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The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I cannot go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree, but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
--Theodore Roethke
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Joy's Updates - Straight from the Horse's Mouth.
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Sunday, February 29, 2004
Tradition
Tonight I continue my tradition of watching the Oscars complete with print-out of the nominees to check off the winners. I've never missed one since I got to start watching them. I'm not sure when that was since I think we got a TV when I was around 7 or 8. I don't remember but do recall watching them in black and white with my parents.
In two weeks we have spring break - two weeks of spring break!! I like this modified year-round block schedule we're on for several reasons. One of them is that no matter how difficult the classes are, they only last a semester which is why I'm really happy this term. I really enjoy my classes and am glad to be around them. If I could have classes like these, I could teach many more years and be happy about it.
11:46:00 AM
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Blogdom
I've been checking out some other blogs and found a few that are quite interesting. One of them is The Cheating Culture which is a topic a friend and I have been discussing lately. It boggles our minds to find out how dishonest many people can be. They think nothing of it apparently. It's more and more difficult to get some students to understand what it really means to have integrity. We've been discussing this in class lately since we're reading essays of Emerson and Thoreau that lead to some fascinating exchanges. I'm really enjoying this term!
12:44:00 PM
Friday, February 27, 2004
Trivia and more Trivia
Here we are again with another quiz for you.
1. MOVIE - What 2000 biopic marked the directing debut for actor Ed Harris, who also played the title role?
2. MOVIE - Who played Wednesday Addams in the 1991 film version of The Addams Family?
3. TV - What was the nickname for St. Eligius Hospital? (nice to be reminded of that show .... another one I enjoyed)
4. TV - What was the theme song to The Wonder Years?
5. MUSIC - What Madonna song name drops Dietrich and DiMaggio? (no clue, thank goodness)
6. MUSIC - What flute-flaunting group won the 1998 Grammy for Best Hard Rock or Metal Performance? (ah yes, this one I know)
7. S&G - What NHL star purchased the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1999 and came out of retirement to play for them in 2000? (don't know hockey but would like to see a Predators game)
8. S&G - What musician broke the Greek national 50-meter freestyle swimming record at age 14? (I can't believe this answer! Wow!)
9. BUZZ - Singer Karen Carpenter passed away due to complications from what disorder?
10. BUZZ - What professional sport was comedian Andy Kaufman involved with? (never liked him)
11. FAD - What General Foods treat was marketed as a "crackling candy"?
12. FAD - What bust-creating lingerie is brought to you by Sara Lee? (Sara Lee?)
7:47:00 PM
Thursday, February 26, 2004
What is it, Wednesday?
I've been feeling good this week. Odd as it might seem from looking at me, I think part of my tiredness was from not eating enough. Guess I should take better care of myself. I went out Monday night with some teachers from school and ate at Applebee's. I felt better after that which made me consider the food factor. So I've been doing better.
Some of us haven't invested and planned for retirement because we didn't have enough money to work with. I have teaching retirement which I planned to supplement with social security payments. Now I'm getting worried. How about if those people who make over a certain amount of money and don't need SSI don't take it? Why should they? None of the plans need to be to reduce the payments since it's not that much for most of us.
5:46:00 PM
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Week in Review
I've been incredibly sleepy this week - partly because I've been tired from the Rituxan and partly because of my evil cat Brigit. She wakes me up during the night by walking across me and then tapping me on my shoulder. I am not amused. I took something last night to help me get to sleep and have slept almost all day. It doesn't take much for me!
HGTV and TLC give me so many ideas for what I want to do with my house. Moving is one thing I'd like to do but can't reasonably do it since I won't find this much space for the amount I'm paying. Before then, I'll work on this one.
10:43:00 PM
Trivia Pop Culture Style
Answers to the other one are posted now. And now for the new one ....
