lock, an inflatable neck pillow, and travel insurance that covered multiple issues including trip cancellation, lost baggage, and repatriation of my remains were I to suffer an untimely demise while traveling (a sobering thought.)<br />
Having done all the necessary preparation well in advance, all that was left was to wait for the day of departure. I packed and unpacked my bags weeks in advance to make sure it all fit, with room left over for souvenirs.<br />
Finally the day arrived. We were up at & for the 4 hour drive to the Detroit airport. Our flight left at 2 p.m. which meant we had to be there by 11. Upon arrival, we met the other members of our group, said goodbyes, and proceeded through baggage check and security. Having not flown since before "9-11-2001", the intense scrutiny required today was a bit disconcerting but understandably necessary. We finally boarded the plane, made the short hop to Minneapolis, and settled in for a 7 hour layover where we passed the time by window shopping, sitting in sports bars, and walking the huge airport with it many moving sidewalks.<br />
Next: "Long Night Crossing the Pond", and "London Arrival"<br />
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-49186522026145002902017-05-17T03:02:00.003-07:002017-05-17T07:33:51.144-07:00Let's Make Donald Trump a Figurehead President Let's face it Donald Trump never wanted to be a real president. He was attracted to the position by the glitz and glamour, the appearance of superiority to other human beings, the ability to rub elbows with the rich and powerful, and to fire people. He thought it would be like the ultimate reality show, with him as center of attention and people hanging on his every tweet.<br />
But as for actual governing and policy making, he is not interested. He does not want to bother with daily intelligence briefings which are a bore. (Why hear the same thing over and over again?) He never realized that issues like health care and national security could be so complicated. And he had no idea it would all take so much effort and be so difficult! Running his one-man real estate business, with the help of his children, was so much easier.<br />
Due to all these reasons and more, his presidency so far has been a miserable comedy of errors. He has made one grievous error after another, the latest of which involved inviting the Russian diplomats (spies) to his office, kicking out all the American press, and then proceeding to spill classified information to the Russians. He has no clue his responsibilities and boundaries are. He does not understand his role or the consequences of his actions. He has no plan. The more time passes, the more obvious it becomes that there is the real potential that he will do serious damage to our democracy sooner or later.<br />
There is already talk circulating in Washington of impeachment, but given the spinelessness of the Republicans in Congress, it will be difficult to garner enough support for that to actually happen. And it's such a messy, long, drawn out process. He could do lots more damage in the mean time. I have a better solution: let's make Donald Trump a one time only figurehead president, much like the royalty of England.<br />
He can live in the White House surrounded by all the opulence and air of importance that his ego craves and feeds upon. He can act as the welcoming committee to foreign dignitaries, posing for photo ops, sitting in the wing chairs before the fireplace, flying them down to Mara Lago to play golf and eat chocolate cake and lots and lots of ice cream. (One for you, two for me.) He can do all the "fun" things he envisioned he would be doing as president, without the bothersome responsibility. He need not sit through any more boring intelligence briefings. In fact, the less he knows the more secure our country will be. He doesn't need to hold any more press conferences and be asked impolite questions by nasty journalists.<br />
But who will run the government? Well, we have Mike Pence and Paul Ryan and Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders. We have Congress. There are hundreds of people in Washington D.C. that have spent their careers doing just that. They'll do fine without him. Just keep Trump busy golfing, eating cake and ice cream, watching himself on t.v., and "playing" President, and when he has time he can pop over and have tea with the queen.<br />
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<br />Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-10874140309426439982017-05-12T11:53:00.003-07:002017-05-13T04:50:55.663-07:00A Sinkhole of Lies and Deception<br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our U.S.
government is embroiled in a quagmire unlike any in the history of our
country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man who said he was going
to “drain the swamp” in Washington is now involved in one of the seamiest
scandals ever to hit the front pages of our newspapers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even before Donald Trump took office, there
were questions about his relationship with the Russians. Why was he so
unwilling to express any criticism of dictator Vladimir Putin, when he had no
qualms about berating and ridiculing just about everyone else? Just what did the Russians "have" on Trump, that they were the only group he seemed to respect.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am convinced
that the investigators looking into Trump’s ties with Russia have only begun to
scratch the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There must be some
kind of political bombshell he’s hiding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise why would he have such a visceral reaction anytime someone
gets close to uncovering something?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
recent firing of FBI Director James Comey is just one example of that reaction. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I shudder to
think of how much time and effort is going into meetings of the
White House staffers trying to figure out how to do damage control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes me not want to pay my federal income
taxes, to think that I am supporting such behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sean Spicer has been reduced to hiding in the
bushes and asking the press to turn the lights out before he will give them a
briefing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Other s</span>urrogates including once-banished Kelley Ann Conway regularly appear on
news shows to spew the latest "official" White House version of events, only to
be contradicted hours later by other surrogates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When one fails to be convincing, even more
able liars like Sarah Huckabee Sanders are trotted out with brand new updated smoke
and mirrors, saying anything they can to obfuscate the truth and confuse the
issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Journalists are having a field
day trying to keep up with all the twists and turns in the story.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meanwhile all
that grandiose rhetoric about “making America great again” is echoing down
