Two things on my agenda today

I had only TWO things on my TWOsday agenda:  a discussion group and an appreciation program with singers and snacks:

1.  Short Story discussion in the early afternoon that met in the small art studio was to study a short story.

Two discussion leaders (Esther and Christie) took turns reading Guy de Maupassant's short story entitled "The Necklace."  A couple of us knew about the story, me and another participant.  It had been part of my English studies (in high school, I think, though it may have been in college for my first degree).  If you are not familiar with the story, you can read it HERE.  I am a visual person, so I would have preferred to have a copy of the story so I could read along.  I don't retain as much by simply listening, and that's why I came home, looked it up (for myself and also for you blog readers), and thought about it on my own after our discussion.

2.  Volunteer Appreciation program in our large community room in the evening.

People who volunteer to greet visitors at the Welcome Desk were included, as were the residents and non-residents who prepare meals to be delivered to the community and Crown Center residents.  I was invited because I volunteer to work in the library, reshelving books and magazines, and preparing donations to be shelved.  I also cull books that have been there long enough and make room for newer books to go on our shelves.  I've been doing it since I moved here in 2014, along with other residents, like my friends Donna and Risé.  Donna, who had a Master's degree in library science, set up our library as in this photo when she first moved here.  The room was recently renovated, but I will share those changes another time.

St. Patrick's Day

My friends Marilyn and Donna celebrating St. Patrick's Day in 2015 in the Circle@Crown Café.  Notice they are wearing green.  Neither of them is still with us, but today (reminded by this photo) I'll think of them and St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, who is said to have died on March 17 around 493 A.D.

Let me end this blog post with a bit of humor:  "A best friend is like a four-leaf clover:  hard to find and lucky to have."

Do you play Scrabble ... or Bananagrams?

When I played Scrabble with a neighbor the other day, she had a "cheat sheet" and shared it with me.  On a hunch, I later googled "scrabble cheat sheet" and found several.  The one above says we should memorize 25 words.  Who knew?  I didn't.  Take a look HERE.  People have been collecting these words for years.

My neighbor had a Scrabble board that swivels around so each of us could see it easier, but mine (above) is the old-fashione folding board game.  I went upstairs to get my bag of Bananagrams to show her how it is similar to Scrabble, yet very different.

Here's a Bananagram example my friend Donna did on August 31, 2019.  She also loved playing with words.

Chinese New Year

Today we celebrate the Chinese New Year and the beginning of the Year of the Dragon.  The Dragon symbolizes power, nobleness, honor, luck, and success in Chinese culture.  There are a dozen signs, so each show up every twelve years.  I was born in the Year of the Dragon in 1940, so this is my eighth:  1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, and now 2024.  See the zodiac years beginning with 1904 in the illustration above?

This is a photo of my best friends Jane Yelliott and Donna Carey when we celebrated the Chinese New Year on January 23, 2012.  We all wore red, the color for the day (notice the red dragon above), and we went to a Chinese restaurant.  Jane died in December 2013.  I wouldn't have moved away from Chattanooga if she were still alive.  I would house-sit and cat-sit for Jane when she traveled to places like Ireland with family and friends.  Jane was a well-known artist, and a plaque honoring her is on the historic Walnut Street Bridge in Chattanooga.  Here's Jane receiving a different award in 2012:

I met Jane in a Sunday School class that had invited me to come teach a series of lessons.  When I realized what a great artist she was, I asked her to illustrate the story Kiki and the Rain Room that I'd written about my cat (see HERE).  Unfortunately, she died before she could do that.  Now where was I went I got off-track?

Chinese New Year!  Does anyone want to go grab Chinese food with me?  Wear red!

** Long after looking at photos for this post, I realized Jane actually DID show my cat in her art.  But it was the cat I got after moving to St. Louis.  Doesn't that look like Clawdia on Jane's art installation on Market Street in Chattanooga?  The whole thing (see below) is called "Catfish Fantasy" and was created in 1994; I moved 20 years later.

** Read THIS, if you want to know more about Jane.  It shows one of her "cows" painted on plywood.  Shown with Jane's "Family Zoo" exhibit at In-Town Gallery during an art opening reception are Jane's family members:  Susan Batten, Ryan Norris, Finch Yelliott (her husband), Shula Yelliott, and Jane Yelliott.

