This weeks Obladi post is on forgetting things as we get older.
One of my friends keeps saying she has senile dementia because she forgets things. She feels she is forgetting more than usual. For one thing she couldn’t remember Tom Cruise’s name. That really is understandable to me and something I would happily forget, but this upset her when it took us awhile to get the name.
A doctor once explained it to me this way. Everyone tends to forget things regardless of age, and yes, we do start forgetting more as we age, but that’s expected. Forgetting where you put your keys, your shoes, the remote control is just that – being forgetful. Dementia or Alzheimer’s is when you forget what the keys, shoes, or remote are and how they are used.
Do you find you’re forgetting more the older you get? Any funny stories? Crazy stories? Sad stories? Stories about things you have forgotten.
I guess the funniest thing I've done is something I've done not once, but twice! When sending cards to my mom I put her name, her street address and then instead of Erie, PA I put Sumter, SC. I tell her I keep trying to move her. It's not that I forget where my mother lives, but that I am used to putting Sumter, SC as the city and state with most of my mailings, so it is an automatic thing to do. My mom thinks this is the funniest thing and calls it my senior moment.
Oh, I forget other things, but nothing much more drastic than when I was younger. With a lot on my plate these days I have to make a grocery list for anything over five items or I will forget something.
I think one of the reasons we forget little things as we get older is we are doing a lot more with our time. As young people we didn't have a lot of the responsibilities we have now and the more you have to do the more you have to remember, and as a wise doctor once pointed out, thus the more you have to forget.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
The Business of Murder
One thing about doing memes is it gets me on my blog and posting again. For anyone living in Sumter I hope you got to see the Sumter Little Theater's production of The Business of Murder. My friend, Cyndi, and I went last Saturday and believe me it was worth the price of the ticket.
Sumter Little Theatre, 14 Mood Ave.
Description: SLT will be Performing the Last Show in its ‘08-‘09 Season The Business of Murder.
If you like suspense then Sumter Little Theatre has a thrill for you. The upcoming production The Business of Murder written by Richard Harris and directed by Jean Dancy Jones is a captivating psychological thriller that will make anyone a mystery fan. This play has many bewitching twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat and hanging on every line. This is a must see production that will close SLT’s ’08-’09 season with a bang.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Tuesday Newsday response
This weeks Tuesday Newsday is about the division in the republican party. It asks the following:
The Republicans seem to be searching for an identity after their recent electoral defeat. The "Colin Powell Republicans" and the "Rush Limbaugh/Dick Cheney Republicans" seem to be having a very public war. Do you think the Republicans should split into their ideological factions, creating a viable third party, or should they work out their problems internal to the party?
And if that isn't enough meat for you to write about, what about those other “third-parties”, the Libertarians, the Green Party, and so on? Although “third-party” candidates have existed for as long as we have had elections, they are called “third-party” no matter how many parties there are. Do they have a place in American society and will any of them ever become equal with the major parties?
For that matter, even the Democrats have majorities in both houses and yet can’t guarantee the White House success in all of his votes since the views of Democrats differ from the conservative Blue Dog Democrats to the liberal Yellow Dog Democrats. Maybe they should split too. What do you think?
First I think the division in the party is a good thing. But, it isn't just the republican party that is in trouble. With the election of Obama I see a lot of inner struggle with the democratic party, also. He wants to dictate, they want to vote on issues and at times neither the twain does meet. But, in my humble opinion, both parties were getting too corrupted to work anymore. They needed a good shake up and hopefully the last election gave it to them. They need to stop believing they are infallible and that the only opinions that matters are theirs.
As for the third party category that has always irked me. It's insulting. Like a third world country has no power, they keep the other parties down by not giving them full recognition or status. All candidates should be invited to ALL debates! It isn't just the democrats and republicans running, so each group should get equal recognition and equal time. These are viable parties with viable candidates and I think the republicans and democrats do themselves and the country a disservice by not allowing the other voices to be heard.
My last word is the republicans need to stop licking their wounds and find a common ground to rework their party. The same advice for the democrats. I see them still running scared thinking ahead to the 2012 election because they aren't as thrilled with their chosen one as they thought they would be and know he may not stand a chance in the next election. And they need to stop denigrating other parties by designating them as third world... I mean third parties and give them fair and equal treatment. I wonder why they are afraid to give merit to other parties?
The Republicans seem to be searching for an identity after their recent electoral defeat. The "Colin Powell Republicans" and the "Rush Limbaugh/Dick Cheney Republicans" seem to be having a very public war. Do you think the Republicans should split into their ideological factions, creating a viable third party, or should they work out their problems internal to the party?
