Musings & Memories Montage
Telling My Stories and Discovering Your Stories
Just a Typical Sunday
11/04/07

Second Life, Church, Out to Eat, Hosted a live music event in the coffee shop, Talked Art, Shopped, -- In sort, more craziness and over-committing. Want to come along? Oh, I even found out more ways to commit you ... yes, Y-O-U! No. REally. You want to know about this.

Yesterday, I told you about packing boxes for Operation Christmas Child. If you live in Putnam County, New York and want to help with Operation Christmas Child, now the boxes need shipping sponsors. It takes $7 to ship each box. Basically this covers the fuel for the plains and vehicles that move the boxes from us to the child. SOoo Patterson Baptist Church is the collection point for the boxes and the sponsoring money. You can get more info by calling them at 845-878-4160.

If you don't live nearby, you can do the Operation Christmas Child EZ Give or you can browse the Samaritan's Purse Christmas Gift Catalog. Here's a short chapter from it: Nine Gifts that Bless Children


So, yes, that's what I learned in church today.

Lunch with friends from church was a great blessing. Fantastic fellowship with people that really get excited about just being together. We tend to laugh really hard and confuse the rest of the restaurant's patrons.

And, speaking of patrons. The MarillaAnne's Place patrons had a very busy day. Today was the last day of the current art exhibit and I hosted a live concert in the coffee shop and forgot to take pics. "Live Music" in Second Life is like this: Someone somewhere hooks up a mic to their pc, then connects the pc to a server. They give me the server's address & I hook up the coffee shop to the same server. THen the person with the mic sings, it travels to the server, and then to the virtual coffee shop and the little 3d cartoon character's called avatars get happy and dance or sit around and chat. It is "live" because the delay between the person singing a note and us hearing the note is somewhere around 30 seconds ... give or take. Yes, of course, their avatar stands on stage and strums along and also dances some. Yes. Really.

Then I met with a potential artist ... I mean a potential exhibitor. If we get the sun and moon and stars lined up, he will exhibit in 2 to 4wks.

Then I went shopping ... Oh My GooodNess! I wanted this one table and chair set ... in SL. My current set is five prims ... those building blocks -- 1 table, 4 stools, 1 prim ea. The set I want, though ... the table is 17 and each chair is 10. Listen, I can build a very similar design in 5 prims for the table and about 7 for each chair. I'll let you in on a little secret. Things stay firmly suspended in "mid-air" in Second Life. Technically, chairs do not need 4 legs. If I remove the legs and just "float" the chairs and table, I could use just 1 prim for the table and build chairs, with backs, with 1 prim eh 2 would look better, though.

Yeah, yeah. That's a story for another day.

Have fun!
Enjoy!
Pam

Pam is a Texan living on the southern fringes of upstate New York. She loves living there. The people are friendly, the dogs strut, the churches are historic, and the swamp is great, and there's one cafe that really knows good eats: Magnolia's Cafe.
Operation Christmas Child
11/03/07

Today I'm wrapping Christmas presents! No, silly, not for me and mine. (Trust me, mine are LOL ROTF over the very thought that they could even be receiving packages from me ... much less that I would be wrapping them so early!!)

Watch the video and understand.

If you want to participate, it's not too late: EZGive at Samaritan's Purse to the rescue!

God is Showing Himself Able
01/17/07

I was awake at 2:30 this morning ... five hours of sleep. I wanted more. I knew what it would take .... So, I quietly slipped out of bed and ...

Billy said, "Where are you going?"

"I need some melatonin and some ibuprophen and I'll probably stay awake long enough for the melatonin to kick in and ... you know ... check The Total."

"I figured as much."

So I thought he went on back to sleep ... but in about 45 min he's in the living room with me and my pc.

"So what IS The Total?"

"$5400 when she went to bed at 10:30pm"

And he who had originally acted somewhat distantly tolerant of my persistence in posting "For Kelli" notes all over the web became Very Excited.

"You know the insurance is just going to Hate This!"

"Am I suppose to care?"

Actually, Billy had reached Excited when he came home from work: "So what's The Total, Now?"

(I told him a number I don't remember)

"Really Already! That is very excellent. People are only just starting to get home all across the country."

So we checked The Total again before we went to bed (9:30 est) And we said to each other, "Oh this is very good! Yes, and there will be another wave after put people put their children in bed tonight."

