Saturday, February 19, 2022

Removing the Joy from Reading

        I remember taking Jenna to the library and checking out books.  We would read together.  She would look at books on her own.  She looked forward to any reading contest or book clubs.  She enjoyed traveling through books and acquiring knowledge.  Reading was a positive thing. 



        Fast forward to the school years that required certain books to analyze in order to receive a good grade.  Reading was no longer fun.  We had to dissect each sentence and look for symbolic meaning.  Why cant we just enjoy books for the sake of entertainment or learn about subjects that really do interest us instead of something that the educational system came up with? 

        Jennas frustration leads her to say, why do you suppose the author chose the word the?  What does that mean? What can we learn about the author illustrating the sky was blue rather than orange or gray?  What do these colors represent?

        I understand her frustration.  I felt the same way, and were not alone.  Being forced to read To Kill a Mocking Bird would not have been so bad if being graded on the representation of every word and character had not killed the joy of reading.  At least Jenna will read and memorize script.  I find myself relying more on video or audio entertainment than reading.  I get tired reading. 

        Ive never been an avid reader.  I am slow.  I would rather read on my own terms though I often wish it was at a faster pace.  I do enjoy learning but Id rather research what interests me and what is easiest for my mind to handle.   

Thursday, February 17, 2022

POP-tarts Have Now Failed Me

              I know that there will be many who may not relate to this post at all.  Some people are okay with Pop-Tarts while others are not.  I know my uncle hates them.  Compares them to cardboard with jam.  This morning I think cardboard would have been preferable to the flour/water solution that seem to be the only present ingredients in todays Pop-Tart.

        Its not as though Pop-Tarts had been a staple in my home as I was growing up, but I do remember there being available.  Back in the day, they came in strawberry, blueberry and cherry.  They werent frosted.  We would butter them the way you butter toast.  Dad had showed us that if we butter the backside as opposed to the raised side, the butter would distribute evenly and not slide off.

    When frosting was introduced, I wasn't particularly fond of it and would often by unfrosted knock-offs.

        I realize that a childs tastebud is different from that of an adults.  At least mine are.  What I thought tasted wonderful then I only tolerate now.  Often the reverse.  I dont know when frosting was introduced but had often gone with a knock-off brand when I wasnt always in the mood for frosting.  My eldest niece used to call them flat cookies.

        Roland and I have purchased Pop-Tarts several times while weve lived in Oregon.  Again, it is not a staple just something fun as a snack or quick breakfast (depending on the flavor).   Pop-Tarts had come in packages of six or sometimes eight.  Now the package claims 16.  The box is the same size perhaps a little smaller.  The Pop-Tart is definitely smaller than it was pre-pandemic.  Half the size.  The plain one is not so pleasant to the mouth thus the frosting covering is NOT a bad choice as it covers up the super icky taste of todays pathetic crust.  Gross. 


        I already know what some of you are thinking.  Why would I expect greatness in said product?  I dont know that I expect greatness but not such dull crust.  Compared to yesteryear last century . . .

 And then to top it all off I had a fight with the toaster - first trying to put the dang things in - one broke.  And then getting them out.  There are still pieces that are stuck in the toaster - I cant get them out.  Seems the harder I try the more stuck they become.  I think there will be a smell of burnt in the near future.

Pop-Tarts website does not offer valuable information about revolution of product. This site does offer a bit more history (not much) if you are interested. 

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Why Not Just Memorize the Entire Script

              When Jenna was seven years old I had signed her up for an acting class.  The show to be preformed was “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown”.  A few hours before taking her to the “audition” she painted red dots all over her face and told me she couldn’t possibly go because she had the measles.  I don’t know what she had against Charlie Brown at the time, but I know the entire “Peanuts” gang were not high on her list of shows to watch.  Pretending she was one of them seemed against her nature.

          That first night of class the script was passed out.  Three boys and four girls read the script according to how the instructor had assigned them before she changed what parts to read for.  Lucy and Linus were cast that night but she was still getting a feel for who the other children would play and who would be double cast (as there are just six characters).  Jenna had memorized everybody’s part except for Charlie Browns.  She was hoping to get cast as either Schroeder or Snoopy.

          The following week the children went over the script again.  Neither the instructor nor I could see either of the boys playing Charlie Brown as one seemed highly unfocused to play a main part.  The other spoke Spanish as his native tongue and did not read English well enough to pull off Charlie Brown.  Thus the instructor had asked if Jenna would be okay playing Charlie Brown.  She wasn’t, but we made Charlie Brown a girl instead of a boy. 

