"Just Because"

Out-Of-Season But Couldn't Pass Up Sharing Them...

2011-11-25T13:07:00.000-05:00

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Far Too Beautiful Not To Be Shared...

2011-10-09T20:24:00.000-04:00

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Brat Causes Train Wreck

2011-10-04T21:26:00.002-04:00

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Below is what I wrote to a friend re: a Lionel train that is over half-a-century old--one that, as much as I'd love to keep it for myself--I really need to sell. Therefore, I'm also going to be posting this story on Madison County On Line Yard Sale at Facebook...

As for the old trains, I'm hoping that mine will bring in around $3000. Michelle is coming out to test it tomorrow afternoon to make sure that it runs.

If it's in good condition, I'll be able to realistically sell it for around that price.

The story behind the train is that I got it for either my birthday or Christmas when I was somewhere between three and five years old.

Of course, I couldn't play with it by myself at that age, but my mom and/or dad could set it up for me. One evening, it was just my dad and me, and I wanted to play with the train.

It was upstairs in my playroom, and my dad was watching a TV program. He told me that he'd come up to get it after the show was over (to set up in the living room), but I had other ideas.

My other ideas had to do with my getting the train downstairs by myself and having him to help me set it up during commercial breaks.

The train was in its box (where it was kept when not set up), so I went up to get it--and got it to the stairs to find out that I couldn't carry it down and hold onto the banister at the same time.

No problem! I just gave it a toss, and it landed at the bottom of the stairs.

At that point, Daddy decided to teach me a lesson about consequences, so he told me that, by not being patient, I had broken my train.

It was then put away.

I believe the plan was to let me mature for a couple of years and, then, "fix" it so I could play with it again more responsibly.

However, I never asked about the train, because I assumed that it was simply broken and had to be thrown away.

The train was forgotten about. Then, we moved, and it was packed away with other things and, years later, rediscovered.

By this time, I think that my folks and I all thought that it was broken but that it might be fixed when we had some money to spare to get it fixed.

At this point in time (October 4, 2011), I'm still not sure whether or not it's actually broken, but my goddaughter will be able to find out and do an evaluation of it. She said that, even if part of it turns out to be broken, the parts not affected by this "train wreck" could still fetch some good money.

We'll just have to wait and see...

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A Bazaar AndThen Some!!!

2011-07-30T18:59:00.001-04:00

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Since late last year, I've been a part of something that seemed to be shaping up to be pretty unique and exciting--not to mention lucrative!

WHAT!?!

Why a new social site called tagvillage!!!

I've watched it being grown very carefully and tenderly--and, NOW, something REALLY exciting is about to happen!!!

It has to do with things like making a commission and buying products at this bazaar that will only cost a dime apiece! A DIME APIECE!!!

I'm not sure how this is going to be pulled off, but I'm certainly curious and excited!!!

At this time, I'd like to invite anybody who hasn't done so by now (and hasn't already joined through someone else) to take me up on my invitation to let me be the one to take you there!!!

It doesn't cost anything to join and never will, though there are opportunities happening in which you might want to invest.

Anyway, what can it hurt to become a part of all of the action and to prepare to be surprised, excited, and inspired...

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Good Morning!

2011-07-27T03:37:00.002-04:00

Question:

What's one of the world's most thankless jobs?

Answer:

Being Garfield's alarm clock.

See explanation below:

This is Garfield...

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This is Garfield's alarm clock...

Any questions?

!!!

War & Peace Jukebox

2011-05-30T08:31:00.000-04:00

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This Memorial Day and always, let's remember our troops who have taken/are taking great risks in hopes of making peace on earth a reality!

Below, you will find links to songs that have been inspired by the many faces of war and our desire for peace...

The Last Farewell

Battle Hymn Of The Republic

When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again

White Cliffs Of Dover

Taps

I'll Be Home For Christmas

I'll Be Seeing You

Don't Sit Under The Apple Tree

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy

Blowin' In The Wind

Requiem For The Masses

Day Is Done

What Is Truth

Ballad Of The Green Berets

Galveston

Last Train To Clarksville

Billy Don't Be A Hero

God Bless The USA (Special USO Tour Presentation)

An American Soldier

Letters From Home

If You're Reading This

Just A Dream

Let There Be Peace On Earth

I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing

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Cheap Imitation Crystal Ball ISO Companionship

2011-04-26T15:18:00.000-04:00

Today is "Support Your Lonely And Neglected Cheap Imitation Crystal Ball Or It Might Curl Up In A Ball And Cry!" Day!!!. . .Hmmmmmm. . .I wonder how a ball can curl up in a ball when it's already a ball. . .Anyway, please give this little cutie some TLC!

Actually, ANY day you happen to read this can be "Support Your Lonely And Neglected Cheap Imitation Crystal Ball Or It Might Curl Up In A Ball And Cry!" Day, so I hope you'll pay it a visit and leave a bit of you behind!

The Early Bird Gets To Invent A Holiday!!!

2011-04-21T14:58:00.000-04:00

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It's said that the early bird gets the worm.  Let me add that the early bird also gets to invent a holiday.  If you're curious, go here:

Cheap Imitation Crystal Ball

and scroll down to see if  the opportunity is still there to invent a holiday (design it, too,  and choose the date for it!).  If it is, it's all up to you.  If it isn't, I'm sure that you'll still enjoy creatively answering the question you'll find waiting for you along with creating one of your own for the next person. 

Shared By Kim Smith

2011-03-31T05:24:00.000-04:00

Here are some interesting bits of trivia that I received a couple of hours ago from my friend, Kim Smith. All of them are very interesting, and many of them will really get you to thinking about how and why we look at life the way that we do...

 If you are right handed,  you will tend to chew your food on the right side of your mouth. If you  are left handed, you will tend to chew your food on the left side of  your mouth.

To make half a kilo of  honey, bees must collect nectar from over 2 million individual flowers

Heroin is the brand name  of morphine once marketed by 'Bayer'.

Communications giant  Nokia was founded in 1865 as a wood-pulp mill by Fredrik Idestam.

  Tourists visiting  Iceland should know that tipping at a restaurant is considered an  insult!

  People in nudist  colonies play volleyball more than any other  sport.

  Albert Einstein was  offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but he declined.

  Astronauts can't belch -  there is no gravity to separate liquid from gas in their stomachs.

  Ancient Roman, Chinese and German societies often used urine as mouthwash.

  The average person who stops smoking requires one hour less sleep a night.

  The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. In the Renaissance era, it was fashion to shave them off!

  Because of the speed at  which Earth moves around the Sun, it is impossible for a solar eclipse to last more than 7 minutes and 58 seconds.

  The night of January 20  is "Saint Agnes's Eve", which is regarded as a time when a young woman dreams of her future husband.

  There are over 25 million bubbles waiting to burst out of each bottle of  Champagne

  Google is actually the common name for a number with a million zeros

  It takes glass one  million years to decompose, which means it never wears out and can be recycled an infinite amount of times!

  The heat of peppers is rated on the Scoville scale

  Gold is the only metal  that doesn't rust, even if it's buried in the ground for thousands of years

  Your tongue is the only  muscle in your body that is attached at only one end

  If you stop getting  thirsty, you need to drink more water. When a human body is dehydrated,  its thirst mechanism shuts off.

  Each year 2,000,000 smokers either quit smoking or die of tobacco-related diseases.

  When it originally appeared in 1886 - Coca Cola was billed as an Esteemed Brain Tonic and Intellectual Beverage.

  Zero is the only number that cannot be represented by Roman numerals

  Kites were used in the American Civil War to deliver letters and newspapers.

  The song, Auld Lang  Syne, is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking  country in the world to bring in the new year.

  For every real Christmas  tree harvested, two to three seedlings are planted in its  place.

  Drinking water after eating reduces the acid in your mouth by 61 percent

  Peanut oil is used for cooking in submarines because it doesn't smoke unless it's heated above 450 F

  The Shell Oil Company originally began as a novelty shop in London that sold seashells

  The roar that we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.

  Nine out of every 10 living things live in the ocean

  The banana cannot  reproduce itself. It can be propagated only by the hand of  man

  Airports at higher altitudes require a longer airstrip due to lower air density

  Fish and Chip selling officially remained an offensive trade until 1940 due to the smell it produces

  The University of Alaska spans four time zones

  The tooth is the only  part of the human body that cannot heal itself.

  In ancient Greece,  tossing an apple to a girl was a traditional proposal of marriage.  Catching it meant she accepted.

  Do you know the names of  the three wise monkeys? They are: Mizaru (See no evil), Mikazaru (Hear no 

evil) and Mazaru (Speak no evil).

  Warner Communications paid $28 million for the copyright to the song Happy  Birthday.

  Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

  A comet's tail always points away from the sun

  The Swine Flu vaccine in 1976 caused more death and illness than the disease it was intended to prevent

  Caffeine increases the  power of aspirin and other painkillers, that is why it is found in some medicines.

  The military salute is a  motion that evolved from medieval times, when knights in armor raised  their visors to reveal their identity.

  If you get into the  bottom of a well or a tall chimney and look up, you can see stars, even in the middle of the day.

  When a person dies,  hearing is the last sense to go. The first sense lost is sight

  Trivia in Roman  mythology was the goddess who haunted crossroads, graveyards and was the  goddess of sorcery and witchcraft.  She wandered about at night, and was seen only by the barking of dogs who told of her approach.  

  In ancient times strangers shook hands to show that they were unarmed

  Strawberries are the only fruits whose seeds grow on the outside

  Avocados have the highest calories of any fruit at 167 calories per hundred grams

  It cost the soft drink industry $100 million a year for thefts committed involving vending machines

  The moon moves about two inches away from the Earth each year

  The Earth gets 100 tons heavier every day due to falling space dust

  Due to earth's gravity  it is impossible for mountains to be higher than 15,000 meters

  Men's shirts have the buttons on the right, but women's shirts have the buttons on the  left

  Mickey Mouse is known as "Topolino" in Italy

  Soldiers do not march in step when going across bridges because they could set up a vibration  which could be sufficient to knock the bridge down

  The painting that won second place in a competition held by the US National Academy of Design was hanging upside down when it was judged

  Everything weighs one percent less at the equator

  For every extra kilogram carried on a space flight, 530 kg of excess fuel are needed at lift-off

  The letter J does not appear anywhere on the periodic table of the elements.