Parking spots and books

Memories

My friend and I were going toward my vehicle in the Crown Center parking lot in 2015 when I snapped this view of the neighborhood with trees changing colors.  People who live here can no longer imagine empty parking spaces.  With construction of our newest building and demolition of the oldest one, we have few spaces left for vehicles.  Staff and visitors must park on the street, since there are BARELY enough for residents' cars.

Rambam's Ladder: A Meditation on Generosity and Why It Is Necessary to Give ~ by Julie Salamon, 2003, meditation, 183 pages

This is a book that will inspire usto get a toehold on the ladder and start climbing.  In eight chapters, one for each rung, the book helps us navigate the world of giving.  How much to give?  How do we know if our gifts are being used wisely?  Is it better to give anonymously?  It will help us make our lives, and the lives of those around us, better.

Vocabulary Energizers: Stories of Word Origins ~ by David Popkin, 1988, words, 143 pages

This book builds vocabulary by presenting the fascinating histories behind those words we need for more effective communication and comprehension.

* Vocabulary Energizers II: Stories of Word Origins is the newer edition of this item, but this is the one that I found on my bookshelf.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

hosts The Sunday Salon.

Two tigers ~ from 2012 and 2015

I have these two tigers, but they are big and I need more space.  Jane gave me the first tiger, and I named it Hobbes (click on the name for details.)  She was hugging the tiger when she surprised me with it, HERE.  Donna gave me the red-nosed tiger, and I named it Winifred.  (Yeah, click on the name to see why she's named Winifred Tiger.)

Since I no longer have room for stuffed tigers, I'm giving them away.  Would you like to have one?  I know that people are less willing to share information these days, so I promise not to reveal names of the winners of this contest on the blog (unless you specifically give me permission).  To win a tiger, tell me which one you like best and why you'd like to have it.  The best story wins a tiger!

Email your story to me at —> emerging DOT paradigm AT yahoo DOT com

Chunksters, numbers, and a RE-birthday

Books I'm still reading:

• 50 Popular Beliefs That People Think Are True ~ by Guy P. Harrison, foreword by Dr. Phil Plait, 2011, collection, 458 pages — This book is divided into eight sections:  Magical Thinking, Out There, Science and Reason, Strange Healings, Lure of the Gods, Bizarre Beings, Weird Places, and Dreaming of the End.  Wherever possible, Harrison presents alternative scientific explanations, which in most cases are even more fascinating.
• A History of the World in 100 Objects ~ by Neil MacGregor, 2010, history, 736 pages — I'm still reading this chunkster a bit at a time.  More info HERE.

Word of the Day

Chunkster = There was a Chunkster Challenge about a decade ago, and people were challenged to read big, fat books of 450+ pages.  They could be fiction or nonfiction.  It looks like that's what I'm doing with these two books:  458 + 736 pages.  They're both on my Kindle, so they're not heavy.

Numbers of the Day (odd ones and even ones)

Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, 2005, p. 119):  "Justin came home from school with the announcement that he had just learned what even and odd numbers were.  Okay, I said.  So tell me:  What's infinity, even or odd?  I certainly didn't have an answer in mind; I posed it only as a fun, unanswerable kind of question.  He thought about it for a moment, then concluded:  Mom, infinity is an 8 on its side, so it is an even number."  [FYI, infinity is not a number.]

Re-birthday

Today is the 14th anniversary of my quadruple bypass surgery on February 19, 2009.  A year later, I decided it was a perfect occasion to party with the friends who took care of me (and my cat) while I was recovering, so I sent invitations to my RE-birthday party.  This photo shows me holding the cake Donna brought for the occasion.  See the giant candle shaped like a ONE?

Hmm, that means the "new" me is 14 years old.  Somebody remind me how to act like a teen.  At 11, my sixth grade teacher called me "stately" and chose me to play the part of Marmee in the 2-hour production of "Little Women" she produced using my classmates and me.  That made me the "mother" of four of my friends.  Hmm.  I don't know how to act like a teen, and I'm not sure I ever knew.  I was always considered the "mature" kid.

As I was searching for the top photo, I ran across this one of me in an art class after moving to the Crown Center.  I was struck by the similarity of how I posed — or at least the tilt of my head.  The photos were taken at least five years apart, maybe more.

Deb Nance at Readerbuzz

hosts The Sunday Salon.