          Long before the final performance Jenna had memorized the entire script.  She has continued this for years.  She has never taken drama at school until this year.  Script was written and parts passed out – more students than characters.  Thus to include Jenna additional supporting characters were written in so that, if nothing else, she would at least be seen milling in the background.  People who say “there are no small parts just small actors” are full of it.  There are parts or even characters that are insignificant enough that they can be written out. 

          To her credit, Jenna has learned others’ parts as she has practiced going over lines with some other students.  During the course of time she has been asked to substitute for various students who would not/will not make it to the final performance (or sometime during the week of performance)  She has done that before – playing multiple characters or saying multiple lines when she is on stage with the one she is saying lines for (for example, there were three aunts in "Madness, Murder and Matrimony -or-Have Some Madeira, M'Dear?" who appeared on the stage at the same time, but when  another aunt was unavailable to perform one night, Jenna said both of their lines. 

 I am such a proud parent that I just feel the need to boast.  Here  are some of her accomplishments here and more on her Charlie Brown experience here.

Thursday, February 10, 2022

You Are Messing Up My Account!

               Ever since we had acquired other services (such as Netflix and YouTube) in which we can each set up our own account,  Jenna would set up her account and do her best to safeguard it so that ONLY the shows/vids she watches will be documented.  No imposters welcome on her account.  Only Roland would often pick shows to watch regardless on whatever account he lands on.  I at least have the decency to use the guest account when I have not created one for myself or someone else has created for me.

              I do understand why she gets annoyed as Roland’s feed does include some less than wholesome activity – not that he has watched it all.  Sometimes a program may look interesting and may already be documented before it’s realized that there wasn’t enough interest in the program to continue – but once it’s been looked at, it may remain in the “pop-ups” for longer than desired (How embarrassing it would be if my friends saw that on my feed) and so she would go into his account and start watching children’s programming so that it would remain on his feed.  Again, he doesn’t care.  He might not even notice.

              So the latest is his obsession is with Rawhide.  He has discovered that YouTube offers the entire series.  Usually he falls asleep as it is playing and will forget to turn it off and the Rawhide programs will still be playing when Jenna turns on the TV (which is rare – but she does like watching her animator shows in the morning between getting dressed and leaving for seminary) or turn it on for music while she is in the kitchen doing chores after she returns home from school.  Seeing Rawhide in her feed tends to tick her off.  Jenna is not one to get upset or blow off steam.  Overall she is really good natured.  Even the complaints she makes are only temporary.  It’s not like she dwells on them.

              It is annoying but also kind of funny as it is such an idiotic thing to become upset about – and yet understandable.  I have deleted my own account when it becomes too full of his programs and Netflix has suggested to me programs that I might be interested in according to my feed – but it’s not my feed.

If there are any “Don’t Miss This” activity on Jenna’s YouTube account than it was me, but was an accident as I do try to make a conscience effort to go to the “Guest” account but all the “Teaching With Power” are on Him.  And in perspective Rawhide and Teaching with Power in a YouTube feed are really not that bad compared to some of the “thrillers” and other interests that would pop up on the Netflix feed.  I’m certain that there are other people who can relate.

Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Look for the Rainbows

 My first post this month and I still seem to be running on empty.  I was intrigued by my brothers post (found here) and often wish that I was as profound and gifted with words as he is.  I absolutely love his comparisons and thoughtfulness. 

I recently gave a thought on light and had meant to include rainbows in my thought but had forgotten to.  It wouldnt have been as good as how Steven had put it.  I suppose I could use real names now.  He isnt Corey nor am I LaTiesha.  The photos I have used are pictures of how we look though our names were changed for various reasons (some of which I explain in the very first post on New Years Day 2012)

The news has said that the mask mandate will lift come March 31.  I noticed many have already decided to enforce the lift as Roland and I had gone to Costco today and I saw more patrons without masks than with them.  All of the workers were wearing masks.  I didnt notice any signs saying they were required.

Our governor tried the same thing last year in June, to lift the mandate but in August it went back into affect.  If it isnt COVID, it is something else such as the elements or the truck driving strike.  I get it.  But I dont comprehend how its going to solve anything.  I would think it would damage the economy even more.  But we need to look for those rainbows, right?  The storm isnt going to last forever.



