Banned books

I recognize most of these banned books in a photo I found HERE.)  My grand-daughter Cady reviewed And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (c. 2005) on Bonnie's Books HERE.  It's on the bottom right.  Can you think of a banned book you read and liked?  Please share the title with us.

Earth Day ~ April 22

I took part in the first Earth Day in 1970 on my college campus.  I came home with information and handouts that day, including one that said "Stop at Two," meaning two children to replace the two parents so we don't overpopulate our earth.  My 6-year-old son nodded and said, "That's a good idea" (or something like that).  I said to him, "David . . . think about it."  I have been pregnant twice, but my first "baby" turned out to be identical twins.  David was born three years later, making him number three.  His eyes widened as realization hit him.

I've celebrated Earth Day on April 22nd every year since then, but I never use the "Stop at Two" slogan.  Never.  David may have taken the advice seriously, though.  He and his wife have two children, a boy and a girl.  Each of his sisters also had two, a girl and a boy.  One twin later remarried and had one other daughter, but that is still only one child per parent.  That youngest grandchild happened to be born on — wait for it! — April 22nd.  Happy birthday today!  What a great coincidence, huh?

Our world is in worse shape now than it was a half century ago when Earth Day was first celebrated.  We need to do more to care for Mother Earth.  I recycle cans and bottles and paper, and I try to avoid anything that may pollute our environment.  What are you doing to save the only planet we have?  Here are a few ways to make a difference.

Click on this image to enlarge it.

Banned Books Week ~ Sept. 23-29, 2018

It's been ten years since I wrote (on my blog) about my granddaughter reading And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell (2005).  Night before last, I mentioned that book to my newest book discussion group, and then Helen wrote about it on her blog.  Wow!  What a coincidence!  It must be time for me to re-read this book.  I highly recommend that you read it for yourself.

It's Banned Books Week, so read a banned book.  If you need suggestions for something to read, check out this Newsweek article about most frequently banned books.  The list of ten most banned at the end of the article includes And Tango Makes Three.  And do, please, watch the short video at the top of the article.  It's only 1:50 minutes long (under two minutes!), and I want you to notice WHY the last-mentioned book was banned.  It has "unwholesome values" because of its "independent female protagonist."  Okay, I'm sure you know how I feel about that!

Here's page for you to color from the American Library Association.  (Click to enlarge it.)  WORDS HAVE POWER, it says.  Yes!  Words are so powerful that they scare some people.  After all, would we want independent females?  Obviously, some people would NOT.

Sunday Salon ~ books, labyrinths, family, purricane

BOOKS

Two weeks ago, Jürgen Moltmann wrote these words for a book about his theology by Stephen D. Morrison:

I have endeavored to follow up scholarly theological books with shorter, generally accessible works.  I have kept myself accountable to the injunction:  “That which cannot be said simply is perhaps not worth saying at all.”  As such, I followed up Theology of Hope (1967) with the popular-level work, In the End — The Beginning (2004); my Christology, The Way of Jesus Christ (1990), with Jesus Christ for Today’s World (1994); and The Spirit of Life (1992) with The Source of Life (1997).

I have five of these six books, but somehow I missed In the End — The Beginning.  I'll have to remedy that oversight!  I hadn't realized these (smaller) books were more accessible versions of his theological tomes, but the "easier" ones are definitely shorter:

(342 pages) Theology of Hope

In the End — The Beginning (192 pages)

(388 pages) The Way of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ for Today’s World (152 pages)

(358 pages) The Spirit of Life

The Source of Life (148 pages)

Now I guess I'd better read (or re-read) all six books as I compare their contents.  I've had these since the 1990s, except Theology of Hope, which I bought in 1987.  That one is so old, the pages are falling out, so I got a later edition in 2012.  I can't throw away the old one yet, though, because of all my marginalia and underlining in it.