Another book from Donna

Eat This Book: A Conversation in the Art of Spiritual Reading ~ by Eugene H. Peterson, 2006, religion, xii + 186 pages

Eat This Book challenges us to read the Scriptures on their own terms, as God’s revelation, and to live them as we read them.  Peterson offers greatly needed, down-to-earth counsel on spiritual reading.  He draws readers into a fascinating conversation on the nature of language, the ancient practice of lectio divina, and the role of Scripture translations.  Included here is the "inside story" behind Peterson’s own popular Bible translation, The Message.

You can probably see I've been going through another box I got from my friend Donna's apartment after she died.  This one seems to have a lot of her books about religion in it.

One of my new books

Evolution of the Word: The New Testament in the Order the Books Were Written ~ by Marcus J. Borg, foreword by Bishop Lowell Erdahl, 2012, religion, viii + 593 pages

Borg presents the New Testament books in the chronological order in which they were written, and highlights how what began as a radical Jewish faith transformed itself into Christianity.  He emphasizes the vital importance of seeing the documents in their ancient setting and provides valuable contextual commentary on each of the twenty-seven books of the New Testament.

Huh, this is the first I've heard of this book, which was among the books I inherited from Donna after she died.  I'm surprised because Borg is one of my favorite authors, and he wrote my favorite theological book:  The Heart of Christianity.

Finding my strengths

StrengthsFinder 2.0 ~ by Tom Rath, 2007, self-help, 183 pages, 10/10

Do you have the opportunity to do what you do best every day?  Chances are, you don't.  All too often, our natural talents go untapped.  From the cradle to the cubicle, we devote more time to fixing our shortcomings than to developing our strengths.  To help people uncover their talents, Gallup introduced the first version of its online assessment, StrengthsFinder, in 2001.  That ignited a global conversation and helped millions to discover their top five talents.  In its 2007 national bestseller, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Gallup unveiled the new and improved version of its popular assessment, with 34 themes.  You can read this book in one sitting, but you may use it as a reference far longer.

That information is from online.  I'm fascinated by the ideas, like this one from page 25:

"One of you may learn from reading several books each month, while someone else learns primarily from doing, and yet another learns from an insatiable curiosity and Googles everything."

Check, check, and check.  Hmm, I learn in all these ways.  Probably, though, it's my curiosity that keeps me learning new things, even in my 80's.  When we went into lockdown in March of 2020, I taught myself how to Zoom.  I figured out how to use my new iPhone by googling the information, since I couldn't sit down beside someone to show me how to do the various things on an iPhone.

Here's "me" according to this book.  My five strengths (with snippets) are:

1.  Communication (pp. 65-68)

"You will always do well in roles that require you to capture people's attention.  Think about a career in teaching, sales, marketing, ministry, or the media.  Your Communication talents are likely to flourish in these areas" (p. 66).  That's good to know, since I used to teach communication skills and I'm a retired minister and I'm a published writer (see the next snippet).

"If you enjoy writing, consider publishing your work" (p. 68).  I've "been there, done that," as they say.  My writing has been published locally, nationally, and internationally.  I wrote book reviews for the local newspaper, sold my first article to a national magazine, and people all over the world now read my blog (look at the visitor map at the bottom of this page that showed this on Tuesday).

2.  Connectedness (pp. 73-76)

Chuck M. was quoted as saying, "I have a big interest in learning about all different religions.  I am reading a book right now that talks about Judaism versus Christianity versus the religion of the Canaanites, Buddhism, Greek mythology — it's really interesting how all of these tie together in some way" (p. 74).  And I (Bonnie) taught "Religions of the World" at Chattanooga State Community College for about a decade.

"Explore specific ways to expand your sense of connection, such as starting a book club..." (p. 74).  I've started more than one book club.  When Donna and I had a bookstore, we had a book club to get people into the store.  I'm still friends with some of those who attended.  When I moved to St. Louis, I started a book club here, where I live.

"Your philosophy of life compels you to move beyond your own self-interests and the interests of your immediate constituency and sphere of influence.  As such, you see the broader implications for your community and the world.  Explore ways to communicate these insights to others" (p. 75).  I have done this in the book clubs by choosing subjects to read about and discuss in our meetings.

3.  Empathy (pp. 97-100)

"You can sense the emotions of those around you.  You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own.  Intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective.  You do not necessarily agree with each person's perspective" (p. 97).  True; the time I got the most vivid feeling was when one woman's absolute loathing for me was almost rolling off of her.  Sadly, she was a neighbor.  I have no idea why she felt that way, since I liked her.

