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I never heard of this woman< did you?

Walk On

•  What would you do if your recognition and honor were stolen?
•  How would you react when your research was appropriated for use without your knowledge and permission?
•  What would you say to those who had violated one of the fundamental laws of the Hippocratic Oath of Science –– Thou shall not steal?

1868,  Benjamin Disraeli became  Prime Minister. The appointment lasted only a few months. General elections in the United Kingdom held that same year favored William Gladstone and his Liberal Party.[1]

1874, Disraeli returned to Parliament as Prime Minister and became the father of social reform. But after being defeated by Gladstone and his Liberals in 1880, Disraeli went into retirement and died in 1881.[2]

1914,  The First World War began.

1917, The Balfour Declaration was enacted.[3]

1918, The First World War ends.

1920,

The month:  July,

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Children grow up and become instant presto friends. There’s nothing like it!

Baloon Fun Time (Photo credit: andreasandrews)

 

Speaking from experience, once you have a child, they make it into you heart forever. There is no getting around it.  Maybe some people can forget about their kids once they reach 18, but that would be a person who doesn’t have a soul.

 

What’s great about adult children is that you can enjoy them on an adult level. Presto, you have instant friends. You will find that they might share your taste in clothes, food, and recreational activities.

 

My daughter keeps asking me if it’s weird having a grown-up daughter. The answer is no. It’s delightful.

 

The children they were stay in your memory and are in pictures, but  you readily accept them as adults.

 

It’s a plus.

 

Having children has been a fun experience for me, and an additional joy. I never expected to get all the benefits from it.

 

When they’re little, you get to experience life from their perspective. Who doesn’t enjoy watching your child ride the merry-go round for the first time? How about going to the zoo with them? There’s nothing like that first smile. Then there’s the first step. The first step away from you. But that’s your job. To help them grow up.

 

When they grow up, you can feel proud of them and share in their accomplishments and joys. That’s just as satisfying, of course, you do share in the disappointments too. That means like everything else in life, you” take the bitter with the sweet. ”

 

All in all, I think parenthood is a rewarding experience and well-worth the hard work.

 

What do you think?

 

Related articles

 

• Is your child growing up too fast? (insidehalton.com)
• Teaching Children About Money: How to Explain a CD to Your Child (ally.com)

 

Spending time with good friends: Another Harmony Project post

Today, I had a fun day with people from the Harmony project. We went over to the “Buckingham Commons” on sixth street. It’s an apartment complex that some of our friends live in.

friends from the Harmony project

One of the women from the choir, Joy Macke, is a makeup artist, and she did makeup for some of the residents from the Unison project. (It’s name has changed, but I don’t have it straight in my mind).   There was another lady who did magical things with hair, and another taking pictures of all of us.

It’s amazing what a little makeup and hair brush ups can do for people. They just glow and look like movie stars.

We all ate pizza, salad, pop and just talked.

Since Harmony Project is about giving to each other, we appropriately sang “Lean on Me” which is going to be in our May 18 and 19 concert. I can’t describe the good feelings that were going on in that room. It only took singing together, and really feeling it.

Tomorrow, we’re going to raise money to try to plant some trees on Livingston Avenue.  Later on, we’re going to paint a mural. There are so many projects going on, I can’t keep track of them.

I am so glad “The Harmony Project came into my life.” It’s amazing what you can get out of connecting with people, singing, and just doing little things to contribute.

I’d feel lost without this wonderful organization.

I’ve been out of touch with some TV and it’s probably a good thing! Yuck

no-cable-tv (Photo credit: hjl)

Some of the TV shows on cable television are shocking. I started watching some tonight while I tried to crochet. I figured I could listen and figure out what I was doing at the same time. It really didn’t work.  I ended up ripping out my crocheting, but I realized TV has come a long way. A long way downwards.

I won’t pretend I don’t watch TV, and  that some of my choices aren’t  terrific.  I seem to like competitions and weight shows.  I am a regular viewer of Jon Stewart and the Colbert show.  I used to watch the news shows, but they are just people repeating the same things over and over. The news isn’t too good lately anyway.  Talk about a rehash fest.  It’s nothing like the newscasters of old who actually seemed qualified  to comment on the World’s events.

Image via CrunchBase

Tonight, I listened to Kim and  whoever Khardasian live in Miami.  They eat at fancy restaurants, and run around being famous.  I won’t even tell you what they were discussing on the show tonight. It was too gross.