And then ... this morning at a decent hour ... V was having a small hardware crisis while trying to work from home and I was trying to help her ... but I needed a bit of info so I dropped a quick IM to Billy at work.

I got a very quick answer followed by, "So what's The Total Now?" So I went and looked and then reported it to him and he became Very Very Excited all over again.

And I returned my focus to V by apologizing for the delay because Billy wanted to know The Total. But she was already in the know about The Total and equally excited and amazed.

And so it is that booMama's whole project for Kelli became just solely known as THE TOTAL.

I, of course, have just cried every time I've looked at that total ... just to see it go up and up.

I am not as amazed as booMama ... No, not because I worked so hard to get the word out. I am not even sure my efforts were noticed by very many ... and No, not because I've seen the web work before.

I am not amazed because Kelli had been so on my heart already ... and when I discovered that booMama was up to a plan, I was so relieved until I realized I knew some things about Amazon's system (her original plan) that she might not know. SO I emailed her in a panic. But she is a smart woman and she had already figured out that there were too many limitations with Amazon and had already figured out another plan with PayPal.

But in the email she said something about a number she hoped for and I felt very clearly that God said, "She doesn't ask enough. Ask for more and watch what I will do." ... Really ... this is going to sound rather presumptuous .. but I felt like I heard Him chuckle.

And so I asked for more. I was not alone. Evidently, from reading the posts over at booMama's, there were quite a few who believed in asking for more. This is not to say anything bad about booMama ... I just think that God told each of us to think bigger in whatever way we could handle. I mean booMama was already thinking way huge just to get this started.

So, while I am not so amazed ... I do feel so incredibly blessed ... hugely hugely blessed. Like I can say "this is amazing" and all I feel is the same as saying "this is exciting." But I cannot say "I feel blessed by this." without tears of joy just spontaneously pouring from my eyes.

There have also been several who have mentioned that they believe there's something more in store for us to do. I have an idea that they are right ... and that this isn't just about Kelli.

We shall see what we shall see.

Thanks to all of you who helped get the word out. The ones I know:
    Mary-LUE of Life, the Universe and Everything
    Sari of The Geek Inside
    I also want to mention Kim of Knitt'n Kittens. She's in my blogroll and new to blogging. I never got a chance to contact her but I was very proud to see she'd found out on her own and was proactive about it.
    Tonya ~ My friend of 10+ years emailed her extensive list.
    JoAn ~ My friend, of goodness, I think 5 years, already, also emailed her extensive list.
    My niece, Meghan, emailed her MySpace and Facebook friends -- 100's of them.
    My niece Emily, nephew Forrest, and Daughter V all let me post to their friends comments on MySpace.
(I also snuck in some "For Kelli" comments on some other "friends" who have been advertising greeting me on my mySpace page on a regular basis ... and I felt no grief.)

And I inadvertently caused a stir in the new forum: Community of Bloggers. I think you should check out them out because I feel like they had to check some of their fears at the door in order to take a swing at participating.

So how much, finally, was THE TOTAL? What? You think I look like info central? Go take yourselves over to booMama's and find out for yourselves.

And tell her, "Thank you for providing us with a way to help in Kelli's healing." Yes. Go tell her even if you don't have a blog. It's legal. I promise.

And then, go somewhere quiet in your heart and thank God for the same blessing because, as I've said before, we don't always get the chance to participate.

Thanks Bunches!
pam
(3)
Last comment made by Barbara ~ 01/21/07
Kelli Needs a Kidney
01/13/07

This time, unlike the last two mama's I've watched disappear off the web and outta the world, we ... you and me ... and yours ... WE ... can make a difference. We can actually do something toward keeping one mama with her family.

On Tuesday, January 16, BooMama is putting together a donation event. Why? Because Kelli's COBRA insurance is about to leave that little window of time where it's just incredibly expensive and blast off into the outer limits of Out of this World Expensive! Read about it here: Let the Lovin' Begin.

So ... in addition to collecting up the banner and putting it on your web site ...

Write about how this time we have a chance to make a difference. This time we aren't standing around with our hands tied. Not that prayer is standing around wringing your hands ... but this time ... we get to also participate in a very material way.

Then send emails to the people you know. and call others. BooMama's website address is very easy to give out: booMama.net.

Let's just blow Kelli and booMama outta their minds.

I believe God can do many great things ... and believe me ... our little bits of money is only the beginning of what needs to happen ... but it is a beginning ... it is us showing up with our little fishes and loaves.