Shalom/Salaam/Dohiyi/La Pas/Mir/Peace

Kim

"Be led by your dreams, not pushed by your problems"

You Are Cordially Invited...

2011-03-30T15:48:00.000-04:00

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Who? You!  As in anybody who is at least 13 years old, lives in any participating part of the whole wide world, doesn't have anybody using the same computer for the same thing, and just happens to be reading this.

What?  Are cordially invited to become part of an amazing social site with lots of potential for everything from networking, socializing, playing games, having your say, and so on and so forth as in the things that you like to do at places like Facebook, only you also get included in sharing the profits as well!

When?  There's no better time than now!!!

Where?  Online!!!

Why?   If you join right here and now, we'll both be very happy campers, as you'll be joining as referred by me!!!

How?  Just click on the name of the social site  

(  tagvillage  ) to go check it out.  Give it a good looking over and, if you like what you see, join the rest of the (tag)village people.  You don't even have to know all of the words to YMCA!!!

Village People Graphics & Village People Pictures

Who Me!?!

2011-03-29T13:16:00.000-04:00

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It's Dress-Up Time!!!

2011-03-28T12:11:00.001-04:00

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If you're like me, you like to dress up profile pages, e-mails, websites, blog-entries, etc.  You also like to find just the right illustrated message, video, quote, etc. to place on another friend's page.  This blog-entry is dedicated to helping you out in this pursuit as well as making it easier for me to do the same things.

One more thing:  If you think that you notice that the list has grown at anytime in the future, there's a 99.999% chance that you are NOT imagining it...

Glitter Graphics

Amazing Counters

Good Light Scraps

The Quote Garden

God Vine

You Tube

Bible Gateway
Just Add Personal Note (my own growing collection of greetings made using things like what can be found when you click on the places I'm sharing here--feel free to share links!)

(to be continued)

Final thought:
Sometimes, you feel like dressing up.
Other times, you don't!

More Images and Graphics - GoodLightscraps.com

Okay! Who Wants To Play With Me!?!

2011-03-13T20:43:00.001-04:00

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Fun, games, contests, and chances to laugh all the way to the bank are on-the-grow at tagvillage!
So, who would like to join me there!?!

2011-02-25T01:55:00.001-05:00

Several months ago, I received this funny picture from a very special guy named Kim Smith. . .

For some reason, I got to thinking about it tonight and wanted to see it again and share it.

I wasn't sure where I had stashed the copy he sent to me, so I searched for it again using Google and found it--along with a collection of other amusing pictures.

Enjoy!

Original Funny Picture. . .

Link To Collection

How's My Love Life? Right Where It Needs To Be At This Time!

2011-02-17T12:48:00.014-05:00

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According to the app. at Facebook called God Wants You To Know, this is what God wants me to know today:

... that a successful relationship requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Always with the same person, but deeper and deeper every time. Each time on a whole new level you together open in love and discover the truth of your beloved anew. There is no limit to the beauty of your beloved. If you think you've reached the end, stop generalizing.

and this was my initial response...

There are several guys in my life whom I've either, at one time, thought of as "the one" or else come very close in many ways. There are three of them at the top of the list right at the moment (one met in real life in 1990, one met online in 2007, and one met online in 2010). Those three fall under the category of "very close." In... fact, the first two were actually very, Very close--with the first of those two being very, Very, VERY close. Better in all of those cases just to keep it at being very close friends. In short, I think that this message (as applied to my life at this time) is about falling more and more in love with special friendships. Maybe, someday, it will also mean more when the right person comes along for whom I'm also the right person.

Then, I discovered that I had made a mistake and wrote another comment to correct it...

Oops! I meant the Second of those two being very, Very, VERY close (as in the one from 2007). Though 1990 IS a very special person. Of course, there's that one from 1977 who is to me what Charlie Brown's/Charles Schulz's little red-haired girl is to him.

In short, I believe that special friendships are blessings in their own right. They don't have to lead to the altar--or even to that first date. It's just wonderful to know that there are such beautiful people sharing the planet with me--people so wonderful that they take my breath away and make me wonder (even if only in a fleeting moment) what it would be like to be like a pair of Canada geese mated for life.

When it comes to getting married, I want nothing less for myself and my beloved than the kind of love my mom and dad have always shared--where they're still connected and falling in love all over again, even though my dad passed away over seven years ago!

Picky?

Maybe so, but I believe in my heart of hearts that, when the time is right, that kind of love will be there for me. If not, I still will have had that dream.......

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Prince CharmingIs Just Another Name forThe Snake Charmer!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-02-08T15:39:00.002-05:00

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The Snake Charmer--a wonderful book written by one of my favorite people, Stuart V. Goldberg--will soon be "out there."

Not long after that, if all goes as planned, it will be turned into a movie set in Chicago with a cast made up of those who are in one way or another connected to The Windy City.

From time to time, Stuart will share excerpts from his book (which is based on his experiences--seen by many, including myself, as downright heroic--as a defense attorney) with his Facebook friends.

I understand why he does this, because I, too, am writing a book, and I feel like the contents are under pressure within me so that some will slip out like steam and food aromas from a pressure cooker before it's time to place its contents on a serving plate.

Today, he wrote on his wall about his practice of going right into the bowels of a jail or prison to meet with his clients instead of having them come to a sanitary, whitewashed meeting room. He smells what they smell, hears what they hear, and places his well-maintained, upper-class hands on the cold bars that separate him from them (in body but not in spirit).

By coming this close to crawling inside of their skins, he feels much better prepared to defend them and lead them towards another chance to succeed at life.

The response I wrote to him seemed like one that shouldn't get lost in the shuffle of wall messages, so I've decided to share it here so that more people will understand why he is--and always will be--part of the beautiful embroidery of life that has been stitched on my heart.

I'm also including some wonderful graphics to illustrate this blog-entry, because learning more and more about Stuart is like encountering beautiful landscapes in either photographs or personal experience...

Karen Carpenter might have sung of eyes of blue in Close To You instead of those beautiful ebony eyes of yours, but the words still apply to you because of the wonderful, sensitive person who is Stuart V. Goldberg.

You have, among others, your family, your friends (both real life and Internet), law students, and your adopted family from the hood all longing to be close to you, and you deserve this much more than you even show you realize through your sharing here at FB and in your upcoming book.

I hope that it will be finished and out there soon so that people can begin reading it and further make your inner-beauty (and I'm not saying that you don't have outer-beauty, too, because you have it in abundance as well!) a very contagious epidemic!!!

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WOW!!!

2011-01-28T20:30:00.000-05:00

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It seems to me as if there's a

GO-BERG MAGIC

epidemic going around

and I've up and caught it...

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How Do You Mend A Broken Heart?

2010-12-21T09:28:00.000-05:00

How do you mend a broken heart? is a question asked by The Bee Gees in an oldie.

This poem shows us how a heart broken beyond measure gets mended.

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Some Thoughts On Mel Gibson

2010-12-20T12:31:00.000-05:00

The first movie I ever saw of Mel's was one about this young adult with special needs named Tim. Since then, I've seen Forever Young, The Man Without A Face, and The Passion Of Christ.

All of those movies were sympathetic and compassionate, so I still have a very hard time connecting the Mel Gibson who actually produced and directed the last one and who acted in all of them because he believed in their messages with this Mel Gibson who comes across as a drunken skinhead.

My thought on this is that the guy is, basically, good people but he has at least two problems in serious need of attention:

Alcoholism

Deep-seated issues re: prejudices against gays, Jews, non-Catholics, and, likely, assorted others that he might perceive as being too "different" that have come about thanks to that kind of mindset being drummed into his head from early childhood on.

There seems to be a kind of struggle between two parts of Mel Gibson. One part of him is fighting to be a better person while the other part of him keeps pulling him back down into this flawed state-of-mind.

My prayers go out to him. . .

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Stuart V. Goldberg

2010-12-20T11:18:00.000-05:00

This special guy sets a standard in the world of  criminal justice because he believes in doing things that bring out the  best in not only the people who become his clients but, also, in others.

In a time when it has,  unfortunately, become trendy to hate on people who have been spoon-fed  to society as unacceptable in ways not unlike how some people pit  their dogs against each other for "entertainment" purposes, Stuart V.  Goldberg is nothing less than very refreshing!

Visit Stuart at the following places:

His Facebook Page

His Attorney Site

His Novel (The One And Only) Site

How Can I Manage To Spread Myself So Darn Thin When I'm So Darn Fat!?!

2010-11-29T20:57:00.000-05:00

I know that I spread myself too thin a lot of times, so I'm wondering how I can manage to spread myself so darn thin when I'm so darn fat.

Anyway, this is a very busy time for me, so the best way to keep up with me is to read my journal, because I do keep up with writing in that at least once in awhile.  There is even a comment section where you can talk back to me, if you're a member of Writing.com AND logged in.  Of course, you can still read my journal even if you're neither one.

By reading my journal, you can keep up with my other projects at least some as I manage to get them finished.  I have the feeling that December is going to be one busy month and that one of my best birthday and Christmas presents I'll be giving myself this year is to get at least half of what I've set out to accomplish accomplished--and, of course, the more the better.

Many people know that I keep an Invisible-Youth-Network-related blog called My Helping Hand Journal.  On November 20, I started writing a blog-entry that will keep on being added to through January 15 of next year, and I've called it 'Tis The Season!

Very shortly, readers like you will find out (after I "grow" it some more) what the significance of those two dates are.

Anyway, it's going to serve, in part, as a kind of online Christmas newsletter. 

One thing that I'm starting to do is to pay more visits to old favorites in the way of writing/networking/social sites.  I've been missing places like Epinions, Writing.com, and MyLot and want to get back in the groove there again.

Here are three discussions I've just started at MyLot.  It's one of those places where anybody and his brother is welcome to read discussions.  However, if you want to start your own and/or respond to ones already started, you need to join.

Joining MyLot is not only a great place to discuss things but, also, it has the potential to bring in some money as well.  Since I've joined--and I haven't been active 100% of the time--I've made over $85.  Had I been active the entire time, my earnings would have, likely, been well into the three-figure category at the very least. 