1. MOVIE - Who played the uncredited role of the oily national news anchorman in Broadcast News?
2. TV - When Kramer was cast in a Woody Allen film, what was his one line?
3. MUSIC - What was the name of Foreigner's first single?
4. MUSIC - What Led Zeppelin drummer died on September 25, 1980?
5. S&G - What football Hall of Famer-turned-Congressman unsuccessfully ran for governor of Oklahoma in 2002?
6. S&G - What WNBA star was the first woman to have a Nike basketball sneaker named for her?
7. BUZZ - On what TV show did Matt Damon let the world - and Minnie Driver - know that they were broken-up?
8. BUZZ - What director works out of Skywalker Ranch? (Michelle's husband works for his company)
9. FAD - What comedian helped create the House of Blues chain?
10. FAD - Which magazine fooled readers with its satiric 1996 profile of fake starlet Allegra Coleman? (is this Alistair's feminine side?)
10:36:00 PM
Monday, February 16, 2004
Snow and Games
My theory has been proven once again that we have a snow shield over our county. It snowed big time to the south of us this time. It snows to the north, to the south, to the east, and to the west of us. Yet somehow it misses us. Very odd! This needs investigating.
Lawrenceburg always gets the worst weather in the state for some reason. That is where the house I didn't win is located. Bill Hall gave a reason for that on the weather report one time, but of course I can't remember what he said.
When I wrote about the games, I neglected to mention the famous Poker Group I was in for a few years. Several of us women got together on a regular basis and played poker. It was a combination of playing poker, laughing, support, friendship, and all kinds of things that meant so much to all of us. Mary Faulkner mentioned us on page 11 of her book Women's Spirituality.
11:23:00 AM
Sunday, February 15, 2004
TV Tonight
The BAFTA's (British Academy of Film Awards) is on BBC-America tonight, so my evening is planned! I enjoyed it last year, especially since Stephen Fry hosts it. He's hilarious! Trinny and Susannah from What Not to Wear on BBC-A are doing a pre-awards commentary about fashion. At least they aren't Joan and Melissa Rivers but are cringingly blunt. I'm not sure why we have to encourage each other and copy the worst aspects of America and England and perpetuate them on TV.
ps ... The What Not to Wear show before the awards was good. They took a couple of women who were attending the awards show and dressed them for it. I got some helpful ideas from it.
The BAFTA show was good. Stephen Fry is always wonderful. Lord of the Rings added more accolades to its collection. I really do need to see those. Lost in Translation is another I want to see since Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray and Scarlett Johannson have all won various awards for it. There is a list of movies I haven't seen that I want to. Hope to rectify that soon.
1:11:00 PM
Rook
After quite a bit of searching, I found a rule on a site about "shoot the moon" in the card game Rook. The Trivial Pursuit answer was that it was done in Hearts, and Michael said he'd never heard of it in Rook. Apparently it's not part of the official rules from Parker Bros. but is used in some variations.
Here it is from this site: A special bid is "shoot the moon" this means the player bids 180 points. If they fail, they go set by 180 points, if they make it they get 500 points.
Another interesting tidbit I found while searching is that Rook ("redneck bridge" as it was called on that site) was popular in the South because many Bible Belters thought standard playing cards were sinful and the devil's tools. Isn't this just one more thing for me to be proud of! Many of us Southerners have a love-hate relationship to our heritage but still don't like others to criticize - it's like family that way.
It didn't bother my family to play any kind of cards. Daddy taught us how to play poker, and I remember highly competitive Canasta and Rook games the Baptist Republican side of the family played when they'd get together. The Methodist Democrat side didn't play games that much although my parents got together with some of the Miller relatives to play Rook - not sure about Canasta though. I just remember being in another room reading while they played cards. My grandfather was a logic whiz and loved those puzzles like getting a fox, chicken, and basket of corn across that lake to the other side.
We really enjoy games in our family and even started Game Day in June so we can play longer now that the grandchildren (Brian, Amy, and Andy) have more family functions to attend and can't stay at Mother's as long as they used to. We like these games: Cranium, Scattergories, Pictionary, Trivial Pursuit, Taboo, Set, Aquarius, Fluxx, Battle of the Sexes, and such as those. We get excited when someone gets a new game for us to learn. I don't do well at Mancala and the ones like that which require the kind of thinking those logic puzzles do.