So ... I'm counting on you to take your little baskets out into the world and see how God can use them to fill Kelli's donation bucket.

Okay?

OKay!

Hugs!
pam
(1)
Last comment made by Mary-LUE ~ 01/15/07
MarillaAnne's del.icio.us Thursday Thirteen #5
01/11/07

This week more people standing in need of prayer and generosity and all the while incredible stories spin all around them.

Update: The incredible story for Kelli has taken a new turn. Please continue to the list for a few details! 01/13/07

And ... I made a startling discovery about myself. And I'm over-committed and believe you should be, also. Well, I wouldn't want you to be bored.

And ...


del.icio.us MarillaAnne's del.icio.us Thursday thirteen

del.icio.us I am marillaanne on del.icio.us
add marillaanne to your del.icio.us network!Add me to your network

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
If you are participating in Thursday Thirteen, please leave a link in your comment.

What I mean is ... Please spell it out for us all that you are participating in Thursday Thirteen and leave your link.

And don't be bashful if it's already Friday or Saturday ... leave me a note anyway and I'll come visit ... especially since I do most of my Thursday Thirteen visiting on Friday since most of you post to your blog and my blog after I'm asleep for the day anyway :~)

Today's Participants at ThursdayThirteen.com

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
(7)
Last comment made by MarillaAnne ~ 01/13/07
One more update
01/10/07

Oh Lord ... Please spare them sorrow upon sorrow.

January 10, 2007 at 07:31 AM CST

Thank you all for the kind words and prayers. I now fully understand what a sacrifice of praise is because I gave one yesterday and continue to do so this morning. We have had added grief last night with a phone call regarding Travis' dad, Mike. He was on his way home from the hospital and had what they suspected to be a heart attack. We all drove to Sara Bush Lincoln Hospital near Charleston, Illinois where they admitted Travis' dad. When we left the hospital they were still running some test to determine what actually happened but thought maybe it was exhaustion related. Please lift him and especially Travis up in prayer as he is bearing a big load already. We all plan to travel back to Robinson today and take care of some things then make our way back to Texas to arrange Nissy's services. Please continue to pray for my kids until I can get home to them. Not only is this the biggest loss they have ever experienced it is the only one that I havent been able to be there for them and it has made it extremely difficult.
Love to you all!
Carrie
(1)
Last comment made by H. V. Davis ~ 01/11/07
Update on Anissa
01/09/07

I cannot say it better than her family says it.

31 January 09, 2007 at 04:26 PM CST

Friends and family.......we just met with the neurologist and the doctor and they told us Nissy has irreversible brain damage and is in a coma and it is the kind of injury from which you don't recover. We are devastated but are trying to sort our thoughts and feelings and ask God to move in a way no one has ever seen. I can't explain why God has brought us this far to take her anyway and we sure are not ready to let her go. Please pray for our family.


January 09, 2007 at 07:46 PM CST

We just all gathered around Nissy's bed and stood and prayed and worshiped God as He ushered her into His presence. We all ask that you join us in rejoicing and thanking God for the 36 years he gave us with this beautiful person. As a family we ask you our family and friends to not let this be just a death but a birth of something in you that will spread the love of God and the joy that Anissa lived and moved in. Asher WILL know what a mighty woman his mother was and as her sister my life will forever be changed by having her in my life. Thank you for lifting us up in prayer. The outpouring of the love of God you showed has been a testimony to so many and we could not have made it here without your help.
Please continue to pray for Travis, Asher and especially my parents.

Greater is the power that is raising us up than the pain that is holding us down.

We Love You Nissy!........See you when we get there
Your Big Sis "Gunka"

Anissa Kay Tomlinson Irvin
November 19,1970 - January 9, 2007

I have to run go catch the train home so I don't have time to repost the links but I'm trusting ya'll to do this on your own: Please go over to Spiritbee's blog and follow the instructions for sending financial support to this family.

I love that I can trust ya'll on this.

Oh, no, I don't know Spiritbee and I don't know Nissy's family ... all I know is that this is what God put in my heart very strongly from the moment I read about Nissy. I am not always so overwhelmed by this type of impression so when it happens, I try to pay attention. So that is why I am telling you.

And pray for Nissy's son and husband for many days to come.

Hugs,
Pam


Four Items of Note
01/09/07

Two in need of prayer, a challenge, a change, and a promise.