4.  Includer (pp. 117-120)

"You want to include people and make them feel part of the group. ... You want to expand the group so that as many people as possible can benefit from its support" (p. 117).  Yes, the more the merrier, I say.

5.  Intellection (pp. 129-132)

"You are the kind of person who enjoys your time alone because it is your time for musing and reflection.  You are introspective.  In a sense you are your own best companion, as you post yourself questions and try out answers on yourself to see how they sound" (p. 129).  Yes, the more the merrier, as I said above, but I definitely need "me time" to process things.

"Consider beginning or continuing your studies in philosophy, literature, or psychology.  You will always enjoy subjects that stimulate your thinking" (p. 130).  I had a double major for my bachelor's degree:  (1) in philosophy and religion and (2) in English language and literature.  It sounds like I hit all the right subjects, doesn't it?

"Engaging people in intellectual and philosophical debate is one way that you make sense of things" (p. 131).  As I said above, this is what I like to do in book clubs.

"Take time to write.  Writing might be the best way for you to crystallize and integrate your thoughts" (p. 131).  Uh, I think I've mentioned writing enough already.

Library Loot ~ the latest book by Jodi Picoult

Mad Honey ~ by Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Finney Boylan, 2022, fiction (New Hampshire), 455 pages

Olivia McAfee knows what it feels like to start over.  Her picture-perfect life — living in Boston, married to a brilliant cardiothoracic surgeon, raising their beautiful son, Asher — was upended when her husband revealed a darker side.  She never imagined that she would end up back in her sleepy New Hampshire hometown, living in the house she grew up in and taking over her father’s beekeeping business.

 

Lily Campanello is familiar with do-overs, too.  When she and her mom relocate to Adams, New Hampshire, for her final year of high school, they both hope it will be a fresh start.  And for just a short while, these new beginnings are exactly what Olivia and Lily need.  Their paths cross when Asher falls for the new girl in school, and Lily can’t help but fall for him, too.  With Ash, she feels happy for the first time.  Yet at times, she wonders if she can trust him completely.

 

Then one day, Olivia receives a phone call: Lily is dead, and Asher is being questioned by the police.  Olivia is adamant that her son is innocent.  But she would be lying if she didn’t acknowledge the flashes of his father’s temper in Ash.  As the case against him unfolds, she realizes he’s hidden more than he’s shared with her.  Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become ourselves.

Donna and I met Jodi Picoult in September of 2019, when Jodi spoke at the St. Louis County Library.  Donna's on the left, and I'm on the right.  Jodi is my favorite writer, so I put this book on reserve at my library.  And now it's my turn to read her latest book, published in October 2022.

Ambassador ~ word of the day

Word of the Day #1

am·bass·a·dor. (noun) = (1) an accredited diplomat sent by a country as its official representative to a foreign country.  Example:  "He was the French ambassador to Portugal."  (2) a person who acts as a representative or promoter of a specified activity.  Example:  "He is a good ambassador for the industry."

This photo shows Donna and me (back left, near the books) in a cooking class in the Crown Center's culinary kitchen, with our library behind us.  When I moved here in 2014, Marilyn was appointed my Crown Center ambassador.  That means she showed me around the place, helping me get to know the layout and how to sign up for activities, like this 2017 class when Marilyn was sitting directly in front of me, wearing that white jacket.  Being an ambassador is a volunteer activities we can take on, and I enjoy doing it now.

Because of the pandemic, we are not officially being assigned the job lately, but I have appointed myself ambassador when I want to get to know a new resident.  Most recently, that would be Fay.  I met her about a week ago and learned she'd moved in only two weeks earlier.  So I started to acquaint her with what goes on around here.  I've done things like get her a resident list from the office, so she can see who lives on her floor and which building that person she met at lunch lives on.  It turns out Fay is also from Tennessee, like me.  Serendipity, huh?

Word of the Day #2

ser·en·dip·i·ty (noun) = the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.  Example:  "It was a stroke of serendipity that Fay and I are both originally from Tennessee."

Thinking about tigers, Chinese style

Year of the Tiger: An Activist's Life ~ by Alice Wong, 2022, memoir, 402 pages

In Chinese culture, the tiger is revered for its confidence, passion, ambition, and ferocity.  Alice Wong has that same fighting spirit.  She draws on a collection of original essays, previously published work, conversations, graphics, photos, commissioned art by disabled and Asian American artists, and more, Alice Wong uses her unique talent to share an impressionistic scrapbook of her life as an Asian American disabled activist, community organizer, media maker, and dreamer.  From her love of food and pop culture to her unwavering commitment to dismantling systemic ableism, she shares her thoughts on creativity, access, power, care, the pandemic, mortality, and the future.  As a self-described disabled oracle, Alice traces her origins, tells her story, and creates a space for disabled people to be in conversation with one another and the world.  Filled with wit, joy, and rage, her Year of the Tiger will galvanize readers with big cat energy.

