Musings & Memories Montage Telling My Stories and Discovering Your Stories
A few (hundred) bullet points 12/17/07
You know. Bullet points. Outline. Updates from my life. Different random points about kids, Christmas, church, cars (life without them), coffee shops, snow, and R E S P E C T. Oh and health, friendships, Manhattan, etc. (What? you thought I could keep up the k sound for the entire list?) And there's even a "if you laugh ... God sees" story. I'm sure you're going to relate to some point along the way here.
Health first:
Billy is doing much better. Yesterday, we hiked about 1.5 miles (in the snow) over to the church (last week just walking to the end of the drive was still painful). I only walked to the church. He made 1.25 round trips before a pick-up became involved. Yes, one of the church members went out to fetch him. So he walked about 3.75 miles total.
Today, Billy went to the doc. The doc is happy. All is well. Ok, all is nearly well. There's still a little more healing to do but ... all is well.
I'm feeling aches in all my joints now. I'm doing a lot of slow breathing and stretches, some ibuprofen, and thinking I'll probably break down and go see a doc after the first of the year. Some days are good, some days are a bit tender, some days ....
Have you ever:
Been the first to understand something cool, tried to explain it, and get no one to understand exactly how cool it is? BUT you go on and you keep reveling in it's cool-ness and you grapple and struggle and come to an understanding with the impact of being so cool that no one understands you .... AND THEN BAM .... out of the clear blue, one of the people you've talked to suddenly gets it. NO BUT WAIT ... they don't get it the way you now get it ... they get it the way you got it when cool was new to you. Anyone who's ever home taught their kids should be able to relate.
The whole scenario is called "Scouts, Pioneers, & Settlers." Scouts go out first into pristine surroundings. They know it's going to be rough. They prepare as best they can. Pioneers come next ... fiercely independent and resourceful. Then come the Settlers who've read alll about it and understand exactly how they will conquer the world and what the Pioneers did wrong and ... Yeah. Settlers are a pain in the whoo-ha. Getting them to slow down and listen is difficult. They tend to be spoiled & pretentious (because they've read allll about it, etc).
Settlers tend to die off faster than the Pioneers because ... they think they know it all already, they've decided it will be easy etc etc etc etc. The ones who do survive probably have a pioneer spirit, listen well, seek out guidance ... OR... they've survived because they settled near pioneers and seasoned settlers who know search and rescue techniques.
All I'm saying at this point is "sigh." I've been here and done this before. I'm always in that little crack between the Real Pioneers and the True, Absolute pain in the who-ha, Settlers. Right this very instant, in Second Life, I'm watching the less experienced settlers die off left and right and, now, now, this person whom I've talked with before ... who did not get it before ... now ... after reading allll about it.... "Sigh"
I can tell you this right now: I am about to get sucked into something ... I can hear the whirlpool ... it's nearby. It sounds a lot like me in a teaching capacity. Imagine that. If this new "wanna be settler" slows down and listens, there could be some really great things that could happen, though. Really great. If not, I'm not going to participate. I have an aversion to watching settlers die.
Have you ever ... Listened to someone explain something, researched it, thought it could work out -- if you ever needed it ... then you reach a point were it could actually be handy but ... ? Well ... when we first moved in, the landlord tried to tell me about a bus system. I had already done the research. I knew about the bus. I've seen the bus pass me (going the other direction) while I was out walking.
It makes this long circular route that takes a little over an hour to travel. It only runs one direction in the circle. To make it simple, let's say the bus runs in a counterclockwise direction. Pretend my home is at the 12:00 position and all my fave locations are at the 1:00 & 2:00 positions. This means I can walk to my fave locations more quickly than I can ride the bus around most of the loop. But lately ... I've actually wanted to go the same direction as the bus and go much further than I am willing walk. I keep saying, "I need to call and confirm some details about the bus." Well ... there's always something more going on and, besides, it's not a crisis that I go that way, yet.
But today, while Billy was out, he did some exploring around and discovered the bus system for himself. He loved it. He collected all the info that I'd been planning to call and collect. Life is good. Every hour. In front of my house!
Kids & R E S P E C T
Having your kids call me by a title does not mean that you have taught them how to show me respect. In fact, it does not mean that you, yourself, have respect for me. This is not the first time for this event to happen to me. It looks like this: Parent to (often nearly grown) child, "Call her Miss Pam." Me to parent, "No, I prefer to be called Pam" Parent to me, "No, they will call you Miss Pam." Me to parent, "No, it's my name and my name is simply Pam" Parent to me, "They are my children and they will call you Miss Pam. It's respectful" Me to parent and entire audience (always an audience), "It is my name and you are being disrespectful to me." Parent to me, "But they are my children ... .... " etc
Now, usually, these are the types of kids that already understand respect means 1) look a person in the face when you talk to them (without contempt), 2) give a straight answer, 3) enjoy people as unique.