Item #1 -- Standing in the need of prayer ...
I was reading Spiritbee's blog and discovered her post asking for prayer for Anissa and her three yr old son and husband. Anissa contracted double pneumonia and it seems as though her entire system has turned on her. I highly recommend that you read about her and the fund that has been started. Remember $5 is $5 ... so don't be dismissing your lowly budget. Also, do log in to the care pages and read of her entire family's incredible faith and hope. So far, every day includes a little victory and a lot of battle.

AND
My friend Laurie, from BC days, has a sister who has a husband -- John. Said husband has been so stubborn about going to a doctor that Laurie's sister was only able to get him to the hospital on the day before he would surely have died. He is in a drug induced coma. They have removed a kidney and numerous layers of infected!? fat. They are also going to have to rebuild his abdominal wall. Laurie's sister and her husband do not share a faith in God but Laurie's sister is appreciative of all prayers and very touched by the amount of care she has received. You can drop Laurie a note at her blog "Sanctified Yiddishe Mamele". (Ask her, I don't know.) Specifically pray that John will take his recover seriously and work with the doctors. He's in a place he swore he never wanted to be in.

Oh well and you might give Laurie a virtual hug. Her husband is gone again. At least it's not to Africa this time ... just Ft. Worth. Air Force Reserves.

Item #2 -- A little challenge.
... A group is getting together to read the Bible in 90 days. Yes, I've joined. If you want to join us, Lori aka PEZmama at "Rattling Around" is organizing and leading the group. But please note â�" Lori is wondering what she was thinking by asking you to leave your email addy in comments ... so instead of doing that, please use the "Email Me" link on her blog.

If you don't have time to read for an hour, you can opt to listen to the Bible in 90 days. I don't know what the guidelines are for that option ... but personally, if I went that route I'd have to just let it run in a loop two or three times to get as much as reading it. Hmm and so what would be so awful about that? (If purchasing audio is not in your current budget, you can hear an entertaining NIV version at BibleGateway.com â�" just search for the current reading passage.)

Let's do get clear on one thing ... this is not an in-depth study! The main purpose in reading through any book quickly is to gather up the general themes, the story lines, the characters, come to know the author a bit better ... just get the general feel for the concepts. Reading through a book just to read it is exactly the technique I recommend to everyone who is considering reading deep books (like from Dan Allender, Larry Crabb, CS Lewis, Steven Covey, etc). Then start your studies. Then start your deep-heart journaling. BUT FIRST just read through the book, maybe several books by the author.

So when I discovered this group, I was rather puzzled as to why I'd never thought to apply the "read-through" technique to the Bible. So ...

I hope you'll join us.

Item #3 -- Blog work may make you see double.
I have numerous little changes I need to make to my first 60 or so posts ... one being that I want to retrieve my comments from Haloscan. So ... you may see double from time to time in the RSS feeds. Sorry.

Item #4 -- I do hereby solemnly promise
I really will be making a fun announcement tomorrow re a new activity on my blog.
(1)
Last comment made by Daughter V ~ 01/09/07
MarillaAnne's del.icio.us Thursday Thirteen #4
01/04/07

This set has two tours and a few other items of note. Enjoy~


del.icio.us MarillaAnne's del.icio.us Thursday thirteen

I've not been out on the web as much as usual since Billy was home on vacation. We just kept finding lots of things to do. Go figure.

So on Tuesday afternoon I kind of panicked. I had exactly precisely ONE del.icio.us tag for this week: Sophie's post (below). So ... I decided it was time for "a one hour tour." "A one hour tour" means that I start at one site and just start surfing about ... with the goal of leaving each site rather quickly. I'm horrible at the quickly part as you will see...
del.icio.us I am marillaanne on del.icio.us
add marillaanne to your del.icio.us network!Add me to your network

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
If you are participating in Thursday Thirteen, please leave a link in your comment.

What I mean is ... Please spell it out for us all that you are participating in Thursday Thirteen and leave your link.

And don't be bashful if it's already Friday or Saturday ... leave me a note anyway and I'll come visit ... especially since I do most of my Thursday Thirteen visiting on Friday since most of you post to my blog after I'm asleep for the day anyway :~)

Today's Participants at ThursdayThirteen.com

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
(11)
Last comment made by Cindy Swanson ~ 01/08/07
Just in: Raise Money for St. Jude's w/o Spending a Dime
12/29/06

This morning I was over at "tiggerprr's scratching post" and she told me (and everyone else who reads her blog) ...