It's a great way to bring in at least some income while doing what we often do for free anyway:  discussing things.

If you join (and joining is free) while you're connected through one of my links, we will BOTH be happy campers!!!

Three of the discussions I've started will be helpful to any, some, or all of the following:

Our kids at Invisible Youth Network, Roger Dean Kiser, Russell T. Hartsaw, Stuart V. Goldberg, Susan Boyle, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hanson, and countless others.

How can that be?

You'll just have to check out the discussions and find out.  Don't worry!  You won't be forced to join if you don't want to.  Joining will be your choice.  Trust me that none of the links that I'm sharing will jump out and bite you--even though I hope that they grab you.

Are you ready?

Here they are:

Have You Read Any Good Chicken Soup Books Lately?

Isn't This Southern Gentleman A Wonderful Storyteller!?!

Can Shopping Online Get Any Better Than This!?!

On this note, I'm going to sign off, as I want to feed my face and share this in an e-mail before I call Russell tonight.  Lots of fantastic things have been happening with Invisible Youth Network, and he and I need to put our heads together and see what we can come up with to make things even better.  I'll be filling you in at one place or another as I know more, and I'm sure that Russell will, too.

Anyway, this old elephant is going to be hitting the hay before long, as I not only have a big day ahead of me tomorrow but, also, the entire week and beyond.

You will be finding out more when you read the pages of my journal, watch my blog-entry grow, and catch me around at various ones of my old haunts.

I have a kind of belated 2010 resolution to have my life considerably more organized before it's time to make my 2011 resolutions.

Oh yes!  I'm also hoping to finish my book while it's still 2010.  Do you think that I will or not!?!  LOL

Stay tuned!  I can be a very interesting person at times when I'm not boring you silly. . .

Nighty-Night!

glitter-graphics.com

Cheap Imitation Crystal Ball

2010-11-21T12:21:00.001-05:00

This interactive at Writing.com is tons of fun. The more people contributing, the more fun it is.

Here's a link to take you to it so that you can see for yourself.

You can read the contents without being a member of WDC, but you must be a member and logged in (if you aren't already fitting both descriptions) in order to interact. It's absolutely free! The link I've provided will refer you by me--but only if you make the decision to join. Hope you do!

I've been contributing to it for years--everything from serious to silly subjects. Hope to see you there adding to this conversation, because, as I've just said, the more the merrier!

Get in Free

2010-11-10T09:57:00.000-05:00

Get in Free is the name of a neat, new social site I've just joined.

Using between 5 and 350 characters, you can share news on your profile page, and you can also write on the walls of other people. The only restrictions seem to be to keep it kind and non-threatening (including not using it as a pick-up site) and not sharing messages containing pyramid schemes, online stores, etc. You can share links to blogs and blog-entries, however, so you can have information on them about things you're selling, etc.

You can also announce that you've just finished writing a book and can mention (without a direct link to it) where it can be bought at.

At least, this is how I understand the TOS.

Also, your profile pic(s) needs/need to be family-friendly.

There are also contests and auctions where what you earn by referring friends can be used.

The place seems to have possibilities, so I hope you'll accept my invitation to join--which automatically earns you the equivalent of $50 USD. Complete your profile page (very simple), and you will receive $50 more. For each person referred by you, it's another $25. For each person your friends refer, it's $10.

As soon as I get some ahead, I'm going to try my hand at bidding on this really healthy facial soap that's supposed to be good for my skin. Has a lot of natural ingredients in it. Might even bid on some perfume to make me smell nicer.

Right now, I'm just getting my feet wet, but I already see the possibilities!

Want to join me?

Just click on the following link (right below this paragraph). Oh yes! You still have to register after clicking here in order to join. This link in no way ropes you into something that you haven't chosen to do. And, yes, it IS absolutely FREE! Hope to see you at Get in Free!

http://GetinFree.com/landing.php?r=Penlady1952

The Truth About Cars And Computers

2010-11-03T20:22:00.000-04:00

I received the following in my e-mail from my longtime friend, Ron Drain. Just had to pass it on to you...

For  all of us who feel only the deepest love and affection for the  way computers have enhanced our lives, read  on.
 
At  a computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated:

'If GM had kept up with technology like the computer industry has, we  would all be driving $25 cars that got 1,000 miles to the  gallon.' 

In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release  stating:  If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all   be driving cars with the following characteristics: 

1.. For no reason  whatsoever, your car would crash.........Twice a  day. 

2.. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.  

3.. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason.   You would have to pull to the side of the road, close all of the   windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you  could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this. 

4.. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would  cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you  would have to  reinstall the engine.  

5..  Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun,  was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but  would  run on only five percent of the roads. 

6.. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would  all be replaced by a single 'This Car Has Performed An Illegal  Operation' warning  light.  

7..  The airbag system would ask 'Are you sure?' before deploying.   

8.. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you  out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door  handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.  

9..  Every time a new car was introduced, car buyers would have to  learn how to drive all over again because none of the controls would  operate in the same manner as the old car. 

10. You'd have to press the 'Start' button to turn the engine off.  

PS  -   I'd like to add that when all else fails, you could call  'customer service' in some foreign country and be instructed in some  foreign language how to fix your car yourself!!!!

Feel free to share this with your friends who love - but sometimes hate - their computer!

Just Say "NO!" To Politics As Usual!!!

2010-11-03T12:37:00.000-04:00

I wish that our elected officials would quit wasting time acting as if they're playing some kind of sports game with one team called Democrats and the other team called Republicans. Instead, they should act like people working together on a committee to come to decisions based on the best interests of those who hired them by voting for them.

Tribute To A Snake Charmer

2010-10-11T10:06:00.000-04:00

Here is something I've written for a very special and wonderful friend, Stuart V. Goldberg. This was originally going to be a post for his Facebook wall, but it was too long for that, so I'm placing it here and linking back to it...

It's Discovery Day, and I would love for Stuart to discover a lot of positive strokes on his wall whenever he gets around to coming over here, so let's pitch in and create a real treasure for this real treasure of a guy. I'll go first.

There are so many reasons to love Stuart, but I believe the main one is how hopeful and positive he is. When he goes to court, he places bright colors here and there on his lawyer suits--which are, often, brightly-colored, themselves.

I assume that his glasses are prescription glasses, but he goes the route of wearing ones that are very cool--and even a little goofy.

Having a day in court isn't easy for anybody, so it's nice when there's a lawyer in the courtroom who is adding sunshine and rainbows to the mix--and it's also important that said lawyer knows what he's doing and is dedicated to bringing about the best outcome for each case, whether it's winning the case when the people aren't guilty or helping the people to start seeing the winners that they could be even if they are.

In Stuart's eyes, even totally-guilty people deserve better than simply being locked away and forgotten about, so he helps to bring about solutions that are positive for everybody involved.

When it comes to the entire city of Chicago, the Chicago justice system, and individuals--in fact, well beyond the borders of The Windy City, Stuart V. Goldberg is truly a snake charmer: somebody who acts as a standard and moral compass without being holier-than-thou in a world in need of direction!

Let's give a big round of applause for our snake charmer!

His movie IS going to become a major hit right up there with Gone With The Wind!!!

I'm looking forward to The Ides Of March!!! (Even though I'm definitely not wishing away the time between now and then, because this is one of my very favorite times of the year!).

Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore Sunset--Late Winter/Early Spring 2003

2010-10-06T16:38:00.000-04:00

Just Sharing Some Beauty "Just Because"

2010-10-06T08:07:00.001-04:00

glitter-graphics.com

And here are a couple more beautiful blog-entries: First Second

In Response To The Legalized Murder Of Teresa Lewis

2010-09-24T00:06:00.000-04:00

Wikipedia entry about Teresa Lewis.

Website dedicated to her. 

This is my response to the execution of this woman (and to executions/value of life in general):

Thoughts on this execution--and on executions in general...

1. Some people kill for money while other people kill for votes.
2. If our government is trying to keep people believing that the death penalty is a just and wonderful thing, I don't think that they have exactly chosen the right executee to promote this sort of a mindset.
3. Is Virginia better off tonight than it was 24 hours ago--or during the entire eight years when Teresa Lewis' comforting singing, listening heart, and spiritual support was helping troubled inmates to turn their lives around?
4. Even though facts tell us the opposite, it costs a lot less to keep somebody alive for a lifelong prison term than it does to get them executed because every i must be dotted and every t must be crossed before an execution takes place in order to cut down on errors being made to where innocent people get executed--and notice that I said cut down on instead of totally cut out.
5. Back during the time when people were fighting for the life of Terri Schiavo (which consisted of her right to food and fluids), those in favor of letting her die of starvation and dehydration often pointed out how "expensive" it was to keep her alive--bringing about an opinion I've held since the re-starting of executions here in the USA: that the money/value of life issue would make its way upward from executions to mercy killing to a more contemporary version of the Holocaust. We're closer to phase three than we'd like to admit...

ABC Activists

2010-09-21T06:35:00.001-04:00

Would you believe that I met three special guys (social activists) in alphabetical order (Roger, Russell, & Stuart) within a ten year time period, and here are three (one per guy) of their amazing websites:
http://thewhitehouseboys.com/AmericanOrphan/americanorphan
http://invisibleyouthnetwork1.community.officelive.com
http://www.stuartvgoldberg.com/

He Felt The Nails

2009-12-20T10:20:00.003-05:00

He Felt The Nails

For the courage He had in speaking out,
Saying, "This is where your system fails:
It puts the law ahead of love,"
He felt the nails.

For listening to a different drummer
And choosing to follow unblazed trails
In a time and place that loved tradition,
He felt the nails.

For loving crooked politicians,
Painted ladies, and those in jails;
For respect He showed to women and lepers,
He felt the nails.

When we choose being popular
And hide behind our "holy veils"
Safe from the task of righting wrongs,
We Drive The Nails!

Ainsley Jo Phillips

Please Sign This Petition!!!

2009-12-09T18:57:00.000-05:00

Online petition - Save Zeinab Jalalian (زینب جلالیان) from Execution

From The Creative Mind Of Kimberly Lovell

2009-11-01T14:45:00.001-05:00

Please check out

some of the websites

of this amazing woman!

