I started smoking when I was in elementary school. They were long, white cylinders of wintergreen candy with red painted on one end. My girlfriends and I would play house and sit and feel sophisticated as we sucked on these sugary things.
Smoking was exciting. All the movies stars smoked, just watch any old film to see them light up. Women, who seldom smoked, all of a sudden became the leaders in promoting smoking. They had long cigarette holders, and made it look very glamorous. The movie Now Voyager, made it romantic. When Paul Hendrid put two cigarettes in his mouth, lit them and then gave one to Betty Davis, it was the height of romance. We all wanted to have a boyfriend who would light our cigarettes.
I was about fourteen when I started to smoke. I hated the taste, but forced myself to keep it up until it didn't bother me. I continued smoking until I was in my fifty's.
Lots of advertisement added to the picture. I remember John Wayne endorsing cigarettes. Later in life, when he was dying of cancer he encouraged people to quit smoking. There were slogans for each brand. "Winston tastes good like a cigarette should." "I'd walk a mile for a camel."
Tareyton smokers would rather fight than switch." (usually a picture of a beautiful woman with a black eye and a cigarette in her hand.) Then there was the Old Gold dancing cigarette pack, a life size package with beautiful legs dancing around the stage. The one that really gets me is the picture of a doctor holding a pack of Lucky's with the words, "Your Dr. wants you to smoke." How much more encouragement does one need?
In the early sixty's they discovered that smoking was one of the causes of lung cancer, Emphysema and heart problems. A lot of sponsors dropped their ads on TV. The movies quit showing so many people smoking. Now it was usually the criminal shows that had the bad guy with a cigarette.ma
When my husband had his fourth coronary, the Dr. told him if he wanted to live he had to stop smoking. I knew if I kept smoking, my husband would not give it up so, even though I didn't want to quit, I did it for him.
Now I hear so many people say, "I plan to give it up. I'll try this year." STOP it now. Do you realize whet you are doing to yourself? My niece has Emphysema and can barely breath. It cannot be cured. There are ways to help her breathe, but it is not pleasant even at it's best.
Three people in my family, who smoked, have died. Two from cancer and one from emphysema.
My husband worked in open heart surgery and he said if everyone who smoked could see the inside of a smoker they would quit. The lungs looks like it is covered in tar. Gross.
I beg you to quit. If you are thinking of starting, be smart. Don't. When I started they weren't aware of the danger. Now they know, why would you do it? Remember, your body is the Temple of God. Don't destroy the temple.
Until next time,
Be kind to one another
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Memorial Day 2011
I am so thankful for all the military and their sacrifices. My husband was in the Navy for 20 years. He was on the Lexington and the Enterprise when they were sunk. Fortunately, he survived both. He still died young at 56.
My son and I went about ten miles out to the cemetery and decorated my husband and my mother's graves. There were flags, crosses and fields of beautiful flowers. It led me to thinking about this day when I was a child.
It was called Decoration Day when I was little. All the headstones stood up instead of being flat on the ground. Every year my mother picked snowballs to decorate the graves with. I was checking out what kind of flower it was considered and was amazed to find out it is one form of the Hydrangea. The flowers were shaped like a perfect white ball, hence the name. I doubt that my mom knew it was a hydrangea.
After we decorated the graves of people I didn't know, (they were all dead before I was born) we had a picnic right there in the cemetery. Mama always had fried chicken, potato salad, with her homemade dressing, and pork and beans. A big pitcher of lemonade and her famous Chocolate Potato Cake. Yum! As I look back I can't imagine why we didn't go to a park or someplace else, but it was always in front of the graves.
I hope everyone remembers all those who have died in the wars, and respect and honor the men and women who are protecting our country. It seems to me that for too long, the military were considered second class citizens. I think more people are thankful for them now and appreciate all they sacrifice for us.
God Bless America
Until next time,
Be kind to one another
My son and I went about ten miles out to the cemetery and decorated my husband and my mother's graves. There were flags, crosses and fields of beautiful flowers. It led me to thinking about this day when I was a child.
It was called Decoration Day when I was little. All the headstones stood up instead of being flat on the ground. Every year my mother picked snowballs to decorate the graves with. I was checking out what kind of flower it was considered and was amazed to find out it is one form of the Hydrangea. The flowers were shaped like a perfect white ball, hence the name. I doubt that my mom knew it was a hydrangea.