empty corridors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Nothing much is getting done in that regard. </span>The Great American
Experiment has gone off the tracks and is barreling toward a chasm of self
interest and coverup, dug by those occupying the highest offices in the
land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Someone with courage and
conviction and a knowledge of the Constitution and governmental checks and
balances needs to grab the helm and direct our country back onto the road that
the Founding Fathers set us on some 241 years ago. Unless that happens we as a
country are headed for certain destruction.</span></div>
Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-51359569957633881742017-03-17T18:38:00.003-07:002017-03-17T18:38:29.350-07:00What's In YOUR Wallet? As anybody who has reached a certain age can tell you, the older you get the harder it is to remember things. It could be that our brain cells are wearing out and just aren't as nimble as they used to be. Or it could be that we have tried to pack too much information into what is most certainly a limited storage space in our head. By the time you've reached middle age, you have already had to remember a vast amount of information such as all the names of all your children's teachers from kindergarten through high school; passwords for 27 different accounts and systems that you only log into once every six months; how to do every job you've ever worked at since the age of 16; the birthdates of all your friends and relatives and their favorite colors; all the state capitols that you memorized in the 7th grade; how to program a VCR in the 1980s; combinations of 11 different combination locks used at various times in your life - the list goes on and on. <br />
It's time to admit that your memory bank is maxed out. You just can't cram one more bit of information in there if you tried, so you resort to cheating. You write down your passwords in a secret location, even though every security expert advises against it. You start leaving yourself post-it notes in conspicuous places. You call yourself on the phone and leave yourself messages to remind you of appointments. You set reminders on your cell phone and your tablet, and write them on your calendar. You find a hundred different ways to compensate for your dwindling capacity to remember things.<br />
Personally, I take this even further. For random bits of information that I just may need someday, I have resorted to the habit of writing them on small slips of paper and sticking them in my wallet. My wallet is in the same condition as my memory bank - it is already jammed full of too much stuff. First, there are the normal things everybody carries: a few odd pieces of paper money, which takes up hardly any space at all; my driver's license; credit cards; insurance cards, stamps, and receipts from my latest purchases. There's a library card, courtesy cards from stores that I frequent, a few business cards from local businesses and my doctors. But now there's a stack of papers containing random bits of information that started out small but seems to be growing: one slip of paper contains the names of my senator and state representative, in case I feel the urge to contact them. Another contains the name of a rare medical condition that a friend told me she has. There are a couple business cards of new acquaintances at church who I readily admitted I would not be able to remember their names to. One slip contains the brand and size of aquarium filter I use. Another contains the row and seat number of my husband's season ticket at the local high school football stadium. I used to have one that held the brand name and size of xylophone mallets that my son wanted me to buy in the 8th grade. I kept that one for about 3 years before tossing it. For the last 3 months I have been carrying around a product warranty card written in hilarious Ching-lish that I will pull out in case I ever need something to entertain somebody with. I also have a want ad for a job that I decided I could not afford to leave my current job to take, but I'm saving it in case something happens to change my mind. (I'm sure the job will be long past filled by then.) And last but not least I have the "I Love Voting" sticker that was handed to me at the polls in the last election, to remind myself that even thought I did not like the election outcome, we still live in a country where we have the right and the privilege of voting for our government officials.<br />
My wallet is more than just a place to carry money. It's a depository of bits and pieces of my life, some important and critical, some random and perhaps unimportant. But you never know when you're going to be stuck in an broken down elevator with three strangers, and need to lighten the mood and kill some time by pulling out that hilarious Chinese-butchered-English product warranty manual. It's certainly worth carrying it around for five years, just in case!Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-46339167326972803652017-03-12T17:09:00.001-07:002017-03-12T17:51:05.818-07:00Signs of Spring....Robins, Taxes, and New Grandbabies It's been awhile since I have posted on this blog. I apologize for that, but I have been so befuddled by the antics in Washington of our newly elected officials that I haven't been willing or able to comment on that or anything else. There are just so many crazy things going on right now, it's beyond my ability as a mere amateur to provide any meaningful insight. I will leave that up to the professionals, who are having a tough enough time making any sense of it themselves.<br />
But that unhappy situation for the professional frees me up to focus on more lighthearted topics, like the impending coming of spring. February's unseasonably warm weather in this part of the country has heralded an early return of one of the earliest signs of spring - the appearance in our yards and neighborhoods of robin redbreast! I saw 5 or 6 of them while out and about today. The warm weather of late has brought them back north a bit early. (For those outside of the U.S. who may not know, "robin redbreast" is a cheery little grayish bird with bright orange underbelly and breast feathers that return to these parts every spring.) Unfortunately the summer-like temperatures we enjoyed a few weeks ago have reverted to more seasonal winter-like weather. The robins looked rather chilly hopping about in the snow today. I hope they can find enough food and warmth to survive the next few nights which are predicted to drop down into the teens, with more snow on the way Hopefully the blizzard which is predicted to hit New York will bypass us and the warmer temps will return soon.<br />
Along with robin redbreast, another sure sign if spring is the looming April 15th deadline for filing our taxes. Tax day seems to roll around more quickly every year. (Didn't we just do this???) I hope you have your paperwork in order and the tax gods smile on you.<br />
I have vowed never to turn this blog into grandma's brag book but I would be amiss not to mention the birth of my first grandchild last month. For those who have experienced it, you know what I'm talking about. Pure joy! There is nothing else like it! Seeing your children have children of their own is a fascinating thing and opens up a whole new world of possibilities. I hope you indulge me for bragging just this once! <br />