Kelly over at Pass the Torch is raising funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital. The really great thing is, you can help her out with this and it won't cost you a thing! Her corporate sponsor, Empowering Youth, will donate $1 per comment she receives to St. Jude's (up to $500). You can leave 1 comment per day.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you to get you and all of your friends and family over there ... Do I? As of this morning, Kelly has 192 comments.

See you there!

And also feel free to stop by "tiggerprr's scratching post" and tell her thanks for the heads-up!
(3)
Last comment made by Mary-LUE ~ 12/29/06
MarillaAnne's del.icio.us Thursday Thirteen #2
12/21/06

This week very naturally leaned (once again) toward Christmas. I included one of our long time favorites: Popular Front's Snow Days. But this year they surprised me by contributing to Salvation Army based on the number of flakes made ... so get thee and all of thy relatives over there and have some fun and give give give.

And as usual, I found more stories to follow. Kelli (Living in Grace) is beginning her search for a kidney. Kim (Embracing Momminess) poignantly reminds us of who we are (and who we can be) as Americans by telling the story of her family's loss and a community's support. Please read both stories and leave them comments. Oh go on ... you can spare a few facial tissues and a little time and care. Yes. You can.

And some stories attacked me (that doll thing still hurts!) ... and some I just bumped into.


del.icio.us MarillaAnne's del.icio.us Thursday thirteen


del.icio.us I am marillaanne on del.icio.us
add marillaanne to your del.icio.us network!Add me to your network

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
If you are participating in Thursday Thirteen, please leave a link in your comment.

What I mean is ... Please spell it out for us all that you are participating in Thursday Thirteen and leave your link.

And don't be bashful if it's already Friday or Saturday ... leave me a note anyway and I'll come visit ... especially since I do most of my Thursday Thirteen visiting on Friday since most of you post to my blog after I'm asleep for the day anyway :~)
Today's Participants at ThursdayThirteen.com


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
(8)
Last comment made by Kim Priestap ~ 12/23/06
Friends Send Notes: Tonya
11/29/06

Tonya is a friend whom I've met face to face with exactly twice or thrice in ten years of communicating over the Internet. She sent me a note about Canstruction and gall bladder surgery.

Ok no they aren't related events and they didn't even come in the same note.

Let's do cans of peas first because they're more fun.

Tonya sent me an email full of very fascinating images like the one to the left. The image to the left is actually from the Canstruction® 2006 National Winners Press Release which announced the top 10 national winners from the 2005-2006 year (July-June).

From the press release:
The NYDC hosted the 14th Annual CANSTRUCTION Competition & Gala Reception, on November 9 - 22, 2006. I have not seen images from that event online. However, in NYDC's intro video that plays on their home page, it is mentioned that one year they collected and gave away 80,000 cans of food.

From Canstruct's Mission Page:
Mission: Canstruct a World Without Hunger

Trademarked by the Society for Design Administration, and working in tandem with the American Institute of Architects and other members of the design and construction industry, Canstruction® is making a significant contribution to the fight against HUNGER.

Canstruction® combines the competitive spirit of a design/build competition with a unique way to help feed hungry people. Competing teams, lead by architects and engineers, showcase their talents by designing giant sculptures made entirely out of canned foods. At the close of the exhibitions all of the food used in the structures is donated to local food banks for distribution to pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, elderly and day care centers.

A visual feast for the eyes, you will not want to miss the eighty Canstruction® Competitions scheduled to occur in 2006-2007.

The NYDC hosted the 14th Annual CANSTRUCTION Competition & Gala Reception, on November 9 - 22, 2006. I have not seen images from that event online. However, in NYDC's intro video that plays on their home page, it is mentioned that one year they collected and gave away 80,000 cans of food. (And no I cannot explain why NY is having their 14th anniversary when Canstruction is half way into their 11th year.)

Look for a Hosted event: Participating Cities

To loads of images go to www.canstruction.org and
1) watch the images on the home page.
2) In the Competitions menu check out the winners from 2006 back to 2002.
3) In the Multimedia menu ... more images.
4) In the About menu there's a PowerPoint.

A good collection of images from the 13th Annual NYDC Canstruction can be seen at The Bridge and Tunnel Club. (Which is a new find for me.)

Oh yeah ... the gall bladder. It's Tonya's turn to have hers out. Pray it goes well.