Two of my best friends ever were both born in the Chinese Year of the Tiger:  Jane in 1926 and Donna in 1950.  Unfortunately for me — "fortune" cookies, notwithstanding — both have died, but they live on in my memories.

Now that Helen of Helen's Book Blog has made me aware of this book, I've put it on reserve at my library.  Helen and commenters on Amazon rate it highly.

An encounter, a book, and a surprising coincidence

When I joined a group at a table in the Café, I noticed that Genies was wearing a T-shirt that said, "Kind people are my kind of people."  Genies is my kind of people!  And this is a perfect segue into what I'm reading now on my Kindle.

The Power of Kindness: The Unexpected Benefits of Leading a Compassionate Life ~ by Piero Ferrucci, 2016 (10th anniv. edition), nonfiction, 352 pages

This book challenges us with the promise that generosity and decency are the secret to a fuller, more satisfying life.  Kindness is the key to our own happiness.  Ferrucci has added a chapter on harmlessness to chapters on virtues such as mindfulness, empathy, gratitude, generosity, and joy — plus new techniques, meditations, and exercises.

Now comes the curious happenstance:  I typed up this blog post and set it to post just after midnight.  I read both fiction and nonfiction, sometimes alternating back and forth.  After writing about nonfiction, I was in the mood to get back to my novel while things were still fresh on my mind, so I picked up the mystery I'd been reading on Donna's Kindle:  The Consequences of Fear (Book 16 of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries).  Almost immediately I came across this sentence:  "If I look back, Maisie, I think kindness is the most important thing" (p. 56).  Kindness, again!  What are the odds?

Word of the Day

hap·pen·stance / noun (North American) = coincidence.  Example:  "It was just happenstance that I was at that point in reading the book."

Cats and dogs ~ and one bird

It wasn't a rainy day, but I happened to think of "raining cats and dogs" when I got up last Sunday morning.  So I've found a way to stretch your mind for a few minutes.  Come up with answers for these questions about cats and dogs.  To make it even more interesting, "L" must be the first letter of every answer.

1. This item is used to walk the dog (or CAT, see Clawdia above) ______________
2. Cats are said to have nine of these ____________________________________
3. What sibling kittens and puppies with the same mom are called ______________
4. Name of a well-known collie who starred in movies ________________________
5. Where a cat often naps on a person ___________________________________
6. How Alyssa's dog Hazel mastered her obedience training _________________

My friend Emily left a comment on one of my blog posts in November 2019:

"Purring is such a peaceful way to communicate."

Some things for you to ponder today, since it's Caturday!

_____________________________________________

** I borrowed the activity idea above from page 90 of my friend Donna's Little Moments of Joy Adult Activity Book by J. K. Timmet (2019), adding my spin to it and rewording it.  The book has easy puzzles, coloring pages, brain games, word search, and writing activities in it.

Isn't this a pretty bird on the cover?  Does anyone know what it is?

Answers:  Leash, Lives, Litter, Lassie, Lap, [and she] Learned

What I'm thinking about today

The Consequences of Fear: A Maisie Dobbs Novel (Book 16 of 17) ~ by Jacqueline Winspear, 2021, mystery (England), 352 pages

As Europe buckles under Nazi occupation, Maisie Dobbs investigates a possible murder that threatens devastating repercussions for Britain's war efforts.  While on a delivery in October 1941, young Freddie Hackett, a message runner for a government office, witnesses an argument that ends in murder.  Crouching in the doorway of a bombed-out house, Freddie waits until the coast is clear.  But when he arrives at the delivery address, he’s shocked to come face to face with the killer.

Dismissed by the police when he attempts to report the crime, Freddie goes in search of a woman he once met when delivering a message:  Maisie Dobbs.  While Maisie believes the boy and wants to help, she must maintain extreme caution because she’s working secretly for the Special Operations Executive, assessing candidates for crucial work with the French resistance.  Her two worlds collide when she spots the killer in a place she least expects.  She soon realizes she has been pulled into the orbit of a man who has his own reasons to kill — reasons that go back to the last war.