You won't be disappointed!

http://www.crashmapsusa.com

http://www.whimsyoriginalcreations.com

http://www.whimsyoriginalsonline.com

http://www.patchespetpals.com

2009-10-23T15:28:00.000-04:00

This is something that I'd originally posted over at Facebook in my Notes...

I've just joined the Frog & Toad Fan Club here at Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=189541196417#/group.php?gid=2204850313&ref=mf

and am tripping on some great memories from three-plus decades ago...

When I was in the spring quarter of grad school almost 33 years ago, I
had the most amazing instructor named Dr. Richard G. Kolczynski.

Don't even get me started on him!

Did I develop a major crush on him because I loved his class or did I love his class because I had a major crush on him!?!

In all seriousness, it was the former rather than the latter--even
though it didn't hurt any that he looked a lot like Conway Twitty.

If he had been an 80 year old man teaching the course, I doubt that (at
the age of 24) I would have gotten a major crush on him, but I would
have still looked forward to those Monday evenings of being part of his
delightful class.

One thing we both had in common was that we wanted kids to develop an
appreciation for the written word--and we were sick to death of some of
the government red-tape that (in our opinion) stood in the way of the
kids who were in school at that time getting the most bang for their
bucks when it came to quality learning.

Both of us had bumped heads with authority figures on many occasions
because of our take on things and not wanting just to sit back and
allow it (education strangled and mangled by red-tape) to happen.

Anyway, one of the things he did was to point me (along with the rest
of my classmates) in the direction of the Frog & Toad books.

My cousin, Carolyn, and her then-husband, Larry, had three of their
four children by late May/early June of 1977 when I went up there
(little village of Hemlock, Indiana) to visit them.

Lisa would be born a year later in 1978.

Except for Annie (who had been born in February), all of their kids had
May birthdays (as Lisa also would the following year). Carolyn and
Larry would be celebrating their 9th wedding anniversary that June 6.

Eva was eight, Annie was six, and Larry Joe was five.

So, they were celebrating all of the kids' birthdays and their anniversary at the same time with a big family gathering.

My present to my young cousins consisted of a couple of Frog & Toad books:

Frog & Toad Are Friends

and

Frog & Toad Together

They loved those books!!!

That well-known part that goes "'Blah!' said a voice..." had them in
stitches. They had me read it over and over and went around repeating
it, themselves, dissolving into giggles each time.

In the movie, Mary & Tim (where Mary is teaching Tim--a developmentally-challenged

young adult--how to read), Tim gets a kick out of that line, too.

When I get to that part of the movie, I go back in time to sitting on
my cousins' front porch with the kids snuggled around me reading those
books together.

Within the past few years, Eva (married and the mother of one daughter,
now a teenager but about Eva's age back in 1977 at the time), told me
how much she had loved those books as a child and that she had passed
that love on to her own little girl.

I've lost track of Richard now, but I wish him well and hope that at
least some of his dreams have materialized in some way, because they
were--and still are--beautiful dreams!

Richard, if you are reading this, I want to thank you for introducing
me to these delightful books as well as for allowing me to be a part of
one of the most unique and amazing college courses I've ever taken.

And yes, Richard, I still go with phonics when it comes to the best
overall way to teach reading--and, if you're still touting that
whole-word method, we'll just have to continue to agree to disagree!

To Professor Look-Say from The Phonics Queen...Ten-Four, Over-And-Out!!!

This
talented country legend, imo, looks a lot like the legendary Professor
Look-Say who stole the heart of The Phonics Queen back when ABBA and
K.C. & The Sunshine Band were current events instead of nostalgia
and CB Radio was almost as popular as The Internet is today.

Shared By Kim Smith--So Cool!!!

2009-08-19T07:34:00.001-04:00

Attitude is your paintbrush...

How will you paint your day?

90 Year Old Ohio Lady's Words To Live By

2009-06-07T11:19:00.001-04:00

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Have a good day.

"If you don't stand for something you will fall for anything."

It's estimated that 93% of people who receive this email won't forward it. Remember, friends are the family we choose for ourselves.

Exiting The Storm Blanket

2009-04-30T19:04:00.004-04:00

A piece of writing I did several years ago...

The best time to do this is late in the day--close to when the first signs of sunset are starting to take shape, but a little before.

The one necessary "ingredient" for this experience is a thunderstorm (or, at least, a pouring rain--though a little, or a lot, of lightning in the picture makes it so much better).

This must be a thunderstorm with an end somewhere in sight, rather than one that has set in to last all night, statewide.

You can look on your local weather channel that shows a radar map to find out which direction to head. Head west, if at all possible for the best effect!

You're in your car now and starting to drive to where you exit the storm blanket. At this point, you're surrounded by the storm's fury: the torrents of rain, the lightning, the thunder, and the nearly-black sky.

Look for a brighter sky in the distance and head towards it.

When you arrive, you'll find a newly-washed world of incredible beauty!

The sky will be the palest of blue, yet will have a glow to it--perhaps, a hint of sunset copper, too, along with a few wisps of cotton-candy clouds.

In fact, the very space surrounding you and your car will seem to glow!

Raindrops dangling from tree leaves, fences, and utility wires will sparkle like diamonds. Birds, too, will gather here and there on those utility wires.

Sunlight will be reflected in the windows of farm houses that are still wet from the recent rain.

Look in the rear-view mirror and see the storm still going on in your recent past!

Park your car somewhere--perhaps, in an old family cemetery, or a roadside rest park--and step out into the newness of it all, feeling how angel-soft the light breezes of this new creation feel on your face!

If you are especially blessed, you might discover bits and pieces of a rainbow--or even an entire rainbow forming an arc on a distant horizon. At least once in my life, I've even experienced a double rainbow!

Water forming puddles here and there will pick up the sky's reflection and glow with the wonder of it all!

Little kids venture out of their homes to splash in the puddles and wave at you as you drive by. Curious animals watch you as you travel on your way. Do they know what has brought you out their way?

Soft, multicolored clouds gather on the horizon to form a nest for the sun to set into while the first star--the wishing star--sparkles like a diamond in the sky. Soon, the sun will retire, and the moon will shine in all of its glory!

What a time to be alive!

Think This Graphic Over Seriously...

2009-04-19T09:12:00.004-04:00

Thank you, Hazey Jane, for sharing the following graphic! I'm passing it on...

Thank God, It Gets Better Than This!!!

2009-04-10T08:09:00.001-04:00

Red Marbles (Wonderful Piece Of Pass-Along E-Mail)

2009-04-08T05:44:00.004-04:00

RED MARBLES

I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes. Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

'Hello, Barry, how are you today?'

'H'lo , Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya.. Jus' admirin' them peas. They sure look good.'

'They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?'

'Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time.'

'Good. Anything I can help you with?'

'No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas.'

'Would you like to take some home?' asked Mr. Miller.

'No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with.'

'Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?'

'All I got's my prize marble here.'

'Is that right? Let me see it' said Miller..

'Here 'tis. She's a dandy.'

'I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?' the store owner asked.

'Not zackly but almost..'

'Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble,' Mr. Miller told the boy.

'Sure will. Thanks, Mr. Miller.'

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile, she said 0'There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.'

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado , but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently, I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community, and while I was there, learned that Mr. Miller had died.

They were having his visitation that evening, and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary, we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her, and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one; each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

'Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size...they came to pay their debt.'

'We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,' she confided, 'but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.'

With loving gentleness, she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath, were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...An unexpected phone call from an old friend...Green stoplights on your way to work...The fastest line at the grocery store...A good sing-along song on the radio...Your keys found right where you left them.

Send this to the people you'll never forget. I just did....

If you don't send it to anyone, it means you are in way too much of a hurry to even notice the ordinary miracles when they occur.

IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER, BUT WHAT YOU SCATTER THAT TELLS WHAT KIND OF LIFE YOU HAVE LIVED.

Bone Apple Tight!!!

2009-04-06T01:49:00.004-04:00

Here are the websites
--complete with menus--
of some yummy places to eat!!!

Applebee's

Arby's

Bickel's Cafe & Catering

Bob Evans

Boston Market

Burger King

Captain D's

Cracker Barrel

Culver's

Fazoli's

Hardee's

KFC

Long John Silver's

McDonald's

Pizza Hut

Ponderosa/Bonanza

Shoney's

Steak'nShake

Subway

Tim Hortons

Taco Bell

Wendy's

White Castle

From The Creative Mind Of Kimberly Lovell

2009-04-04T00:51:00.003-04:00

Visit these websites designed by an amazing, multi-talented woman with a good heart and lots of faith...

Crash Maps

Whimsy Originals

Whimsy Originals Store

Patches' Pet Pals

These Photographs Speak Volumes!

2009-04-01T22:13:00.003-04:00

Invisible Youth Network
wants to make the hurt go away
...

Fur Coat

2009-03-31T15:14:00.002-04:00

He's Da Man & They're Da Flowers!!!

2009-03-31T02:56:00.006-04:00

Who's this distinguished-looking gentleman?

Find out by going here!
Before I sign off...

Are you in the mood to grow a flower garden?

Spring Flowers!!! This Is So Much Fun!!!

2009-03-21T00:00:00.002-04:00

Spring is on the way!!!

Click on the link below. You will get a black page. Click your mouse anywhere (& everywhere) on the page & see what happens!

Better yet, click (hold down) & drag your mouse over the black page, or just hold in one place.
Enjoy!!

http://www.procreo.jp/labo/flower_garden.swf

Isn't This Beautiful!?!

2009-03-18T23:54:00.003-04:00

glitter-graphics.com

You Are So Beautiful To Me!!!

2009-03-15T19:32:00.002-04:00

Noise Pollution

2009-02-19T02:35:00.000-05:00

Have you ever been "treated" to the experience of having your personal space invaded by unwanted sound (a.k.a. noise)?

Do you find this to be either a serious problem or else a potentially-serious problem?

Have you ever wished that you could buy your neighbor's house and move in somebody more considerate?

Do you see second-hand noise to be a problem just like second-hand smoke?

Even though you might subscribe to the philosophy of "Live and let live," do you find that noise pollution has enough health and environmental risks that people should at least be educated on this issue even if they make an informed choice to go on living their lives as they did before (just so long as it's not affecting you)?

Do you think that the police generally don't take people seriously when they call up to complain about somebody disturbing the peace?