How is it that parents can raise their children to do these things but cannot themselves extend to me the same courtesies? AND how is it that they think that because I have a name preference for myself that I am denying them the right to call their children their own. I never question the parent/child tie. It is not about whether the child is related to the parent. It is about what I should be called.
However ... I have come to a solution ... I have found a title that I think goes with my name and my station in life on this planet while waiting to leave and go on to my heavenly rewards.
If you MUST require your child to call me by a title, the correct title is Princess. Princess Pam. End of discussion.
If you or any organization you are associated with, are blessed by one or more talented, hard-working, willing teenager who is taking on responsibility you are not even remotely capable of accomplishing ... I have a suggestion for you ...
SHOW RESPECT TO THE TEENAGERS IN YOUR LIFE AND ORGANIZATION.
OK THAT IS NOT A SUGGESTION ... IT IS AN ORDER FROM PRINCESS PAM.
Just let me assure you ... that there are people in my life who are about to be sent to the guillotine if they don't drop and kiss the feet of certain teenagers I know.
Nothing infuriates me more than jealous, self-righteous (yet often ignorant), adults passing judgment on teens who are accomplishing miracles with equipment that is second-rate, second-hand, and are performing in less than desirable conditions.
If you spent time with me in the last 10 days, examine your attitude and your knowledge ranking. Check your assumptions at the door. Basically, if you spent time with me in the last 10 days, you probably shouldn't talk to me for yet another 10 more days. Apologies are being accepted by email. There are two exceptions, no three. Okay, basically, If you spent A LOT of time with me in the last 10 days, you are probably safe. If you said things to me in passing, or I hustled you out of a small room, chances are exceeeeeedingly high that you're on my "adults who don't know how to show respect and feel insecure around accomplished teens" list.
And, Daddy, if you're reading this and you, in your leadership responsibilities, are suddenly God-Blessed with this type of young person, .... well I know I can count on you to defend, guard, and encourage them. Still, I know you know this ... but, still, I'm going to remind you ... this type of teen is very often the hinge-pin of organizational growth. On top of that, it's just a travesty against a Child of God to use a teen as a scapegoat (especially when said teen is working in such conditions that most adults would refuse by siting the conditions as "a prime example of being set up to fail").
oh well ... I'm going to take a break here and let you mull this all over. What? You thought I was upset about kids who didn't respect me. Pooh. I've not seen one of those in a very very very long time. Yes, I do consider myself very blessed. But, I find I very often receive from children and teens what I hand out.
There's so much more ... I'm a little less Texan this year. Yep I'm afraid it's true. Snow. Snow and I'm not freaked out. And as another fellow Texan now living on the Southern fringes of Upstate New York pointed out to me, we are not running around trying to photograph the one falling flake of snow. Yep. Multiple inches of snow and the city isn't shut down. It's got to be over 12 inches and it's ice capped and yet the roads are clear and things are going on pretty much as usual. Pictures? Ummmm yeah ... uhh well ... I uh ... sort of.
Tell you what. Pictures tomorrow. I'll tell you about the Christmas play at church, the snow, my three Second Life coffee shops ... yes three ... it's gone from one to two to one to three so many times in the last month that my head is spinning. And there so much more ... I might actually have to blog all week.
Have fun, Enjoy, Princess Pam
Princess Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringes of Upstate New York. She has added a few blankets to her bed this last week and is (once again) surprised to find that wearing three layers of clothing is not difficult and can feel cozy ... very cozy. Very very very cozy ... even after walking over a mile. Also, she is considering replacing the word "very" with "exceedingly." "Very" is feeling used and over-used.
Do you wonder where the lady who started this blog wandered off to? Remember sh e always seemed to have so much she wanted to say ...
Sometimes I wonder where she is. But again and still she mostly feels inclined to be quiet.
Tonight much of my quietness comes from pain. I actually have my right hand wrapped up so that i will use it much less. Yes, it's that repetitive motion thing catching up with me. I'm feeling very motivated to just take up audio posts.
But still I wonder what I would tell you. Would I tell you of the things I'm not getting to do? Would I tell you about everything that is on hold -- waiting for other people? Would I dare to dream out loud?
Someone was trying to encourage me the other day: "So? You're hesitating because you're bound to look odd? But you tell me that people already think you are odd. So, why not just revel in your uniqueness?
Now, I have to tell you ... it seems mighty wrong to be approaching fifty and still find myself worrying over how I am perceived.
But that is only part of what keeps me quiet. There is so much I would like to discuss with you ... but I've not yet finished discussions with other people who are more closely involved. It would simply be wrong for others to find out how I feel or think about a joint project by them reading it on my blog.
So I feel intensely boring here. I think shortly though I'll be able to talk about some other things -- provided the hand behaves.
