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 |  I've maxed out. Closed this blog. |
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This is a way of making myself write something coherent and grammatically correct almost every day. I'm opinionated and need an outlet. I'm also prone to flights of fancy. Thanks for stopping by. |
| I'm looking forward to a new TV project directed by Gary Clark. The idea was developed and the story fleshed out by two fans of The Virginian who then turned to Gary for help. The story is for children, and their parents and grandparents. They're raising the money for a production crew through a website called Kickstarters. There's several interesting things going on here. Kickstarters.com is a new idea that allows a lot of "believers" of a project to participate through donations starting as small as $10, the sky being the limit. The advantage over just finding a wealthy investor/producer is that they keep control and don't lose the vision of the project. (I've considered that aspect with ideas of my own.) It makes it sort of a grass roots operation and allows those with the original ideas and effort to keep the integrity of the project. The authors, script writers, and maybe some actors volunteer their time at first with only a possibility of pay-off if successful. A production crew, however, needs to be paid, so funds have to be raised to handle the technical stuff and expertise. Usually, the ones with the money (producers) end up with control over script changes, the direction a project goes, and the image it projects. I like that it was inspired by old TV westerns, particularly The Virginian, and the viewers turned to the cast for help. This particular story is about a modern boy in a wheelchair who fantasizes about cowboys. It maintains the family value structure and upholds solid moral values. It will use animation and other ideas to keep a young audience interested. So, if you don't like what you see on TV, quit complaining and write your own. Power to the people. |
| I just found a great quote from William Kittredge that I thought I'd share. "Don't worry about meaning. If a story's any good, it can't help but have meaning. Let the PhD's tell you what your story means." |
| Yeah, I'm still stuck on Easter and it's 1/3 through June. It was an exceptionally fine day in my family this year and it makes me happy to think about it. My extended family, food, church, the children, and traditions just came together so nicely. First, we skipped our church to go to my niece's church where her 35 year old husband was being baptized. It's a very young, big, loud church with a live band and a lot of enthusiasm. It's geared for short attention spans, young children who can't sit still, and entertainment. It's not a gray-haired congregation. It meant a lot to them for us older folks to come for his day. We all went back to my house and were joined by others, some of whom had gone to other churches, and some to none, and had a huge meal, which I cooked. The dining room is tight and the kitchen is small, but I managed to work around them all, and gave up correctly setting the table. We had a great meal of leg of lamb, turkey breast, vegetables and salad. While I put away left overs and loaded the dishwasher and my elderly father tried to remember where he put all the plush bunnies, the rest went out to do the Easter egg hunt. With one 5 year old and the other children much younger, that didn't last long. By the time, I went out the front door, the hunt was over. But I heard a lot of noise and looked around to see which of my neighbors was having a party. Not across the street, not next door, not up the hill. Then I realized, I was having the party. All that party buzz was coming from my front yard which is on a hill. They were all sitting or lying on the grass, playing, talking, looking for 4 leaf clovers. I couldn't have staged this. It just happened. Everyone was in a good mood, getting along, four generations frolicking so carefree together. A warm, fuzzy feeling had taken over without the use of drugs or alcohol. We hadn't even had wine with dinner. It stayed that way until the last one left. After all were gone, my father commented, a little choked up, "I've got a really nice family". He does. And the feeling of that day still lasts in our memories. |
| My extended family spends Christmas together. We give a lot of gifts, both simple and expensive. This past year, the overwhelming majority of us gave books. My dad received the complete set of Louis L'Amour books in matching leather covers. Someone else gave him a stack of paperbacks, and yet another person gave him books. I received books, and so did several others. A month later we exchanging or lending our gifts to others. It suddenly hit us that a more useful exchange of Christmas gifts would be books that are easily lent or exchanged, since you can't get count on getting them back. So you give a book(s) that the recipient would like, but that you wouldn't mind getting back in a month or two. This way we can spend less money, avoid dust collectors, wrong sizes, and get more mileage from the gifts.Months later we all have a chance for review and discussion. Some books won't be exchanged, like leather bound collectors books. Or specialty books, like one on antique guns for the gun collector, or one on antique comic books. Or Bible commentaries or other reference books. |
| I just learned the cowboy way. It comes from James Drury, known as "The Virginian". It goes like this: "If it's not yours, don't take it. If it's not true, don't say it. If it's wrong, don't do it." Simple, huh. But so true. Such a short, but convenient way to get across some important points to kids. Yes, we all know there were outlaws, and not all cowboys were good. But it's a great way to get across some basic principles to another generation. |