After we decorated the graves of people I didn't know, (they were all dead before I was born) we had a picnic right there in the cemetery. Mama always had fried chicken, potato salad, with her homemade dressing, and pork and beans. A big pitcher of lemonade and her famous Chocolate Potato Cake. Yum! As I look back I can't imagine why we didn't go to a park or someplace else, but it was always in front of the graves.
I hope everyone remembers all those who have died in the wars, and respect and honor the men and women who are protecting our country. It seems to me that for too long, the military were considered second class citizens. I think more people are thankful for them now and appreciate all they sacrifice for us.
God Bless America
Until next time,
Be kind to one another
Sunday, May 29, 2011
The Pot of Gold
I discovered the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and I wasn't even looking for it. I was going through a bunch of old VCR's that I taped ten or eleven years ago to see if I could find a few to get rid of. Instead I found one I will keep forever. Bill Moyer had taped a show untitled Fooling With Words. It was about the largest poetry festival in the United States, located in Waterloo, New Jersey. Over 12,000 people were in attendance listing to music, reading poetry and just visiting with the many famous poets. What a special time, wish I had been there,.
I enjoyed most of the poets reading their poetry, but when they announced that the next reader was a ninety year old man, I thought, what could an old guy lik that write anything I would like (after all I am only 85.) Surprise----- this frail looking cutie had a fantastic personality, read better than all the other poets put together, and his poetry was soooooooo good. At least, I though so.l He puts irony, pathos and humor into his poetry and really makes you feel and think. I would like to share one of the poems he read and see if you like it.
Haley's Comet
Miss Murphy in first grade
wrote its name in chalk
across the board and told us
it was roaring down the stormtracks
of the Milky Way at frightful speed
and if it wandered off its course
and smashed into the earth
there'd be no school tomorrow.
A red-bearded preacher from the hills
with a wild look in his eyes
stood in the public square
at the playground's edge
proclaiming he was sent by God
to save every one of us,
even the little children.
"Repent, ye sinners," he shouted,
waving his hand-lettered sign.
At supper I felt sad to think
that it was probably
the last meal I'd share
with my mother and my sisters;
but I felt excited too
and scarcely touched my plate.
So mother scolded me
and sent me early to my room.
The whole family's asleep
except for me. They never heard me steal
into the stairwell hall and climb
the ladder to the fresh night air.
Look for me, Father, on the roof
of the red brick building
at the foot of Green Street-----
that's where we live, you know , on the top floor,
I'm the boy in the white flannel gown
sprawled on this course gravel bed
searching the starry sky,
waiting for the world to end.
The poet is Stanley Kunitz. In 2000 he was named Poet Laureate of the United States. He was 95 at the time and was considered the most distinguished living American poet. He kept writing and reading his poetry until his death at 100 years old. (Wow, what a man.)
I will be searching the library for some of his books. Most of the reviews I have read say his later works were much better than his earlier books, so I think I will start with the latter. Hope you enjoy him if you are a poetry lover.
Until we meet again,
Be kind to one another.
I enjoyed most of the poets reading their poetry, but when they announced that the next reader was a ninety year old man, I thought, what could an old guy lik that write anything I would like (after all I am only 85.) Surprise----- this frail looking cutie had a fantastic personality, read better than all the other poets put together, and his poetry was soooooooo good. At least, I though so.l He puts irony, pathos and humor into his poetry and really makes you feel and think. I would like to share one of the poems he read and see if you like it.
Haley's Comet
Miss Murphy in first grade
wrote its name in chalk
across the board and told us
it was roaring down the stormtracks
of the Milky Way at frightful speed
and if it wandered off its course
and smashed into the earth
there'd be no school tomorrow.
A red-bearded preacher from the hills
with a wild look in his eyes
stood in the public square
at the playground's edge
proclaiming he was sent by God
to save every one of us,
even the little children.
"Repent, ye sinners," he shouted,
waving his hand-lettered sign.
At supper I felt sad to think
that it was probably
the last meal I'd share
with my mother and my sisters;
but I felt excited too
and scarcely touched my plate.
So mother scolded me
and sent me early to my room.
