Passed or Past?

"Not a day has past, but what I think of him."  That's the sentence that prompted this blog post.

Passed is a verb meaning to move on or move by.
Past is an adjective, adverb, or preposition meaning earlier.

Example:  "That car has passed me in the past."

Now, which of these is correct?

"Not a day has past, but what I think of him."
"Not a day has passed that I don't think of him."

Yeah, I know I changed the last part of the original sentence.  I don't have time to get into why I'd never use "but what" in that sentence.

Two new books ~ one bought, one borrowed

What's in It for Me? : Finding Ourselves in Biblical Narratives ~ by Stephen Lewis Fuchs, 2014, theology

The world is rapidly dividing between those who take biblical narratives as the literal word of God — claiming that they are historically and scientifically true — and those who dismiss those narratives as quaint or even foolish fairy tales.  Fuchs invites the reader to discover a middle ground that takes biblical narratives seriously without regard to their historical or scientific truth.  The "truth" of these stories has nothing to do with, "Did this really happen?"  Their truth emerges in the valuable lessons these stories can teach all of us.  As we walk the rich middle ground of biblical narrative, we shall keep one question constantly in mind:  Where am I in the text?  In other words, what do these stories teach ME that can help me to be a more self aware, caring, and compassionate human being?

From the Introduction

"The God of the Torah wants us to use our power to create a just, caring, and compassionate society.  We human beings have godlike abilities, and the Almighty has set us in charge of, and responsible for, the earth.  We have awesome power.  We can use it for good or for ill.  Since we have free will, the choice is ours" (loc. 171).

P is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever ~ by Raj Haldar, illustrated by Maria Tina Beddia, 2018, children's picture book

Turning the traditional idea of an alphabet book on its head, P is for Pterodactyl is perfect for anyone who has ever been stumped by silent letters or confused by absurd homophones.  This whimsical, unique book takes silent letter entries like "K is for Knight" a step further with "The noble knight's knife nicked the knave's knee."  Lively illustrations provide context clues, and alliterative words help readers navigate text like "a bright white gnat is gnawing on my gnocchi" with ease.  Everyone from early learners to grown-up grammarians will love this wacky book where "A is for Aisle," but "Y is definitely not for Why."

I bought the first book for my Kindle, but the children's book is from the library.  Yes, I'm fascinated by widely different ideas.

Indigenous Peoples Day

I ran across this picture in a blog post about Wisdom of the Indigenous Elders three weeks ago.  I googled to learn more and discovered it's about changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.  That day is today.  I also found The International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers on Facebook and clicked "follow" so I can continue to read their wisdom.

That's when I learned they had published a book four days earlier:  Grandmothers Wisdom: Reverence for All Creation.  Now I want a copy, but when I got to the Pre-order page, I found it costs $76.  Nope, I can't afford that.  On the Facebook page for the Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers, I also found an article about the Dalai Lama claiming that Women are the Leaders of the Future.

“In the West, you have education.  This is good.  You have technology.  This is good.  But you do not educate your people in values of the heart, of compassion.  This you must do,” the Dalai Lama said.  “It does not matter whether you are Buddhist or Christian.  Compassion lives in the heart, beyond religion.  Even me, a Buddhist, can say that you do not need Buddhism.  All you need is the compassion of the heart.  Women know this because peace is implicit in women.  You put boys together, they make war.  You put women together, they make peace.  Women are the leaders of the future.”

Something has to change ... and soon.  We are killing the planet, killing people all over the world.  Maybe the Thirteen Grandmothers can make a difference.  Here's their Mission Statement:

The Grandmothers view the earth as the giver of life and the mother of all things.  They are painfully aware of the dire state of our planet and have announced themselves as forerunners of an international movement with a common ideology to preserve our natural world.  They are teaching reverence for all creation – the earth, air, fire, water and all living beings.  A Hopi proverb says: “When the grandmothers speak, the world will begin to heal.”