I've heard it said the a new baby is God's affirmation that the world should go on. Even with the crazy shenanigans going on in Washington and the whole world seemingly in an uproar, we can still take solace in the sure knowledge that, just like last year and every year before it, spring is on the way, with robins, daffodils, and walks around the block with new grandbabies to look forward to. As mixed up as the world sometimes seems, the circle of life continues, as sure as birth and taxes. God has affirmed that life in all it's craziness and beauty should go on. Hope your spring turns out to be wonderful, as I'm sure mine will be.<br />
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photo credit: https://www.facebook.com/Jillian-McKenzie-Photography-165381480265318/</div>
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-57208038614754559312017-02-03T02:46:00.000-08:002017-02-03T02:46:01.109-08:00Old Protest Song Seems New Again<br />
For some odd reason, I woke up this morning with this old Pete Seeger song in my head. The words used to seem kind of corny, but in this new political climate they seem oddly appropriate. If someone would make a new recording, they could have a hit on their hands, and it could become a new rallying cry for the "opposition." The popular version in the 1960's was recorded by Pete, Paul, and Mary.<br />
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If I Had A Hammer<br />
<br />
If I had a hammer<br />
I'd hammer in the morning<br />
I'd hammer in the evening<br />
All over this land<br />
I'd hammer out danger<br />
I'd hammer out a warning<br />
I'd hammer out love between<br />
My brothers and my sisters<br />
All over this land, uh<br />
<br />
If I had a bell<br />
I'd ring it in the morning<br />
I'd ring it in the evening<br />
All over this land<br />
I'd ring out danger<br />
I'd ring out a warning<br />
I'd ring out love between<br />
My brothers and my sisters<br />
All over this land, oh<br />
<br />
If I had a song<br />
I'd sing it in the morning<br />
I'd sing it in the evening<br />
All over this land<br />
I'd sing out danger<br />
I'd song of out a warning<br />
I'd sing out love between<br />
My brothers and my sisters<br />
All over this land, oh<br />
<br />
Well, I've got a hammer<br />
And I've got a bell<br />
And I've got a song to sing<br />
All over this land<br />
It's the hammer of justice<br />
It's the bell of freedom<br />
It's a song about love between<br />
My brothers and my sisters<br />
All over this land<br />
It's a hammer of justice<br />
It's a bell of freedom<br />
It's a song about love between my brothers and my sisters<br />
All over this land<br />
<br />Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-12867394147226397342017-02-01T19:34:00.000-08:002017-05-15T13:19:05.664-07:00I Feel Like I'm Losing My Country Because.... Maybe you've been listening with me to a new radio program on NPR called "Indivisible Radio." It's a call-in talk show designed so that listeners of all political persuasions can join in and discuss their reactions to what's going on during the first 100 days of the Trump administration. Tonight's host stated that he's heard both Republicans and Democrats alike express the feeling that they are "losing their country", so tonight's theme was "I feel like I'm losing my country because____________." (Fill in the blank.)<br />
It's easy for me to answer that. I grew up in the sixties. Back then every school child by the age of 8 knew the stories of our two greatest presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We celebrated both their birthdays in February by having class parties, eating cherry pies or cookies, and retelling their stories. The teachers tacked up the same dime store cutouts of their faces on the bulletin boards every year, but the tales of their stellar character never faded. For Washington, it was how as a boy he cut down his father's favorite cherry tree. Upon being questioned about it, he answered with complete and utter honesty. "I cannot tell a lie. Yes, I cut it down."<br />
For Lincoln, it was how he walked many miles to return the book he had borrowed from a neighbor. His honesry was so legendary he earned the nickname "Honest Abe."<br />
Of course we learned the other details of their lives as well: of Washington's brave leadership during the Revolution, and how Lincoln steadfastly steered the country through the tumultuous Civil War. But as children we were most impressed with the simple stories of the character they displayed as boys. It was this sterling moral character that made them great leaders of our country during times of trouble and distress. They both seemed to possess an inner compass that enabled them to stay the course and determine the right action to take in times when others may not see the clear path. Washington and Lincoln are considered two of our greatest presidents because of their honesty, integrity, and courage. Can we say the same of any of our current leaders today? I'm sure there are some honest politicians in Washington today, but I do not see these traits in our highest elected officials. "I feel like I'm losing my country"....... because we no longer hold up the high ideals of honesty, integrity, and courage like we once did. We no longer look for leaders with great character who will lead us through any storm. Now we settle for the one who promises us the biggest payback for our vote. We base our political choice on how we think it will affect the stock market and our own bank account. We look for the leader who promises to put us ahead of the pack and focus on our interests before the interests of others. And politicians running for office promise us the world and brag about their own popularity despite their moral lapses. ("I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot someone....")<br />
May we make it through the next four or eight years with our country more or less intact, having learned a hard lesson that character does count when it comes to electing our leaders. And may the dark period we are now experiencing help new leaders emerge who have a better moral compass and a sense of what is right and good for our country as a whole and the world in general.<br />
<br />Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-919098001718090492017-01-21T12:01:00.002-08:002017-01-22T06:34:30.097-08:00What is True American Greatness? We all know them: the neighbor guy who spends all his time working so he can amass more "toys" and is so preoccupied with himself that he doesn't even know your name. And then there are the relatives who can't let you forget about their fabulous vacations and luxurious lifestyle, but who never give a cent to a charity organization. These people have the best of everything. They lack for nothing materially, but would you consider them "great?" Of course not. They may have fashioned successful lives for themselves, and there is nothing wrong with being materially successful in and of itself, but they do absolutely nothing to enhance the lives of others. No one would describe them as "great".<br />