The whole family's asleep
except for me. They never heard me steal
into the stairwell hall and climb
the ladder to the fresh night air.
Look for me, Father, on the roof
of the red brick building
at the foot of Green Street-----
that's where we live, you know , on the top floor,
I'm the boy in the white flannel gown
sprawled on this course gravel bed
searching the starry sky,
waiting for the world to end.
The poet is Stanley Kunitz. In 2000 he was named Poet Laureate of the United States. He was 95 at the time and was considered the most distinguished living American poet. He kept writing and reading his poetry until his death at 100 years old. (Wow, what a man.)
I will be searching the library for some of his books. Most of the reviews I have read say his later works were much better than his earlier books, so I think I will start with the latter. Hope you enjoy him if you are a poetry lover.
Until we meet again,
Be kind to one another.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Oprah''s Love Letter
OPRAH'S LOVE LETTER
A pretty white chair was the only object on the empty stage as Opera Winfrey, beautiful in a simple peach colored dress, walked on the stage and greeted her fans. With a statement, something like this she said, "Today there are no guests, no gifts or surprises. Today I want to send a love letter to all the fams who have supported me over the years. They have taught me many lessons, and I hope I have taught them many lessons also."
Oprah is a great speaker and I felt that she gave a great summation of all the things she felt people needed to know to live a great life. Following is a list of some of the things I took away from her speech.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
# Every body has a calling.
# A calling lights you up
# Each of you has a platform, letting your life speak for you.
# You have the power to change someone's life.
# Use your life to save the world.
# There is a common connection in human experience.
# Nobody but you is responsible for your life.
# All life is energy, the energy you create for yourself and the energy you
create for others.
WHAT WE ALL WANT
Oprah stressed that a common thread running through all of us is unworthiness. She said, "You are worthy because you are here."
and Validation is what we all want. We want to know, Do you see me?, Do you hear me?, Do you understand what I say?
WHAT MADE THE SHOW A SUCCESS?
"Nothing but the hand of God made this show a success. The presence of God is always here. Listen, God is Love, God is Life.
What are the whispers in your life? Are you listening to them?
She pointed out that we all have whispers of God if we just listen Finally Oprah said, "I won't say good bye, I will just say, 'Til we meet again."
Good bye Oprah, I will miss all of your sage advice. I may not always agree with you, but in the long run, you have more sense in your little finger that most of us have. I wish you all the best.
Until we meet again,
Be kind to one another,.
A pretty white chair was the only object on the empty stage as Opera Winfrey, beautiful in a simple peach colored dress, walked on the stage and greeted her fans. With a statement, something like this she said, "Today there are no guests, no gifts or surprises. Today I want to send a love letter to all the fams who have supported me over the years. They have taught me many lessons, and I hope I have taught them many lessons also."
Oprah is a great speaker and I felt that she gave a great summation of all the things she felt people needed to know to live a great life. Following is a list of some of the things I took away from her speech.
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
# Every body has a calling.
# A calling lights you up
# Each of you has a platform, letting your life speak for you.
# You have the power to change someone's life.
# Use your life to save the world.
# There is a common connection in human experience.
# Nobody but you is responsible for your life.
# All life is energy, the energy you create for yourself and the energy you
create for others.
WHAT WE ALL WANT
Oprah stressed that a common thread running through all of us is unworthiness. She said, "You are worthy because you are here."
and Validation is what we all want. We want to know, Do you see me?, Do you hear me?, Do you understand what I say?
WHAT MADE THE SHOW A SUCCESS?
"Nothing but the hand of God made this show a success. The presence of God is always here. Listen, God is Love, God is Life.
What are the whispers in your life? Are you listening to them?
She pointed out that we all have whispers of God if we just listen Finally Oprah said, "I won't say good bye, I will just say, 'Til we meet again."
Good bye Oprah, I will miss all of your sage advice. I may not always agree with you, but in the long run, you have more sense in your little finger that most of us have. I wish you all the best.
Until we meet again,
Be kind to one another,.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Depression
I have always been a very positive person. I always see the glass half full and can't remember the last time I was depressed. Well, today is not one of those days. I don't know why, but I have been down in the dumps, weepy and just plain feeling sorry for myself.