When I get my house in order (literally), I am going to invite people over for regular game playing. I think it will be lots of fun, and my house is arranged well for parties. Earl will come down and join in, too. When the weather is cooperative, he wants us to have a horse shoes and champagne party just for the contrast. I'm looking forward to having people over for games and lots of laughs. I need to have a social life again.
11:52:00 AM
Saturday, February 14, 2004
Trivia Quiz
from the Pop Culture Edition of Trivial Pursuit ... enjoy!
1. MOVIE - What theory did John Nash advance in A Beautiful Mind?
2. MOVIE - In Sixteen Candles, what food did Long Duk Dong want spelled for him? (is that character Scaryduck's porn name?)
3. TV - What NBC newsman became famous for furiously scribbling on and erasing his wipe board on the 2000 election night?
4. TV - What did Sharon Osbourne fling over the fence into her loud neighbor's yard? (those English are ruining the neighborhood again)
5. MUSIC - What highway was revisited by Bob Dylan in 1965? (I have the LP - remember those?)
6. MUSIC - What ragtime piano player experienced an unlikely comeback in 1973, thanks to the success of The Sting?
7. S&G - What basketball great's silhouette is depicted on the official logo of the NBA?
8. BUZZ - What magazine did writer/director Cameron Crowe join the staff of at age 16?
9. BUZZ - What action film star got his start in the adult film Party at Kitty and Stud's? (woo hoo)
10. FAD - What basketball player are Converse All-Stars named after? (I have some of those I still wear that are over 30 years old and hanging on by a thread - the canvas tennis shoe type)
11. FAD - What is the alter ego of comic-book vigilante Frank Castle?
9:37:00 AM
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
Iceversary
Ten years ago today we had THE ICE STORM! I'll never forget the sound of tree limbs cracking and breaking, transformers exploding, and ice coating everything. My electricity and phone lines were out for a week. I've never been so bored in my life. Trees fell across my driveway, so I couldn't get out for two days. My brother came over with his chainsaw and made it possible for me to escape. I tried to get everything accomplished during the daylight which meant I had to read by flashlight (not too successful for long) and listen to the radio I'd put batteries in. If I could have talked on the phone, it would have helped. I like myself but not enough to spend that much time alone with cats in the dark. Just about everything I like to do involves electricity. It would be 8:00, and I'd think I might as well go to bed, but then if I did, I'd wake up around 2 or 3:00 when it would still be dark for several more hours. The nights were interminable! No way to cook, no hot water, food ruining in the refrigerator .... very bad!
So let's take a moment to remember the ice storm which traumatized us all and hope we don't get another one. They're calling for some snow tonight, but I'm not falling for that again. It's teased me before!
6:37:00 PM
Saturday, February 07, 2004
Trivia Quiz
Answers are posted to last week's quiz in the Squawkbox comment window where it's posted.
And now for this week's quiz and entertaining reading for me! These are some good one even though I don't know but 2 of them. Enjoy!!
1. MOVIES - What song does Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) sing to Mike (Dermot Mluroney) at the karaoke bar in My Best Friend's Wedding? (I saw the movie but blocked this out)
2. MOVIES - What two members of the Rat Pack make appearances in Cannonball Run? (and saw this one, too - didn't remember which ones but can name the Rat Pack - would that help?)
3. TV - What is ALF an acronym for? (didn't like that show so didn't watch it)
4. TV - Which infamous Long Islander had three different TV movies based on her life air during a single week? (unfortunately, I know this one)
5. MUSIC - What as the name of Salt N' Pepa's third member? (I don't even know the first two)
6. MUSIC - What Green Day ballad was performed by actress Gloria Reuben on an episolde of ER? (I watch this show, too, and remember her character, storyline, and that she left to tour with Tina Turner - not the song though)
7. S&G - What card game has players trying to "shoot the moon?" (missed this one but think my answer might also be right - will check this out)
8. S&G - What NHL team is named after a 1992 Disney movie starring Emilio Estevez? (had no clue on this one)
9. BUZZ - What city was Clint Eastwood the mayor of? (at last one more I knew!)
10. BUZZ - What singer was Cuba Gooding, Jr. a break-dancer for? (never knew this at all - think they are making it up - but what people do in the privacy of their homes .... heh heh)
11. FAD - What 1994 Gen X film joked that Evian spelled backwards is Naive? (saw this movie too but couldn't remember the name of it until I read the answer - then it all came back - isn't that just the way it is? aha!)
