Happy St. Patrick's Day

and happy birthday to my brother, Patrick!

What Awesome Dedication

Last night I attended a birthday party for the RS.  The dinner wasn’t scheduled until 6:30, but I could tell by the decorations and the presentation that there were some on the committee that must have started setting up at 5:00.  And then they stayed to clean up afterwards.  I KNOW more time was dedicated to the  entire set-up/clean-up-process than was for the event itself.  I have felt much admiration for these sisters – but especially on nights like last night.  What a lot of hoop-lah and truly admirable devotion!

Shortly after Roland and I moved into our current ward, I was asked to be on the activities committee.  It was a short lived calling as the entire committee changed hands just four months later.  But I don’t recall devoting so much time.  But then our RS pres at the time was a Superwoman who somehow has enjoyed the challenge of doing it all with little or no delegation.  She cooked and baked and multi-tasked – or so it seemed.  And the food she prepared was (still is) great.  In all honesty, my favorite part about being on the committee was having the opportunity of bringing home leftovers.

Last night I stayed late.  Pitched in a little bit but not near as much as I probably should have.  Roland was in the nursery with several children – the most children I have seen at an RS activity nursery (or one of the few).  He ended up being the only leader.  Fortunately for him most of the kids were older and could look out for themselves as well as the few little ones who were there.   

He stayed to take down tables as I visited with those few stragglers that remained.  I think we took more leftovers home last night than I had ever taken home when I had served in that position.  Among were the remainders of an orange chiffon salad – which had actually been my favorite part of the meal.  Guess Roland will be taking some of that with him to work.

Thank you all people who are so diligent in their callings and fulfill their assignments to the fullest.  May we all have such dedication.

Do You Remember Dr. Demento?

Both of my brothers listened to Dr. Demento.  I remember Patrick and his friends singing the words to “dead puppies” and “shaving cream”.  I don’t believe they were fanatics.  Corey, on the other hand, was a true Dr. Demento fan.

He would record the programs and save songs that he liked.  He would play them over and over and laugh at the demented humor. 

In 1985, Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie got together with 46 other stars to record HelpingHands USA for Africa.  The song was called “We are the World” and proceeds went for Relief of famine and disease in Ethiopia.

I don’t know if it was Morton Downey Jr. who created the “We are the Worms” parody or if his name is associated with the song as he introduced it on radio program in Cleveland, Ohio, 1986.  Corey loved that song.  It would make him laugh.  I’ll admit that I smiled about it, too. 

It was rumored that those associated with USA for Africa had politely requested that the parody be removed from the airwaves as it desecrated so much of what they had tried to accomplish.  I don’t know if the rumor was true or not.  I saw a couple of versions on YouTube as I was researching for this post - so the song is obviously still played - or has been.

So what made me think of all of this?  As I was walking home from my car pool ride yesterday morning, I stepped over a dead worm out on the sidewalk.  For over 25 years I don’t think I have ever seen a worm on the sidewalk without thinking of that song.

Forecast

The weathermen said that it would snow yesterday. 

It did 

for about twelve minutes.  

Soft flurries fell lightly 

as Jenna and I crossed the street. 

Huge flakes fell quickly 

as Juan left the car. 

By the time we got Jenna to school,  

it had stopped.  

Signs of snow dusted a few lawns  

and seemingly seemed to miss others.  

How could that be

when the yards were right next door to one another? 

And yet there were patches of green 

amongst the white dusted lawns.

At 8:30 I took the umberella

and walked to a bus stop

to take a bus that I’ve been on only one time before.  

I put my unused umberella into my backpack

before the bus arrived. 

I got off at the TRAX station

and walked to the bank

to make a deposit.   

I returned to take the train. 

Before I sat down

I removed my coat and swater. 

I put my sweater

in the backpack. 

I did not return my coat

until just before the train stopped

at the station near the main road. 

I then got off to catch another bus

and returned home. 

The entire trip took less than 50 minuts. 

I was back home at 9:22. 

The air was moist but

I never needed the umbrella.

I wished I had thought

to turn the heat down before I left. 

The hot air was blaring at me

when I walked through the door. 

I went into my room and

turned the fan on. 

This morning I actually got cold. 

I don’t know why. 