LABYRINTHS

Donna and I walked the labyrinth at the Mercy Center with Kevin on Thursday.  Click to enlarge the photo to see both of them meditating near the tree in the center.

Wanting to share labyrinth photos with a couple of friends, I went looking through my blog posts ... and couldn't find what I wanted.  Ha!  It's because I posted it on another of my blogs:  Book Buddies.  Here's the photo I was thinking about, one of Mary and Donna in the center of a smaller labyrinth at a church in Ooltewah.

Here's a labyrinth that Donna and I walked in Hixson, six years ago, when she took this photo of me.  There's a similarity among these outdoor labyrinths, but they are also different:  one is outlined with stones, one with bricks, and one with grass between wood-chip paths.

FAMILY

My youngest granddaughter has been pictured with her best friends in CityScope Magazine after their graduation from high school.  She is now a college freshman.

PURRICANE

Let's end with a gentle "cat-egory 3 purricane," hoping to bring a smile in a week of devastating weather in our world.

More Sunday Salon posts are on Facebook.

Sunday Salon ~ friends, family, and books

FRIENDS

This is "my" usual table when I eat dinner here at the Crown Center.  I wasn't there when they celebrated Cardinals Night.  Left to right are Gail, Susan, Sheila, Mickey, Adeline, and Donna.

FAMILY

My youngest grandchild graduated from high school yesterday.  Congratulations, Cady!  She'll be starting university life in the fall.

BOOKS

The library loot I wrote about last week hasn't been as difficult to get through as I had expected.  I've already completed three of the seven books...

• Natural Causes: An Epidemic of Wellness, the Certainty of Dying, and Killing Ourselves to Live Longer ~ by Barbara Ehrenreich, 2018, sociology, 9/10
• The Cheshire Cheese Cat: A Dickens of a Tale ~ by Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Randall Wright, 2011, children's chapter book, 7/10
• Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor ~ by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Raul Colon, 2016, children's picture book, 8/10

...and have gotten well into a fourth library book.

• Counting by 7s ~ by Holly Goldberg Sloan, 2013, YA fiction

These are quotes I want to remember from Ehrenreich's book, Natural Causes:

"Once I realized I was old enough to die, I decided that I was also old enough not to incur any more suffering, annoyance, or boredom in the pursuit of a longer life. ... As for medical care: I will seek help for an urgent problem, but I am no longer interested in looking for problems that remain undetectable to me. Ideally, the determination of when one is old enough to die should be a personal decision, based on a judgment of the likely benefits, if any, of medical care and — just as important at a certain age — how we choose to spend the time that remains to us" (p. 3).

"Not only do I reject the torment of a medicalized death, but I refuse to accept a medicalized life, and my determination only deepens with age. As the time that remains to me shrinks, each month and day becomes too precious to spend in windowless waiting rooms and under the cold scrutiny of machines. Being old enough to die is an achievement, not a defeat, and the freedom it brings is worth celebrating" (pp. 12-13).

Quoting physician John M. Mandrola: "The default should be: I am well. The way to stay that way is to keep making good choices — not to have my doctor look for problems" (p. 9).

More Sunday Salon posts can be found on Facebook

Hygge Holiday Challenge ~ first update

Dec. 1 ~ start a gratitude list

• Three children ~ Barbara, Sandra, and David.
• Seven grandchildren ~ Kendall, Cali, Brandy, Kenzie, Chase, Jamey, and Cady.
• Six great-grandchildren ~ Raegan, Jaxon, Shelby, Jonathan, Micah, and Shiloh.

Dec. 2 ~ add relaxing scents

I lit a vanilla-scented candle and bought a new hand soap scented with coconut water and mango to use in the kitchen.  I'm already using hand soap in the bathroom that's lavender-scented.

Dec. 3 ~ more gratitude

Since I'm retired, the challenge on the list makes no sense for me:  "sleep in 15 mins or more."  I can do that any day.  Instead, I'll add to my gratitude list.