The husband of one of the sisters seems as dumb as a box of rocks. However, I guess he’s smart enough to live with the Khardasian’s and just play. He doesn’t seem to have a job or anything like that. He also was harassing his girlfriend (a Khardasian)  because she weighed 115 pounds instead of 95. She hadn’t taken off her “baby weight” yet. Yes, they have two children, of course, they’re not married.  I am guessing they deserve each other.

I know the Khardasians are wildly popular and have tons of followers on Twitter. Why is this? They are attractive girls, but exactly what do they do?  I guess their show gives the viewers a chance to pretend they’re famous for doing absolutely nothing. What would it be like to have all that money?

I realized that I must be out of touch with society if this is what is going on in real life. Are people really acting like this?  This TV watching was even worse than the Fox channel which I didn’t think was possible.

Then I watched ( and listened) to  some other disgusting shows. They weren’t trying to be reality shows.  Writers actually write this stuff. Are they high on drugs or drunk when they do this?

All they were talking about was sex. How to do it, and who to do it with, what positions to use. They also loved describing body parts. It reminded me of a sophisticated version of sixth grade jokes.  I didn’t get much of a story going on here. Many of the characters were shallow, superficial, and not very likable.

I didn’t get any inspiring type of messages, or positive feelings.
One of the shows I do  watch is “Shameless”, but some of the stuff is getting to rank for me. I will probably keep watching it because there is enough good acting  going on to keep me interested. They do touch on some issues.  Some of the story lines turn me off. (An Indian with a sexual perversion problem, a daughter using her mother to help her have a baby.) Maybe I’m missing something.

Am I just getting old, or has the morality of society really gone down the tubes. It doesn’t seem that we can get much lower than this.

I’m thinking maybe I’d be better off without TV.   But, like many people, I am addicted.  I guess that makes me no better than Kim and her sister taking Miami or whatever they were supposed to be doing.

What do you think about TV?

Related articles

• Kanye West avoiding pregnant girlfriend, Kim Kardashian? (danielumechime.wordpress.com)
• Hang Out With Celebuzz While You Watch ‘Kourtney And Kim Take Miami’ (celebuzz.com)

Coming full circle: taking a walk in the woods on a wintry day: Memoir

Today I came full circle. My two  daughters and son-in-law took me out for a walk.  I was wearing a funny black furry hat  reminiscent of something my  Russian grandmother would wear,  a pair of sunglasses, my old red sweater, black stretch pants, and running shoes with a ragged shoelaces.

I have vague memories of construction workers whistling at me 40 years ago.  I didn’t like it. It embarrassed me, and I felt like it was an invasion of my privacy. Oh, what I would give to have anyone whistle at me now.

Before we got to the park, the grown up children made sure I was buckled in the back seat. My oldest daughter fastened my belt for me. It was rather humorous. I don’t feel I’m quite at the state where I can’t handle a seatbelt, but I thanked her for it.

We got out of the car, and started walking. It is Ohio, and it was cold. Naturally, they all sped ahead of me. My knee which recently was in a state of disrepair, is still not feeling too normal. Something tells me that it will never be the same again.  I banged it into the stove or closet or something, and had to wear a knee brace for two months.

My doctor consoled me by saying, “if you were a world-class athlete, they’d have gone in and cleaned it up already, but you’re not. Give it a couple of months. It’s just a knee.”

So, we went on our walk. and I ignored my nagging kneecap.

I could see the two girls as they once were. Both blonde, one with curls, and one with straight hair. The youngest following the oldest one around.  They’ve grown into beautiful caring young women.  The person missing is my youngest son. He, like my oldest daughter, now lives out-of-town. It’s a rare occasion when all three of them are together. It is always a joyous occasion for me.

Now, they’re all grown up.  It seems hard to believe they were ever little. I have vague memories of dragging all that baby stuff with me: diapers, an extra set of clothes, a baby seat to set up. I always had the oldest child to help me with the other two.  I also remember the youngest two fighting over who was going to sit on my lap while we watched TV.

So, we finished our walk, and I got back in the backseat. I was  glad the walk was over. It was too cold for me. I would not  have  lasted if I was by myself.

Post script

I wrote this a couple of years ago. My kneecap is now back to normal. I have also updated my wardrobe.  Unfortunately, nobody is whistling at me. I guess those days are really  gone!

