Apology For Not Blogging

Word of the day:  utopia\yoo-TOH-pee-uh\ noun:  1 : an imaginary and indefinitely remote place.  *2 often capitalized : a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions.  3 : an impractical scheme for social improvement .

"People who live in glass houses have to answeer the doorbell."  Bruce Patterson

Sorry everyone for not keeping my blog current the past few days.  I have a new computer assigned to me at work and somehow AOL Journals doesn't seem to work on it.  I come in very very early in the AM and I usually post my entry then.

what may be a serious medical issue for me

Word of the day:  portentous\por-TEN-tuss\ adjective:  1 : of, relating to, or constituting a portent.  2 : eliciting amazement or wonder : prodigious .  3 *a : being a grave or serious matter b : self-consciously solemn or important : pompous c : ponderously excessive .

"People who live in glass houses have to answeer the doorbell."  Bruce Patterson

Over the past couple months, I've noticed I have a lump growing in my groin.  It is now becoming very painful and hard.  I have to get Dr. Sherwat to check this out.  It alarms me, but I'm not going to react until I learn something factual about it.  This is on top of my already on-going medical issues.

Dumb As A Goose? Pretty Smart, Actually

Word of the day:  diapason\dye-uh-PAY-zun\ noun:  1 *a : a burst of sound b : the principal foundation stop in the organ extending through the complete range of the instrument c : the entire compass of musical tones d : range, scope   2 a : tuning fork b : a standard of pitch .

"People who live in glass houses have to answeer the doorbell."  Bruce Patterson

This coming fall when you see geese heading south for the winter... flying along in V formation...you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way:As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in V formation the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range, than if each bird flew on its own.People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone... and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front. If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are.When the head goose gets tired it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs...with people or with geese flying south.Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. What do we say when we honk from behind?Finally...and this is important...when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshots, and falls out of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies, and only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation to catch up with their group.If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.
Author Unknown

Who I Am! Who You Are!

Word of the day:  oppugn\uh-PYOON\ verb:  1 : to fight against.  *2 : to call in question.

"I really didn't say everything I said."  Yogi Berra, Professional baseball player and manager

I am not my hair, my eyes, my nose or my mouth. I am not my skin or the shape of
any of my body parts. I am not the IQ of my brain. I am not the sound of my voice or
the volume of my laughter. I am not my strengths or any of my weaknesses. I am not
the level of my skills. The temple of my physical makeup is a culmination of genetics.
It reveals nothing about the person who resides within. I take no credit or point no
blame for the way I look. My temple is perfect, as is. This body is not who I am. It is an
exquisitely perfect dwelling for my soul. Everything about it is exactly as it should be.

a shoe that fits; therefore i have to wear it

Word of the day:  appoggiatura\a-pa-je-tur-ah\ noun: an embellishing note, usually one step above or below the note it precedes.

"People who live in glass houses have to answeer the doorbell."  Bruce Patterson

The quote of the day today, is one I have to live by.  I've noticed so many times at my house in Bristol there have been numerous times when I didn't want to answer the doorbell.  However living in a house which has 2 entire sides (50%) of it being ceiling to floor plate glass, I can't hide.  I have to answer the doorbell.  So with today's quote, its definately a shoe that fits and I HAVE to wear it!

writer, author, poet, and colleague; Michele Rodney

Word of the day:  conurbation\kah-ner-BAY-shun\ noun: an aggregation or continuous network of urban communities.

"Patience is never more important than when you are at the edge of losing it."  O. A. Batista, Scientist and writer

When I learned my colleague Michele Rodney is a writer and author of a published book of poetry, I was surprised, amazed at the creativity, and found the excerpt from her upcoming book Glassy Waters, to be profoundly powerful.  I have ordered her first book, Transparent Thoughts" from Amazon.  I look forward to reading it.

I never had any idea about this aspect of her life.  She is truly an inspiration to me in my work on my first book.

gruesome recent crimes here in DC

During the past 10 days of July, 2006 there has been 14 violent homicides here in DC in the most unusual places - upscale, upper income neighborhoods. 

The victims included a popular store owner slain at closing time in the Bloomingdale section, a community activist , running for DC Mayor, killed in a park near the Washington Convention Center - the same exact place he was hot and paralized several years prior, and a British citizen, Alan Senitt, an aide to former VA Governor Mark Warner, whose throat was slit while his female companion was raped in the driveway of a Georgetown mansion.

These were just simply horrific crimes and most unsettling. 

today VA governor, Tim Kaine pardons...a convicted witch!

Word of the day:  preen\PREEN\ verb:  1 of a bird : to groom with the bill.  2 : to dress or smooth up : primp.  3 : to pride or congratulate (oneself) for achievement.  4 : gloat.

"We are the future, our lives as we lead them are passed on to others, whether in physical or mental forms, tingeing all future lives together.  This should be enough for one who lives for truth and service to his fellow passengers on the way."  Luther Burbank, Horticulturlist

Pungo, VA is rich in folklore about Grace Sherwood and her alleged witchcraft.  To me, this story points further to the perputation of the concept of Puritanism dating back to the first settlers to the U.S.  The famous Witch of Pungo -- who supposedly accursed Tidewater farms in the 17th and 18th centuries -- has been cleared of all charges, namely that she was ever a witch.

Last Monday, 300 years after Grace Sherwood was convicted at a trial that saw her thrown into the Lynnhaven River with her thumbs tied to her feet, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine pardoned her. The rules of the trial were simple: If you floated, you were guilty of being a witch; if you sank, you were cleared. And dead.

Sherwood floated.

She served more than seven years in jail, was released and lived until she was 80. She is the only person convicted in Virginia by a "witch ducking trial."