As Maisie becomes entangled in a power struggle between Britain’s intelligence efforts in France and the work of Free French agents operating across Europe, she must also contend with the lingering question of Freddie Hackett’s state of mind.  What she uncovers could hold disastrous consequences for all involved.

My best friend Donna gave me a hardback copy of this book for my birthday in 2021, which was the latest in the Maisie Dobbs series at the time.  As most of you know who've been reading this blog for awhile, Donna died in 2021, three months after she gave me this book.  It's the 16th in the series, and I was trying to read all the others first (Donna had read them already), so I put the book aside until I had finished reading the earlier ones.  I "inherited" Donna's Kindle and have just discovered this book among the 333 books on her Kindle.  She rated it 5 stars out of 5, the highest rating.  I don't need TWO copies of the same book, so I have donated this brand-new hardback copy to our little library here at the Crown Center.  It's with the newly acquired books, unless someone has already checked it out.

Here's the whole list of books in this series now:

1.  Maisie Dobbs (2003)

2.  Birds of a Feather (2004)

3.  Pardonable Lies (2005)

4.  Messenger of Truth (2006)

5.  An Incomplete Revenge (2008)

6.  Among the Mad (2009)

7.  The Mapping of Love and Death (2010)

8.  A Lesson in Secrets (2011)

9.  Elegy for Eddie (2012)

10.  Leaving Everything Most Loved (2013)

11.  A Dangerous Place (2015)

12.  Journey to Munich (2017)

13.  In This Grave Hour (2018)

14.  To Die But Once (2018)

15.  The American Agent (2019)

16.  The Consequences of Fear (2021)

17.  A Sunlit Weapon (2022)

It's Monday, and I'm thinking about what else has happened this past week besides donating a book in Donna's memory.  Construction of the new building here is coming along nicely, and they seem to be putting the roof on the top (5th) floor.  We gathered on Friday in the Café for Florence's retirement after working more than 20 years at the Crown Center; we'll really miss her.  I got a flu shot.  Okay, that's not a very pleasant memory, but there's one recent memory that's TERRIBLE:

Someone tried to SCAM me.  I got an email from an old friend I hadn't talked to in years, saying she needed "an important favor" from me.  She is "very busy right now, emails only."  When I responded, asking what the favor was, "she" emailed back that she needs

"...to get an eBay gift card for my nephew,  it's his birthday but I can't do this now because I'm seriously ill and my doctor said I should stay indoors for some reason.  I have tried to purchase it online but unfortunately no luck with that, can you get it from any store around you?  I'll reimburse you as soon as possible."

I wrote back that I no longer have a car, so can't do it.  "She" responded:

"You can get an eBay gift card at Walgreens, Target, CVS, Walmart or any store around you. the amount needed on the eBay gift card is 400 dollars 200 dollars each, Right now I’m isolated at the health center I’m not home, once you have gotten the card scratch the back of the card showing the pins and then write it out and send the pins of the card to me here so I can forward it to my nephews to purchase games online.  Please keep me updated, I need it urgently.  Thanks."

So, let me get this straight:  (1) she's too busy, (2) she's seriously ill and should stay indoors, (3) then she's isolated at the health center, and yet (4) getting a game for a nephew is urgent.  Yeah, right!  How can she be "too busy" when she is in isolation?  Also, she's older than I am, so if she has a nephew, he would be retirement age.  I would say that very few elderly men "urgently" need an online game that costs hundreds of dollars ... AND ... my friend knows I don't have that kind of money in the first place.  

Also notice that (4) "nephew" became the plural "nephews" and (5) there's that confusing "400 dollars 200 dollars each."  Two strange things about that:  first, "she" didn't type $400 and $200, like most of us would, but typed out the word "dollars" instead.  Second, "she" is now saying "each" like there's more than one nephew.  Has he suddenly become twins?  If not, why would "she" want to buy games "urgently" for more than one nephew's birthday?  I wrote back:

"This is beginning to sound very much like a SCAM, you know.  Especially, since we haven't been in touch lately.  So name three or four of our mutual friends before I do anything else."

Surprise, surprise!  "She" suddenly ended the emails to me.  No list of friends, not even one.  I was not at all surprised.  Not having my friend's phone number in my current phone, I googled her online.  The most recent mention I could find, without rejoining Facebook, was dated 2017.  I tried calling a mutual friend, whose number I found in one of my old daily planners, but she didn't answer because "that number is no longer in use."  I looked HER up and found she had died, and so had two other mutual friends.  I finally realized she was probably still in my email contacts.  Ta-da!  Yes!  So now I have emailed her, saying, "Let me know how you are, and I'll give you more details."

