🦃 2025 November FROM MY PERSPECTIVE

 

Month #11.  It really is #9, if you know what “NOVEM” means.  It’s the month of:  1 All Saints Day, 3 Sandwich Day, 4 National Candy Day, 4 Men Make Dinner Day, 6 National Nachos Day,   7 Daylight Savings Ends, 10 Sesame Street Day, 11 Veteran’s Day, 13 World Kindness Day, 14 National Pickle Day, 16 National Fast Food Day, 18 Mickey Mouse’s Birthday, 25 Thanksgiving Day, 26 Try to Buy Nothing Day (oh right!!), 28 National French Toast Day, 30 National Day of Giving 

I heard a knock at my door.  I opened it and there stood my friend, Aint Daisy.  What a surprise, but there was concern on her face.  “Hello, chile.  I’m a-wonderin’ iffn ye have time to talk a spell,” she said with a shakey voice.  “Of course I do.  Please come in.  I’ll get some sweet tea.  Please sit where you’re comfortable,” I told her.  I got the tea and some freshly baked cookies, set them down on the coffee table and sat down across from my dear friend.  “Help yourself, Aint Daisy.  I have plenty to share,” I told her.  “Hain’t much fer eatin’ right now, chile.  I’m hurt and outta sorts.  How ‘bout I tell ye what’s on my mind,” she said with a quivery voice.  I made sure there were tissues close as I could see she was on the verge of tears.  She told me of one of her kids (“youn’uns”) had come over all angry at her because she’d asked some questions, which caring mothers do.  The kid told her she was nosy, didn’t really care about her, didn’t like her as her mother, she needed to go to a nursing home, and she didn’t want her to talk to her until she called and said she may.  As she talked, choking back tears, I ached for her.  I knew all she’d done to help this child: the unconditional love which oozed from her being for her, and the things which most people would not have done to help a child succeed, so many sacrifices, and thousands more things.  “Chile, what do you think?  Right now, I’mma lost fer words to say t’ her.”  I thought a few minutes and said, “Aint Daisy, I’m so sorry this happened to you and hurtful words were said without thinking.  I know how much words can hurt.  Words said in anger hurt the most.  The tongue is the hardest muscle to bridle.  It is, also, the strongest because in one swoop it can build or tear down.  The owner of the tongue chooses what it does.”  Aint Daisy reached for a cookie and her glass of sweet tea.  She sat there fiddling with the tissue I’d given her.  “Thank ye, chile.  I’ll jes be quiet t’ her until, maybe, she will realize what she said an’ how it hurt.  Ye know, silence can be the best answer,” she said softly.  “You know, Aint Daisy, you are the wise lady of the holler.”  She looked at me with a gentle smile and said, “Honey, I ain’t the only one.”  I gave her a much needed hug and silent prayer for peace and hurting heart mended, as she went back to her little house.  

A certain toothpaste company is featuring LEMON and Salt in their product.  When they put tequila in with the lemon and salt, I’ll be buying this product and brushing my teeth at least 8 times a day. 

My friend was walking her dog through her neighborhood.  She’s very diligent about cleaning up after her dog as they stop and start on their outing.  I guess not everyone is as thoughtful or considerate.  She told me she came to a front yard which had multiple signs firmly staked throughout the front yard.  They said in bold, colorful letters:  NO TRESS-POOPING!! 

I found this interesting information about a dog.  I don’t know the source, though.   “Did you know that the tiny vertical groove between a dog’s nose and upper lip actually has a purpose? It’s called the vegetal groove (or philtrum), and it’s not there by accident!  Each time a dog licks its lips, a bit of saliva collects in that groove. Through a process called capillarization, the moisture travels up to the nose — helping keep it damp.  And why does that matter? Because, a moist nose is much better at capturing and holding scents from the air. That’s part of what makes a dog’s sense of smell so incredibly powerful!”  Now you know. 