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True greatness is hard to define, but when we think of a great individual we think of someone who has done extraordinary things for the good of others. America's "Greatest Generation" is defined by journalist Tom Brokaw as those men and women, many of whom are still with us, who put aside their own plans for themselves and gave large parts of their lives to fight tyranny in World War II. They were common, ordinary Americans but when called upon to make sacrifices to ensure freedom and democracy were safeguarded at home and abroad, they did so willingly and unselfishly.</div>
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The dictionary has various definitions for the word "great" but the one that applies particularly well is "notable, remarkable, exceptionally outstanding." When America was at its greatest was when we were standing up to defend freedom and the rights of those who could not defend themselves, or when we showed great courage in the face of adversity. Think "Civil War and the abolition of slavery." Think of Ronald Reagan saying, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall." Think of Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Think of U.S. soldiers liberating the prisoners at Dachau. Those are examples of true greatness in Americans.</div>
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A country could have a zero crime rate, the most highly educated citizens, the best health care, the most wealth, and the lowest unemployment rate and not have any traits of greatness. If we are only concerned about ourselves and the quality of our own lives, we are not being "great", we are only being self centered. True greatness means wanting the best not just for yourself, but for all people, not just materially but spiritually. It means wanting others to enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of their definition of who "God" is, what they think "marriage " looks like, and where they came from. True greatness puts aside self interest and works for the good of others. I'm not sure when some people think America stopped being great, but if we want to be great "again" we need to look beyond ourselves, stay engaged with the rest of humanity, and resist the temptation to be concerned only with our own happiness.. Isolationism will not make us great, it will only make us self absorbed and irrelevant to the rest of the world.<br />
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-73620627309269157592017-01-20T16:10:00.001-08:002017-01-20T16:42:24.288-08:00Melania Watching Begins Okay, maybe the world is not going to end now that Donald Trump will occupy the Oval Office, at least not immediately anyway, which means we're going to have some time time to observe the royal family,...ahem, I mean "first" family for awhile, until Armageddon sets in. I've especially enjoyed seeing how Melania, Donald ' s Slovenian born wife, handled herself during the inaugural festivities today. At this moment the Trump family is in the reviewing stand watching the inaugural parade, so we've only had a glimpse of her wearing one outfit so far, a stunning powder blue suit reminiscent of styles and colors worn by none other than Jacqueline Kennedy during her stint in the White House. I can imagine Melania months ago sitting down with her wardrobe team, looking over pictures of past first ladies on inauguration day.<br />
<br />
"How about this one? This is Mamie Eisenhower."<br />
"No, not that one. She looks kind of frumpy."<br />
"Here's Rosalyn Carter."<br />
"Too plain. I don't like the boots."<br />
"Lady Bird Johnson was very elegant."<br />
"Red's not my color."<br />
"....and here's Jackie Kennedy..."<br />
"That's it! I love it! Make me look like her!"<br />
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And so a look was born. I have to admit, Jackie immediately sprung to mind when I saw the boxy suit with the matching long gloves and hair pulled back in a chignon. She pulled it off very well. <br />
Although she is a former fashion model and should be comfortable in front of the camera, Melania does not seem to seek the public eye. She appeared very little with her husband during the campaign. Today she seemed nervous coming down the steps to face the crowd. Maybe she knows her husband is not that popular and is apprehensive about filling the roles vacated by a hugely popular president and First Lady. The demands of the First Lady are really quite simple. Stay in the background and look nice. That's all that's really required, though many First Ladies choose to use their position to champion a favorite cause.<br />
Melania will surely find her way and grow into the role. She has four years to make herself at home in the White House and decide how involved she wants to be in the public discourse. If nothing else, she will surely be a fashion icon and be a beautiful and elegant distraction from the sometimes ugly business that is politics. <br />
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<br />Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-56554830073410066712016-12-31T18:37:00.001-08:002017-01-11T17:30:58.039-08:00Welcome to Adult Coloring - The Latest Craze! Wouldn't it be nice to return to childhood when your biggest decision was whether to use the peach crayon or the apricot? I had a friend in kindergarten who never used her purple crayon. She was saving it for something special. When I found this out, I was dismayed that I had not had the foresight to save my purple crayon as well, although I wasn't sure why. For kids, coloring is a social activity.<br />
While out Christmas shopping this year you may have noticed the walls of adult coloring books in some of the major department stores. Welcome to the world of adult coloring - the latest craze! It is touted to be very relaxing and great therapy for those with frazzled nerves. Apparently by the number of coloring books available, anyone and everyone is doing it. You can buy full sized 8-1/2 by 11 books, or miniature versions, apparently to carry in your purse and take out while waiting in line at the bank or the doctor's office - I guess anywhere you are likely to have a few extra minutes. I guess you are supposed to carry an extra pack of crayons or colored pencils with you at all times as well. If anyone asks, just say they're for the grandkids. <br />
The first thing I ask when I see those walls of intricately designed coloring pages is "Who has time for this???" Well, since it's that time of year between Christmas and New Years Day when the parties are over but it's not yet time to take down the decorations, apparently I do. I didn't want to make the commitment of $10 to buy a full sized coloring book. Instead I went to one of the many online coloring pages for adults and printed out a few samples. There are myriads of themes and styles to choose from - something to meet every taste. <br />
Luckily my husband and I are pack rats and even though my youngest is 17 years old, we have not yet thrown away all the art supplies from his childhood, so I found a good supply of crayons and colored pencils in the basement. All I needed to do was knock the crust off of some of waxier crayons, sharpen a few pencils, and I was coloring away!<br />