Word of the Day

mind·ful / noun = the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.  Example:  I'm glad I was mindful of things that didn't add up, like "my friend" not using correct punctuation and grammar.  (Yeah, go back and re-read it.  Run-on sentences are not like her at all.)

Another family photo, another book (or two)

Bonnie, Bill, and Ann on East 26th Street in Chattanooga around 1949 — or maybe 1950.  We're all dressed up, so it may be Easter Sunday.  Our baby brother (born in March 1949) would have been too little to pose with us.  Our dad was the meat cutter at Brainerd Grocery, and we rode to church in the back of that delivery van that he drove.

Mine to Do: Journal ~ by Tracy Brown, 2015, journal, 134 pages, 8/10

Donna gave me a journal for Christmas in 2019, and now I have "found" a journal she bought for her Kindle.  I wondered if I should read it, since it's "someone else's" journal.  But as I flipped through it, I discovered she never did "write" anything in it.  She did, however, rate it 4 stars of 5 at the end.  That means she at least read through all the prompts in the book.  I wonder if she bought this book about the time she got me that gift journal in 2019.  Here are a dozen prompts I noticed as I looked through the book, and I decided to read this short book myself:

• "If things go wrong, don't go with them!" ~ Roger Babson
• "Peace treaties never occur until people from all opposing sides begin believing in their common benefit more than their individual success." ~ Tracy Brown
• "Remember, when old patterns are broken new worlds can emerge." ~ Wendy Craig Purcell
• "Forgiveness is giving up the possibility of a better past." ~ Unknown
• "Love one another, and do not strive for another's undoing." ~ Seneca Proverb
• "I was raised in what I consider to be not a melting pot, but a salad bowl." ~ Edward James Olmos
• "The future depends on what we do in the present." ~ Mahatma Gandhi
• "Prejudice is like a hair across your cheek.  You can't see it, you can't find it with your fingers, but you keep brushing at it because the feel of it is irritating." ~ Marian Anderson
• "I cannot do everything, but still I can do something.  I will not refuse to do something I can do." ~ Helen Keller
• "We have flown the air like birds and swum the sea like fishes, but have yet to learn the simple act of walking the earth like brothers." ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.
• "We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry.  And we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color." ~ Maya Angelou
• "It is good to have an end to journey towards, but it is the journey that matters in the end." ~ Ursula LeGuin

Amazon's description:  Capturing your thoughts in a journal is a great way to explore the complex issue of race-based hatred and violence.  The primary question is:  "In response to race-based hatred and violence, what is mine to do?"  I think it's interesting that Amazon also has this:  "There are 0 customer reviews and 1 customer rating."  That rating is a 4-star rating, so it must be Donna's rating directly from her Kindle!  Wow!

The author's page is WhatIsMineToDo.com.  Visit that page, if you want to be challenged to clarify what actions you might take to end race-based hatred and violence.  Click on the link to hear Tracy Brown's 14-minute TEDx Talk, where she encourages us to "Speak up, and stand up."  I also learned on Amazon that there's a BOOK, not just a journal.  Same name (almost) and same author.  Here's THAT information:

Mine To Do: Responding to Race-Based Hatred and Violence ~ by Tracy Brown, 2015, race relations, 132 pages

This book is a sharing of thoughts and emotions related to the topic of race-based hatred and violence.  Instead of focusing on statistics, demographics or politics, this book reminds us of the many ways racism impacts our daily functioning.  Each of the essays encourages the reader to consider what specific things can be done to build relationships that are based on respect and fairness.  Tracy shares information and ideas to help individuals navigate their personal journey in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society.  If we want to see change in our world, each one of us must answer the question, "What is Mine to Do?"

The day after the Charleston murders, Tracy Brown found herself sitting in a jury room considering whether she, a black woman, could be a fair and impartial juror in a case where a young white man killed nine innocent people because of the color of their skin.  What happened as a result of that morning has become an unexpected call to action for all people committed to mutual respect or willing to take a stand for fairness.  In addition to the thought-provoking quotations included throughout the book, there is a helpful collection of inspirational quotes provided at the end.

Deb at Readerbuzz hosts The Sunday Salon.