Have fun, enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate NY. Today she listened to her neighbor cheer for Texas A&M. No, the neighbor is native New Yorker. She graduated from there. Yes, she was key to Pam getting our little place to live. No, Pam didn't go to A&M with her. It's a really long story.
First you should know that the weather was typical for Texas. Slightly cool and a touch humid. It was always above 70 degrees indoors from the heat of the kitchen stove. And so you should be able to guess that there was no lack of food. Texans Hate to run out of food when guests are involved. No Texan ever prepares for the minimum expected guests. So ...
We had a dozen mouths to eat one exceedingly large turkey ... ohh and that was one scrumptious turkey ... oh I'm being corrected ... It still is one scrumptious turkey because we still haven't managed to eat it all. There were 4 trays of dressings aka stuff'n. Candied sweet potatoes, Mashed potatoes, Red potatoes. Corn casserole -- the recipe was well known by two families from opposite sides of Texas (300 miles apart). Jellied cranberry sauce right from the can and fresh cranberry sauce which only adults knew how to eat. Two crates of Clementine oranges. The every popular, impossible to skip green bean casserole (with them onion thingies on top). And then I think it's time to move on to the deserts.
OH MY GOODNESSS....
Well of course Texans have to have Pecan Pie -- chocolate. And cherry-covered cheesecake, blueberry cheesecake, lemon icebox pie, strawberry cheesecake, peanut butter fudge, and the obligatory experimental pie. Ice cream and frozen yogurt were also available ... but they went largely untouched.
Of course, Texans can never leave the Thanksgiving scene without a rousing game of ... err ... uhhh (Darling what was that thing called) ooh Age of Empire on a network of six pc's.
We also fixed the local government. They are blissfully unaware of this event until Wednesday of next week. I'll let you know how that goes.
So I think that's about it. I hope ya'll all had a wonderful day.
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. She figures the fact that she can have Thanksgiving with so many Texans is one of the reasons this place is enjoyable.
Well when he's good, he's really pretty good. When he's hurting, he's HURTing. I'm praying tomorrow goes really well. Today was pretty good. We got a lot completed and started towards tomorrow's lunch.
Turns out the man who's cooking up the turkey had hand surgery a couple of days ago. It seems like everything we do these days, we are with the walking wounded.
Sooo ... the family that is hosting the lunch is sending round the van to pick us and our food up at around noon ... then we pick up the man with the bird ... then we finalize the dishes and eat.
Billy's thinking of eating only a little and eating slowly ... with it all spread throughout the day. I think that's an excellent plan.
I hope ya'll have a very excellent Thanksgiving.
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. She would never make it as a full time scullery maid and cook's assistant.
Yeah ummm I have a Christmas Tree. It's about 3.5 feet tall. I don't have my Christmas Ornaments. Maybe VioletKey will get the ornaments sorted and sent over. But It might just sit here and be pretty and green. My first concern is ... I think I'd like to rediscover my apartment. I wouldn't mind having a clean apartment and a simple little green tree.
We've been moving this that and the other around ... but not very well since Billy is in pain. It's not constant pain but it is a "zap all your time and energy" kind of pain. So ... pretty much things are shoved around ... and really not pretty at all.
I'm hoping that by Christmas, everything will be all sorted out.
ok
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. Tonight she's wondering what her day tomorrow as the scullery maid will be like -- she's agreed to assist Billy with prep for Thanksgiving dinner.
I'm either keeping secrets, not ready to reveal my plans, behind on my plans, or letting go of ideas. So in the mean time let me share with you what the side of the road has been collecting and holding on to for weeks.
Items that have been accumulating beside the road for over 6 weeks. They finally demanded to be "collaged."
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York where every day offers up a reason for meditation on my surroundings.
The wedding went very very smoothly yesterday and the rehearsal dinner was highly eatable. (Homemade goodies all around!) I suspect we all put on mmm 2 or 3 pounds a piece. Oh and then we all had another piece of cake this morning at church.
The best overheard line was said by one of the groom's brothers to the groom (scroll down).
Oh man! She's already got you trained!
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern Fringe of Upstate New York. She counts herself as exceedingly blessed.
Claiming the "Emergency/ Hardship" Exemption 11/17/07
Last year in NaBloPoMo there was an exemption for missing a day posting. It went something like this: If there's an emergency or some circumstance far beyond your control that prevents you from posting, AND IF you blog the following day AND talk about what happened, THEN you're still in.
I have no idea if there's the same rule this year ... but I'm going to claim it anyway ... besides ... I have something to tell you.
OK. Yesterday was Billy's second surgery. When we woke up, he started being very resistant to me going with him. His basic premise was that he wouldn't be any fun, I'd be bored, I'd be alone ... and on and on and on and on and on ... and besides, "you could help a little with the wedding."