My first picture was a medieval wood cutting of monks, lords, and ladies sitting around a table sharing a meal. The second one was a Picasso-like portrait of a guy eating some fruit. All told, it took me a couple of hours to color these two. You can see the results below this article.<br />
It was amazingly fun, easy, and relaxing, although I am not sure of adult coloring etiquette so I have a few questions:<br />
1.) Is it permissible to mix crayons and colored pencils on the same page?<br />
2.) Why are the quality of crayons so different. Some are smooth and go on the paper like silk, others go on bumpy and unevenly. How do you fix that?<br />
3.) If the artist made a mistake in the rendering, should you correct it, or just color it like it is?<br />
4.) If you are in a new relationship, at what point should you admit that you spend your free time coloring?<br />
5.) Is it okay to color in public? How about during your break at work? How about while waiting in line at the unemployment office? Will it affect your chance for a promotion/employment? <br />
6.) Where do you display your finished works? Do you frame them? Hang them on the refrigerator? Throw them away?<br />
7.) Is it possible as an adult to color too much? At what point does it change from a relaxing hobby to an obsession? At what point does it become a ridiculous waste of time?<br />
8.) Should you admit your coloring habit to your friends?<br />
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Soon Christmas break will be over and I'll be heading back to work. I'm sure I won't have time for much coloring then, but in the next few days I may indulge in a few more coloring adventures. If you want to join me, just do a Google search on "adult coloring pages to print" and you will find many pages for your enjoyment. Happy coloring! Let me know what you think of my creations below. (Oh, and may I borrow your purple crayon? :) <br />
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-60590628569379657802016-12-31T11:53:00.001-08:002019-11-30T15:26:59.650-08:00On the Edge of 2017 - Anticipating the New Year with a New President Once again it's time to say goodbye to an old year and hello to a new one, with all the hopes for a brighter future that the New Year celebration usually brings. We in the U.S. just witnessed an ugly 2016 election with some of the seamiest, dirtiest, most outrageous partisan tactics at the highest level that we have ever seen. Many are still in shock over the results of that election, including me. (For those who follow my blog, you may have notice I have been missing in action for a few weeks. Actually I have been working on writing some books for children on themes of diversity and acceptance. I almost feel like it's too late for the current generation, but maybe the next generation can be saved if we start now.) <br />
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But back to the topic at hand.....we look forward to 2017 with some anxiety about what our newly elected president will bring to the office. How will out lives change? Will he settle down and become "presidential?" Will he carry out some of his most outrageous promises? Will he ever hold a press conference, or will he continue to govern by tweets? Will he repeal Obamacare? Will he build the wall? Just what can we expect from our new president and his cabinet in the years to come?<br />
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Americans wanted change and it's change they got. If early prognosticators are correct, Trump plans to reverse the direction we have been going as a nation on many key issues, such as environmentalism (by pulling out of the Paris agreement,) promotion of clean energy (by promoting the coal industry), and immigration (by curtailing further immigration of certain groups such as Muslims and deporting some who are already here.) Given his sudden flip flops on positions, it is hard to say which of these policies he will really implement and which were simply tools he used to get himself elected, and now that he is in office, has no intention of fulfilling. Remember his rallying cry? "Lock her up!" Looks like that's not going to happen either. But how many votes did he win from people who believed he would?<br />
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I have heard from several evangelical Christians, Franklin Graham being one of them, that the election of Donald Trump as president was the answer to their prayers. I understand where these people are coming from. They feel that one of the greatest evils of our society is the millions of abortions performed each year. They believe President Trump will nominate Supreme Court justices that will reverse Roe vs. Wade and make abortion illegal. It's understandable that Christians would feel this way. I do agree abortion is a bad thing and should be the last resort as a solution to an unwanted pregnancy, maybe only used in cases of rape and incest. But does God care more about unborn babies than he does about poor people who depend on Medicaid, that is likely to be cut under a Trump presidency? What about social programs that provide care for those babies who would be born if abortion is illegal? Is it okay with God for those to be eliminated? Does God turn a blind eye to the millions of people who will go back to being uninsured if Trump repeals Obamacare? Is God in favor of a nuclear arms race?<br />
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Neither party's platform holds the key to all moral issues. Republicans like to think they hold the high ground, but a quick examination of their policies reveals that they don't. It is true that God works in mysterious ways and "all things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28.) Maybe Trump's election really was an answer to prayer, but only God knows the ultimate plan and whether President Trump will lead the American people to the Promised Land or if things will get so bad that we will all turn to God begging for forgiveness and deliverance. Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-56570009363877417262016-12-09T19:24:00.001-08:002016-12-10T04:37:11.307-08:00The Theory Behind the Nearsighted Geek We all know the stereotype of the nerd with coke bottle glasses sitting in the corner with his nose in a book. He (or she) is extremely intelligent but has no social skills. He only associates with other nerdy types with similar introverted personalities. He's never had a date and doesn't seem to want one.<br />
I am one of those near sighted geeks. I can relate to people one on one fairly well but put me in a room full of people, especially loud gregarious people, and I am ill at ease. I recently spent an evening with a group of loud, laughing, joking people and had trouble keeping up with the conversation. Although I knew each of these people individually, they seemed to take on completely different personalities when together as a group. They interacted with each other in ways very foreign to me. It was like they shared a rapport that I was not a part of.<br />
Their ability to interact did not seem to have any correlation to their level of intelligence. Some of these folks are professionals and some are laborers. I think it has more to do with how they learned social skills as young children.<br />