Monday, January 31, 2022

Empty Pews

 


          I think it was Friday night when our bishop posted that the COVID cases are high in the ward and advised members who had/have symptoms to stay home.  I thought that church was cancelled but learned that I had misread.  Still, I wondered why it hadn’t been cancelled all together.  Our numbers were few.

          I counted 36 people in the chapel and perhaps 20 more in the overflow – I don’t know why the accordion doors hadn’t been closed so that those who chose to sit that far back wouldn’t have the option.  It isn’t as though there were any screaming youth to take out.  In fact, there were only six youth in total.  Only two of them were primary age.

          Roland had been called to teach Sunday School for the youth ages 12-14 but ended up with both classes making his class total a grand total of all four youth that had come to church yesterday.  It was definitely an interesting Sunday.  I hope there were more who had chosen to attend virtually.  I don’t think I have ever seen our numbers down quite that low – though the pandemic has put a strain on attendance.  Even the missionaries are in quarantine right now.

Saturday, January 29, 2022

Dense Fog

 

The fog continues to envelope our county.  Each morning seems to be more dense than the morning prior.  Usually Emily (better known as Alexa Echo) gives an warning from Amazon about the weather conditions and air quality.  Funny, she never mentions the air quality during fire season when it is much harder to breathe than anything the Oregon air currently offers. 

Usually I will look across the street and see my neighbors’ houses and some of the trees behind them.  But now it appears I am looking at the houses through a dirty screen.  And everything is white.  And the back hill is a frosty overgrowth which hasn’t been mowed since last year.






Thursday, January 27, 2022

That is Too Funny

 Roland has always played mind games with telemarketers, scammers and what have you.  He keeps them on the line pretending to be interested by asking a bunch of irrelevant questions to show his interest although the caller isn't prepared to answer said questions and begins to feel inadequate about product, service or whatever it is.  Eventually they hang up.  Sometimes Roland is the one who hangs up.

I am in awe about his approach the last few times.  What a work of beauty.  Most often the caller number will show along with location of said number.  Roland will pick up and say,: "Salt Lake City (or whatever area happens to be calling) you're on the air.  Go ahead."  The caller hangs up immediately!  I LOVE it!!!!



Tuesday, January 18, 2022

Nature Moves

         Last year when I walked Bonnie, I took my cell phone or camera but have not done that for the past four months or so.  I can’t seem to find all the camera chargers and corresponding batteries and the cell phone I have weighs too much and is too big to keep in pocket and Bonnie is so strong that I’m afraid of dropping it.  Thus I have missed out on some spectacular views  I suppose I could just recharge one of my older flip phones.  Picture may not be the best quality, but I’m not using it for anything other than to look up numbers that are not on my current phone.

         As I watched the clouds surrounding the hills rise to the top I thought about how nature changes within seconds.  Snow melts.  Rivers dry out.  Moisture evaporates.  Clouds move across the sky.  Always different than it was before.  ALWAYS.



Monday, January 17, 2022

Golden Dox

               This morning I took Bonnie for a longer walk than usual – or rather she walked me.  I don’t know why she thinks she has to move at freeway speed.  I know it isn’t comfortable for her to have her collar choking her as I am leaning against the leash trying to slow her down.  She never learns.  For the most part she has pulled either me or Jenna along. 

          I don’t know what triggered my memory of Houdini or entering him in the pet contest at Cinco de Mayo celebration that Kearns does every year – or at least each year we had lived there.  We had this hairy dog who loved his boys and would often “escape” to look for them – sometimes ending up at the elementary school or pound. 

          There were several categories in which we could have entered Houdini.  He would have blown all other dogs out of the water if we had remembered his toys.  Houdini could catch darts in his mouth, bounce a basketball off his nose, and of course, fetch.  Since we didn’t have a ball or other object to use we had entered him in “The most fluffy” category.  I think he took second.

          There had been a category for most “unique” or something to that effect.  A little girl had entered her dog as not many people have ever seen anything like it.  I know I hadn’t.  I wouldn’t consider it ugly necessarily but certainly not beautiful - as a whole.  His head was beautiful.  It just didn't seem to match his body - at all. His head was that of a golden retriever while his body was that of a dachshund – as though Dr. Frankenstien had sewn the two together.  The oddest part was that his head seemed to be the same exact size as the rest of his body. 

          It didn’t matter how oddly shaped he was or that he wasn’t the most sought after pet among all that were there, the little girl loved him unconditionally.  He was her friend.  It didn’t matter if others thought he looked flawed.  In her eyes he was beautiful and she was overly grateful to have him in her life.