If you've answered any of the above questions with a Yes, there's a place at Care2 that will connect you with kindred spirits. It's just in the early stages of construction, and what it needs is more members who are willing to discuss the issues, get others involved in this group, and things that will contribute to getting this issue "out there."

Please join and introduce yourself after you've looked us over by going here...

http://www.care2.com/c2c/group/noise_pollution

Peace!
AJ :-)

Sharing Graphics To Make Their Sites Easier To Find And All In One Place...

2009-02-05T17:48:00.003-05:00

MySpace Graphics & MySpace Layouts

glitter-graphics.com

This Is Fun!

2009-01-19T19:22:00.002-05:00

You can create all kinds of neat pictures at this place, just as I've done this puppy dog. The color, texture, and picture choices will simply blow you away!!!

Lovable Links

2009-01-08T23:58:00.000-05:00

(coming soon)

What If Everybody Did It?

2009-01-07T16:53:00.008-05:00

What if everybody reading this sent a dollar to Invisible Youth Network?

Just think of all of the homeless and/or at-risk children, teens, and young adults who could be helped!

Depending on just how many are reading this would have something to do with how many kids get helped, but surely enough people are reading this that even one child might get a five-dollar gift card to have a nice, warm meal (choosing items from the dollar menu) at somewhere like McDonald's!

Somehow, though, I believe that more dollars than enough to feed a single child a single meal will be generated, if enough people read this and send a dollar--just a dollar...

How about a dollar per month--only $12 per year?

What if everybody reading this wrote to just one other person with a link to this message? What if everybody reading this told that one other person to share this message with just one other person and told him/her just to share this with one other person...and so on...and so forth...?

What if every person reading this shared a link to it with five people with the message to each of those five to pass it on to each of those five...and on down the line...?

Perhaps some people might share with their entire address books...

If you're reading this, you're one of those people who just might do this. . .Would you?

Or, you could see how much loose change you can save each month and, then, donate that amount to IYN. It might even be MORE than a dollar!

Here's where to go to get more details.

We also need new (no second-hand, as many of these young people have never had anything new in their lives) items listed on our wish list.

I can tell you from personal experience how much fun it is to shop for items to put into a flat-rate Priority Mail box to send to kids who are always thrilled to receive the contents of said box, so, if this is your thing, a box of goodies from you will always be a welcome sight.

But...back to the single check or money order for a single dollar. . .what if everybody reading this sent one to IYN headquarters? Very sweet thought...

P.S. Although IYN is just asking for a dollar per month, nobody would be unhappy if you just happened to be one of those people who could afford to send more...

Pooping Baby Assortment--Aren't They Precious!?!

2008-07-07T23:25:00.003-04:00

Baby #1

Baby #2

Baby #3

Baby #4

Baby #5

Baby #6

Baby #7

Baby #8

Baby #9

Baby #10

Baby #11

Baby #12

Vice-Chairman Of Media Relations @ Invisible Youth Network

2008-01-08T14:19:00.000-05:00

Being the Vice-Chairman of Media Relations @ Invisible Youth Network enables me to make a difference using a several things that come naturally to me--among them:

writing, engaging in conversations, and research

Please read my blog, Virtual Homemaker (starting with the preface if you aren't familiar with it) in order to get a more up-close-and-personal look at our organization.

I also use my creative abilities to keep people up on our activities. Two examples are (1) A virtual activity sheet that pulls together information from various locations to keep people up on what's happening in our organization, what we're about, information about our online shopping opportunities, etc. This is connected to with both virtual and real life connections. (2) A more specific information sheet dealing with the donation of both cash and material goods.

Be watching for the launch of The Voice of IYN this winter. This will be an ongoing virtual publication that isn't afraid of taking people out of their comfort zones when it comes to sharing information. It will also be a publication that will encourage interaction *bigtime*!!!

Ainsley Jo Phillips, Online Journalist

2008-01-07T13:22:00.000-05:00

Check out some of the places where I write...

AJ Online

MyLot

Writing.com

Epinions

The Cos Communities

Coming Soon:
The Voice of IYN

To Russell With Love

2008-01-01T20:24:00.000-05:00

I wrote this poem almost a year ago at the time I realized that I had fallen in love with Russell...

To Russell With Love

To love someone deeply gives you strength.
Being loved by someone deeply gives you courage.
~ Lao-Tzu

Miles apart and strangers to each other,
we set our goals for the coming year-
so often writing on the same page
without ever touching once,
even though we'd held these dreams dear
for far longer than the time
when the year, once more, became new.

How did it take so long
for our paths to finally cross?
How did the tiny spark
of our first encounter
grow so rapidly
into a full-blown fire
that both roared with passion
and gently warmed...
that both blazed
and gave a mellow glow?

Sometime
during the scheme of things
while we were preoccupied
with the business-as-usual
of turning the world upside down
and setting it on fire,
our hearts reached out to hug each other
forever.

Because of this,
we are braver, stronger, better
together
than we ever were
before the crossing of our paths
on that page of common dreams.

Miles apart,
we dream our dreams
-similar, alike, and different-
on separate pillows
in different time zones
while magically sleeping
heart-to-heart
because of our special love.

(February 26,2007)

Ainsley Jo Phillips

Buttons & Such

2007-12-28T14:53:00.002-05:00

Buttons & Such

While a belly-button is awfully cute
As a fastener for your birthday suit,
It still doesn't hold a candle to
The button of which I'm about to tell you.

There's a button for making a mushroom cloud--
But that's pretty messy and terribly loud,
And it leaves, in its aftermath, tragic destruction,
While pushing my button will result in construction.

Pushing one kind of button might ring a doorbell--
If you hear it and answer, it might be Michelle
(my goddaughter) who also is doing quite fine
By conducting the very same business online.

It will be noted here that she likes to donate
A percentage to IYN--which is just great!
Marcia does likewise with her business, Soul Ink--
And that money will help us to swim and not sink!

This next button also does IYN proud.
I spoke of it earlier--no mushroom cloud
Results from its pushing, so I'm calling it
The (Peaceful) Button. It should be a hit!

To find out more about it, take your mouse, and click here--
Soon after, more details are going to appear.
Hope you'll push that button--and, then, start a trend,
By sharing this poem with at least one more friend!
Copyright 2007 by Ainsley Jo Phillips

Christmas 1962

2007-12-24T07:20:00.000-05:00

You're Cordially Invited To A Snowflake-Signing Party!!!

2007-12-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

My special friend, Russell, has been helping homeless kids in the San Diego area for several years and is now the Chairman & CEO of an organization called Invisible Youth Network (or IYN, for short).

I've been there with him (from almost 3000 miles away in Anderson, Indiana) from the planning stages, and we've watched the growth and development of IYN together. We have a growing number of volunteers working with us and always welcome more.

Russell has been in the habit of taking to the streets, finding teens and children who need a trustworthy and caring friend, and bringing them things to eat and other supplies, along with working with an area shelter called The Storefront that does that and then some.

I told him that I would like to help him when I could -- and this has led to my becoming a spare mom to ten very special kids:

Three daughters (Betty Anne, Robin, & Tabitha)
Seven sons (Bobbie, Gerald, JoJo, Little Warrior, Ronnie, Sonny, & Survivor)

Here's the story of how that all came about!

Since that time, all ten of these kids have been placed with loving families, but I still like to do Mom things with them -- such as making special snowflakes for them.

Below, find their names (which are clickable links), and you will be able to view the snowflakes I made for each of them -- plus I've also made Russell and me our own.

The number that you see beneath a name is the number of that particular snowflake. When you get to the site, there's a Find-A-Flake feature in the bottom left-hand corner. Enter that number in the search (in the window meant for flake numbers), and you'll be able to watch the "action" of the construction of the flake.

I've intentionally packed a lot of action into each one to make them extra fun.

I hope that you'll want to write a friendly message to each of the kids -- and, hopefully, to Russell and me as well.

At the time Russell began working with them, they ranged in age from nine to fifteen. The youngest of the group is JoJo, and, according to Russell, he's a real character (told me that he reminded him a little of himself at that age).

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this -- and, hopefully, to join in the fun!

And please remember to keep current re: IYN activities by going to this information sheet I've put together.

Betty Anne
5703840

Bobbie
5704105

Gerald
5704293

JoJo
5704522

Little Warrior
5705037

Robin
5705252

Ronnie
5705464

Sonny
5705715

Survivor
5705963

Tabitha
5706187

Russell
5686637

Me
5715642

Take The Challenge!!!

2007-12-07T19:30:00.001-05:00

Are you up to taking the challenge?

If so, make a three copies of a note that says:

Congratulations!

You have been chosen to be part of a grand experiment involving random acts of kindness and have just received a random act of kindness from somebody who is part of that same experiment.

This person has committed two other random acts of kindness and has given the ones receiving them copies of this same note.

Please keep this going by making three copies of this note, finding three people to receive random acts of kindness, and giving each one of them a copy of this note after doing something nice for him/her.

Christmas Critters

2007-11-28T11:39:00.000-05:00

glitter-graphics.com

This Is Sooooooo Cute!

2007-11-18T05:07:00.000-05:00

Amazingly-Delightful Animals!

2007-10-12T10:24:00.000-04:00

Here are some adorable animal videos:

Please Click Me!

Click Me, Too!

Me Too! Me Too!

Don't Forget Me!

You've GOTTA Click Me!

Please-Oh-Pleeeeease!?

me! Me!! MEeeeee!!!

Making A Decision Re: Baby Julian

2007-06-01T07:03:00.000-04:00

The following is a copy of a response I made to this post in a message forum:

I believe that God should be the one Who will make the final decision re: Julian. Otherwords, everything should be done for him that can be done just so long as he has brain activity.

As for flesh-and-blood people...when it comes to making decisions about Julian's future, there should be only one who decides whether or not he lives or dies: Julian.

Because he's so little and helpless--unable to provide for himself in the way of medical life-support and basic needs--somebody needs to do this for him, and those into whose care he has been trusted are the ones who should be responsible.

He can leave this realm unassisted--which means that his death (if it occurs) shouldn't be the result of either depriving him of life-support or taking some active role (e.g. lethal injection, depriving of basic needs such as nourishment and oxygen) in ending his life.