I will add here that my uncorrected eyesight is 20/400 and I did not start wearing glasses until I was in the fourth grade. I think my lack of social skills is directly related to my uncorrected poor eyesight as a child.<br />
So what is the connection between poor vision and introversion? If you think about it, many people with poor vision were born that way. Their inability to see well may have only been discovered once they went to school and had eyesight screenings, or had trouble seeing the black board. That means they spent the first 6 or 7 years of their life living in a world where they could only see a few inches in front of their faces. As babies and toddlers, they could only interact with someone who was in very close physical proximity. Without the ability to see or make eye contact from across a room, it was harder to join into group conversations and play. Their social development was hindered and to compensate, they may have turned inward and developed a rich inward fantasy life, thus the later interest in study and books. By the time they got older and had their vision corrected, the phase of personality development that gives us the ability to interact in large groups was over and they had missed it. They would forever be behind their peers in social ability.<br />
I believe that' s how the stereotype of the nearsighted nerd developed. Like all stereotypes, it has a grain of truth in it. No matter how hard a I try I will never be a social butterfly, but with a little conscious effort and practice I can learn to take action and not be a social wallflower. This is just my theory. If anyone knows of studies that have been done to prove or disprove it, I would like to hear about them.Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-84155225019184624072016-11-12T10:48:00.001-08:002016-11-12T10:48:46.763-08:00Safety Pin Solidarity<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I made this years ago as a cub scout leader. It seemed a little cheesy at the time but now I will wear it proudly as a symbol that I as an American do not tolerate racism, bigotry, hate speech, misogyny, religious prejudice, and other forms of mistreatment of minorities and I will stand against those who tolerate and promote it. Won't you join me? </div>
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-82936028698496991302016-11-09T14:52:00.001-08:002016-11-09T15:03:47.283-08:00Our Leaders Reflect Who We Are as a Nation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> The stock market tanked overnight, Putin & the Russians are
celebrating, and Muslims and Mexican Americans are asking themselves if they
should stay or leave the country.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">What has
brought about this strange chain of events?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">In case you are living under a rock, Donald Trump has been elected the
next President of the United States!</span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Despite being one
of the richest countries in the world with one of the highest standards of
living and more freedoms than almost any other nation in the world, Americans have decided that's not enough. We need to take better care of
our own interests.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Trump has promised
to make America great again, promising an economy which hearkens back to the America of the 1950s
and 60s when the post war industrialization and baby boom lifted the population and the fortunes of almost all of us.
With all the factories running full speed ahead, there was no shortage of jobs, and
the standard of living for the average American rose higher than ever imagined.</span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> This went on for decades, until 1994. </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Then came the North American Free Trade Agreement passed by President Bill Clinton, and
as Ross Perot once put it, a “huge sucking sound” was heard across the country
as many of our manufacturing jobs went elsewhere.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> Americans have adjusted to the new norm by taking jobs in the service industry, health care, and the computer industry, among others. This is not to say that NAFTA did not have adverse affects, but the average American is still wealthy compared to those of many other countries around the world. To prove this, just ask yourself how many cars your family owns? How many televisions, video games, and cell phones? When was the last time you went more than a few hours without food? I realize some Americans lack those things, but the vast majority of us compared to other nations do not. </span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> But still we feel slighted. </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Donald Trump knew this and so he has
promised to bring lots of manufacturing jobs back to America by imposing high tariffs on foreign
goods and penalties on companies that move production elsewhere.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Never mind the fact that many of those
companies are the very ones that still employ thousands of Americans here in
the U.S. as well.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Forcing companies to
manufacture products in the U.S. will force either prices here at home and abroad to go higher, or wages to go lower in order to
compete with India, China, and others.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">(Did I mention that Donald also wants to abolish the minimum wage?) </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He will bring jobs back but at a cost because either our markets will dry up because we can't compete or wages will
drop.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> He's also going to build a wall along our Southern border to keep out illegal immigrants and force Mexico to pay for it (although they have flatly denied this.) He's going to deport all illegal immigrants. </span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> These are just a few of him amazing claims to fix everything wrong in America singlehandedly. </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Has he ever
delineated how he is going to do all these amazing things?</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">No, he hasn’t got a clue, but that doesn’t matter to us
gullible Americans. We bought it hook line and sinker, and so we chose him for to be our next president starting in January of 2017. <span style="font-family: "calibri";"></span>We have had things so good for so long, it would never
occur to us that someone may not have our best interests at heart.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He’s a billionaire, right? That means he’s
smart and can do anything he says he can do. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">Well I think he’s a billionaire.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That’s what his tax returns say, I mean,
oops, oh wait a minute….. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0px 0px 13px;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> But at least he’ll keep us safe.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He knows more about ISIS than the generals.