If the beverage tea starts with the letter T and is called “tea”, why can’t coffee, which starts with the letter C, be called “C”?  Why can’t the word “queue” just be the letter Q?  Why does the letter W have 2 syllables when all the other 25 have just one?  Where do the stars go when the sun comes out?  When you’re running after a toddler who has something dangerous in their hand, why don’t you get out of breath or breathing hard; but when you just run the same distance you are out of breath or breathing hard?  If you were traveling at the speed of light and turn on the headlights, what happens?  Since there is a speed of sound, what’s the speed of silence?  Why can’t I see eye to eye?  Why is the black box on an airplane actually orange?  Banquet and Bouquet, both end in “quet”, but it’s pronounced differently.  

I had a student ask me, “If I buy a pair of shoes, I get two shoes; but, I only get one bird when I buy a parakeet?”  I told him he had a good question and to ask the next shoes sales clerk when he was buying shoes. 

There are anger management classes to take, but there are no stupid management classes.  You can be angry and take a class to help you, but if you say something stupid or are stupid, there is no class to help you.  Well, what if I’m angry because you said or did something stupid?!?!  Where’s my help? 

I read that your brain produces enough electricity to power a light bulb---about 20 watts.  Hmmm, that’s interesting; however, I’ve dealt with some people who are such dim bulbs, their wattage is a nightlight size. 

Denzel Washington tells about being smart and the number 5.  “If you hang around 5 confident people, you will be the 6^th.  If you hang around 5 intelligent people, you will be the 6^th.  If you hang around 5 millionaires, you will be the 6^th.  If you hang around 5 stupid people, you will be the 6^th.  Be smart who you hang around with.” 

Well, the holidays are just about upon us.  I think of all the delicious food which is presented to my palate.  Here’s a recipe I came across which sounds really good for toast, muffins, scones, or use as a topping for oatmeal.  CRANBERRY BUTTER RECIPE:  1 cup softened butter; 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries; ¼ cup honey---or to taste; 2 teaspoons grated orange zest; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. 

INSTRUCTIONS:  Soften the butter to room temp.  Mix the butter, chopped cranberries, honey, orange zest, and salt in a bowl until well-combined.  Taste and adjust the sweetness or cranberry flavor as needed.  Transfer the mixture to an airtight container or roll it into a log shape using parchment paper.  Chill in the fridge until firm (at least 30 minutes).  Enjoy!! 

There is an Italian phrase which is so appropriate to mention to students and those trying to be successful.  Chi la dura la vince---(Kee lah Doo-rah lah VEEN-cheh)  It means:  Perseverance wins.   Success belongs to those who do not give up, because persistence overcomes obstacles that strength alone cannot. 

Did you ever have to deal with a narcissist?  I have, and it can be emotionally and even physically draining.  I discovered they are severely emotionally stunted, underdeveloped adults.  No matter how high they mentally function, they have the emotional intelligence of an angry, irrational young child.  This is where the physically draining comes into play-----I just want to slap the snot out of them, but have to restrain myself by clasping my hands or hugging myself.  The mentally draining comes with thinking of ways, which are legal, so I can slap the snot out of them. 

A male teacher friend of my husband called his quizzes “QUIZZIES”.  One day an unprepared student said with a sigh, “If this is on of your quizzies, I’d like to see on of your testies.”  The room exploded with laughter. 

My husband and I taught at the same high school.  He taught civics and geography; I taught English.  We frequently had the same students.  One ornery, attention-seeking student came into my husband’s class, creating a disturbance, and announced, “I just had your wife.  She doesn’t like me very much.”  My husband became noticeably irritated with the student.  From across the room another student called out, “Looks like it runs in the family, John!” 

Look for the GLIMMERS in your day, which are opposite of TRIGGERS.  Glimmers are the moments in your day which make you feel joy, happiness, peace, or gratitude. So, train your brain to look for those moments.  They will appear more and more. 

Sometimes when you hit rock bottom, God lets you, so you’ll know He’s the rock at the bottom. 

May you give thanks for giving on your Thanksgiving.  Trudy J

🦃