He's in a lot of discomfort now--but so are women who stay awake during labor; people withdrawing from drugs; and, in some cases, people in the process of being treated for a disease or other condition.

When you see the discomfort of this little guy, think of it as something on the order of labor pains--pain with a purpose!

Picture him past his pain, because--in one way or another--his pain will eventually become a thing of the past! I believe that, since he's fighting so hard, the future holds his being in this realm for a very long time.

Visualize him doing something such as hugging you, saying his first word, getting his first tooth, etc. and keep that vision going in your mind!

One final note: Have you read The Russell Report yet?
Hope you will!!!

Those Great Old Time Cartoon Shows

2007-05-31T04:48:00.000-04:00

Those Great Old Time Cartoon Shows
(with special thanks to Bob Seger)

Just take a Looney Tune where Daffy's the star
And pop it into the old VCR.
Bring on Sylvester and cute Tweetie-Pie--
I'm gonna love them 'til the day I die!

Don't try to sell me on that anime
Where sex and violence seem to rule the day.
Bring me some Popeye and some Olive Oyl--
It's to that type of toon I wanna be loyal!

Bring on those great old time cartoon shows--
They soothe my soul like God only knows!
The nasty stuff I see these days really blows--
I want my great old time cartoon shows!

I do not want commercials posing as a show--
That's what it is and don't think I don't know!
Bring me some Donald and some Mickey, too--
They can run circles 'round that stuff that is new!

Where are Bullwinkle and Rocky these days?
Don't tell me that they've vanished in the haze.
P-p-p-porky Pig's a long-time friend,
So don't retire him 'cause you think he might offend.

Bring on those great old time cartoon shows--
They soothe my soul like God only knows!
The nasty stuff I see these days really blows--
I want my great old time cartoon shows!

I want some Yogi and some Boo-Boo, too;
Casper The Friendly Ghost and Scooby-Doo.
Where are The Flintstones--are they still around,
Or are they just too prehistoric to be found?

Let's hear old Bugsy asking, "Wot's up, Doc?",
Watch Q. Magoo drive on the sidewalk for a block.
When we compare the new cartoons to old,
One's made of cardboard and the other's solid gold!

Bring on those great old time cartoon shows--
They soothe my soul like God only knows!
The nasty stuff I see these days really blows--
I want my great old time cartoon shows!

Bring on those great old time cartoon shows--
They soothe my soul like God only knows!
The nasty stuff I see these days really blows--
I want my great old time cartoon shows!

Copyright 2006 by Ainsley Jo Phillips

One final note: Have you read The Russell Report yet?
Hope you will!!!

He/She Didn't Qualify

2007-05-10T23:58:00.000-04:00

I'm now managing the online store for Invisible Youth and am creating products to sell there. Among the products are t-shirts that bear this original poem:

He Didn't Qualify

Society remained comfortable
with putting a child who needed major surgery
on his emotional well-being
into one program after another
that had only band-aids to offer.
There were places he could have gone
to get the help he needed,
but he didn't qualify.
He was always either
too bright or too slow;
too young or too old;
too financially well-off
or not financially well-off enough;
too this or too that.
He grew to be a man,
and his problems grew worse--
MUCH WORSE!
There was a cell on death-row
and an execution date--
He qualified.

Ainsley Jo Phillips

along with a version I wrote with a female as the main character instead of a male:

She Didn't Qualify

Society remained comfortable
with putting a child who needed major surgery
on her emotional well-being
into one program after another
that had only band-aids to offer.
There were places she could have gone
to get the help she needed,
but she didn't qualify.
She was always either
too bright or too slow;
too young or too old;
too financially well-off
or not financially well-off enough;
too this or too that.
She grew to be a woman,
and her problems grew worse--
MUCH WORSE!
There was a cell on death-row
and an execution date--
She qualified.

Ainsley Jo Phillips

Thanks, in advance, for visiting our store and website. Please noise us around...

Russell T. Hartsaw On Route 66

2007-05-09T07:25:00.000-04:00

NOTE: Something happened to this tribute today to where I had to go through to make changes to make it all show up as it once did. Because of the revisions, it now has a rather choppy look to it. My apologies for this...

This is a three-part story dedicated to my beautiful friend, Russell, who
turns 66 on May 14. The first part of it shares my personal feelings
for him and tells you a little bit about my background. The second part
of it tells just what makes Russell so special. The third part contains
news about several courageous people who are sharing their lives in
order to make a difference in the lives of others.

Although I believe that Part One is also important in the telling of this story
(at least, it's near and dear to my own heart), I know that it might
not be of interest to everyone reading this. If not, please scroll down
and begin with the last two parts, because they're the most important
parts of this story to read...

Part One
I have a hope chest--one passed from my mom to me--which I began
filling when I was in my late teens with the first contribution to it being a
small white Bible (a present given to me shortly after I was born by
Aunt Jenny, Uncle Dick, and their kids, Carolyn & Jimmy) and place
settings for four that I got from opening up a bank account with my
high school graduation money.

My plans, at that time, were to go
to college and, after graduation, teach for a year at one of our
country's remaining one (or two) room schoolhouses before teaching in a
special education classroom.

Along with that, I would be a
writer. Of course, I was already a writer, but I mean the kind of
writer who is read by countless people whom I haven't even met.

That
small white Bible revealed another one of my hopes--which was to carry
it, flower-covered, towards the church altar where my soulmate would be
awaiting me, and we'd be taking vows to spend the rest of our earthly
lives together.

In time, other items were added to my hope chest--among them some of my old baby clothes and at least one maternity top.

As the late John Lennon once sang, "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

Emily
Perl Kingsley once wrote about her feelings of being blessed and
surprised by the arrival of a DS Angel named Jason. She had been
expecting a baby but just hadn't expected the baby to arrive with an
extra chromosome.

No matter how many times I've read Welcome To Holland I've never ceased to be touched by its beautiful message!

In other ways, I, too, was on my way to Italy and ended up in Holland instead.

Although
my dream of being a widely-read writer has remained intact and has
blossomed beyond my fondest dreams, I never became a teacher (in the
traditional sense, at least); the Bible was never carried by me on my
wedding day; and the maternity top(s) and baby clothes remain unworn.

There's a long story that I see no need to share here re: why I never became a teacher in the traditional sense.

The
short version of that story is that--while I had a heart for kids; was
effective when it came to both teaching them and relating to them; and
had everyone from parents to grandparents to other teachers telling me
that they would have felt good in knowing that I would be teaching
their kids/kids who were near and dear to them--I had managed to get on
the wrong side of those who did the deciding re: who would even get the
chance to make it far enough in the teacher education program to get a
degree in teaching.

This is why I graduated from college with my
major and minor areas switched--and I had fought city hall so
stubbornly that I'd almost ended up with a double-major. When I
graduated from college in 1976, I had a definite major in English,
almost a major in Elementary Education, and several classes under my
belt in Behavioral Sciences.

As I went through life, I found out
that my formal education in all of those areas would continue to serve
me well in a lot of ways, so I never considered this to be a waste of
time.

Not many years after that, I would make another brief stab at fighting city hall.

This
turned out to be another experience that, for many reasons, wasn't a
waste of time--the top reason for this being so was that it led me to
information that I was able to pass on to a friend who had dealt with
grand mal epilepsy from the time that she was four years old so that
she would end up having surgery that would open up a whole new world
for her! (Details here)

I
remember the day that I decided to give up fighting city hall when it
came to getting a degree in education. I had been sitting in an empty
classroom crying and coming to terms with the death of a dream that had
been a part of me since I was 12 or younger--a good 15 years! One of my
instructors came in, sat down with me, and reminded me of my talent as
a writer.

She told me that, as a teacher, I would be able to
teach 25 or 30 kids during a school year (and I told her that, as a
special education teacher, the number would be lower than that) but, as
a writer, I would be able to teach a world in a day!

Unless she
knew more than I did about how computers made available to common folks
would eventually make this a reality, she was merely taking some poetic
license in her description of my potential as a writer.

These
days, though--as I prepare a piece of writing and, with a few actions
taken on my keyboard send it anywhere and everywhere that Internet
access is a reality--I often remember her words and realize that I
have, indeed, become a teacher after all!

I've won my fight with city hall over and over again!!!

When it comes to weddings, I've served as a maid-of-honor three times.

With one of those times, the groom turned out to be totally-impossible!

He
was even coming on to me right before the ceremony--though I took it at
the time that his smiles and winks were just his way of saying "Thank
you!" for being a part of this important time in the life of him and
his bride-to-be. However, his attempts to start some kind of affair
with me became more and more obvious in the weeks after the
ceremony--even mere DAYS afterward.

With another one of those
times, I stood up with the couple in a wedding where the groom also
turned out to be carrying on with at least one other woman--but, a
little over a year later, I was maid-of-honor for the same friend who,
almost 30 years later, is still happily-married to the same wonderful
man!

So, the expression, "Always the bridesmaid--never the
bride!" is definitely the story of my life--this in spite of the fact
that I've totally lost count of how many bridal bouquets I've managed
to catch.

I came close a few times--was even engaged once--but,
in the end, I came to the realization that it just wasn't meant to be.
Sometimes, I was the one who understood this first. Other times, it was
the guy who pointed it out to me. Still other times, it was a
conclusion that we ended up reaching together almost at the same time.

When it comes to unrequited love, I've played the role of both the disappointer and the disappointee.

Although
he and I have been in and out of each others' lives since January of
1990, there has been one man over that period of time who (even with
the time divided up with other love interests in-between) comes out the
winner re: the length of time he has been in the number one spot when
it comes to my personal matters-of-the-heart.

This is the man to whom I refer to as Johnny Angel when I write about him.

I
believe to this day that we were meant to become extra-important to
each other, because I had been receiving signs of this even before we
knew that the other one existed--and I believe that we have a future
together.

However, it isn't a romantic future but, instead, one
of having a special connection to where said connection will play an
important part in our achieving what we've been called to achieve.

Seeing him will always continue to brighten my day--but it will brighten my day in a platonic way!

I
had already pretty much come to that conclusion long before a
turning-point that began taking place in my life this January 15.

The
main difference that was about to take place had to do with how I
viewed marriage and its relevance to me--and I had decided that I
wasn't even close to being ready to take such a step!