12. FAD - What is the name of the comic book guy on The Simpsons? (didn't know this but now wonder whose voice he is - anyone know?)
10:59:00 AM
Friday, February 06, 2004
Political Candidates
This is an interesting questionnaire to see which presidential candidates match our opinions and beliefs. The candidate most compatible with mine is Kerry(100%), followed by Kucinich (98%), Dean (93%), Sharpton (92%), Clark (89%), and Edwards (87%). I didn't check a political party, so I could find out where Bu$h ranked and was reassured to discover that he was way in last place - 9%! I was planning to vote for Kerry, so this helps confirm my decision.
The more I read about Kerry's wife, the better I like her, too. She speaks several languages, is well-educated, grew up in Mozambique with interesting parents, has squillions of dollars (from her first marriage to a Heinz who died), and is a philanthropist - said when she goes to her office, it's not to make money but to give it away. She's also older than Kerry (64 and he's 59) and a women's advocate. When he showed her the results of his check-up and was happy his cholesterol was down, she noticed that his PSA was in the normal range but higher than it was on the previous test and had him go back for a follow-up. He had prostate cancer. She sounds interesting.
7:51:00 PM
Now I Know
For quite a while I've wondered what the word for "fear of marriage" was and couldn't find it because mostly I asked people if they knew. One of my creative writing students wanted to use my computer at school to find the name of a phobia and used this list. The word for fear of marriage is gamophobia. Somehow "gamos" means marriage. I can't think of any other words that use this root for it. Can you?
2:56:00 PM
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Days of the Week
Diamond Geezer has an interesting post about an algorithm to memorize that will let you know the day of the week in any year. I can't remember numbers well enough to do it, so I am glad there were links to sites that have them on there already. The other ways scrambled my brain. I was born on a Sunday - a Day of Rest. What can I say? What about the rest of you?
I was trying to remember that verse about what day we were born on and did a google search. Here it is. Does this fit the rest of you as well as it does Gena and me? All those adjectives!
Monday's child is fair of face,
Tuesday's child is full of grace,
Wednesday's child is full of woe,
Thursday's child has far to go,
Friday's child is loving and giving,
Saturday's child works hard for a living,
And the child that is born on the Sabbath day
Is bonny and blithe and good and gay.
7:54:00 PM
Sunday, February 01, 2004
Help!
Was anyone listening to NPR this morning to "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" during the part where they make up things. This one was about legal defenses and one was right. I didn't hear which one worked in court and which ones didn't. Did any of you? The choices were the Saggitarius defense, handsome policeman entrapment, and French misinterpretation of andouille. I missed it and wonder what it was ... so please let me know if you heard it and remember. Ah, so many requirements!
12:12:00 PM
Inadvertent Socializing
Earl stopped by here on his way to Florida to visit his three daughters who all live in different parts of the state. On his way there he also spends some time with his fellow physics major from college and friend in Alabama, who went on to get a PhD in physics while Earl went around being nominated for a Pulitzer for photojournalism while he worked for the Tallahassee Democrat. Since then he has been the State photographer and had other interesting jobs. Now he lives (we use the term loosely) in South Fulton, TN, and does some freelance work. His picture in on my photo album on one of his other trips to FL.
We went to Applebees to eat and had to wait quite a while for a table. While we were waiting, Marilyn Wade and I began one of our marathon conversations. Fortunately, Earl had the presence of mind to suggest they join us when our table was ready, so we had such a good time having dinner with Marilyn and her husband Les. It made me realize how much I need to do that some more. I really enjoyed the evening.
11:45:00 AM
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