Why, I don't know. Perhaps it was the article in the paper this morning about respecting and honoring our military. It brought back memories of my husband. He was in the Navy for twenty years, was on two ships that sunk during world war two, and survived it all. He died, however, at age 56 of an aneurysm. That was thirty two years ago and I have learned to live with being alone. Maybe I just need someone to talk to. If you don't want to listen you can delete me.
I also think part of my problem is the pain I am in. All the discs in my back are deteriorated, I have rheumatism, I have fallen 5 times on my knees and my back and legs are in great pain. Then I think of the boy who lives on the corner. He is paralyzed from his neck down, He can't use his arms or legs. And I'm complaining? I thank the Lord I can use my arms and legs, pain or no pain. I am the lucky one.
And then there are my eyes. I have Macular degeneration and I am having trouble seeing the fine lines when I am painting.Then I look at my friend Susan who has an eye disease that only allows her to see as through a key hole. Yet she does adorable paintings, has won awards for her painting and also sells her work. I can still look around and see the whole world, only not as well as when I was young. I am the lucky one.
Because of my pain there are many places I can't go, because it is too uncomfortable for me, but I can still drive and go some places. I can still paint and write and socialize with friends. I think it all comes down to the old cliche, "I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."
Well, now that I got all my pity me problems off my chest I feel much better, and I also realize what a blessed person I am to be able to do all the things that I still can do at age eighty-five.
Until next time,
Be kind to one another
Why, I don't know. Perhaps it was the article in the paper this morning about respecting and honoring our military. It brought back memories of my husband. He was in the Navy for twenty years, was on two ships that sunk during world war two, and survived it all. He died, however, at age 56 of an aneurysm. That was thirty two years ago and I have learned to live with being alone. Maybe I just need someone to talk to. If you don't want to listen you can delete me.
I also think part of my problem is the pain I am in. All the discs in my back are deteriorated, I have rheumatism, I have fallen 5 times on my knees and my back and legs are in great pain. Then I think of the boy who lives on the corner. He is paralyzed from his neck down, He can't use his arms or legs. And I'm complaining? I thank the Lord I can use my arms and legs, pain or no pain. I am the lucky one.
And then there are my eyes. I have Macular degeneration and I am having trouble seeing the fine lines when I am painting.Then I look at my friend Susan who has an eye disease that only allows her to see as through a key hole. Yet she does adorable paintings, has won awards for her painting and also sells her work. I can still look around and see the whole world, only not as well as when I was young. I am the lucky one.
Because of my pain there are many places I can't go, because it is too uncomfortable for me, but I can still drive and go some places. I can still paint and write and socialize with friends. I think it all comes down to the old cliche, "I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet."
Well, now that I got all my pity me problems off my chest I feel much better, and I also realize what a blessed person I am to be able to do all the things that I still can do at age eighty-five.
Until next time,
Be kind to one another
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Phrases
Do you ever think about strange phrases your parents used when you were a child? All my life when I said I might do something, my mother always said, "There are a lot of mites in a pound of cheese" I always thought she was just a little strange and when I asked her what it meant she said, "I don't know, grandma always said it." I asked grandma and she didn't know what it meant either, probably just something she had heard also.
All my life I have commented about this and finally one day I looked it up on the Internet. Guess what, my mother wasn't as odd as I thought she was. The phrase referred to the fact that, "the mites excrete an enzyme that ripens the cheese." So somebody down the line knew what they were talking about.
I found this information on The Phrase Finder which is a fantastic source to find anything you want to know about American , Shakespeare, Nautical, Biblical and Latin phrases. It also has a Discussion forum. This info. is free. They also have a Phrase Thesaurus which has a fee. You can sign up for their mailing list where they send a phrase a week.If this subject interests you I would highly recommend it.
A friend of mine made the comment on her blog that she was doing something "by the seat of her pants." She said some time she would have to check it out. I couldn't stand not knowing myself, so back to the Phrase Finder. I found that the term emerged in 1930's and was widely used in reports of Douglas Corrigins flight from USA to Ireland. The old flying expression of "flies by the seat of his trousers," was explained by Larry Conner who said it means going aloft without instruments, radios or other such luxuries."
