Archive for October, 2010

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hunting season

October 9, 2010

This morning I awoke to sounds of guns or rifles going off in the woods behind our house. I think it is deer season. Our next-door neighbors have 3 boys & one little girl. They have been seen dragging deer hunting paraphenalia into the woods near here. Makes me afraid to go walking near my own house.

I have total respect for taking the life of an animal who can provide needed food and warmth to people when they need it. I’m not such a fan of hunting for sport. But even that, I can put up with, as long as they’re not skinning the hide off some animal in the backyard next to mine.

But I have very little faith in the wisdom of deer hunters during deer season. It’s such a man-thing to have to bring in the deer catch of the day. They take risks they shouldn’t take. Do you really trust them not to take unnecessary risks, when it could mean their getting their one deer for the season? I don’t. People are stupid, male pride is involved, and competition within families. Makes me very nervous.

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writing again

October 5, 2010

ha ha ha. My book project is completed! It is going to print, I will receive a free copy (the only free one I get) in 8-12 weeks. The cost for my book will be 79 euros. Ha, I figured it out to be about $109. TOO MUCH but it’s not really overpriced. That’s what books cost these days.

So now that it’s finally done…… I can’t really believe it. Anyway, for the next week I have an intense, impossible project to write a chapter for a different BOOK, a 3-vol. series. My chapter is the only one on grassroots efforts (against private prisons). This is a dig. To be only about private prisons is a tough one. But I do have connections already with grassroots groups working on prison reforms, so I’m asking. A few people already answered. I got one great website and a possible interview w/ someone there. Perhaps it will happen. It will be another dang miracle.

So I got my feelings hurt this week as well. One thing I’ve learned. When it happens, it doesn’t matter if it seems like it “should” feel trivial. You feel what you feel. You have to open it up to God and your self and figure it out. Doesn’t matter if it “should” feel trivial. It is what it is. Best to take care of it, nurture your soul, heal yourself, don’t ignore the pain. It’s amazing how therapeutic it is. Pay attention to yourself, healing is important. Before you can put it behind you, you have to feel it, figure out what it is, what happened with yourself to have this reaction. Look for the good and wholesome answer. Love yourself and others.

Back to the writing. Feels good to finally get started on this project. All other meetings have been suspended for the next week and 1/2. And when this project is done, then I am DONE with publishing!! Time to celebrate for awhile. Then I can play with research, look at things I’m interested in, and take my time. Enjoy it. Something different! If I accomplish a journal article (done), a Book (done) and a CHAPTER, in one semester, I never have to publish another dang thing.

Posted in virtues, writing my book | 1 Comment »

my husband and I are an inspiration?

October 1, 2010

In different ways, a number of people recently have relayed to me that they see my husband and I as an inspiration. This leaves me feeling very odd.

For the most part, it makes me feel ancient. How the heck can I be part of an “inspiration”? It makes me feel like someone who just got recognized as someone else. (There must be some mistake.)

On the other hand, we ARE ancient. And we are an anomaly. We were married by ages 18 & 19. My husband needed his father’s permission to get married at that age in our home state. And that was 38 years ago. We’re still married. (MY GOD!!) I hardly know anyone else who has been married as long as we have. It is amazing, people say, but mostly, it’s just something that happened to us. We don’t have the perfect marriage, we had a very difficult marriage, actually, but somehow we made it through all those years to today. Still together. It becomes tiring that people find that so amazing. There is nothing that special about us.

We had 4 kids, had a lot of difficulty coming together on decisions to raise them, made a lot of mistakes but somehow by a miracle of God, they all made it to adulthood. They all get along, no one  bombed out on drugs, and they’re all still here, contributing to society. In reality, this makes it a lot easier for us to get along and be at peace and satisfied in our older, middle age. We can take a sigh of relief now, and be happy, enjoy our grandkids, CELEBRATE, for crying outloud! Glory hallelujah, 4 kids and they all have a freakin’ college degree!

It is rather weird to be considered an inspiration. But I am learning that you can become this by default, if you survive long enough.

Posted in aging | 1 Comment »

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