I pouted, got over it, and stayed home. All I did the whole day was hang out with people that I like and fold crepe paper streamers. I promise ... I'll get a pic today so you can understand what I'm talking about.
Billy finally went into surgery. We called it a day at the reception decorating event. I snagged a friend and she took me out to dinner ... um she drove and entertained me and I paid for dinner ... it was an excellent trade. While we were at dinner, a very very very loopy man called me claiming to be Billy. Since he still exhibited the trademark humor of Billy, I accepted that it was indeed Billy.
Then my friend and I went to the wedding rehearsal. My friend is helping with the video. I found out that the brother of the groom, who is one of the groomsmen, is also the photographer. I don't know what the story is ... but this group of people attending the wedding is one of the LEAST camera toting bunch I've ever encountered ... so I'm taking my camera today. I'll see if I can just get some candids and some mood shots and ... then I can just hand the RAW's off to the brother who should be able to fix them up.
I might consider sending my camera to the shop. But that's another story.
Sooo after the rehearsal dinner, my friend and I went and picked up her daughter. Then we went down to the hospital to see my Billy. Now, this is NOT "We whipped around the corner and picked up her daughter and took a quick spin to the hospital." Remember, I live on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. So it was 15 min to her daughter and then another 45 miles or so to the hospital.
We saw the loopy man. He was not happy and very easily distracted. I did get a really good hello and a really great good-bye. And I had to be content. So we left.
So we pulled up to my house by about 11:15pm. No power. No power anywhere. So my friend and her daughter waited while I gathered up a few things and I left. There wasn't going to be any power at her house either but at least she still had some emergency backup power and had water. And besides ... we were just all happier together ... long story but ... let's just say that her daughter was busy worrying about me ... and this way there was less for her to worry about.
But no power meant no post. Sooo ... there's my saga. Oh we did wake up to power and at the cafe this morning I heard, "Somebody took out about 3 power poles over on such and such county road." Somebody had a harder day than we did.
Ok now for the rest of the "did you get your husband back?" story. The very very very short version is ...
Yes, I did get the hubby back. About 4am this morning my real Billy returned to his own body (he started to feel really great) and after he issued some threats ("If you don't manage to find a way to get me released by 10:30 am, you'll be stuck with me until 6pm"), he was indeed released from the hospital and retrieved by another very good friend.
The man is home, very happy, feels fantastic. Oops! I lie! He is NOT at home. He has gone to help yet another friend cut up cooked chickens for the wedding meal tonight. Don't ask me to explain how the man can look like death warmed over the night before and then be rip-raring ready to run less than 12 hrs later. All I can say is that he is indeed his father's child. His dad was like this. Oh and, also, his dad always tried to remove all of his IV's etc and get out of bed in recovery. As did Billy.
Ok I have to run now!!!
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. Today is the first wedding she has attended in New York. The ceremony is in a church that is very very old and the reception is at a farm.
Long day. Helped a friend decorate for her son's wedding. Went to a church business meeting. Making twisty crepe paper chains -- the kind that are folded. Billy & I made final decisions re health ins & benefits package for next year. I think the main purpose of that yearly exercise is to make you insane. Tomorrow is Billy's second & Last surgery.
The End
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. She's out of witty sayings.
I'm not sure exactly what the change will look like but ... it is a foot. My little coffee shop that I love so much may morph. It's a rather huge big deal.
I'm waiting for some pieces to move into place ... and I'm evaluating what I will do.
Okay no this is not just about a game! This is about my RL art, my RL writing, and community. I'll tell you more as the story unfolds.
In the mean time ... There's a huge amount of other RL stuff going on this weekend. Well starting tomorrow. I'm helping a friend decorate for her son's wedding. Then Billy goes in for stage two of his trama ... probably an overnight stay. Then the wedding. Then helping with the Christmas Child project at church here and there.
Ooooh let me tell you! The Christmas Child Project ... wow wow wow. People are very generous and there's been a very nice stack growing and growing all week ... and there's still four more days left for collecting. Usually the largest days. It's causing a small storage challenge for the wedding but ... we're figuring it out and everyone is stepping up to the plate to help out and it's just amazing.
Deciding how I'm folding, doubling, mutilating or spindling the coffee shop will have to keep until Monday. I leave you with a few pics.
Sooo I must sleep, now.
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. She is thankful to belong to a church that does know how to do one thing right: Accomplish projects in harmony ... everyone doing some part. Amazing.
Okay ... this is what I did when I wasn't hashing and rehashing Health Insurance plans with the hubby ... or ... trying to finish that research project I'm not talking about ... or ... logging into SL too late for my meetings.
It was actually a fairly interesting day out on the web ... wanna see?
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. Today she prepared for winter by removing the screens from the windows and washing the outside glass ... all the better for shooting the snowbirds -- with a camera! ... the one's with wings! Really ya'll ... follow me here!