I believe she floated because she was smart and using the resource literally at hand for her.  She used her free fingers to trap air inside or around her dress during her watery descent to make herself float back to the top of the river.  In the 1700's the typical dress for women was large skirts and clothing covering most all of the female body - another Puritianistic concept.  I believe she ultimately had the upper hand on the whole situation.  For if she drowned she'd been proven innocent of her crime.  Because she didnt and that she floated further perpetuated the townspeople's idea that she truly was a witch.  This put fear in them, saved her life and gained her a place in the towns folklore for centuries to come.  I think she was simply smart and resourceful.

just to add spice to life....

Word of the day:  widdershins\WID-er-shinz\ adverb: in a left-handed, wrong, or contrary direction : counterclockwise.

"Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations."  Edward DeBono, Creative expert

When I parked my car in the garage this morning at work, I noticed the radiator was overflowing.  Not that I don't already have enough in worries, I get this to add to the pot.  LOVELY! 

Then, this evening to add a dash of Habanero to the stew, the battery on the car dies and Zeke at work was nice enough to jumpstart my car, but when I got home, I had to go buy a new battery as Margaret had to jumpstart it again.  I went to NTB here in Silver Spring and was able to buy one, with installation for $85.56 so it wasn't too too bad, but I could have enjoyed a nice ____ with that money.  The mechanic at NTB told me the battery in my car was the one it come with from the manufacturer in 2000.  I suppose it was time for it to die.

a fun article I read on www.bristolnews.com today!

Word of the day:  requisite\FEE-ul-tee\ noun:  1 a : the fidelity of a vassal or feudal tenant to his lord b : the obligation of such fidelity.  *2 : intense fidelity .

"I don't look to jump over seven foot bars.  I look around me for one foot bars that I can step over."  Warren Buffett, Financier

An article appearing today in the online version of Bristolnews.com was about local people with celebrity names.  Here are just a few of them:

* Homer Simpson of Bluefield, Va.
* Michael Moore of Saltville
* Willie Nelson of Wytheville
* David Crockett of Bristol Virginia
* Laura Bush of Bristol Virginia
* Ben Franklin of Wise
* Oliver North of Bristol Tennessee
* Tina Turner of Elizabethton
* Steve Martin of Bluff City
* Larry King of Piney Flats
* Hank Williams of Bluefield, Va.
* Bruce Wayne of Bristol Virginia
* George Lucas of Johnson City
* Michael Jackson of Marion
* Jim Morrison of Piney Flats
* Tony Blair of Johnson City
* Robert E. Lee of Bristol Tennessee
* Walt Disney of Keokee, Va.
* Cindy Crawford of Kingsport
* Elizabeth Taylor of Kingsport

drive back to DC today

Word of the day:  requisite\REK-wuh-zit\ adjective: essential, necessary.

"Do not let time pass without accomplishing something.  Otherwise you will regret it when your hair turns gray."  Yue Fei, Army General (1103-1141)

Today's drive back to DC was a seemingly long one.  Virginia has an extended holiday traffic enforcement through tonight at midnight.  As a result, speed limits of 65 were strictly enforced.  It took me 5.75 hours plus stops to get back home today.  But I must add, the 15 minutes was really worth the cost of getting a speeding ticket.  I also arrived safely. 

everyone in my neighborhood is away.

Word of the day:  grubstake\GRUB-stayk\ verb: to provide with material assistance (as a loan) for launching an enterprise or for a person in difficult circumstances.

"Do not let time pass without accomplishing something.  Otherwise you will regret it when your hair turns gray."  Yue Fei, Army General (1103-1141)

A couple of days ago, I realized that with the exception of the house at the very beginning of my street, everyone other than me is away this week.  Makes for an empty neighborhood this week.  Not that I even know my neighbors, but it is nice to know they are around, I guess. 

I was awakened by the phone ringing. I arose to my brother hounding me for money.

back after a short absence

Word of the day:  paronomasia\pair-uh-noh-MAY-zhee-uh\ noun: a play on words : pun.

"Conquer your fear, what you are afraid to do is a clear indication of what you need to do next."

Today is the first entry into my blog in about three weeks.  What happened was that Margaret overstepped her bounds and broke through the gates of mahogany row; a place she had no business going; nor was invited, asked, or directed to do. This caused a huge personal embarrassment to me and caused me to go into a deep depression because of my lack of knowledge as to  what she'd done, how I was to answer it, and if her nescience would comprimise my integrity with these top-tier executives.  These unknowns caused me to plummet into a deep depression which led to other physical illnesses over the past three weeks in addition to the ones pre-existing.

I'm here at my house in Bristol this week and I've had extreme difficulty getting out of bed.  I've been very very sad not knowing what is happening next.  Its taken me an entire week to do work around the house that would ordinarily take 2 days; 3 at most.

One highlight was "that country boy" came to visit this past weekend.  That made me very happy but as quick as he came; he vanished.  I've come to accept the factof his periodic presence.  He introduced me to some of his friends and they were seemingly really nice people.  They were very warm, friendly, and welcomed me into their beautiful home.  He even added a new gnome to the family outside under the tree.  That made me cry; as they represent caring to me.

I'm happy to have been able to spend the week with Rhabi.  I want to spend more time withh him.  He's a very special friend to me.  I truthfully believe he's revenant of Toonie.

Because of my illnesses and the deep depression I've been coping with here lately, my  doctor has kept me off work so as I  don't  mess that up unnecessarily.  I'm thinking I'll try to return to  work on Monday and see how it goes.  It might not even go, period.  I don't believe I'll be terminated for being out sick.  I have a good working relationship with my boss but, you just never know what can happen.