Category: Commentary

A Bit of Dystopia 

I’ve been immersed lately in the near future America depicted in Octavia E. Butler’s Parable series. After practically inhaling the first of the novels, Parable of the Talents, I immediately downloaded the second book, Parable of the Sower.

The books’ heroine is a strong, intelligent, teenaged girl named Lauren Oya Olamina. In the year 2024 Lauren turns fifteen. She lives a relatively protected life in a walled community outside of Los Angeles.

Life outside the wall is chaotic. Society as Lauren’s parents knew it has broken down. While communities like the one in which Lauren lives are not uncommon, they aren’t the norm. Even though her family has to conserve resources and take turns keeping watch at night, she’s one of the lucky ones. 

But one day that all changes. First her father goes missing, then fire-loving druggies burn her sheltered neighborhood, scattering Lauren’s family. There are no safety nets. The police and fire departments cannot be counted on for aid. Lauren is on her own.

This tale could have merely chronicled Lauren’s journey to safety, but in addition to being a vagabond teenager she has started a religion, Earthseed, and she builds her congregation from her fellow refugees as she founds the community they name Acorn.

I’m still reading the second book, and the situation seems dire. Once again Lauren is on the run, but there’s much more at stake at this point. The newly elected president of the United States ran on a theme of “Make America Great Again.” He’s instituted American Christianity as the national religion, and his supporters are capable of unthinkable atrocities in their quest to wipe out any belief systems other than theirs. It’s a chilling look at what might be in store for our future. 

Lauren is a fascinating heroine. Her single-minded drive to complete her grand mission is inspiring, but also frustrating. I want her to be safe, but safety is not her goal. 

If you’re into dystopian fiction give Ms. Butler’s books a try. Just let me know what you think.


Peace, people.

Roadblock

I came home from my Saturday morning errands to find this turtle blocking my path. She was in no hurry to let me pass. 

The Struggle is Real

Fresh ideas for blog material are coming to me at the steady pace of molasses in mud, which is to say they’re not coming at all. I know the key here is to just write, regardless of whether anything printable results.

The truth is that my head is in a muddle. Everything I write feels like it’s something I’ve written before. I know I’m not the only one to feel this way. After all one of the original bloggers put it so eloquently:

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 KJV

I know how to remedy this situation. A week at an all-inclusive resort ought to do it. I’m sure that’s what the Preacher in the book of Ecclesiastes did–booked himself into an exclusive place in Arizona and enjoyed a nice deep tissue massage and followed it up with a 90 minute facial. Seven days of clean eating and meditation cleared his mind and he was able to finish the book. 

I’m open to sponsorships.

My Bracket

I spent all of ten minutes completing my bracket for March Madness. To all my friends outside of the U.S. this has to do with college basketball and who’ll be crowned the best of the best in a 64* team tournament. 

I don’t pay a ton of attention to college basketball during the season, so I have no idea how one team will match up against another. We have friends who get all technical and look at statistics and rosters. Not me. 

I root for the Kansas Jayhawks. Regardless of who else is in the tournament or what their season record has been I always choose them to win the tournament. Even if they weren’t IN the tournament I’d probably have chosen them anyway. Now that’s loyalty. Or stupidity.

Frank Mason, our stud guard.

Rounding out my top four I’ve got Duke, Gonzaga, and North Carolina. 

I’m curious to see who else is into the bracketology surrounding March Madness. Who made your top four? Here’s a printable bracket–better late than never, eh? http://media.kansascity.com/livegraphics/2017/jp/2017ncaamensbracket.pdf?v=4

Peace, people!

*four teams have to play into the tourney, so technically it’s 68 teams. Sort of. It’s all very confusing. 

Titles Without a Tale

Every now and then I have a flash of an idea that turns into a title for a poem or story or expository piece for this blog. Sometimes these ideas pop fully blown into my head leaving me to type as fast as my fingers will allow. Sometimes I have to coax them along to fruition. Sadly, often these ideas go no further than the title stage.

I’m still suffering from some mental lag brought on by a combination of travel stress and daylight savings time. Nothing other than the desire to nap, snack, and repeat has manifested itself into my brain in the past two days. So I went to the place where titles go to percolate or expire–the dreaded “draft” folder. 

Here’s one. What was I thinking? Wine must’ve been involved. And maybe paddles. Wink, wink.


Well, I guess this next one might’ve gotten a bit sticky….


And the age old question didn’t awaken my muse.


Here are a couple of ideas that so far have gone nowhere.


And maybe I could combine these next two.


Fellow bloggers, do you do this? Keep a file of “might work” titles? 


Some of these need to go in the trash file. But not today. Today I’m feeling desperate. 

Peace, people!

Mourning 

Come, bring your flowers,
Your condolences, the
Awkward and the eloquent.

Bring offerings of food,
And sincere expressions
Of loving concern.

Those I love have lost
A husband, a father,
Grandfather, and friend.

A life well lived,
A loss deeply mourned
With grace and faith.

Early on Friday morning our son, Jason, texted us the sad news that his father-in-law had passed away. We’d known that “Jamie” had been battling terminal cancer, yet the news still hit us hard.

We never had the opportunity to meet Jamie, but Jason loved him, so as soon as we heard of Jamie’s passing I hurriedly packed a bag and headed west towards the town of Hemphill, Texas. 

Even in the midst of her grief Jamie’s wife, Fran welcomed me into their home. She and her daughters, Pam and Liz (our daughter-in-law) are, separately, forces of nature–strong, beautiful, and independent. Together they are the best kind of formidable. I went thinking I could be of some help, but soon learned that these ladies had everything in hand.

I know they will have hurdles to overcome in the days ahead, and they are in my prayers. But I won’t waste any time worrying about their coping abilities. 

My brain keeps trying to formulate a tale around Jamie. While I didn’t know him I feel like I have an idea of the kind of man he must’ve been. Maybe one day I’ll have the right words. He deserves the right words.

Peace, people. 

Pardon the Interruption 

I am way behind in writing fresh material for this blog. Normally there are two or three pieces queued up and ready to go, but I’ve spent the past four days driving to and from the Texas hill country. I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to drive and write simultaneously. 

Briefly I toyed with dictating posts into my iPhone, but apparently I do not speak distinctly. Eliza Doolittle in her pre-transformation period might’ve fared better than I. The “Rain in Spain” refrain should become part of my daily repertoire. Or not. 

Not only have I fallen behind on writing, but my inbox is chock full of unread emails from bloggers I follow and also from Nigerian princes who wish me good health and promise great financial rewards for just a moment of my time. Hopefully I’ll get to catch up on all the opportunities now that I’m home.

I look forward to getting back into my groove, but for now, I’m just going to rest. 

Peace, people!

https://g.co/kgs/JxaWdo

There’s a Pattern Here

I have a slight addiction to Pinterest. It’s the site I turn to when I need a clever illustration for my blog or a decorating idea. Lately I’ve been searching Pinterest for vintage sewing patterns.

Don’t ask me why. I can’t sew, and I don’t own a sewing machine. The one outfit I made in Mrs. Craig’s high school home economics class fell apart shortly after I modeled it in the class fashion show, and I haven’t made another attempt in over forty years. Yet, there’s something about these patterns that calls to me.

Apparently, I’m not the only one. Patterns similar to these sell for as much as $60 on EBay. 



Am I too old at 60 to learn how to sew? Maybe I could figure out how to use a 3D printer to create these styles. That’s equally plausible.

What’s your guilty pleasure? Is there something you google or search Pinterest or eBay for that you’ll probably never follow through on? 

Peace, people!