The US Gulf Coast is still in recovery ... Including the Children.
11/19/06

A story of how you can help US children continue to recover from hurricanes Katrina and Rita and celebrate Christmas.

I am completing an interview with a doll maker who lives in the New Orleans area. Through our virtual meetings, I have become acutely aware, again, of how much damage families themselves have sustained in that part of the country.

I also follow World Vision's work here and abroad. Today I am going to tell you about World Vision's work to aid the families in the areas of Louisiana and Mississippi in a very quick version via much copy and paste.

But before that ... let me explain "Gifts-in-kind" are gifts of new, unused materials donated by companies, often from surpluses. These help stock the World Vision Storehouses. But you as an individual can also help in many ways.
  • Help your employer and companies you are familiar with be aware of how they can help children in the US (and internationally) through Gifts-in-Kind.
  • If you wish to make a financial contribution, check to see if your employer participates in "matching fund donations." Sometimes this substantially increases the amount your are giving.
  • Contribute independently -- either financially &/or by volunteering. To donate specifically to the Gulf Coast efforts: click here
  • Keep reading because the World Vision Storehouses are also accepting donations of new, unused toys – all over the nation.

About World Vision in the areas hit by Katrina and Rita:
At the core of World Vision's revitalization and rebuilding campaign for the Gulf Coast is a new gifts-in-kind distribution warehouse in Picayune, Mississippi. The need for a distribution center to serve this devastated region became apparent as U.S. Programs staff was helping churches recover from their own losses while those same congregations were still trying to reach out to families that also suffered greatly because of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Picayune center is strategically located just 54 miles from New Orleans, and 37 miles from Gulfport, Mississippi, in the heart of the Gulf's most devastated area. The facility is a 40,000-square-foot warehouse at 1203 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The majority of the warehouse space is being used to store and distribute building materials. Clothing, personal care items, household goods, and school supplies also are being distributed from the new site to help families in the region.

About the World Vision Toy Drives:
Press Release Seattle, WA, November 1, 2006-–To help bring Christmas joy to U.S. children in need, World Vision is urging companies, schools and churches to collect and donate new toys to any of World Vision's eleven storehouses in the United States.

"We want to share Christmas joy with as many children as possible this season," said Keith Neroutsos, national director of World Vision's Storehouses nationwide. "New toys that are donated help families restore dignity and celebrate in a way that used supplies cannot."

The items will be provided to local organizations whose staff and volunteers are dedicated to children and families within their local communities. World Vision's Storehouses help meet basic needs for children and families by offering donated, high-quality goods to revitalize neighborhoods and sustain families.

For more information on storehouse locations or how to donate items, please visit www.worldvision.org/thestorehouse or call the following numbers:
(888) 56-CHILD (individuals)
(800) 462-1616 (corporations)
There is more contact info in the press release

To make a financial donation to the US storehouse program nation wide or where the need is greatest in the US. click here

To learn about World Vision Storehouses in your area click here. Locate your area on the US map and click on the city name. This will take you to a page &/or set of pages that describe the work World Vision is doing in the area. (If you want to make a financial donation in that specific area look for an orange "donate" button in the left navigation bar.) Many have much more detailed information about how you can help. It appears that some areas are helping individuals co-ordinate organized toy drives while other areas are also providing info on how individuals can send toys.

To create this short blurb and obtain permission to use the World Vision logo (to be added shortly), I contacted an appropriate World Vision Press Liaison. Melanie Cripe (mcripe@worldvision.org 253.815.2906) was my final contact. If you want to write about World Vision in your area, you will find World Vision very helpful.

|
I Found Guide Dog Puppies!!
08/17/06

Okay only three or four people can even imagine how excited I am about this: Guide Dog Puppies are raised less than five miles from my new home!! Guiding Eyes!

I'm hoping I can convince Billy to go with me there this Saturday! I'm hoping I can take some newspaper ... I'm not sure how much help I can give volunteering but ...

time will tell!
Looking for "The Good Old Days?"
08/18/06

Are you looking for a free audio book of a "classic"? A free book for your eBook reader?

What if you have to read "one of those old books" for school? Would it be easier to be able to search through it on the computer? Or better yet ... what if you could also listen to it?

And just what if you are doing research on the good old days, and you want a bit of info that everyone and their brother won't have ... then what?

And what if you still need some sort of relaxing distraction but that computer game is getting boring and you feel a little ... useless? Then what?