Between 3:30 and 4:00 I wrapped myself in the bedding. 

Roland lay without covers. 

Something’s wrong.

“Aren’t you cold?” I asked. 

Surely if I’m cold,

he must be freezing.

“Aren’t you hot?” he asks. 

For surely if he’s hot,

I must be roasting.

And yet we lay in bed

in reverse roles. 

I was dumbfounded.

At four I got up

as the Aleve was wearing off.

I went into the main bathroom

and took a warm to hot shower. 

I could feel the warm air blowing

before the warm water poured over my body. 

And I was still cold. 

Does this mean

I’m coming down with something?

When I returned to the bed,

Roland was still without cover. 

And I was still cold. 

He did leave the house

wearing a sweater underneath his coat. 

And I am wearing a sweatshirt. 

Currently it is dark outside.

In the News

Sometimes there are stories in the news that just seem oddly interesting.  I am sad for the good Samaritan in this first story.

A good Samaritan sees a car crash and calls 911.  He walks toward the accident to see if those involved are okay.  He was injured in the process.  more here

This next one made me laugh

Officer pulls over to assist driver of stalled car and discovers 22 pounds of Marijuana in the back seat  here

 this next story (video) has made the news stations for three days at least

student and employee at UVU is arrested after “correcting” a confusing sign.  Here

 I really like this story, too: 

an off duty officer recognizes bank robber leads to arrest  here

and BYU gets a new president’ here

and why not throw in a human interest story about Despicable Me and other here

Be Advised!!!!!

Perhaps the average blog reader is far wiser than I and would never make this mistake.  And actually it’s kind of embarrassing to share, but if I can spare somebody else the pain, perhaps it will be worth admitting my stupidity.

The Drivers License Division had sent out a letter informing me of my upcoming need for renewing in person.  And though I have quit driving, and an ID card would be less expensive than a driver’s license, I would like to have that opportunity to renew for the long drives away from the city.

I don’t recall there being a website listed anywhere on the letter (I did look) and so because I didn’t have the address, I went to Google and typed in DMD – first mistake.  I should have typed in “renewal application for driver’s license in Utah” or something to that affect.

It’s so unlike me to choose the first site suggested to me by Google – but I saw the subheading of drivers license renewal and clicked on the site.   That first site was a .org, not a .gov.   Two more mistakes.

I don’t recall ever having been asked to pay for an application.  But I have never tried to renew on line (actually I was NOT trying to renew.  I just wanted an application so I could have it filled out before I arrived at the DLD.  I did question it.  I had asked Roland about it and told him what fee was involved and he told me to go for it.  And so I did.  I punched in our credit card # and the second I hit the send button, I noticed a strip at the top of the screen indicating that it was a private site and not associated with the government.

 

Drivers-Licenses.org is a privately owned website that is not owned or operated by any government agency.

GENERATE YOUR Driver License Easy Guide™

Uh-oh.  So I decide I will use it but CAN’T GET PASSED THE CRED CARD INFO.  I paid a fee for a service that wasn’t provided nor did I want.

So if you ever decide to download an application to take with you, make certain that you are on a .gov site and not a .org

mydriverslicense.org,  I HATE that you scammed me.  You weren’t helpful AT ALL!!!

You Can’t See The Wind

You can’t see the wind

But you can hear its ferocious roar

You can see the way the wind makes trees dance

or see branches swaying

or flags flapping in the wind

Sometimes it knocks over garbage cans

and circulates debris

Fall winds rip colored leaves

from the tree and send them racing

over streets and other yards.

Spring Winds seem more fearsome somehow

They suck  up all of my energy (what little is there)

and put me in coma

I feel quite drugged when the wind is blowing.

This is what someone with Narcolepsy

 must feel like.

I heard that it is a warm wind.

I heard that it is bringing in a storm.

That’s what was said about the last two winds

powerful winds that blew the debris and made a commotion

with its  mighty threats of breaking things  

but it hasn’t stormed.

This wind sounds more serious. 

I didn’t feel this wiped out the last two months

My eye is nearly healed,

unfortunately my mind is not

and the wind isn’t helping

My mind is  like a roof that has been

ripped off by the wind

 

or neglected rag doll waiting for

someone to love the life back into me

                                                                                  

                                                                                                                                         kfralc