And if that isn't enough meat for you to write about, what about those other “third-parties”, the Libertarians, the Green Party, and so on? Although “third-party” candidates have existed for as long as we have had elections, they are called “third-party” no matter how many parties there are. Do they have a place in American society and will any of them ever become equal with the major parties?
For that matter, even the Democrats have majorities in both houses and yet can’t guarantee the White House success in all of his votes since the views of Democrats differ from the conservative Blue Dog Democrats to the liberal Yellow Dog Democrats. Maybe they should split too. What do you think?
First I think the division in the party is a good thing. But, it isn't just the republican party that is in trouble. With the election of Obama I see a lot of inner struggle with the democratic party, also. He wants to dictate, they want to vote on issues and at times neither the twain does meet. But, in my humble opinion, both parties were getting too corrupted to work anymore. They needed a good shake up and hopefully the last election gave it to them. They need to stop believing they are infallible and that the only opinions that matters are theirs.
As for the third party category that has always irked me. It's insulting. Like a third world country has no power, they keep the other parties down by not giving them full recognition or status. All candidates should be invited to ALL debates! It isn't just the democrats and republicans running, so each group should get equal recognition and equal time. These are viable parties with viable candidates and I think the republicans and democrats do themselves and the country a disservice by not allowing the other voices to be heard.
My last word is the republicans need to stop licking their wounds and find a common ground to rework their party. The same advice for the democrats. I see them still running scared thinking ahead to the 2012 election because they aren't as thrilled with their chosen one as they thought they would be and know he may not stand a chance in the next election. And they need to stop denigrating other parties by designating them as third world... I mean third parties and give them fair and equal treatment. I wonder why they are afraid to give merit to other parties?
Monday, May 25, 2009
Obama vs I Spy
I have read Obama’s book Dreams of My Father and had I read it before the election I would have worked even harder to have keep him from becoming president. Reading the book made me glad I was not a relative or friend of his, because he slammed everyone of them! They, not he, were racists! His white family, who raised him, loved him, clothed him, fed and nurtured him, educated him, and gave him the courage to run for president were slammed worst of all. His white grandfather is a racist because OMG! He plays poker with black men! How dare he be so racist! And his white grandmother is a racist because one day at her bus stop a black man acting suspicious made her nervous. Well, dang! I guess if it had been a white man acting suspicious who made her nervous that would have been okay. As long as you don’t get nervous when someone of a different race is acting strangely.
Whoever wrote this book for him really needs to learn to write dialog! The dialog was stilted and sounded so phony at times you knew it didn’t actually take place. It was supposed to have been conversations between Obama and his friends, family, etc., where he set them straight on racism. But it was terrible! The conversations were either embellished or just made up, but either way the dialog was very badly written.
But the part that cracked me up the most was where the writer started slamming I Spy! Yep, Obama is supposed to have said it was a racist show because the white guy always got the girl. OMG! That is so stupid! He obviously never watched the show, and I think I will remind him that black people didn’t like Bill Cosby (Scotty in I Spy) because he acted too white! Oh, and BTW, Scotty got the girl in many episodes.
So here’s the thing…Sheldon Leonard broke the color barrier in television when he cast a black actor and white actor in equal parts in a TV drama. In many of the episodes the cast was over 50% black and all were serious dramatic roles. Alexander Scott, (Bill Cosby) was a Rhodes Scholar and the brains of the operation. When he had a relationship with a woman it was serious. Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp aka the white guy to Obama) was a tennis bum who had many frivolous affairs and a couple serious ones. They were cast as good friends and if the color barrier was mentioned it was in joking between them as friends will do. It was equality for both actors and just for future reference in 1967 Bill Cosby won the Emmy for best actor in a dramatic series.
So Mr. Obama and whoever ghost wrote your book for you. Before you start making empty statements about racism, get your facts straight. This show broke the racism barriers in television dramas! It did not set them!
Whoever wrote this book for him really needs to learn to write dialog! The dialog was stilted and sounded so phony at times you knew it didn’t actually take place. It was supposed to have been conversations between Obama and his friends, family, etc., where he set them straight on racism. But it was terrible! The conversations were either embellished or just made up, but either way the dialog was very badly written.
But the part that cracked me up the most was where the writer started slamming I Spy! Yep, Obama is supposed to have said it was a racist show because the white guy always got the girl. OMG! That is so stupid! He obviously never watched the show, and I think I will remind him that black people didn’t like Bill Cosby (Scotty in I Spy) because he acted too white! Oh, and BTW, Scotty got the girl in many episodes.