          It reminds me of a talk I heard at sacrament.  Given by Brother Brown.  We have several Brother Browns in our ward.  Each seem to shed a stream of tears before he even make it to the pulpit.  He talked about a statue he’d seen recently – someone’s interpretation of how Jesus must have looked after he had been lifted off the cross.  Bro. Brown said the image was of one who had been weakened and appeared to be in despair – not at all beautiful.  Not someone others would follow. 

          As he stood and gazed at the statue and allowed emotions to take over, he thought about unconditional love and what it means.  We need to love others regardless of their backgrounds or misshapen pasts.  We need to love others we may not agree with.  We must love them regardless of the choices they make.  It was a really good meeting.  I wish I had that kind of love, but I know that I don’t.  It is something that I need to work on.

Wednesday, January 12, 2022

May the Fleas of a Thousand Camels Infest Your Armpits!

               I HATE  scams.  I hate that criminals are preying on the weakness of others.  I keep an email account open just for junk – it’s not an account I have used often but some businesses require an email and so I give them one.  It would take me forever to wade through it if I thought there was anything serious about any of them that I would take the time to look more closely rather than scan, but since the holidays I’ve just been deleting without looking – which is kind of sad but definitely faster.

              It used to be that I could click on all in one sweep just by checking the junk box and all would be checked.  But they won’t all delete if there are red flags.  Those I have to do separately.  I get scams from hackers claiming to be Lowes, Paypal, Bank of America, Home Depot .  . .  mostly Lowes.  I have to scroll through to mark off each red flag and delete them separately from the normal junk.  QUIT LYING TO ME ALREADY!!!   It’s bad enough I have so many unwanted advertisements – let’s not throw scams on top!  ARRRRGGGG!!! 

 


 

 

 

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Taking Precautions

               The last three times I was with Roland when he had driven to the VA it seemed like a big ordeal.  Instead of going the usual way which leads directly to the hospital, the back roads were required in order to keep all traffic moving in one direction  - only one way in and one way out.  


Along the way we would see masked workers who would come up to the car, ask questions, take temperatures – I think they may have even offered testing but I’m not sure. 

 




https://kcby.com/news/local/roseburg-va-health-care-system-holds-veteran-influenza-clinics

You had to be healthy to get a pink slip (see here) which was the ticket into the hospital.  If you were not healthy, no pink slip for you!  I’m at a hospital . . . that’s where sick people come to be treated.  Isn’t it?

          Yesterday we learned we could have gone in the normal route as we saw no workers – health workers that is.  We did see construction workers and orange polycones and signs.  Lots of detouring and a roundabout drive more than what has been expected since COVID. 

          Normally I just stay in the car and work my puzzles while Roland goes for whatever visit he is there for.  Yesterday it was his eyes.  I should have had him roll down a window as it was hot in the car and I was getting a glare – but he had the keys and I did not.  About ten minutes and two puzzles later Roland called to tell me that I could come into the building.  He did not tell me that there was a screening set up inside.

          I put on a paper mask – and it turned out to be a good thing that I had selected paper as cloth masks are now discouraged.  I was asked first what had brought me there.  I said my husband had called me to come be with him.  I was asked to look at a list of symptoms and report if I had any of them.  I said no.  I was asked if I had been around someone who might be sick.  I said my husband.  I was given a green ticket.  I don’t know if colors really mean anything or not. 


          This area is normally empty as pictured, but all the chairs were full when I entered.  It was the only part of the hospital that I saw people.  


The VA hospital always appears as a ghost town to me – like it was abandoned by all life except maybe the janitor because it is clean. 



      
  I sat down in the waiting area where Roland had his appointment.  A veteran sat caddy cornered from me and pulled down his mask and half yelled that he can't always wear it because he has asthma and the mask makes it hard to breathe.  A worker walked through a door and turned on the TV and said he was sorry it was not already on.  The maskless vet asks if he could turn the TV to the Hallmark channel.  I smiled behind my mask.  First of all, I don't think that the Hallmark channel is available at the VA.  Secondly, it didn't seem like something he would ask for but really was refreshing from anything sports.

        His cell phone went off.  I was amused that he had set his ring tone to Golden Girls' theme "Thank You for Being a Friend"

           I posted these three pictures to my facebook page.  



We had seen these on Saturday when we had gone to Roseburg so that we could get a booster shot for Jenna.  The caption of my post was “History in the Making” as there was a convoy of National Guard who was called in to assist with the high volume of COVID cases currently in the state of Oregon.