I had just
turned 54 years old, and I was now thinking along the lines of,
possibly, being ready to get married when I was 70 or 80. I was even
wondering if I might live to be 100 or so and, then, die peacefully in
my sleep with no ring on my finger and my virginity still intact.

Some
people go through life being married to nothing more than their calling
and/or career with no need of another person to "complete" them, and it
occurred to me that I just might turn out to be one of those
people--and that didn't make me unhappy.

When it came to romance, I would live it through the lives of others and my own memories and dreams.

As
for the baby and maternity clothes in my hope chest--where they still
remain as a tribute to my dreams--I've realized for a very long time
that being a godmother, second parent, and/or mentor to several kids
even back as far as when I was in the upper grades of elementary school
has helped me to taste the Mommy track time and again. Perhaps, a child
will never grow inside of me, but I've still, on some level at least,
experienced the beauty of parenting!

I was, in fact, expecting to experience such a moment (one of mentoring) on January 15 of this year.

It
happened at what had been meant to be a great idea for a discussion
site--a place where people started/participated in conversations of a
question and answer sort of format and got paid for doing so.

However,
a few greedy people were starting to tear the place apart. Not only
were they complaining on their own but they also had planted seeds of
doubt into the minds of others to where the young webmaster was now
getting raked over the coals and being called a cheat running a scam.
This was not true in the least!

In the midst of all of this, I
noticed an eager poster calling himself Rusty and asking people to come
and give him feedback on a site that he'd designed.

Knowing that
the climate of the site had a ribbon of hostility running through it at
that particular time, I could imagine some of those hecklers really
having a hey-day with this Rusty person--someone whom I imagined was
either in his early twenties or else still in his teens.

I was
imagining a site that contained some links (fixed up as referral links)
to different moneymaking sites along with one or more promotional
movies/slide shows of such sites. There might even be some links to
jokes, the weather, trivia, games, etc.

And I imagined finding
at least some feedback there that went along the lines of "Quit spewing
your spam (insert very nasty name)!"

This eager kid deserved better than that, so I decided to take him under my wing and provide helpful and encouraging feedback.

Imagine
my surprise when I visited the site and found an amazing amount of both
text and videos that dealt with some of the same issues that were near
and dear to my heart!

I also found no signs of flaming going on
there. Instead, I found lots of positive response from a number of
fellow visitors to Rusty's website.

The architect of this site
wasn't a young person but, instead, a senior citizen--and one with a
very interesting and unique background!

He had made mistakes in
his life--and this wasn't surprising, considering the hand that he had
been dealt before he was even old enough to shave--but was now very
successful at being part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

I
was so thrilled to find this treasure trove that I wrote this Rusty guy
some very positive feedback and told him that I hope we'd keep in touch
because we were on the same page.

He wrote me back (using the on site private message system) and gave me one of his main e-mail addresses.

At
some point in our correspondence, it began to occur to me that I was
writing to a single man who was a little over a decade my senior, so I
thought it was only fair to let him know early on that I wasn't sending
him a pick-up line--that I was seriously interested in getting to know
him but in a platonic way only.

He wrote back and told me that he knew that I wasn't trying to pick him up.

Good!

It
was nice to clear the air there, because I didn't want to mislead him
and (in case he were entertaining different thoughts about the
direction in which this relationship was going than I was) disappoint
him. This was a man who had already experienced more than his share of
disappointments, and the last thing I wanted to do was to hurt him
unnecessarily.

Early on, I had invited him to a product review
site of which I was a member--and was very pleasantly surprised one
evening to find that he had turned me into a product and had written a
glowing five-star review about me! I had never had such a thing happen
before!

By then, we had already talked on the phone at least
once or twice--but, still, just as friends who were out to shake things
up and rattle a few cages.

I left a comment telling him how much I'd appreciated this--and he responded that I deserved every bit of it and so much more.

I
called my mom and told her what had just happened, and she was really
touched as well. I asked her if she would like to tell him herself how
much this meant to her as well, and she said that she would, so I got a
three-way telephone conversation going, and we all had a wonderful talk.

One
thing that I have is a flat-rate phone package when it comes to calling
people in the United States. This comes in very handy for me in so many
ways, and it enables me to also connect two other people into three-way
conversations.

Although Russell and I have now set, with few
exceptions, certain times for talking on the phone (as we can
accomplish most things using e-mail), we've had the great experience of
being able to talk back and forth at length without having to worry
about mounting long-distance costs. We've also used the three-way to be
able to both be on the line while talking to mutual friends.

We
definitely had good chemistry between us--including the realization
that each of us was crushing on the other at least a little--but it
still wasn't with romantic intentions when it suddenly occurred to me
that there was something that I really wanted to do in celebration of
our wonderful friendship. Not consciously, anyway.

Inspired by a piece of writing
that another friend had written several years ago, I asked Russell how
he would feel about being my cyber-husband. I explained to him (in an
essay I'd written) that this wasn't the same thing as being married in
real life but was only a special way of celebrating what a dynamic duo
we had become.

I told him that this song had been playing in my head whenever I thought about our wonderful friendship.

I
knew that I was taking a risk of scaring him so badly that he wouldn't
want to have another thing to do with me and would come to see me as
some kind of cyber-stalker. Somehow, though, I felt that our friendship
was stronger than that and that the worst he could do was to tell me
that he appreciated the gesture but just wasn't comfortable with it.

What
a wonderful surprise awaited me when I got an e-mail with an
attachment--and the attachment turned out to be a cyber-marriage
certificate that he had created for us! It wasn't anything really
elaborate--just something to make it "official" that, as of February
19, 2007, we were cyber-married!

Even after we were
cyber-married, I would have said, "No way!" had I been asked if there
were any chance that Russell and I might end up being married "for
real" sometime in the future.

Sure! There's a chance that
anything might happen, I suppose. If George W. Bush and Hillary Clinton
end up surviving their spouses, I suppose that there would be a chance
that they would fall in love with each other and get married.

However--while
a real-life marriage between Russell and me might be more likely to
happen than that--I still was under the impression back then that
chances of this happening would still fall under the "slim to none"
description.

Now, I'm not so sure about that--in fact, these days, I'm under the impression that the odds are *considerably* better than 50/50 of this becoming a wonderful reality!!!

No
matter what, Russell and I are definitely meant to be together as
friends who are out to make this world a better place. No matter what,
this part of our special story isn't going to change except to get
better and better!!!

Part Two
There's an old song called Why Do Fools Fall In Love?

Am I a fool?

Some people would say I was, and others would say that I'm actually a very wise woman.

Living
with myself 24/7, I can accurately say that there are times when I'm
actually a very wise woman, times when I'm a total fool, and--for the
most part--those in-between times.

But I can tell you this much:

Becoming
friends with Russell is nothing less than very wise--and, though I act
a little (OK! A LOT!) goofy and giddy at times over him, I think that
falling head over heels in love with him is also a very wise (albeit
involuntary) decision.

Even though the decision to fall in love
with him might be involuntary, there are certain things that are left
up to me when it comes to how I handle these wonderful emotions.

Do I keep it to myself? or Do I shout it from the mountain top?

I've, obviously, done a better job of doing the latter!

When
you learn more about what Russell Thomas Hartsaw is all about, I
believe that you'll be better able to understand why I love this man so
much!

Let's begin with the website that began it all back on January 15, 2007.

It
has had revisions made on it since that time, obviously--for one thing,
I've become part of it!--but the general idea of it is still the same.

Russell Online
is a very special website that is set up to strongly encourage those
visiting there to take a closer look at what is going on in the world
these days. Although Russell and I are, overall, on the same page, I
wouldn't call myself a dittohead by any stretch of the imagination.

For example...

Although
we both agree that President Bush has certainly made some very wrong
moves when it comes to our current situation in Iraq, as it has been
looking like a Vietnam deja vu for quite some time, I tend to cut our
President considerably more slack than Russell does.

Although I
do show my claws when necessary, and Russell can actually be a
marshmallow at times (more times than he even seems to realize), it's
pretty much a given that I'm the softer side of this dynamic duo.

He calls me a creampuff and a softie. This is an excerpt from an e-mail that he sent to me on Mothers Day:

"Give
your Mother a Mother's Day kiss for me, and have her give you one for
me. Tell her that she raised a very special daughter. Even if she is a
big softie. "

When I told my mom what he'd written, she told me that she agreed with his take on me 100%.

I have a companion website called AJ Online that is (as of this date) in the early stages of construction. It represents this softer side of "us."

I've created a special spot at Writing.com called Welcome To Our World!
This spot is the place to go to find lots of stuff (even photos!) in
re: Russell, Rascal (his special guardian angel stuffed dog), me, and
various kinds of things that go along with our mission. By clicking on
the briefcase icon bearing his name that you'll find here and there,
you will also be able to find and read his WDC portfolio.

The project closest to his heart is Invisible Youth,
which is an organization he founded with the welfare of young people
who are homeless, abused, and otherwise "at-risk" in mind. I would
strongly urge you to check out this site and, hopefully, decide to
become one of our virtual volunteers.

I'm involved in several areas of our organization, including managing our online store.

One
enthusiastic person--a neighbor of Russell's--who is definitely on our
side and eager to help is a delightfully-unique guy by name of Frank J.
Rakovic who is best known by the handle of Professor Cool. Russell has
designed a wonderful website for him, and I'd like to invite you to go there and check it out in order to find out just how nice, amazing, and multi-talented this 63 years young man really is!

One
more thing before going on to the final part of this tribute, a
beautiful, talented woman named Dana who often goes by the handle of
Dragon Blue has designed a special birthday greeting for Russell.

If
my words have convinced you that Russell Thomas Hartsaw is "all
that"--or, at least, comes pretty darn close to being so!--I hope that
you will participate in this party by leaving a message in the
guestbook.

Click here to go there!!!

Here's something to be keeping in mind...

Russell has decided to make October Youth Outreach Month.
What he hopes is that communities will choose at least one day--which
day exactly will be up to each community--to place an extra-special
emphasis on giving those young people who need it a better way to go.

There
are a number of ways that this can be done from festivals to marathons
to concerts to bake sales to car washes to whatever else will achieve
this purpose.