Through their global union, the Grandmothers have collectively become a catalyst for the awakening of the feminine principle and its healing force — without which, wars will continue without end and aggression will rule.  They believe that saving the planet calls for a profound transformation in the heart, mind, and spirit of human beings, and that it is the nurturing spirit of the feminine that is needed as an alternative perspective at all decision-making levels regarding peace, justice, human rights, indigenous rights, environmental protection, and the health and welfare of children and the elderly.

Read about the Thirteen Grandmothers themselves, who are elders from all parts of the earth.  I'm fascinated by their individual thoughts and ideas.  Women everywhere need to join their efforts to bring peace and health to the planet.

Sunday Salon ~ booking around

The University City Public Library has new cloth bags for delivering books to home bound patrons.  I covered up my address, but you can see my name attached to it.  Beside the sturdy bag are five library books.  Notice how many different libraries these books are from.

1.  The President Is Missing ~ by Bill Clinton and James Patterson, 2018, fiction

This big  novel (on the bottom) is a recent donation to the Crown Center library, which I had hoped to read before shelving it.  Nope, I'm not finding time, with all the other books I've borrowed or bought.  I guess I'll go ahead and shelve it for others to enjoy now.

2.  The Women of the Copper Country ~ by Mary Doria Russell, 2019, fiction (Michigan), 9/10

I've already completed this one, so it'll go back in the bag to return to the U-City Library on Thursday (pick-up and delivery day).  Click the underlined link to read more about it.

3.  The Cross and the Lynching Tree ~ by James H. Cone, 2011, history

With the two books below needing to be finished for book club discussions this month, there's no way I can read this 202-page book in time to return it in the bag to U-City by Thursday.  So I'll renew it to read along with those coming.

4.  The World's Strongest Librarian: A Book Lover's Adventures ~ by Josh Hanagarne, 2013, memoir (Utah)

Risé, who lives here at the Crown Center, works at the St. Louis Public Library (downtown) and brings us book club kits for our Fourth Wednesday Book Club discussions.  I need to have the 291 pages of this novel read by the 23rd.

5.  The Bluest Eye ~ by Toni Morrison, 1970, fiction (Ohio)

The U-City Library is sending a discussion leader for this novel, which was distributed to us earlier this month.  I have until the 30th to finish these 206 pages.  That shouldn't be a problem, since I read this years ago and already know it's a great novel.

Have you read any of these books? Tell me (in the comments) what you're reading these days.

Bits and pieces

Donna had completed this Bananagram on her coffee table a few weeks ago, and I tried to save it.  As you can see, the photo is rather fuzzy.  She and other word-loving neighbors play Bananagrams on Saturdays, so I could try again this evening.

Here's Sandy's little Louie, perched near the top of his ladder.  Donna was bird-sitting in September and invited me over to share a pizza she had ordered.  When Louie wasn't talking to himself in his tiny mirror, he spent his time arguing with the newscasters while we ate.

Though it may look like Clawdia, this is actually just some random cat from the internet.  But those eyes!  I wonder what she was seeing ... or imagining.  Maybe I should wonder, instead, what words someone said.  Could one of the words have been "vet"?

Beginning ~ with mail delivery

PROLOGUE
1987
The post hits the doormat with a thud.  He hears it, his ears tuned by months of careful listening.


CHAPTER ONE
Cara, 2017
'I can't do this on my own anymore!
I shout it down the phone.

Postcards From a Stranger ~ by Imogen Clark, 2018, fiction

When Cara stumbles across a stash of old postcards in the attic, their contents make her question everything she thought she knew.  The story she pieces together is confusing and unsettling, and appears to have been patched over with lies.  But who can tell her the truth?  With her father sinking into Alzheimer’s and her brother reluctant to help, it seems Cara will never find the answers to her questions.  One thing is clear, though: someone knows more than they’re letting on.  Torn between loyalty to her family and dread of what she might find, Cara digs into the early years of her parents’ troubled marriage, hunting down long-lost relatives who might help unravel the mystery.  But the picture that begins to emerge is not at all the one she’d expected — because as she soon discovers, lies have a habit of multiplying.

Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays.  Click this link for more book beginnings.

Thursday Thoughts ~ about the purpose of church

"How many of these activities have a real impact in the community?"  What We Don't Need is an excellent and thought-provoking short article today by Jan Edmiston.