So here’s the thing…Sheldon Leonard broke the color barrier in television when he cast a black actor and white actor in equal parts in a TV drama. In many of the episodes the cast was over 50% black and all were serious dramatic roles. Alexander Scott, (Bill Cosby) was a Rhodes Scholar and the brains of the operation. When he had a relationship with a woman it was serious. Kelly Robinson (Robert Culp aka the white guy to Obama) was a tennis bum who had many frivolous affairs and a couple serious ones. They were cast as good friends and if the color barrier was mentioned it was in joking between them as friends will do. It was equality for both actors and just for future reference in 1967 Bill Cosby won the Emmy for best actor in a dramatic series.
So Mr. Obama and whoever ghost wrote your book for you. Before you start making empty statements about racism, get your facts straight. This show broke the racism barriers in television dramas! It did not set them!
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Aunt Bea
This week’s topic for Obladi, a new blog about getting older and all it entails, is changing expectations.
As you've gotten older, have you found that you are doing things you never thought you would? Maybe something you never thought you could and finally learned? Or maybe something you swore you never would, but find yourself doing? Or even maybe something your mother said you would do one day!
I had been planning a blog post called I wanted to be Aunt Bea and this seems to fit perfectly here. When I was growing up, and I’m sure it’s still the same today the emphasis for girls was you had to be thin. Even a hint of extra fat was unacceptable. I wasn’t a fat child, but I was a healthy one. I bordered on just over the acceptable and was called chubby. I look at older pictures and realize that all my angst about this was not necessary as I was just a normal sized child. While all my friends wanted to be Sophia Loren or any of the other super beautiful thin women I wanted to be Aunt Bea. For those who don’t know who Aunt Bea is catch some old episodes of Andy Griffith. Aunt Bea was the maiden aunt who took care of Andy and Opie (his son) after his wife died. She was a big happy loving woman whose baked goods and canned fruit and veggies won prizes at the state fair. Everyone loved her and no one care whether she was fat or thin. All through my childhood I couldn’t wait to get old so I could get as fat as I wanted and no one would care.
Well, one day I found I had gotten fat. I mean really fat! And suddenly realized it wasn’t what I wanted. Oh, I still didn’t want to be thin and could care less about my size, but I did reach a point where I had to trim it down some. After all, even Aunt Bea wasn’t that fat. Of course, I fell short of my plans and expectations in other ways too. I can’t bake worth a darn! I couldn’t make a pie crust if my life depended on it. Canning is too much work and not worth the time or energy! I am not a very nurturing person, as Aunt Bea, was and certainly wouldn’t put up with the things she did with such a good nature. No, I am not and will never be Aunt Bea. But, I find while that was an interesting ideal to aspire to, it is not my reality.
So, Aunt Bea you were an inspiration to me as a young child, but dang, I am not and never will be Aunt Bea!
As you've gotten older, have you found that you are doing things you never thought you would? Maybe something you never thought you could and finally learned? Or maybe something you swore you never would, but find yourself doing? Or even maybe something your mother said you would do one day!
I had been planning a blog post called I wanted to be Aunt Bea and this seems to fit perfectly here. When I was growing up, and I’m sure it’s still the same today the emphasis for girls was you had to be thin. Even a hint of extra fat was unacceptable. I wasn’t a fat child, but I was a healthy one. I bordered on just over the acceptable and was called chubby. I look at older pictures and realize that all my angst about this was not necessary as I was just a normal sized child. While all my friends wanted to be Sophia Loren or any of the other super beautiful thin women I wanted to be Aunt Bea. For those who don’t know who Aunt Bea is catch some old episodes of Andy Griffith. Aunt Bea was the maiden aunt who took care of Andy and Opie (his son) after his wife died. She was a big happy loving woman whose baked goods and canned fruit and veggies won prizes at the state fair. Everyone loved her and no one care whether she was fat or thin. All through my childhood I couldn’t wait to get old so I could get as fat as I wanted and no one would care.
Well, one day I found I had gotten fat. I mean really fat! And suddenly realized it wasn’t what I wanted. Oh, I still didn’t want to be thin and could care less about my size, but I did reach a point where I had to trim it down some. After all, even Aunt Bea wasn’t that fat. Of course, I fell short of my plans and expectations in other ways too. I can’t bake worth a darn! I couldn’t make a pie crust if my life depended on it. Canning is too much work and not worth the time or energy! I am not a very nurturing person, as Aunt Bea, was and certainly wouldn’t put up with the things she did with such a good nature. No, I am not and will never be Aunt Bea. But, I find while that was an interesting ideal to aspire to, it is not my reality.