One more thing, Russell is available to speak
and/or conduct classes/workshops at venues such as churches, colleges,
high schools, libraries, clubs, conventions, dinners, etc.

If he's going any great distance, he will need travel expenses (by train), food, and lodging taken care of.

Although donations are always welcome--and very much needed and appreciated--he does his presentations for free.

Part Three
Finally, I would like to close with a link
that will give you information about four very special people who
deserve to be heard. After you have read what they've written, I hope
that you will share some encouraging words with them. Thanks for taking the time to read this tribute to Russell and for what he stands! Now
go out there and have a very happy Russell T. Hartsaw Day--and be sure
to share this tribute with others! It will still be available for
reading even after Russell's 66th Birthday is history!

Traveling Backwards...

2007-02-20T05:10:00.000-05:00

Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com

At Dorm Check, there's a discussion going re: why Britney shaved her head.

Some couldn't believe that it was even her picture. Others thought that she was trying to get attention. As for myself, I remembered this old-fashioned poem/lullaby.

There are so many other songs like this one, and I've made some links for them. Click on each one to read their lyrics:

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

Click Me!

This is what I believe about Britney--who is also, from what I understand, going into rehab.

Her life is in shambles, and she wants to get back to a simpler time before her troubles began--perhaps, clear back to babyhood.

Shaving her head is probably symbolic to her of making a fresh start--becoming like a baby without all of the burdens of adulthood and starting a new life.

She hopes to grow along with her hair.

If I'm right on this hunch, I find that admirable, and she should be encouraged instead of discouraged...should find more extended hands around her and fewer pointing fingers.

Letter About A Very Special Friend!

2007-02-19T07:21:00.000-05:00

Hi, Everybody!

I'm writing to let you know that I've recently met a very special person named Russell Hartsaw! He's totally-amazing, and I want to tell everybody about him! Now don't go getting any ideas and start listening for wedding bells, but I'll have to say that Russell is definitely an answer to my prayers! We have wonderful chemistry when it comes to both being friends and being supportive of each others' dreams. While we might not agree on every single thing, we still share many of the same dreams!

We both believe that 2007 is going to be a very good year for us, and we're thankful to be sharing it together!

A few days ago, I began writing a review of a rather grumpy piece about Valentine's Day that I'd come across--and found that it was quickly becoming a blog-entry. At that time, I felt inspired to turn it into a special piece of writing that would celebrate Russell and what we mean to each other in a very special way.

It then became a piece of writing that was almost like a mini-website, and it went along with Russell's and my special dream of building other people up and getting them "out there"--along with getting ourselves "out there," as well.

Russell hasn't yet seen what I've written, because he had a website he was building for an artist who goes by Professor Cool up at the time and couldn't escape out of there without losing a lot of hard work. I told him that I hope he'll like it, and he told me that he had the feeling that he was going to like it a lot.

Russell has such a beautiful and sensitive soul--and he's truly a one-of-a-kind person!

Before I share the link of what I've written about him, I'd like to make a special announcement:

If your first name is one of the following, pay special attention, because it just might be that you have a role in this piece of writing (after you click on the hyperlink) that will promote your businesses/websites/etc. in some way...

Megan

Michelle

Kimberly

Candice

Russell (duh?)

Roger

Jacqui

Other very important names have been mentioned as well--and I hope that you'll pay extra-special attention to one of those names: Teresa

Now--without further ado--here's what I wrote:

I Hope He Says "Yes!"

In Memory Of Anna Nicole Smith

2007-02-12T03:07:00.000-05:00

Her sudden and mysterious passing made the headlines a few days ago. Although I hadn't kept up with her that much through her life, I knew whom she was and about her various ups and downs. I can say this much--that being that she had, sadly, become a kind of cardboard figure in the minds of too many...somebody who, too often, got looked at as a kind of joke, and somebody who deserved much better. Even now, we can still judge her and make jokes about her, but this will no longer touch her. She's safe. Where she is, she's appreciated for herself, and nobody is befriending her because of some sort of personal agenda. The sad thing is that this should have been the case when she was still on this side of life. We need to find more thrill in kindness than in cruelty. Cruelty should NEVER pass for entertainment--NEVER!!! Tonight, I came across that question again re:

What do you think of the situation with Anna Nicole Smith?

As I though about my answer, this song began to play in my head, and I want to share its lyrics here as a tribute to this candle-in-the-wind.
Go Here...

Christian Glitter by www.christianglitter.com

Some Thoughts On Love, Marriage, & The S-Word...

2007-02-10T01:18:00.000-05:00

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I came across a question at a place called DormCheck that asked how two people who had never had sex should do it for the first time.

This is what I wrote and thought that it would be worth posting here as well...

The
best way is to first take out a marriage license; go through some kind
of ceremony (simple, elaborate, or somewhere in-between) where you
pledge your love to each other for a lifetime; and, eventually, go to a
location where you're both comfortable, relax, and begin to explore.

You
don't have to hurry love, because you have a lifetime. Be patient with
each other and with yourselves. Learn to laugh WITH each other and
never AT each other.

Before all of the above happens, however,
get to know each other first (I'm talking of minds and hearts instead
of bodies!), because marriage isn't something to enter into lightly.

You
don't marry somebody in order to have sex with him/her. You marry
somebody because this is the person with whom you want to wake up in
the morning, go through the day, and settle into bed at night--and,
because of this, you want to connect with him/her in this way that is
known as having sex/making love.

Here are two songs I'm dedicating to this question...

Click Me!

Click Me, Too!

No Other Reason To Share This Except That It's Beautiful!

2006-12-11T03:56:00.000-05:00

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A Wise Saying, If You Ask Me...

2006-11-27T23:20:00.000-05:00

Hey! I Like This!

2006-11-12T19:33:00.000-05:00

What Disney Ride Are You?

Mickey's Philharmagic

You're not a ride at all, but you're magical, and 4-D, and when I'm on drugs, you're the coolest thing I've ever seen. You're Philharmagic!!!

Click Here to Take This Quiz
Brought to you by YouThink.com quizzes and personality tests.

Check Out This Cool Blog!

2006-11-11T17:22:00.000-05:00

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How could I NOT like this blog when the woman has two daughters, and one of them is named Ainsley!?!

Abby and Ainsley are BOTH simply adorable.

Yes, I can forgive both the blogger and her blog for being a little bit too blue and a little bit too lacking in the red department.

At least, we're both wanting the same thing: A country with a beautiful future for special little people like Ainsley and Abby.

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Just Being A Little Catty With You In A Friendly Sort Of Way...

2006-10-29T14:40:00.000-05:00

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Aloha Memories

2006-10-29T04:12:00.000-05:00

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I was reading a poem, and it brought back a special memory which I wanted to share here. What I'm sharing was originally written to the poet:

When I read this poem, I remember how, when I was 12 1/2 (in 1965, which was the summer between sixth and seventh grades), my folks and I went to Hawaii where we stayed for two weeks.

During the first few days, we took several guided tours of the island of Oahu (where Honolulu is) but, also, had free time. Our group then flew to some of the outer islands of Hawaii (the state). Our first two nights were spent on the island of Hawaii--first night in Hilo and next night in Kona. We next flew to the island of Maui. On the final night, we flew to the island of Kaui (not sure of spelling, but it was something like that). We then flew back to Honolulu.

Once there, we still stayed in the same apartment type of hotel room (Reef Tower building), but we were now on our own as far as touring, so we rented a car and drove back to some favorite places, plus added a few of our own.

Every night, we would go to The International Marketplace where we would drink something called a Julani (something like an Orange Julius in a choice of orange or pineapple flavor) and would watch the entertainment which always included, among other things, a cool guy named (not sure of the spelling on some of these names, places, and products) Lanokila who was a stand-up comedian, master of ceremonies, and a singer. One of the acts he introduced was this young man who danced around with fiery torches and ate the flames.

We enjoyed listening to the bells from Aloha Tower which played at different times during the day.

I loved the ocean there, too. On the island of Maui, the waves went in and out with such a beautiful and interesting pattern. On the island of Oahu, I loved being able to swim underwater with my eyes open and seeing a whole new world that had such a wonderful blue overall color.

One day, we even went to where they were filming the movie, Hawaii (which we would see when I was in eighth grade, which is when it was in a theater in Indiana--the Circle Theatre in Indianapolis on Monument Circle, which is now home to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra), and one of the extras and I were flirting with each other. He was the deckhand with dark hair who was wearing a striped t-shirt at the first part of the movie.

Speaking of flirting, we had this wonderful head tour guide who was available to answer questions, etc. the entire time. Also had a beautiful singing voice. His name was John Cash, believe it or not, but he looked more like Dan Blocker. I'll never forget how he made me feel like a princess. I was the only child in our tour group, so he kinda spoiled me by making over me and making me feel all grown up. I had a crush on him, even though there was a boy in my grade at school on whom I had a bigger crush. I think I'll always have a crush on John Cash.

Anyway, in short, Hawaii was a very pleasant experience and very beautiful and enchanting.

I was glad to leave at the end of our stay to fly back to San Francisco to visit for another week with Uncle Finley and Aunt Marce, and I was glad to get back to Indiana. Only one time had I ever considered leaving Indiana and living somewhere else, and this wasn't the time.

But Hawaii was still a place that I wished were closer and less expensive to get to. If it were, I would have gone back a whole lot more.

Which brings me back to the original thought here.

I remember one night that I had this dream. By then, several weeks had gone by since our trip to Hawaii.

In the dream, I was back in Hawaii with my folks, and we were walking along a sidewalk in Honolulu. There was a light mist going on (which was what usually happened instead of rain) and the bells of Aloha Tower were playing.

Then, I woke up and found myself in my own bedroom.

Keep in mind that I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Hoosier, and there has never wanted to live anywhere else besides Indiana (with the exception of when I REALLY fell for a guy while visiting Acapulco a year later and thought about marrying him someday and living down there).

I might want to live somewhere for a time (such as while teaching at a one-room schoolhouse or something like that), but Indiana has always been so much home to me.

Even so, I woke up from dreaming about Hawaii and found myself back in my bedroom, and I lay there in bed after that crying for awhile.

This poem reminded me of this.

This is a link to the poem that inspired this review:

My Wings

Behold The Sparkling Waterfall!

2006-10-22T04:24:00.000-04:00

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