Randi Schenberg

I'm very grateful for the Crown Center for Senior Living for being the great place for active retirees that it is.  That means being thankful for the wonderful people on the staff and the board.  Randi Schenberg, the Community Relations Director, was the first person I met at the Crown Center, when I applied to live here.  In February, Randi was given the 2017 JProStl Pillar Award, and I posted a 2-minute video about it on this blog.  Thanks, Randi, for your smiles and all you do for the Crown Center!

Dec. 4 ~ learn a new skill

I'm still trying to learn how to operate my new computer.  I've been very annoyed trying to use Windows 10.  Oops!  Being annoyed is not very "hyggeligt" ― it doesn't create a cozy environment.  I'll get someone to help me with the new laptop, but not today.  I'm going to get comfy, instead, and read a book.

Dec. 5 ~ get the Hygge book

I went to the University City Library and got a copy of The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking.  Loosely translated, hygge is a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being.  It's about an atmosphere and an experience, like being cuddled up on a sofa, wearing cozy socks, and covered by a soft throw during a storm.  And don't forget to light a candle or two.

Dec. 6 ~ "unbook" yourself

Too late!  I had already agreed to drive my friend Barbara somewhere today.  Watching her enjoy old friendships was also joyful for me, so it worked out perfectly.  On our way back home, we stopped at the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions for Barbara and for another Crown Center resident, since we were going there anyway.  She and I also had lunch together in the Circle@Crown Café and visited with several people, including Judy and Marianne.

Dec. 7 ~ send a thank you note

I looked through my cards and found this one that says "Thoughts of you..." on the front and on the inside "...are the happiest kind!"  Who and why shall remain between the recipient and me, but the card is on its way.

The challenge
Click this link to see the complete Hygge Holiday Challenge calendar.

Thursday Thirteen ~ family on my mind

1.  Shiloh Mae, due to arrive in November, is my sixth great-grandchild.  Shiloh means "one who is peaceful."

2.  Jaxon has been to the doctor twice and to the ER for fluids. No one knew exactly what was wrong with him, his mom reported today when she asked for prayers.  Late in the day, she had a call from the doctor and learned he has salmonella, apparently from a restaurant.  That's the only time he ate anything different from the rest of the family.

3.  My twins took part in the Race for the Cure over the weekend.

4.  I got to visit with David and Sharon while in Chattanooga this summer.

5.  Jamey graduating from the university.

6.  Micah is busy crawling through the tube.

7.  Jonathan is absorbed in his activity.

8.  Cady now has a driver's licence.

9.  Shelby and I like cats.

10.  Sandra at Raegan's school on Grandparents' Day, today.

11.  I visited my sister Ann on July 14th, three weeks before she died.

12.  Sandra and Barbara in the Race for the Cure ran into Chase on the UTC campus.

13.  Grandkids when there were only six.  Clockwise from top left:  Brandy, Kendall, Cali, Kenzie, Jamey, and Chase.

Her birthday is Earth Day

Cady, who reviewed books on this blog a few years ago, is "sweet sixteen" today.  Some of the books she reviewed were And Tango Makes Three, Kersplatypus, Goldie, and Other Goose.

Happy Birthday, Cady!

TBT ~ my grandchildren

Back row:  Brandy, Kendall, Cali

Front row:  Chase, Jamey, Kenzie

This was about 1994.  Cady, my 7th grandchild, was not born until 2000.

Sunday Salon ~ school and other classes

SCHOOL DAYS

First, my five great-grandchildren.  Shelby and Jaxon were excited and all ready for the first day of school — preschool, that is.  It's his last year of preschool and her first.

Micah and Jonathan are happy at "school" — actually, day care — which they have just begun this week.  Raegan started first grade a couple of weeks ago, and lost her first tooth a couple of days ago.

Then moving up a generation to my seven grandkids.  This photo shows Cady's first day as a high school sophomore in mid-August.  She's my youngest grandchild.  A couple of my grandsons are still in college.

