Today I realized something. I’ve known this for a long time. Today I put it in words. I don’t read books I borrow. That’s not an absolute. Now and then, I do read a library book, and now and then, I will read a book someone has loaned me. That’s not the norm, though. Even if I’ve requested the book, I don’t read it.
I like to have my own book, my own copy. I don’t tear books up, fiction anyway. I’m very careful with them. In addition, I don’t mind loaning my books out. I wonder if not reading a borrowed book has to do with timing. That’s the first thing that comes to mind. I’m afraid that someone will suddenly say I need my book back. When will you finish? This has never happened. Therefore, what’s that say about me?
That’s for another entry….living in the moment.
Jane Glendinning
July 6th, and the fireworks haven’t stopped. It’s 1:30 in the afternoon and Hampton is at my feet. During the day, he isn’t quite as afraid as he is at night, when he shivers and pants. Over the weekend, he woke me several times. So often that when I saw my mother yesterday she asked where I got the black eye. It’s called too little sleep. Hamp crawls under the covers, but won’t lie down. He stays close to my face and his panting, his hot breath, make me start to sweat.
I wonder if he has gotten worse because I was comforting when I first saw how the noise affected him. Or, would he have grown progressively more afraid of the firework noise, anyway?
Jane Glendinning
After so much bad news about nature, not just from this spring but also from the last several years, I’ve noticed an abundance of birds, butterflies and bees as the seasons changed from winter into warm spring and summer days. So many different species visit my yard. I spot humming birds more than once a day, and watch them hover side by side with bees at the trumpet like flowers on my back fence.
On the trails, there are many species of butterflies, easy to spot. I know so little about them and the monarch is the only one I can for sure identify. A couple of weeks ago, a large one with pale yellow coloring enhanced with black markings took it’s time flying around the shrubs and I had a chance to get a good look at its beauty. It reminded me of something from the Victorian age, black lace in an ornate and delicate pattern.
Barney Frank talked to the press on Friday about the new bank regulations, and he told the reporters that they were being negative. The press responded that they were being careful to cover all possibilities. That’s a nice line, but it’s not true. The negative questions, the negative witnessing and reporting, all of it contributes to fear. People grab what the source they believe in tells them, often without question.
Thank you for insisting on clarity Representative Frank. For me, that means to hike in the hills, or to sit in my yard and enjoy all that comes my way. I am the witness.
Jane Glendinning
What woman do you most admire?
While on the trails, 3 women in conversation jogged passed me. One of them said that during her job interview today, the interviewer asked her a question. “What woman do you most admire?” When her friends asked her response, she was quick to reply ‘Oprah’, as though a no-brainer. “But,” she said, “That is a controversial answer. Half the people don’t like Oprah.”
When and why did that happen? I don’t know about half, but I do remember the first time I heard someone say something about Oprah that was less than favorable. I was surprised, and noted that the reason behind the judgment was weak. Why would anyone waste his or her time not liking Oprah? Or anyone else you don’t know and will probably never meet.
Anyway, I think Oprah is an okay choice for the most admired woman. As I walked along losing sight of them, I thought about whom I would have picked. Maybe with more thought I would come up with other names. Hillary’s picture kept going through my mind, but I settled on Amma because of her hands-on humanitarian efforts. Another name came to mind, and surprised me a little. Shirley MacLaine, because of her courage. She opened herself to an experience and told her truth about it without backing down.
Jane Glendinning, posted June 29, 2010
Just opened a browser and on the front page of the NY Times is an oil covered pelican.
Yesterday NPR reported that there are 120 positions that have not yet been senate approved due to anonymous blocks that Republicans put on the process. They threaten filibuster if the nomination process continues on the certain individual.
The Republican Party is doing what they can to insure that Obama cannot govern. This has been not so glaring. Now, we find out that there is no one in charge of the department which oversees fish and mammals.
This is enough! It’s outrages that politics is playing out in a disaster of this magnitude.
I’m pissed as hell over this. In a lot of ways one party is the same as the other. Not in this case, though. The Republicans are showing their self-serving at any cost motives at work, and their blatant racism. Anyone who supports that party at this time is out of their minds.
Seems like there’s a recent buzz about happy endings being an American thing. Yeah, it’s an old buzz, too. I’ve heard it a few times lately in different circles. I suppose in a superficial way, it could be cultural. I’ve never thought it was meant to be a band aid, superficial, yes we’re a great country that will pull out of anything statement. If that’s how we’re thinking, it’s pretty small thinking.
I am having more trouble writing this blog than I can remember ever having with a post. What is it? Is it that there were 25 of us in attendance and I don’t want to self-consciously gush? Don’t know. Anyway, I am fortunate to have been there. Maybe the trouble I’m having is that I am seeing another world of writers, a community of people sharing and helping. Instead of the old idea of a writer holed up in solitude, intent on expressing individuality, I see people who love all of what writing is about, including other writers. This distinctive quality is obvious throughout the California Writers Club. It’s a simple example of how large the world really is.
Jane Glendinning
This could be called ‘Spamming’, or better yet, ‘Wondering’…When I log on to write a blog I know that I will be faced with hundreds of messages, and not one is worth a glance.
Does anyone actually read that stuff? Do the people who send them out ever sell anything?
As for blogging….I was surprised to see it’s been almost a month since my last post. Just as a check-in, life is good. I am learning so much lately. A gigantic change is coming into my life. I’ve known this for awhile. There are some parts of my life I’ve wanted to change for some time, without knowing how. These things, parts, now seem to be unraveling on their own. I don’t know what’s next, except I completely trust it will be better than where I’ve been.
Jane Glendinning
Maybe this should be called, Stop Asking Questions.
As one who tries to collaborate—-eeerrrrr, maybe that’s not quite it. As one who takes a long time to check things out, I tend to let others make decisions, thinking that the process is one that they are familiar with so that they would have the correct answer.
I can really end up using too much time for that. I am just going to run with a few things. If I step on toes, let someone speak up.
Jane Glendinning
Another cool, rainy day here. Good day to stay in and catch-up. The dog woke me too early this morning, so here I am standing at the computer, cleaning out about 400 spam messages. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how to keep those from coming in?