So, Aunt Bea you were an inspiration to me as a young child, but dang, I am not and never will be Aunt Bea!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Tuesday Newsday
My sister, Victoria, and I have restarted an old meme, tuesday newsday. Each tuesday one of us will post a news topic and invite others to comment on the post. I had the honor of doing the first one, and had just heard some news that really upset me. While listening to early morning talk radio some one called in about gender based abortions now being legal in Sweden. So, the host invited callers to call in and give their opinions. What bothered me was this was the only place I heard this and it may have passed quietly by had I not had a sleepless night.
Why did this disturb me since I am pro-choice? Because that was a difficult decision for me to make. I don't believe in abortion and when faced with the choice I chose adoption. But, I am also aware there are others who can't afford that option. Rape victims, young college women who's entire lives could be changed and futures ruined,women living in poverty who can't afford to care for the children she now has. And the list goes on. So, I decided I had no right to choose for these women and stepped over to the side of pro-choice.
But we aren't talking about any of the above named circumstances. We are talking about healthy women who want a child and can afford to have a child, are deliberately getting pregnant to have a child, and then aborting if they don't like the sex of the child! Now, there are some who would say, oh, so you're pro-choice as long as it fits your agenda, but not pro-choice for everyone. I am pro-choice for those who need that option not those who choose it for selfish reasons. That's like saying I'm for welfare as long as it only benefits the poor, but the rich shouldn't be able to get it. There is a difference between having to choose abortion and choosing it to get the gender you want. In my humble opinion this does empower the anti-choice side.
Why did this disturb me since I am pro-choice? Because that was a difficult decision for me to make. I don't believe in abortion and when faced with the choice I chose adoption. But, I am also aware there are others who can't afford that option. Rape victims, young college women who's entire lives could be changed and futures ruined,women living in poverty who can't afford to care for the children she now has. And the list goes on. So, I decided I had no right to choose for these women and stepped over to the side of pro-choice.
But we aren't talking about any of the above named circumstances. We are talking about healthy women who want a child and can afford to have a child, are deliberately getting pregnant to have a child, and then aborting if they don't like the sex of the child! Now, there are some who would say, oh, so you're pro-choice as long as it fits your agenda, but not pro-choice for everyone. I am pro-choice for those who need that option not those who choose it for selfish reasons. That's like saying I'm for welfare as long as it only benefits the poor, but the rich shouldn't be able to get it. There is a difference between having to choose abortion and choosing it to get the gender you want. In my humble opinion this does empower the anti-choice side.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
It doesn't matter which exit you use!
We've been having rain a lot this past week and today was no different. Our little stray, Little Friend, likes to come in out of the rain. The problem is once inside she figures if she can exit through a window, rather than the door she entered, there will be no rain. I keep trying to explain to her no matter how hard she tries she can't get out through the closed window and besides it will still be raining regardless of which exit she uses. She doesn't believe me and will keep trying. I keep opening the door for her to which she runs and then stops when she sees it's still raining. She also seems to feel I have some control over this wet stuff that falls from the sky and complains bitterly to me until it finally stops. Then with great indignation she will leave the captivity of this room and go back outside. Her attitude seems to be that I make it rain so she will have to come inside and then I force her to remain indoors by not stopping the rain. When I did stop and she went back out her cohort Scarface was waiting and he had a few words to say to me also. This is the thanks I get for feeding them every day, providing a warm dry place when it rains, and getting them to the vet when they're sick...and they aren't even our cats!!!!!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Graduation chaos
Saturday was graduation day for Morris College and as usual it was held at the convention center here. There is a huge parking lot and you get their early to get the closer spaces. So, I drive Keith and bring books, writing materials, cell phone, etc. Things to keep me busy while he has to sit in there and listen to all the boring speeches. I won't even get into those and why I stopped going in. Let's just say hearing about all the evil white people who are holding them back, when it's white faculty sitting there who are educating their precious little darlings. Note sarcasm. Anyway, the ceremony started at 10 a.m. and of course, people were still arriving long after 11 a.m. And instead of parking in the parking spaces in the back of the lot they started double parking (0n both sides) and blocking in the cars in the first rows.
Picture being at the supermarket and parked in a space and coming out to find someone had parked their car on the lane in front of your car.