More importantly, he will have full access and control of the largest most powerful military in
the world.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">That might come in handy after the next presidential election, or even in 2024 when his term limit is
up, in case he gets beat.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He’s already told us he doesn’t like
defeat.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">He said himself that he would
refuse to concede if he loses at the polls. That will be a lot easier to
do in a few years when he has full control of the
army, navy, air force, and marines. If he wants to stay President, it will take a coup to remove him from office, if he so desires. At least that's what his words suggest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> There was</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">a strange
quietness among the people I work with today.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">I know that a lot of them are staunch Republicans and voted for Trump,
but for all their talk and bluster I don’t think they ever really expected him
to win. They thought they were casting useless protest votes against Hillary Clinton and the evil she represents in the Republican psyche. Today, though, there was a stunned silence hanging in the air.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">It was as if we were a group of adolescents that
had played a dirty trick on an elderly neighbor, only to find out the next morning that we burned her
house down and killed everyone in it.</span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">The atmosphere seemed to be
tinged with shock, amazement, guilt, remorse, and awe at the power of our own
actions to wreak havoc. It was if everyone was silently waiting for the next
shoe to fall, and fall it will, though nobody knows what form that will take</span><span style="font-family: "calibri";">. Given Trump's unpredictability and instability, anything could happen. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> I think the leaders we choose are a reflection of our own
selves looking back at us. This year I see a very ugly reflection. It's meanness, and misogeny, and bigotry, and selfishness, and lack of compassion for those less fortunate, all wrapped up into one. It's a refusal to recognize the humanity in others, and unwillingness to share the blessings we have with those less fortunate. It's an "I want more" attitude and to hell with those who get in my way. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> Want a great country? How about fostering an environment where the gifts of others are welcomed and nurtured, regardless of where they came from, what they look like, or how they worship, as long as they are working toward the goals we all share and play by the rules.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri";"> Let’s hope Donald Trump and a good
deal of the rest of us awaken out of our xenophobic, misogynistic, fear-and
hate-mongering trances to realize that the future of America is in large part
riding on our words and actions in the next four years and beyond. Let's put aside the bickering and arguing and recognize each other as fellow citizens of this great land, and let's work together to keep America as great as she has always been. </span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span><span style="margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: "calibri";"> </span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike>Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-54228882378313927002016-10-19T15:06:00.001-07:002016-10-19T15:41:38.911-07:00I'm Glad It's the Last Debate By the time you read this, the last debate between Trump and Clinton will probably be over, a "winner" and a "loser" will have been declared, and the pundits will be busy picking apart every statement, but I'm glad it's the last presidential debate of the 2016 election. Here's why:<br />
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1.) We will no longer be subjected to mental images of the size of anybody's "hands."<br />
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2.) We will not have to learn any more new dance crazes, like the "Hillary Shimmy" or the "Donald Jerk."<br />
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3.) We won't have to wonder about the hidden psychological meaning of extreme sniffing.<br />
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4.) All the Ken Bone red sweaters are sold out.<br />
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5.) We won't have to learn any more new nicknames, like "Little Marco" or "Crooked Hillary."<br />
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6.) We can get over the fact that the future of our great nation is being decided based on who can tell a lie most convincingly.<br />
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7.) We won't have to wonder any more if anyone's Wiki leaks.<br />
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8.) Hopefully no more people will bring up memories of real or imagined sexual assaults from 30 years ago.<br />
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9.) We won't have to keep explaining to our children why it's not okay to interrupt, even though the people on the stage do it.<br />
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10.) We don't have to find out how much lower anyone will stoop to be elected president.<br />
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11.) We can get the election over with and put this terrible election of 2016 behind us and get on to probably not more important, but at least less depressing things.<br />
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Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-83063211609531180862016-10-09T10:32:00.002-07:002016-10-10T09:43:09.756-07:00Trump's Not A Rapist - He's Just an Oaf Suddenly Republicans everywhere are up in arms about a leaked 2005 video that has Trump talking demeaningly about his failed attempt to seduce a minor soap starlet. (By "minor" I mean "not major." I don't mean "under aged.") Lots of big named politicians are now denouncing him and distancing themselves, in attempts to salvage as many Republican votes as they can in the upcoming elections that are less than a month away.<br />
His running mate Mike Pence is using the opportunity to pander to the religious right by suggesting we should pray for Trump's family. I'm not saying that's a bad idea but they seem to be doing pretty well, despite the boorishness of their father. They have grown up knowing about his affairs and moral code, which seems to be "above all else, make money." <br />
Let's face it. In the leaked video, Donald Trump was doing what a lot of American males do when women aren't listening, and that's bragging about real or imagined sexual exploits. He just didn't expect the rest of America to be listening. Donald Trump was a pretty-boy rich kid who undoubtedly had access to beautiful women his whole life. He doesn't see anything wrong with taking advantage of it. It's doubtful that his rock solid supporters, white non-college educated men, see anything wrong with it either.<br />
When he said he could do anything he wants to women, he is probably stating the truth about some opportunistic females. There is a certain segment of women out there who would willingly subject themselves to this treatment by someone with his money and influence, in order to gain whatever benefits they could gain. Not to say that all women would do this, but someone like him knows the chance when he sees it. "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. Use and be used." That's the name of the game. He apparently did not have success with this particular starlet though, even though he tried. Maybe he knows enough not to push it when a woman says no. There is no evidence that he actually assaulted or raped anyone. He just talks big.<br />
Where have the suddenly outraged Republicans been for the last 25 years? Trump has been in the public eye for most of his adult life, and not for doing good works or making civic improvements. He was apparently a regular guest on the Howard Stern Show. Just that alone should tell you something.<br />
