🎉 2025 January FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!  My! What a year 2024 was.  There were so many interesting things which happened in my life---so many to be thankful for, some things which brought a tear, and many which brought a smile or laugh.  I’m headed for birthday #80 this year.  I’m grateful for that, too, as I didn’t think I’d be here that long, and I know some who never saw that year. I hope your new year brings you a lot of smiles, a few tears so you can appreciate the smiles, some feelings of awe, and many grateful experiences.  FYI:  1 billion people watch, on television, the New Year’s Eve ball drop in Times Square each year.

I was recently looking at a picture drawn by a young person displayed on a wall.  It was a big circle with a lot of scribbling line inside the circle.  In a small area was a heart.  The title of the picture was CHAOS of THE WORLD.  I had a blank sticky note in my purse.  I took it out and wrote on it, “The title of this picture should be CHAOS OF THE WORLD, BUT THERE IS LOVE, due to the tiny heart.” I put the note on the wall beside the picture.  I went back later and saw on the sticky note, “Yes, there is always room for love.”  I smiled.

Have you ever noticed that your attitude to another is usually based on the way you’ve been treated?  It is for me.  It’s like approaching a growling dog; you remember the warning, you’re nice, but very cautious. 

Teacher’s meetings after a long day in the classroom can be daunting.  Usually the administrator(s) haven’t had to deal with what we do for 6+ hours.  This particular meeting was every bit boring and unnecessary and the information could have been put in a note in our mailboxes or sent as a departmental e-mail.  As the administrator droned on and on, I noticed one of our male teachers had fallen asleep.  I understood his plight because he worked as a security guard from 5 to 12 after he’d taught all day.  The administrator asked, “Does anyone have anything to say about what I’ve just presented?”  Within three seconds the sleeping teacher awakened with a loud snore.  One of our most candid teachers said, “Well, that seems to be the majority’s opinion.”  The group erupted in laughter.  The meeting was dismissed.  In another meeting, my husband was to receive the 35 year ring of appreciation.  The administrator who presented it to him was a legend in their own mind.  My husband was in his 36^th year of teaching.  So, the presentation was actually a year late---the fault of this administrator.  The administrator said, “Guy, I’m presenting to you this ring for 35 years of service.”  Guy smiled, held up his finger and said, “And I’m presenting to you the finger.”  Not a soul could stop laughing.

As I’ve aged, (matured sounds so much better, though), I’ve found that simplicity is a lot more comfortable than complexity.  My simplicity is:  a reasonable amount of night’s sleep, simple meals, laughing in a conversation, listening to the sounds of silence, watching a sunrise or sunset, closing my eyes and enveloping myself in memories which are smile producers, a purring cat on my lap, the feel of fresh and clean sheets, a smile from someone, hearing a child’s laughter, “I love you, Mom”, “Thank you”, remembering the memories, and many more, but I can’t think of them, now.

Men have a language.  Up nod is “What’s up?” Down nod is “You have my respect.” Right nod is “I need to talk to you about something.” Left nod is “Yo, check this out.”  Well, women have a language, too.  Eye roll means “Here he goes again.” Sideways smile means “Oh yeah, riigghhtt.”  Half closed eyes means “I’m not looking, but I’m looking.” Slowly moving head from side to side, “Unbelievable”  Slowly moving head up and down with a side smile, “I told you so.” Both hands on side hips means “Get ready for not winning, AGAIN.”

Sometimes my mind wanders into names of towns which would be suggestions describing an occupations or businesses.  Bend, Oregon for a yoga instructor; Sweetwater, TX for a brewery; Big Battle, WV for an ammunition plant; Blue Balls, PA for a ball making company; Bald Head, Maine for a wig making company; Pray, Montana for a church kneeling rail company; Mexican Hat, Utah for a sombrero making company; Recluse, WY for independent living.

Here are some actual product labels.  “Wash when dirty.”; “Clothing tested on animals, but didn’t fit.”; “Use this ONLY to curl your hair.”;  “Product tested only on party animals”; “If you don’t know how to use this, we suggest you find someone you really like and invite them to shower with you to demonstrate.”; “Can be washed by both men and women”; “Do not fry this product while naked”; “Remove child from shirt before washing”;  “Laundry wash pods are not for eating!”; “Use in the shower while you sing an 80s song.  Do your best”; “Do not engage middle finger when you can’t understand these directions.  Call your friend.”

I saw a sign the other day.  “I IDENTIFY AS DANGER.  MY PRONOUNS ARE:  TRY ME”

Butterflies rest during storms because the storm activity and elements damage their wings.  It’s all right for you to rest during the storms in your life.  You’ll regain flight when it’s over and your wings will be strong.  If you think of how a butterfly evolves.  I believe it is proof that you can go through a great deal of darkness and still become something beautiful.