How much scripture could you memorize .... 11/12/07
If you thought we were losing our freedoms, how much scripture would you memorize?
Well frankly, I find The Twelve Rules of Christmas provided by the Rutherford Institute for the defense of Christmas down right inspirational.
I've been doing a little research on a few things and excuse me while I go to Biblegateway.com and track down the exact verse that's been trying to seep from the back files in my brain towards conscious awareness.
2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.
3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.
5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.
2 Timothy 4:2-5
Well ... while you can, Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern Fringe of Upstate New York. She has always said, "It is entirely possible that those sitting out on the fringe have a better view of what is going on in the middle." She believes this especially applies to clusters of people.
Seems Our Carlessness is Quite the Discussion Item at Church 11/11/07
I'm not quite sure what to make of it. The irony is that unless we go to church, we seldom need a car. Our financial status also seems to be of concern to many. I'm a little amazed and amused. When these two items really were a major issue in our lives, we were in a church that was largely oblivious -- and we were, frankly, not unusual. But I do want to address a few common misconceptions that seem to exist among our friends and family all over the world.
First, while we are not as "privileged" as many, we are far from panic mode. If there is anything I have learned in the last seven years, it is how to be content with little. Verrrry Veryyyyy Veeeeerrry little. Like so little that I'm not sure most of you are ready to hear about it.
At this moment, I enjoy our little apartment for a huge number of reasons. It and our landlord are a blessing every day. I'm not concerned that I often repeat my wardrobe. I do not miss the stress of home ownership. I do not miss the stress of car ownership. The Lord provides for every moment that we are in need -- Especially when I think He's forgotten us.
Second, there seems to be some sort of concept floating through people's minds that since we're content with where we live, that it's time to start collecting items. Most people place a car high up on that list.
This makes me laugh. If you people could overhear our conversations, you would know ... the day we get a car ... is the day you will see substantially less of us. Much Much Muuuuch less. I don't care if you know me in Real Life or Second Life or because of this blog. I can guarantee you will see less of me. (Ok blog readers are allowed to laugh out loud at this moment.)
Third, there are many objectives that car ownership would actually hinder. These are our objectives. Be content knowing that we have some. I will say that being able to be charitable matters to us.
Fourth, if you somehow feel that you are taking care of the poor and needy by helping us move through this life. Stop it. Do not do that. Go find those who really need the assistance. We are not the poor and needy (at this moment).
If you enjoy our company, if you find us helpful, if you just feel inspired, then by all means ... we love being around people in these circumstances. Otherwise, we only plan what we know we can accomplish. And believe me ... up here ... that's a huge amount of stuff.
So for those of you who are out there worrying ... please breathe. We know from past experiences with God that when He is ready for us to have something, He will provide us with three things a) the knowledge that it's time for us to pursue it b) the physical and mental and spiritual ability to pursue it and c) financial ability to pursue it. The last is always the last to arrive.
That said, there are also times when He just drops things on us that we didn't think to ask for ... like nine people who just stop along the road to get Billy to and from the train station -- two of whom have been very very very generous while Billy has been wounded. And there are some people who just seem to think we're a hoot to cart around to the church (um that means they seem to think we're enjoyable).
Alright ... Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringe of Upstate New York. She passes out when she finds out that there are people who live here who don't view the train as a normal means of transportation.
We went out to Bear Mountain today ... no ... why would we go to see the mountain? We've been here a year. We're normal now. We were going to go shopping. We just happen to cross the Bear Mountain area when we go to the Woodbury Common Outlet Mall. This was "hunt it down and bag it" day. Soooooo ....
Of course, I didn't even think to take my camera. Billy didn't even think to see if I wanted to take it so that he wouldn't have to hear me whine about not having it.
And of course ... there was a frosting of snow and autumn colors are still hanging on the trees up there. It was incredible. Beautiful. Sigh...
So ... I'll tell you about Billy's glasses instead of showing you pictures.
About two weeks ago he took off and went to the doctor's office with his friend who was in a bad motorcycle wreck a few days before Billy had his "little" operation. His friend's motorcycle slipped in a wet, oily spot in a curve and he (the friend) ended up in the windshield ... yes IN the windshield of an on-coming minivan. By God's grace, he survived with a few broken bones. He moves slower ... but hey ... he's a retired NY firefighter ... he can do anything ;). So he picked Billy up about three weeks after their inflicted wounds began and he took Billy to his ... he took Billy to Billy's appointment. Oh that's nothing. He also took Billy to his appointment about 10 days after his accident. That was an even funnier outing than what I'm about to tell you.
Ok so wounded friend is taking wounded friend to the doc's office. Billy grabbed his bag of this & that's and ran out the door. I took the trash out. I came back in. I took the recycling out. I came back in. Billy came back home. Billy went back out. Billy came back in. Billy went back out. Billy stepped on his glasses on the way back in.