So, they were blocking people trying to get in as well as blocking those who would be coming out to leave. Well, I figured I wasn't going to let them block me in, so moved the car up far enough no one could park in front of me. There was a car blocking the car to my left and soon one blocking in the car to my right. Another late arrival, four young black men (and I use the term men loosely) stopped and one approached me in a threatening way and said...so whatcha gonna do. you be comin or you be goin'? I said, neither I'm sitting here and not moving so you can't block me in. He glared at me and started to move towards the car and said, no, whatcha gonna do (sneering) go or move? I said, neither, I am sitting here. Another got out of the car and I stood my ground. They left cursing and cussing me and I will refrain from posting the words used to describe this white honky bitch....whoops! anyway...
back to the cars on either side of me. When the young man in the car on the right came out, for some balloons, I made a remark about these rude people blocking others in and he got snotty and said, it be a gradyeateshun so dey gonna park dere. I am using the vernacular used when they spoke...these young college students. Well, I got the last smile in when he came out to leave early and found his car blocked in and mine not. He glared at me as if I had blocked his car in, got out his cell phone, and started cussing into it about being stuck there. Some others got the security guard but little he could do, so they had to wait. When Keith came out we pulled out and left. On a side note, when the security guy drove by my car and saw what I had done he gave me a big smile and thumbs up.
I will give the security man credit. He did try to keep up and keep people moving, but he would be at one end making people move and others would be blocking in cars at the other end and leaving before he could get there. Once the proceedings started he could not longer go to the mic and ask people to move their cars.
This rudeness and lack of consideration is something I am seeing way too much of here. If I hear one more person talk about southern hospitality and how rude us northerners are I think I'm going to puke on their shoes!
Picture being at the supermarket and parked in a space and coming out to find someone had parked their car on the lane in front of your car.
So, they were blocking people trying to get in as well as blocking those who would be coming out to leave. Well, I figured I wasn't going to let them block me in, so moved the car up far enough no one could park in front of me. There was a car blocking the car to my left and soon one blocking in the car to my right. Another late arrival, four young black men (and I use the term men loosely) stopped and one approached me in a threatening way and said...so whatcha gonna do. you be comin or you be goin'? I said, neither I'm sitting here and not moving so you can't block me in. He glared at me and started to move towards the car and said, no, whatcha gonna do (sneering) go or move? I said, neither, I am sitting here. Another got out of the car and I stood my ground. They left cursing and cussing me and I will refrain from posting the words used to describe this white honky bitch....whoops! anyway...
back to the cars on either side of me. When the young man in the car on the right came out, for some balloons, I made a remark about these rude people blocking others in and he got snotty and said, it be a gradyeateshun so dey gonna park dere. I am using the vernacular used when they spoke...these young college students. Well, I got the last smile in when he came out to leave early and found his car blocked in and mine not. He glared at me as if I had blocked his car in, got out his cell phone, and started cussing into it about being stuck there. Some others got the security guard but little he could do, so they had to wait. When Keith came out we pulled out and left. On a side note, when the security guy drove by my car and saw what I had done he gave me a big smile and thumbs up.
I will give the security man credit. He did try to keep up and keep people moving, but he would be at one end making people move and others would be blocking in cars at the other end and leaving before he could get there. Once the proceedings started he could not longer go to the mic and ask people to move their cars.
This rudeness and lack of consideration is something I am seeing way too much of here. If I hear one more person talk about southern hospitality and how rude us northerners are I think I'm going to puke on their shoes!
Seven years!!!
Hard to believe, but yesterday, marked our 7th wedding anniversary. We almost forgot and let it slip by. Keith remembered this morning. Yesterday we were busy with the last day of school - getting all checked out so we could start vacation. I probably wouldn't have remembered at all. Maybe I don't want to remember how long I've been in Swampter, SC aka Bumf*ck Egypt, USA. When you are surrounded by so much ignorance it makes it easier to pretend you are leaving soon and not remember how long you've been here. I tell my husband I must really love him, because if not for him I would have been out of here long ago. So, it's been 8 years total I've been here and 7 years married. I keep saying it's three strikes and your out or third times the charm, as this is the third time for me. So, we had a mexican bake to celebrate and hope for another good year together.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Same track minds
Well, figured I would take a few minutes to write on my blog today, since I have been neglecting it as of late. I was going to write about how I had all these great ideas for postings while thinking when I wake up in the middle of the night, or when sitting at the laundramat watching the clothes spin around, or.... but then I always forget and thought today I would write about nothing and all that at the same time. But, along the way I stopped in at my sister, Victoria's, blog and had to laugh because she had done the exact same blog, except she beat me to it. So, go read her blog!
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