And how could there possibly be a connection between the last paragraph and the first? Well ... let me tell you.

Project Gutenberg is collecting and scanning literature and music of virtually all types. The item must have an expired copyright or be copyright-free. (But, no, they won't take in your latest unpublished novel or poem or short story ... etc. But! I know who will.)

Unlike other services, Project Gutenberg does not stop with the scanned pages. The accepted works are always converted into TXT formatted files and then into HTML, PDF and other formats for eBook readers. Some are being made available as audio files. The audio files are human voice or computer-generated.

If I were doing research, I would be inclined to use the PDF text because Adobe's Reader program does a very useful search display.

If I were being told to read a classic book, I would be very inclined to listen to it ... even if it's a computer-generated recording. A few months ago I started listening to Robinson Crusoe. Much to my surprise, it wasn't long until the passion of the author's words overtook the oddness of the computer voice. I still find myself musing over the story's beginning.

Now, back to my odd question ... Are your strategy-based computer games (aka solitaire and freecell) becoming dull? Or worse yet, are they making you feel useless?!

All of this work is accomplished by volunteers! I highly suggest you explore your "page a day" or "smooth reading" options at Distributed Proofreaders.

Explore Project Gutenberg and Distributed Proofreaders very carefully and thoroughly. You will find many useful (expected and unexpected) resources.

Some people act like there's a war on between audio books and eBooks and that eBooks are losing. I don't think so. I think that people just don't know how to use them together ... I think people don't know how to enjoy learning. What do you think?
WhiteCrow Walking
09/12/06

Sometimes when I go out Internet wandering, I come across stories so personal, so honest, I feel I should feel embarrassed for eavesdropping ... although anyone who knows me will tell you that eavesdropping is one of my top talents. I can't help myself in restaurants ... if the story is even mediocre. On the web, I am more likely to skip over the mediocre ones.

WhiteCrow Walking (aka Jesse) is more than interesting, he is vulnerable. I feel like I came across his open door just when it would have, under normal conditions, been closed. But Jesse is not choosing normal conditions.

Jesse happened along just in time to remind me of me ... just in time to remind me that I have stories to tell ... stories to collect ... just in time to remind me that there is still someone restless inside of Billy and me ... to remind me that I'd better write while the sitting still is good.

Jesse's writing challenged me to remember ... while I mostly still can.

You can follow Jesse's newest trek at his blog WhiteCrow Walking. You can find out more about who Jesse is (and his first walk) at WhiteCrowWalking.com.

Jesse's blog entry about Kathleen and Kathleen's daughter's response says everything that is good about the Internet. We Don't Cut Ourselves Anymore
(3)
Last comment made by Jesse WhiteCrow ~ 04/14/08
Subscribe to MarillaAnne's Blog
Creative Every Day
Comments
  • violetkey: Yea, for posting! Can't wait to get a better computer, ...
  • violetkey: good links, i'll have to review them all this weekend.
    ...
  • Violetkey: Yes, please, DO NOT make her repeat her self! If it's i...
  • Violetkey: Wow, what a story! It's exciting to see God's hand in t...
  • Mary-LUE: Dude! I want to be in your Google group. I've gained ...
  • SegwayInc: Hi! This is a great post about becoming more healthy. V...
  • Marsha: Hi~ Nice to hear from you and glad to hear you are doin...
  • Matthew (The Son): Hi, Ashley. I am the other Matt (Aunt Pam's son). I thi...
    • Blog Roll
    FAQ
    Who are You?
    08/18/06
    I am me ... I run around with my long hair in a French braid. I camp and hike (often in the city). I live in Upstate NY right on the very edge of The Great Swamp. Continue...

    Technorati Profile
    Why does this Site Exist?
    10/26/06
    My website is largely my memoir ... my musings, photos, encounters, life's stories.

    But what really thrills me is that when I let go of my stories, it's like sending out little sail boats out on expeditions. Very often they come back to me filled with other people's stories. Continue...

    Respecting your Privacy
    10/25/06
    I do not collect your private info unless ... Continue...

    Contact MarillaAnne Privately
    Please Consider Leaving a Tip
    No. Not a saying to live by
    You know
    it's a
    S
    M
    A
    L
    L
    monetary gratuity :-D
    I use the Amazon.com
    Honor System.
    Home | Contact Me
    Get Firefox!
    Download FireFox
    login=