| I always have things on my mind for a blog. I work out the wording while I'm working, or cleaning, or driving. But then I sit at my computer and my mind turns blank. All those profound thoughts have vanished. My rants are spent out. I try to come up with some of my favorite recurring topics, but I seem to lose passion when I'm at the keyboard. So once again, nothing goes in. When I force myself to write, it usually falls flat and seems trivial. So today I simply confess that I am still addicted to cowboy shows. Old cowboy shows. I don't know what happened to start it, but I continue to be obsessed. I study the career notes of the actors, many of whom have passed away. Some are retired, a few still doing guest spots or charity work. They were from my parents' and grandparents' generations, and I have idolized them. I note the details of the shows and make comparisons. Sometimes the dialog falters. Sometimes the stories are historically inaccurate or from mixed time periods. For instance, I watched an old show last night, where one cowboy said, "Don't bug me". Really, was that an expression in the 1870's, supposedly the time frame for this series? Was that a slip of the 1950's or 60's writer? I've always been snobby about the books I read. Many contemporary novels aren't worthy literature. I labeled westerns along with romances as not worth my time reading. Now I'm reading westerns. I feel like I'm robbing myself of time I could spend on classics or contemporary, but I'm having fun. Some are just trash, but others are either just fun, or a good history lesson. I like the ones best that teach me something about American history. So this is my current weakness, Western TV shows. I might get over it. Maybe not. |
| Once again we honor those who have served their country. It is a sacred duty to cherish the sacrifices of time, health, relationships, limb, and life for the freedoms we hold dear. We must also assess how we honor them and help the surviving return to society. It is also important to ask ourselves how we will continue to participate or support the struggle to keep those freedoms, so that their losses will not be in vain. With words, I and many others say "Thank you," to all who have served in the military, and to their families for their courage and endurance. I hope that those with jobs to offer will give first choice to a vet. To the wounded, I know my words may ring hollow and useless. I pray our government sustains your medical benefits, and that medical care is not "rationed", as claimed. I can support Wounded Warriors and other organizations that aids veterans. My words are really all I have to offer. Being too old and unhealthy to enlist myself, I can be an advocate for veterans. I can use every forum available to me, in church, in writing, in the workplace, and every community gathering to speak out on the behalf of veterans. I can encourage others to do the same. We can be a community at large that supports our veterans and lifts them up, supporting them, and making opportunities available. If you have served in any war or military action, I thank you. Despite the way it may sound from time to time, you have a grateful citizenry Your fellow country men and women do appreciate your service>With grateful hearts, we honor you. |
| Early in my genealogy research I saw a couple of distant relatives write that they were finished or almost finished and were ready to publish. I thought "How can you possibly finish? Did you go all the way back to Adam and Eve?" It really is a never-ending process. That is until you run into some brick walls. I'm convinced I've hit all dead ends. The DNA tests have uncovered nothing for me. I made discoveries that contradicted what other people had written about my direct ancestors, but, alas, I haven't hit anything new in almost a year. So I'm beginning to understand what they really mean. They, like me, aren't finished, but just can't go any further. So all I can do is keep adding deaths and births of current family members, maybe publish what I have, and hope some other researcher can find more or contradict what I have found. When I was unearthing things, it was thrilling, but when you keep turning up empty-handed, interest dwindles. Now I will have to sift through all my info for each family line and put it together in an interesting fashion for family members of the future.And that includes listing all my sources, which is the hardest part to keep straight. |
| Doing weekly goals has helped me focus on how over-committed I am and how unequal to my tasks.I was setting worthy goals, but couldn't get to them all, and wasn't taking into account the rest of the month or quarter. I almost never completed everything on my list, no matter how short. I was tired and frustrated, too. So now I've revised my methods. I'm looking at the big picture first. What doctor check-ups, dentists, etc., pre-purchased tickets for concerts or plays, business meetings, etc., do I have listed for the quarter? Those go in first. Then monthly deadlines, visits, trips, etc., go on the list. If I come to that week and I'm not already booked up, I can add in things like closet cleaning, or charity work, baby-sitting, and extra social connections. I want to get to the point where I'm leaving enough time for napping (I have sleep apnea and don't sleep well at night) and writing in my blog and putting stories on paper (or onscreen). Eventually, I should reach the point where I can make reasonable goals for the week and come close to reaching them. I don't want to feel rushed and be doing things at the last minute that should have been done weeks before. That may mean making my relatives go out to eat when they come to visit instead of expecting me to cook and clean up after them. Simple weekly goals shouldn't keep getting obliterated by the unexpected upheaval of schedules and unplanned events. |
| Last month I needed a new prescription. The doctor's office prefers a fax or email from the pharmacy. The druggist insisted they had done that, but would do it again, when the prescription wasn't there after 24 hours. On my 3rd trip, it still wasn't there and I was told to call the doctor. I had to leave a voice mail for the nurse, but I got my medicine that night. Each time the pharmacist advanced me 2 or 3 days worth since I ran out in the course of things and have to take it regularly. I've been taking it for over 15 years. Today I called in another prescription and to save a trip I ordered a refill of the last one. I got there and was told I can't get it until 2 days from now. It's too early per the insurance company. So I will have to make a special trip and waste gas to pick up the medicine later in the week. Two days! Yet with some insurance companies, you can get 90 days if you use their mail order company. There's nothing illegal about getting a month supply two days in advance, but neither druggist nor insurance company will do it. Tell me the business hasn't gone crazy! |
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