Ok ... the only opportunity those glasses had to migrate from his desk to the front porch was when Billy grabbed his bag off the desk and went out the door.
After we got over being stunned, we decided that ... a) the lenses were not scratched. b) the frame was not twisted beyond repair. c) we decided that if they were going to break during a repair, it would be one of us to break it.
So, today we stopped off and picked up two pairs of little bitty pliers -- the size used in jewelry making. When we returned home, Billy used one pair to hold the frame and the other pair to bend the frame back in place. He did this for two damaged portions of the frame ...
Wa-la
Billy had fully functional glasses again. It would have only taken $900 to replace the glasses in their entirety. Listen, if no one has told you yet, let me tell you: It's expensive to get older! Our eyes have to have three focal levels in the lenses, now. And they don't give a "you poor thing, you" discount!
Okay, I'm off to bed.
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern Fringes of Upstate New York. Today, she learned that old adage "Don't leave home without it" actually was stolen from the photography clan by the credit card companies.
Yes, little bitty bits of it, just a little further north and a little bit higher. But yeah we're still just getting rain. I have no idea why I think this is exciting stuff. I don't really care for the cold weather ... but I like the white ... but it gets messy ... but I like the white ... but it's dangerous ... but ... ok fine I'll stop and move on to other news.
Oh. wait. I can't tell that other news yet. hmmm well. Okay let me tell you this. I found out today that people like to have me on their side. Of course, I know that they find me exceedingly useful. And I know that they all do their best to make it an even trade. So, I'm not complaining. It's just complicating my decision making processes.
Either my goal is to conquer the world ... or it's not. If I'm not going to conquer the world, I can keep playing with ever little opportunity that falls on me. If I am going to conquer the world, I need to pick one front to fight and go after it.
Don't you just love all this cryptic chatter? And are you wondering yet if I'm talking about Real Life or Second Life?
It's both. They have become fused together. Well not completely ... but really close to it.
::: tapping keyboard :::
Oh ish there's nothing more I can say. You'll just have to stay tuned.
Have fun, Enjoy, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringes of Upstate New York. She gets her thrills by riding shotgun with her hubby in the zipcar up and down the hills, on narrow roads, in the dark, with little flecks of snow drifting down in front of the headlights ~ after, of course, eating gor-met food at the local cafe while listening to all the local musicians who gathered to play. (All of that is Real Life)
See this is the reason I should not post to my blog every day. I don't always want to talk about what's weighing on my brain and heart ~ mainly cause ... ya'll might shoot me for being overly pessimistic or sounding a little bit like a spoiled brat ... or maybe a gossip ... whiner ... complaining shrew.
Basically, tonight, I just feel grumpy. I am taking my husband and I am going to go to bed. I will try again tomorrow to conquer the world, do everything I want to do, and everything I need to do ~ Without being grumpy
Have fun, Enjoy, Pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern Fringes of Upstate New York. Sometimes it's best to just ... you know ... hide from her ;~p
Various people have found various ways to ask me a question that goes something like this: What about all the immorality in Second Life?
There is a running sentiment that the prevalence of a sexually charged atmosphere inside Second Life is the cause of so many problems. This is not a Second Life exclusive. People need to wake up and realize this is our real life ... this ... chaos surrounding our sexuality.
First, let me ask you: What about all the immorality in Real Life? What about all the immorality on the Internet? What about all the immorality on TV? What about all the immorality in your neighborhood? What about all the immorality in your Family and Friends? What about all the immorality in your own daily life?
People cannot handle the impact of Second Life on their morals and their behavior because they do not know how to handle the impact of Real Life on their morals and their behavior.
At the most simplistic level, the same answer I have regarding Second Life is the same as Real Life ... it is what was taught generations ago and is now lost in these days:
Be careful to
Guard your steps - know where you are going
Guard your eyes
Above all:
Stay aware of your thoughts so that you can
Guard Your Heart and Your Relationships.
Oh but if we just got rid of all the porn and all the etc etc etc.
Look it! I'm the first to admit ... I would never miss the impact of that stuff. People who know me well know that it had a hugely negative impact on a great deal of my life.
That's why I can tell you this. Moral conduct and loyalty in relationship comes from a guarded heart and mind. People love to whine out their response: But I have these feelings and I can't help myself and feelings aren't wrong.
To which I firmly, lovingly reply:
Feelings are CLUES. WARNING BELLS. It's the HELLO IS ANYBODY HOME call. Feelings tell us it's time to examine what we are thinking, doing, experiencing.
Try it. "I'm feeling angry right now because _______." If there is a shred, an inkling, a fraction of a particle of anger in you, you automatically filled in that blank. The "because" is a reason. Reasons are thoughts. And it is time to use those reasons and thoughts to figure out a way to resolve the anger. One of the most often reached conclusions: it's time to remove yourself from that situation. Why? Because we all know that keeping company with people and situations that cause anger is not healthy - mentally, spiritually, nor physically.