I don't believe Donald Trump ever raped anyone, just like I don't believe Bill Clinton ever did. I do believe they both were boorish toward women and took advantage of their celebrity and status to use certain weak members of the opposite sex. Bill Clinton's mistake was thinking all women would welcome his advances. They didn't. Trump's mistake is thinking that money, celebrity, and a few key buzz phrases (like " build a wall" and "make America great again") are enough to cover up a lifetime of self aggrandizement and bad behavior, and that one's personal character does not count when running for president. Trump is not a rapist. He's just an oaf who is better off sticking to the entertainment business, where good morals and honest behavior are sometimes a liability, and where being a boorish oaf can be an asset.<br />
Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-24630264943502531942016-09-28T14:48:00.003-07:002016-09-28T14:48:21.943-07:00Should We Elect A Politician for President? In the first 2016 presidential debate, Donald Trump repeatedly reminded us that Hillary Clinton has been a politician for over 30 years. He said this with disdain, as if it were something to be ashamed of. He also regularly boasts that he is "not a politician", and that is one of the main reasons he keeps telling us we should vote for him. I suppose that means we can trust him, right? <br />
A politician, according the Merriam Webster Dictionary, is "a person experienced in the science of government, especially once who is actively engaged in conducting the business of government." Since she graduated from college, and even before, Hillary Clinton has been actively involved in finding ways to better her community, first as a lawyer, and then as the wife of a very powerful and popular governor who eventually was elected President, and finally as a senator, and secretary of state. By that definition, Hillary has definitely been involved in politics for a very long time.<br />
But doesn't it make sense that we should elect someone who is experienced in government to the highest public office in the land? We want someone who is familiar with how government works, has a working knowledge of world events, and can hit the ground running. A U.S. President does not have the time for "on the job training." A crisis could occur on his or her first day in office that he or she must have the expertise to handle. There is no room for major blunders without affecting the lives and futures of millions of people.<br />
Of course experience is not the only quality we are looking for in our presidential candidates. We want someone who is intelligent, compassionate, and can make good judgments. We want someone who will consider how laws and policies affect all Americans, both rich and poor. We need someone who will protect our interests both at home and abroad, who has the diplomatic skills and cool headedness to be able work with world leaders in a way that enhances cooperation, minimizes conflict, and protects our interests. We want someone who is calm in the face of conflict and criticism.<br />
Yes, Hillary Clinton has made mistakes. Nobody is perfect. But she admits to those mistakes and states how she should have done things differently. She does seem to have learned from her mistakes. Has Donald Trump ever admitted to a mistake without being forced to do so? Is he cool headed? Does he have diplomatic skills? Can he control his tongue? <br />
If you were going to have brain surgery, would you want someone who was not a brain surgeon operating on your brain? If you were building a home, would you ask someone with no building experience at all to build it? If you were taking a plane trip, would you be comfortable if the pilot had never flown a plane in his life? Then why should we place someone at the helm of our government who has absolutely no political experience, and none of the aforementioned qualifications. <br />
You may be bemoaning the fact that we have to choose between Clinton and Trump. Would that there were other candidates to choose from. There were, but we're past that stage and now we have to make the best decision we can, and we have to live with it for the next 4 years. <br />
Donald Trump can continue to complain about Hillary Clinton's 30+ years of political experience. Every time he does so, it just makes the case for electing her President that much stronger.Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5886146754920963444.post-36337379229844850262016-09-11T16:38:00.001-07:002016-09-11T16:38:28.700-07:00In Defense of Stoic Lutherans <br />
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I am a member of a traditional Lutheran church. We have recently made an attempt at starting a "contemporary" worship service. We still have retained the 4 required elements of a Lutheran worship service - the gathering, the word, the meal, and the sending - but aside from that it's pretty loosely Lutheran. We do the confession at the beginning, and the prayers before communion, but the rest of it is mostly music and reading of scripture. <br />
Since nobody in our church has ever led a contemporary worship service, we hired a worship leader who is not from the Lutheran tradition, thinking that she would not feel such a need to stick to the more "traditional" forms of Lutheran service from the past and would bring us a more of a natural, contemporary flow to our worship.<br />
She stayed with us for about 5 months but has resigned. She gave many reasons for her resignation but the main one is that the Lutheran church is not her type of church. Her background is charismatic Pentecostalism. She said she does not find Jesus in our service and it does nothing for her. She is used to people raising their arms in worship, becoming emotional, and falling on the floor in tears. None of that happens in our worship. We are a rather controlled, quiet bunch.<br />
I know that it is a trend in modern churches to lean toward displays of rapturous emotion during worship. Many modern day Christians have come to expect some kind of emotional high at church, without which they feel they have not really worshipped at all.<br />
But is that really true? God looks on the heart, not on outward appearance. He does not compare two congregations in worship and say "Well, I like that one better. They are raising their arms while they sing. They must love me more."<br />
God is not that easily fooled. He knows what is truly in our hearts, regardless of what we look like outwardly. He does not need us to raise our arms and sway in rapture to the music with our faces bent heavenward to know if we love him or not. He knows those who do and those who don't. <br />
Lutheranism has roots in Germany and Norway, countries whose people are characteristically stoic and not given to open displays of emotion. Can one not worship God in spirit and in truth and still be quiet about it?<br />
Equating lack of emotionalism in worship to lack of true faith is like thinking that if you don't swoon every time your spouse of 35 years walks into the room, you no longer love him or her. Lutheranism is about God's grace for all people, and knowing God loves us, no matter how we feel. He is with us in the highs of our lives as well as the lows. His love for us and ours for Him is not dependent upon how we feel at the moment. Yes, it's great to feel joy and happiness in the presence of the Lord at worship, but we don't have to wave our arms in the air so everyone knows about it. It is enough that we know and He knows, and believe me He does. <br />
We can please God by worshiping Him loudly or quietly, and we can also please Him by loving our neighbor and doing what is right and good in our lives. We can please Him by quietly following Jesus' example and treating others as we would want to be treated. We can please Him by teaching our children and grandchildren about how Jesus sacrificed his life for them, and that we should live in service and sacrifice for others. <br />
There's nothing wrong with raising your arms in church and swooning if that's what you want to do, but there's nothing wrong with sitting quietly in the presence of the Lord and being content in the knowledge that we are loved, no matter what. "Be still and know that I am God." <br />
Heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16363332672863426228noreply@blogger.com0