How do you feel about getting older?  Do you recall a moment when you realized that you were in the last stage of your life?

Reflections of getting older

Related articles

• Wintry Spell: Windy, Snowy and Cold (fox8.com)

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This is from my weight blog: Losing the last 40 pounds! I’ve been on a roll!

losing the last 40 pounds

Happy to report I’m making steady progress.  I am going steadily down slowly, and feel much better.

I have worked out 6 days out of 7. I added land working out to swimming aerobics. I’ve tried yoga, strength training, and spinning.

I’ve added more fruit and vegetables.  I recently made scrambled eggs with mushrooms, and onions. I am only allowing myself 2 slices of low-calorie wheat bread, and am trying to eliminate most sugar. I use stevia as a substitute. I am not happy with the sugar substitutes because they’re not good for you.

I also took away pop. It does not agree with my nasty stomach medicine. What else can I do? It’s no good anyway.

I bought some kale although I’m not exactly sure what to do with it. It cost 66 cents.

This week I’m trying Dr. Oz’s cleanse. Anyone out there who has experience with that?…

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Pleasure Guild’s excellent production of” Peter Pan” provokes memories and thoughts!

Peter Pan 1915 cover 2 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Pleasure Guild sponsored an excellent production of “Peter Pan.”  This is a group that raises money for Children’s Hospital in Columbus. One way they do this is to produce a play.  The play was an amateur production, but seemed professional to me.  I loved it so much I put a few dollars in the Children’s Hospital’s  bucket after the show was over.

All of the actors are amateurs who did a terrific job. The choreography was fantastic. The main characters are all actors who’ve been in productions before, but there were children, who couldn’t have had much experience. The acting and singing were just perfect. They didn’t miss a step or a note!

Emily Cipfiani  who played Peter Pan was convincing.  She had a tremendous voice. (I’d read in The Columbus Dispatch that she suffered from juvenile arthritis. You would never know it by her flying and dancing.)

The actors who played Captain Hook (Doug Joseph)  and Wendy (Kelly Hogan) were particularly talented. They had those characters down perfectly.

I was impressed with everything: scenery, costumes, flying and music.

Thoughts the production provoked

This is a very old story. The first time I watched this I was a little girl. I know I liked it then, but for different reasons. I wanted to be like Wendy and fly. “Never Never Land” seemed appealing to me at the time.  I liked the amusing conflicts between the pirates, Indians and Captain Hook.  Peter Pan made a great hero. I truly believed in Tinkerbell. The music charmed me, just like it did in this production!

Now, that I am getting older, the play hit different chords. Do I wish I could go back to childhood and never grow up? (Maybe just for a day)   Can I even remember what it was like to be a child?  Hardly, but those good memories are ones I treasure.

At the end of the play, the grownups were bemoaning the fact that their children were gone. That touched a nerve. Your children eventually grow up and you and  go barely remember their childhoods. They leave one way or the other. We all want them to grow up, but it is a little sad, just the same.

There’s nothing like a good play to touch your heart.

Good job Pleasure Guild!

Did you see the play? What is your opinion?  What memories does “Peter Pan” evoke for you?

Trying out yoga again! Downward dog was never so hard!

English: downward dog posture I took this picture for use in the Anahata Yoga instruction manual. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Today, I decided to go and do a yoga class. This is part of my resolve to do something different every week. I am on my never-ending journey to maintain my health.  I have been stepping up the exercise and feel a lot better than a month ago! (I am also trying to eat smartly).

I used to do yoga about 6 years ago. I’ll be honest, I never much liked it. First of all, I have a lot of weight to hold up when I’m up on all fours. Downward dog is not my favorite position to be in . (Maybe it’s because I am allergic to dogs.)  Your hands are lower than your legs, and you have to hold your behind straight up. in the air. Not ever owning a dog, I’m not sure whether dogs actually do this yoga position.

Knowing I might not make it through the class, I did the elliptical machine for 20 minutes beforehand. I put it on heart rate zone, and it got my heart-rate up to 132 which I think is a little high for a 62-year-old woman who is overweight. So, I already was sweating when I went in the yoga class.

The instructor was making the room all dark and playing exotic music. These yoga instructors are all spiritual types who weigh hardly anything. They are real flexible and can do all sorts of tricks with their bodies.  They also spout off smatterings of pithy sayings coming from Eastern philosophy. I like that part.