Ok. Now. This next scenario has been going on since the dawn of time. It is the beginning of all relationships of all kinds. Productive partnerships or friendships or romance.
Relationships begin with conversation. Great conversation will give you new ideas, laughter, an opportunity to express yourself... A great conversation is both comfort and refreshment - in short there is nothing more seductive. It will pull you away from work, away from loneliness, away from boredom.
All great conversations include the art of understanding each other. Two people begin to have conversation. They are new to each other. They want to have a decent encounter with another human being. They are not necessarily thinking of replacing another relationship with this new relationship. They just want to have a decent conversation and a decent interaction. To do this, they strive to understand each other. And being in the position of being understood is absolutely one of the most intoxicating events in a person's life.
Give a person understanding and they will produce art. Write endless tomes. Work tirelessly for your cause. On and On and On. Being understood is like a drug that pulls from a human being higher productivity or unending love and devotion. If you do not believe this, just hand out some understanding and see what happens. Or, listen and see how often you hear "but I'm not understood" coming from someone's lips--especially your own.
Okay. So. Now, let's review how many places provide men and women the opportunity to have conversation - away from home - in Real Life. The work place, schools, churches, coffee shops, counselor offices, the bus stop, the train station, the dry cleaners, the post office, the... Have you ever known two people to start conversation in one of these places? Maybe one of the couples fell in love? Maybe a few started a business? Maybe some great inspiration came to one or two of them?
Let's talk about all the different ways people have been meeting each other FIRST by encountering each other's written words. now this is where I will lose some of you. But for you and those like you, I first offer up these: Pen pals, books, pamphlets, essays, letters to the editor, etc. Then I take up with emails, Instant Messaging (or Text Messaging), forums, chat rooms, blogs, etc. Have you ever known people to fall in love while having these conversations? Decide to go into business together? Become inspired?
Okay, all the different ways people have been meeting each other FIRST by encountering each other's voices. Telephone, VoIP (skype), and I'm sure that's the really short list. Ditto the questions above.
Sooooo now. Along comes Second Life. Guess what the Main activity is. C O N V E R S A T I O N. Really. It is. I cannot describe it better than "this glorified chat room." It is quite a glorified chat room. Exceedingly glorified and fascinating.
There is no new perversion in SL. There is no new form of language - we still use written words and symbols (& sometimes our voices) to communicate. The only thing new is that now we are playing with 3D puppets that move us from place to place and forum to forum. Now we can watch the body language of two avatars as the DNA behind them ... the people behind them ... become closer and closer.
People scoff in and about Second Life and say: How can there be love between pixels ~ these cartoon characters?
People are not falling in love with pixels or cartoons. They are falling in love with the conversation and they are intoxicated on the feeling of being understood.
It is the same in Second Life as in Real Life. In this day and age, as in all the days and ages that have gone before us, we still have to decide what we will do when we feel so understood by the new person in the new relationship ... but ... the old person in the old relationship "just doesn't understand anymore."
Personally, I'd say we're looking at a wake-up call. It's time to remember that relationships go through stages. If we aren't intoxicated by the understanding we receive from the old relationship, BEFORE we abandon old friends, old business partners, and old spouses, I suggest reviewing a few thoughts:
Are we creating opportunities for conversation?
Are we trying to be interesting in the old relationship?
Are we being understandable? (Please don't think "well they should just... know ... after all this time ... why should I have to explain..." Please, please tell me you are wiser than that in your thoughts.)
Are we just simply forgetting to appreciate the easy understanding that comes from an old relationship?
Or perhaps we are understood too well in our old relationship ... there is always a side of us that resents being "seen" too well.
Ok I don't think I've posted one solitary strongly political view here. And this is more the result of some thinking I've been doing about my own way of life. The questions I keep asking myself are, "Can I be as bold as I need to be? Can one voice matter?" and other similar questions.
I only have a very few min ... so I'm going to save the yadda yadda for another post ... but there are some people who are not hiding ... there are people who are not wavering ... I want to be counted with them.
So ...
Dr. James Dobson ~ You've heard the who-ha ... now listen carefully to the man, himself.
Janet Folger ~ Has a plan I can follow ... a very simple plan that works.
And I'm adding my friend Laurie because she's the one who posted re Janet and made me see exactly how easy the plan is ... and made me remember ...
Have fun, Enjoy, Pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern Fringe of Upstate New York ... surrounded by people who actually do get what she's saying in this post. The whole state ain't NYC, ya'll!
Hmm you aren't going to believe this. I've been reading books ~ those things with paper pages and bindings and oh book covers! I've fell into some reading that's going to slow me down.
When I read C.S. Lewis, I get the impression I'm from an illiterate generation and that the generation of kids around me ... Well ... goodness! Heaven help 'em.