We were in the throes of “intense fellowship” one day.  My beloved, Guy, growled, “If you EVER get lock jaw, I’m going to throw a party!”  I told him I’d invest in a paper company so I could continue to communicate with him.  Then I tried to show him some sign language.  Still angry, he surprised me and showed me what he already knew.

Brenduhh and her sister were on opposite sides of a river.  Her sister calls to her, “Yoo Hoo, how do I get to the other side?”  Brenduhh looks up and down the river.  Then she calls out, “You ARE on the other side;” which leads me to tell you, there always is a flip side to the flip side.

Ohnosecond: That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you’ve just made a BIG mistake; or you pressed SEND instead of DELETE or visa versa.

I’ve mentioned stupid.  I’ve mentioned ignorance.  Here are some definitions which enlightened me.

“A fact is information minus emotion.  An opinion is information plus experience.  Ignorance is an opinion lacking information.  And, stupidity is an opinion that ignores a fact.  My opinion, based on fact, but not ignorant is----all this is tried, tested, and found to be true.”  Now you know.

“Take sides.  Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim.”  Eli Wiesel

Just know, everyone isn’t replaceable.  That’s true.  There is the physical vacancy, but when filled with memories, there they are!!

I was talking to others about their Christmas.  Some had a joyous one, others were lonesome missing certain family members who had passed away or moved away too far to visit.  A few were sad or had sickness to deal with.  I understood and empathized how they all were feeling, as I had experienced each of their feelings at one time or another.  I said to them, “Among all the unusual happenings are the memories of the fun Christmases of the past when the kids were little and filled with awww at all the festivities.  Then there are the memories of my Christmases with Mother, Daddy, and my siblings as I grew up.  It just takes an odor, a sound, or a taste to bring it all back.  And, there I am, once again, in the middle of the now with the memories of then.”

I was wrestling with some issues; one was a success I’d had and the other my fear of failure.  I went to Aint Daisy and told her about them.  She said, “Nev-uh let success go to yer head, and nev-uh let failure go to yer heart.  There has t’ be a balance, chile.  Success can be a double-edged sword---where much is given, there’s much expected.  Failure can be a steppin’ stone to better things for ye.  Remember:  when a windah closes, a door opens.  With a small failure, the windah, may lead to a big success, the door.  More wisdom from The Lady of the Holler.                        

                                    Peace and smiles to you until next month.  Trudy

🎄🎅🤶 2024 December FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

🎄🎅🤶

At this special time of the year when I reflect on my passed Christmases, I think of what a friend gently asked me, “Trudy, do you ever forget those you loved who have passed away?”  She was dealing with a loss of a loved one, so I understood her question and intent.  I told her, “How could I forget them?  They gave me so much to remember.  I thank God every day for the memories, which no one can take away.  And, sometimes the memories gently roll down my cheek, and I remember more and smile.”  May your memories take you through the “missing them”, the memories which gently moisten your cheek, and the closing of your eyes to “see” them again.

Do you know the difference between "I don't care" and "I do NOT care one bit"?  The first "I don't care" leaves room for change.   The second one, especially since 'do NOT' is said and not the contraction, indicates there is just about zero percentage for change or rebuttal.  Well, that's my interpretation based on personal experience and expression.  It's pretty much the same with "Who gives a sh**?"  I searched it on Google and noticed my name wasn't in the search results.

A little fella at church, Cruz, age 4, was listening to his father talk about his worry of the area they were going to was having very heavy rains, and he was concerned about flooding.  Cruz in all his four years of wisdom said, “Dad, don’t you remember that God said He’d never flood the earth again?  That’s why he sent a rainbow.  That’s His promise.”  Thank you, Dianna, his Sunday school teacher, for teaching him that God’s promises are true and sure.

I know that December isn’t really the month to talk about dandelions.  But, I came across this piece of information and didn’t want to forget to share it with you.  Soooo, in April, May, and June with the heads of gold start flooding your lawn, think of this.  The dandelion is the only flower that represents the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon, and stars: The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puff ball resembles the moons, and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars.  Every part of the dandelion is useful: root, leaves, and flower. It can be used for food, medicine, and dye for coloring. Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant.  (Only children can appreciate this.  I’ve had many “bouquets” of these on my table.)  Dandelions are, quite possibly, the most successful plants that exist. They are masters of survival worldwide.

A friend of mine let me know I’d gotten more grey hair. I told her, “They’re not grey, they’re silver and they are WISDOM highlights. You don’t have very many, though.” She walked away.  'Showed me she could count to ONE.

I've tried to reduce my stress. I read where if you throw darts it helps dissipate the stress. So I started throwing them. The police told me I had to get a dart board, though. I guess someone complained.