CLASSES

My children are busy working, rather than taking classes, so I'll move up to my generation.  At 75, I attend classes where I can have fun.  My best friend Donna ("Cool people care") and I (the presumed novelist) learned how to make root beer floats.  Well, we already knew how and have done it over many years, but it was a "class" with participation.  That basically means we ate what we made, and each of us got to keep the unusual glass that was provided.

Here I am with some of my friends and acquaintenances in an exercise class where we use ballet moves.  Left to right, Linda in brown, Joan in blue, Marlene, Bella, and Mrs. Chen.  Reflected in the mirror are Vanessa (who dances professionally) in pink, Bonnie (almost lost behind Joan's reflection), and Donna framed against the closet door.

Good news!  My blood sugar level (A1C) is down so much that my new doctor says I am once again "pre-diabetic."  The term simply indicates where I am in terms of controlling it with diet and exercise.  I'm actually down 60 pounds from my highest weight of a few years ago and feeling great.

BOOK

A Heretic's Guide to Eternity ~ by Spencer Burke and Barry Taylor, 2006

Distinguishing between religion and spirituality, Burke offers what he calls a new way of looking at God, one centered on the idea of grace. He emphasizes a God who is looking to save the world, not a God who seems more intent on condemning certain practices . . . . For Burke, God is to be questioned, not simply obeyed. His challenging thesis will appeal to many people today who have given up on organized religion but still seek some connection to spirituality.

Only one book to report today.  This one arrived in the office on Friday, but the notice taped to my mailbox in the lobby didn't appear until Saturday.  The security guard at the link desk opened the office and let me sign it out, so I was able to look it over last night.  This is the book my study group has chosen to discuss over the next few weeks or months.  In other words, this is a class of sorts.  You could say we teach ourselves by intense study and commitment to reading the sections we'll be discussing.  Donna has agreed to lead our reflections as we work our way through this book.

Bloggers gather in the Sunday Salon — at separate computers in different time zones — to talk about our lives and our reading.

Sunday Salon ~ Kindle and family

KINDLE LIBRARY

2.  The Geography of Thought: How Asians and Westerners Think Differently ... and Why ~ by Richard Nisbett, 2003, psychology (critical thinking)

I'm more than halfway through this one and, though it's deep, I'm enjoying it so far.  It makes me think.

1.  The Story of a Pioneer ~ by Anna Howard Shaw, 1915, memoir, 8/10

I've already finished this one for my book club meeting on Tuesday.  It wasn't particularly interesting to me, but I did finish it.

3.  Anna Karenina ~ by Leo Tolstoy, 1877, fiction (Russia)

Once again, I have totally bogged down trying to slog through this long, long novel.  I abandoned it a few years ago and still hope to read all of it this time.

6.  The Universe Is Calling: Opening to the Divine Through Prayer ~ by Eric Butterworth, 1993, religion

I'm reading Butterworth's Discover the Power Within You (1968) for a group discussion and wanted to know how his thinking about prayer had evolved between 1968 and 1993.

4.  Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness Are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe ~ by Robert Lanza and Bob Berman, 2009, biology

A new paradigm which switches perspective from physics to biology.  Berman says life is not an accidental byproduct of the laws of physics.

5.  Booth Girls: A Love Story ~ by Joan Uda, 2013, fiction (Iowa), 10/10

Loved this one, which I read straight through.  Click on the title to read about the book.

I had trouble deciding what to call a section of this post about adding books to my new Kindle.  It isn't exactly "bookstore bounty" or "library loot" or "Monday mail."  Since these are the books I have now added to my Kindle library, why not simply "Kindle Library"?  Duh.

FAMILY

Today is my oldest granddaughter's 28th birthday.  She's on the right, with her younger brother and sister.  Happy birthday, Cali!

Bloggers gather in the Sunday Salon — at separate computers in different time zones — to talk about our lives and our reading.