Anyway, I was already tired after I was sitting Indian style. It must be cause I’m so weak. My back does not want to be straight.  Then I figured out that my pants were actually too tight around the waist. Not a good beginning. If you go, make sure your pants are loose! That’s why they make yoga pants.

I was bound and determined to make it through the class . One thing I should have known from experience is it’s not smart to eat cereal and drink 2 cups of coffee before you point your head towards the floor.   I reviewed my morning breakfast during downward dog. I was glad my breakfast stayed where it was. Then, for some unknown reason my eyes and nose began running. (Downward dog?)  I was having an allergy attack while I was trying to stretch my arm around my right side while putting my left foot in front of my right foot. Then my glasses kept falling off my head. So, I kept removing them, but I couldn’t see the instructor, so I had to keep putting them on and off.

I actually wanted to leave after the first 10 minutes, but I’m proud to say I did the entire class. Not like everyone else, but I did what I could. Which wasn’t a whole lot, but the sweat was pouring off my forehead.

The instructor was very sweet, and kept giving modifications for my benefit. In yoga they usually stress doing what you can, and not worrying about what other people are doing. I’m fine with that!

One thing I do know about yoga is that stretching and breathing is a good thing. I was so happy when we got to the part where we relax. I wasn’t expecting the instructor to put a towel around my eyes.  That was a little strange. Usually they put it on your body.

The class was finally over and I said my final  Namaste. I will say I felt terrific when it was over.

I’ll try again next week.

I would recommend yoga. From past experience, it helps burn calories and gets oxygen going through you body.  You’re so happy when it’s finally over too!

Do you have an exercise you don’t enjoy, but do it because you feel better when it’s over!

Dr. Phil’s show is sordid, but sometimes nuggets of wisdom emerge

An icon illustrating a parent and child (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I hate to admit this, but I do sometimes turn on the Dr. Phil. TV show.  It’s really sordid. Sometimes,  I wonder if his guests are merely actors pretending to be real people.

I didn’t fully watch his show today, but at the end of the show, he had  a psychologist on who had some good tips for listening to your kids.

Listening to your kid’s concerns and problems is one of the most important thing a parent can do.  It’s called paying attention to them.

Remembering the chaos that surrounds children makes it sometimes difficult to give them your full attention. Fulfilling their physical needs sometimes takes precedence over their emotional ones.

Today’s parents have to be exhausted. Both parents, or only a single parent,  have to work full-time jobs to make ends meet. Some parents are working more than one job. I can’t imagine how hard it would be today. Gas prices, food prices, and all those valid problems.

I think cell phones, computers, I-pads and all that technical stuff has to make it even harder to talk to your kids.  It bothers me when I’m out somewhere, and people are paying more attention to their phones than their kids. It’s a little frightening. Some of those kids have forlorn expressions on their faces.

What really bothers me when  both parties, the child and the parent, are busy on their communication devices. Then, they don’t seem to be together at all.

Tips for listening to your kids

Put all that stuff aside when your kid is talking to you. Fully look at the child. One thing the psychologist pointed out is that children can read your body language and your facial expressions. They’re going to pick up on whether you’re really listening.

Do reflective listening. See if you can tell how the child is feeling. Reflect this back by saying, “I know you’re feeling hurt, or I think you’re feeling…… Don’t make it phony. (I had a friend who always used to say, “I hear you.” Finally I asked her if she’d gotten that expression in her graduate course.).

Be supportive. I think that’s also important. Try to see their side of things. Then discuss it with them. You may not agree, but at least know how they’re thinking

What do you think? How do you listen to your kids? Please don’t do it holding your i-phone!

Related articles

• Dr. Phil Asks “How’s That Working for Ya?” (crumbsnatchertales.com)

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uncollectedworks

Here’s a poem (one of two) that deals with specific ambiguities for your reading pleasure.

Sometimes a strand of light in the golden afternoon

Seems to snap

And out flows oozing darkness

From its thin veins.

Then when you least expect it

Little Willing comes crashing through the bushes

With her easy muscled body

After a cat sunning himself

With one eye towards danger

And ready to leap away,

But my leash makes short radii

And she rejoins my side,

Cat forgotten.

Mike Stone

Raanana Israel

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