“Nothing you love is lost, not really.  Things, people, they always go away, sooner or later.  You can't hold them, any more than you can hold moonlight.  But, if they've touched you, if they're inside you, then they're still yours.  The only things you ever really have are the ones you hold inside your heart.”  Bruce Coville

I was talking to my friend who always is ready to help another person.  Dr. Ruth Westheimer called it “the Joan of Arc” complex----always wanting to help someone to even sacrificing your needs.  I mentioned this to her.  She smiled and said, “Well, if I have that complex you are the match which lights the fire under me.  You bring me warmth and encouragement to get moving.”  Hmmm, I never saw me in that kind of light.

Do you know why you shouldn’t trust a nosy pepper?  It is because they are jalapeño business.

In some languages, just one word will tell a complete sentence filled with other words, in our language, to describe a feeling.  From Japanese, this is one of those words:  KUCHISABISHII (koo-chee-sah-bish-ee) which means “when you’re not hungry, but you eat because your mouth is lonely”.   Then, there are the multi-syllabic, multi-lettered words which make your tongue tired before you get to the end of the work.  In English, this word is like that, and it’s one of my favorite:  pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (a lung disease some miners get).  In German, this is one of those extra long words.  Well, I’m not going to type it because it has 79 letters and we probably wouldn’t be able to pronounce it, anyway.  It means:  "association of subordinate officials of the head office management of the Danube steamboat electrical services".  O.K., I got brave, searched the word and found it.  Here it is:     

                      Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft

I need a drink after trying to pronounce it.

Moving right along after all that lingual gymnastics, did you know that the peach was the first fruit eaten on the moon?  Well it was.  Applesauce was eaten while orbiting the moon.  The first meal consisted of some bacon.  This goes to prove that no matter where you are in the galaxy, bacon is preferred over fruit by some people.

I got one of those boiler room calls from a stranger asking for me.  I told him, “I am madam’s secretary.  She is on a cruise and will not return for 6 months.”  He snarled, “So you’re going to be there wasting other people’s time answering the phone?”  I told him, “I’m not wasting your time; you’re wasting mine,” and hung up.  So, maybe for 6 months I won’t be getting a call from this troll……just maybe.

Mother used to tell me when she was giving me medicine, “A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down.”  Well, that worked until I had to have a suppository. 

My friend was in a financial bind about having her furnace fixed.  I told her to go ahead and make the appointment to have it fixed and I’d help her.  She sort of argued with me about “Oh, I don’t want to burden you.  I’ll figure something out.”  I got a little honked because my offer was sincere and I wanted to help her.  She started to cry, gave me a hug, and told me she was very grateful.  I knew she was and was glad I could help her.  I told her, “Oh honey, don’t worry.  I have just the right mask to wear and squirt gun to bring as I rob some bank.”  She exploded in laughter.

I saw a picture of a box of CRAYOLA crayons.  I swear I could smell that picture!!  Oh the memories it brought back.  At the time I used them, there were only 8, 16, 24, or 48 count in a box of them.  Then the 64 count came out in 1958.    I begged to have those; got them for Christmas!  Well, the company, in 1996, produced 120, and in 2013 out came 152 of them.  There are 148 unique colors! Some colors are offered in special effects, further expanding the color selection with specialty crayons like glitter, pearl, confetti, metallic, bold & bright, and more!  Let’s not forget skin tone colors, which came under the color category of flesh, which was a light peachy color.  Realizing everyone has a different skin tone, in 1962 it was changed to peach.  One can add “more red to create warmer skin tones, or more yellow and a bit of blue to create cooler skin tones. To create darker skin tones, mix in a small amount of ultramarine blue or burnt sienna.”  There is, also, a 24 count of skin tones called COLORS OF THE WORLD!!  Leftover Crayola stubs are called “LEFTOLAS”.  You can melt them and blend them to make a big multi-colored crayon.  That’s a fun one to use.

I was thinking about dog names according the breed it/they are.  Here are some examples of my thinking:

Calvin and Klein or Fruita and D’Loom---boxers; Victor and Borge---Great Danes; Speedy and Buss---greyhounds; Baa and Bahh---sheep dogs; Getcha and Gotcha---Rotties, Dobbies, Cane Corsos or German shepherds---guard dogs;  Clot, Hemo, and Globin---bloodhounds.  I’m sure you can think of other names for other breeds of dogs.  Enjoy your imagination!!

Aint Daisy was sitting in her rocker by the lit fireplace when I went in to visit her.  “Chile, ye know I’m jess getting’ warm on one side.  It’s like jess having one friend----yer a little warm, but not as warm as havin’ two or more friends t’ warm yer soul and body,” she mused.  “I never thought of that, Aint Daisy.  You always have some wisdom to share.  You are truly my lady of the holler,” I said with a smile and gratitude.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa to you!  Trudy