You will not believe what brought this on (caused this to happen). I met a person who was reading CS Lewis. He had met a couple of people who had read or who were in the process of reading various CS Lewis books. He said they said they were all up for having a CS Lewis discussion ~ at MarillaAnne's Place. What? You thought I was talking about RL? Too funny.
So, I posted an announcement to the "MarillaAnne's Place Group" and in the Second Life Events database. Various people showed up. And so, now, there seems to be one or two that hang about to listen in and one or two who show up to be a pain (class, can we say the word "ban"? SL is not a democracy.) and a few who are actually reading. And none of them are from the original group.
Up to this point, we've just discussed whatever anyone had on their mind from reading whichever CS Lewis book they were reading. We've had the discussion in text in the open chat channel (which means anyone can read it). But last week I begged them to use voice. My hands and shoulders were in pain from typing so much. We started out in open chat but it quickly became obvious that we were not going to be able to concentrate and deal with the floatsum and jetsum type av's that wander in and out. So, I moved our voice chat to a private "IM call."
It was a very intense, yet gentle, discussion between three believers and an atheist who was just there to listen in because he and I were already talking when the time for the meeting came round. Of the three believers, one is deeply questioning ... no just beginning to feel comfortable with carefully examining who she's always thought God was and who God says He is. Like me, she is a bit amazed at how God provides ways to know Him through logical and deductive reasoning.
If you think you've detected a bit of UK-sounding phrasing, you are probably right. I've been around two ladies at church, one from England and one from South Africa, and various and sundry people in SL from the UK (both in text and voice) and I've been reading CS Lewis. Tell me how I could avoid picking up a bit of it!
Well, I'll keep you posted on how this all goes. If you're in Second Life, the meeting is on Tuesdays @ 6pm SLT (Second Life Time ... which runs exactly like PCT because the makers of SL live in San Francisco).
Enjoy, Have fun, pam
Pam is a Texan living on the Southern fringes of Upstate New York. She also lives in Second Life on a regular basis ~ mainly @ MarillaAnne's Place, German Town, Dream Island.
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.
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.
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!
Well, To pick back up where I was so rudely interrupted by my Internet provider!
Yes, that's "me" riding a dragon that continuously hovers over MarillaAnne's Place. He's very friendly. Never bitten a single soul. I might talk to a scripter (someone who can make things move about and do things) and see if I can get that changed, though. An watch dragon could be handy. This is the left side of my coffee shop. See the lightpost? It is a very special lamp. Billy made it and it only required two prims (building blocks). This is a huge big deal for another post.
This is the right side of my coffee shop. I made the bar, the stools, and the fireplace. Oh! Yes, those are my photos in there on the wall. That's also another story for another day. But, they were the beginning inspiration for the coffee shop.
Now, for a brief intro to The Upstairs Art Gallery. Brief: Amazing. This is my fourth artist. I'm beginning to understand how to do a bit of publicity. And the gallery is beginning to have a name, a reputation. You can read more about this particular artist and exhibit here on my other blog.
Now, in other news. I broke down and got a Flickr Pro account. So you can see the rest of the images that I uploaded re MarillaAnne's Place there.
Also, It seems my oldest child has been diligently keeping a big, huge secret!!!
Okay. This is the one I've been promising the longest. I'm going to start telling you about my virtual coffee shop. Well it started out as just a coffee shop ... to go with my RL photos that I occasionally sell.
I already knew I wanted to have a place in a "themed" community. When I encountered Dream Island's German Town, I knew that I knew that I wanted to be there. So ... That's how I met Sandro and Madchen. I took Sandro to another place where I had begun to try to work out the concept. I showed him what I had set out and explained how much further I wanted to go.
Sandro got so excited. "We can do this!" Finally! I had met the right island owners who were really willing to work with me.
And I do mean work! Sandro and I worked out the details late one night and the next morning I had a building specifically chosen for my concept. Only it was much larger than we had originally talked about. It was ... all he could find that would work for my coffee shop. That's his story and he's stuck to it.
So ... How do you turn a two story warehouse feeling building into something warm and inviting. It took a long time and I'm still working it out. I still have a few kinks to work out. But all in good time.
I knew right away that I could use the upstairs for an art gallery ... visiting artists. You know. A coffee shop always has art from local artists but it doesn't get to live there forever. Eventually the art rotates. So far I've had 4 artists and, in general, they've had two weeks each.
Ok so now for the photos. Yes, it is possible to take photos in Second Life and, no, it's not easy unless you want to settle for snapshots.
There's more but the Internet connection has gone wacko ... I'm just hoping this actually posts this time ...
THIS IS KILLING ME ... GO SEE VIOLETKEY'S BLOG ... I THINK SHE'S GETTING TO POST THE BIG NEWS.
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...
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...
Telling My Stories and Discovering Your Stories