Hope you enjoy phrases, until next time,
Be kind to one another
All my life I have commented about this and finally one day I looked it up on the Internet. Guess what, my mother wasn't as odd as I thought she was. The phrase referred to the fact that, "the mites excrete an enzyme that ripens the cheese." So somebody down the line knew what they were talking about.
I found this information on The Phrase Finder which is a fantastic source to find anything you want to know about American , Shakespeare, Nautical, Biblical and Latin phrases. It also has a Discussion forum. This info. is free. They also have a Phrase Thesaurus which has a fee. You can sign up for their mailing list where they send a phrase a week.If this subject interests you I would highly recommend it.
A friend of mine made the comment on her blog that she was doing something "by the seat of her pants." She said some time she would have to check it out. I couldn't stand not knowing myself, so back to the Phrase Finder. I found that the term emerged in 1930's and was widely used in reports of Douglas Corrigins flight from USA to Ireland. The old flying expression of "flies by the seat of his trousers," was explained by Larry Conner who said it means going aloft without instruments, radios or other such luxuries."
Hope you enjoy phrases, until next time,
Be kind to one another
Friday, May 13, 2011
Animal Love
Sitting here staring out my window I noticed a little squirrel jumping from one branch to another on a tree next door How interesting animals are in general, and how precious they are when they are our own special pets.
It amazes me how emotional we can become too. My friend, Susan has a seeing-eye dog, Mirage, who became ill the other day. Suzy took a picture and put it on face book. The photo brought tears to my eyes because the poor dog looked so sad and depressed.
And then there are some of the dogs in my life. At present I have Annie, who as an orphan. She is a Pekingese and I swore I never wanted one of those ugly dogs with a squashed nose and bulging eyes. I talked to the people at the Humane Society and told them it was difficult for me to handle a large dog and I wondered if they ever got small dogs. They said they very seldom did, but if they did they would call me. I also said I did not want a puppy (I knew the problems there). So, when they called and said they had a Pekingese puppy I said, "Oh no." Then I asked if I could come and see it. Guess you know what comes next. When this sweet little ball of fur came into my arms there was no way I was going to leave it.
Annie has been a blessing in my life. When you live alone, it is nice to have someone to talk to, someone who loves and adores you. Someone who makes you laugh every day.
For a child there is nothing better than to have a pet, not only for the above reasons, but to teach them how to care for it.and to be responsible for something.
I have happy memories of many of my "angel pets" who will live in my memory for ever. Barney, Molly and D.J I could write a book about all their shenanigans , all the sorrow I went through when they died, and all the love they gave.
Hope you all have a pet or two in your lives to bring you the joy I have found.
By the way, Annie chewed the rungs on every chair in my dining room, peed on the carpet, chewed up anything I might drop and in general was just a normal puppy. Thank heavens that period is over.
Until we meet again,
Be kind to one another
It amazes me how emotional we can become too. My friend, Susan has a seeing-eye dog, Mirage, who became ill the other day. Suzy took a picture and put it on face book. The photo brought tears to my eyes because the poor dog looked so sad and depressed.
And then there are some of the dogs in my life. At present I have Annie, who as an orphan. She is a Pekingese and I swore I never wanted one of those ugly dogs with a squashed nose and bulging eyes. I talked to the people at the Humane Society and told them it was difficult for me to handle a large dog and I wondered if they ever got small dogs. They said they very seldom did, but if they did they would call me. I also said I did not want a puppy (I knew the problems there). So, when they called and said they had a Pekingese puppy I said, "Oh no." Then I asked if I could come and see it. Guess you know what comes next. When this sweet little ball of fur came into my arms there was no way I was going to leave it.
Annie has been a blessing in my life. When you live alone, it is nice to have someone to talk to, someone who loves and adores you. Someone who makes you laugh every day.
For a child there is nothing better than to have a pet, not only for the above reasons, but to teach them how to care for it.and to be responsible for something.
I have happy memories of many of my "angel pets" who will live in my memory for ever. Barney, Molly and D.J I could write a book about all their shenanigans , all the sorrow I went through when they died, and all the love they gave.
Hope you all have a pet or two in your lives to bring you the joy I have found.
By the way, Annie chewed the rungs on every chair in my dining room, peed on the carpet, chewed up anything I might drop and in general was just a normal puppy. Thank heavens that period is over.
Until we meet again,
Be kind to one another
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