To my sewing friends, I apologize.  This is not about your thread. No, this is about the ‘threads’ of conversations via the internet; those sometimes long streams of back and forth natter that can be funny, nonsensical, pleasant, encouraging, cruel, hateful, or irrelevant.

I confess I don’t usually take the time to read threads unless it involves a post from a family member or very close friend.  I learned my lesson during the past presidential election period.  Or, I should say, during the two years of the past presidential campaign.  I have friends on the right, the left, in the middle and nowhere to be seen, and I was totally disgusted with the rants, accusations, innuendos, and pure bile that was spilled out over the internet.  It wasn’t usually the main ‘status’ that was bad.  It was the unsolicited comments. It was the thread.

At first I thought it would be good for me to see various points of view and try to understand where other people were coming from with their comments.  Then I realized it was bothering me deeply to see the underbelly of society on their soapboxes spouting vulgarity and sounding way too much like the old news reels of dictators from another generation.

The past few days since the Boston Marathon bombing, and since the voting on weapon background checks, and since ricin laced envelopes showed up in Washington, the door has been flung wide open again on overly long threads. I only peeked a little, but I am guilty of giving in to curiosity.

Oops.

Learned the lesson again.

I have some friends that post ‘like’ to various fb pages that seem to present interesting ideas about politics, religion, food choices, mother nature, etc. If they took time to read the threads attached to them, I am sure they wouldn’t ‘like’ them and in doing so, share them with their other fb friends. Some of the thread comments are pretty filthy. I understand many sites have ‘trolls’ but some of the thread comments are by people who support the original status. They just want to make sure to denigrate anyone who doesn’t agree with the status. Very odd that people would take the time to do that. Very odd that I would waste time writing about it, let alone thinking about it.

I spent some time last night prioritizing what I want to see on fb and cleaning up some of the junk without ‘unfriending’ anyone. I’ve also made a pledge to myself not to read threads unless I absolutely think it will be worth my time and intellect. And I’ve also decided that the very best threads may be the ones from my sewing friends. The kind you can hold between your fingers and use to create something worthwhile and beautiful.

My hat’s off and my thimble is on to my hardworking sewing friends and their amazing threads.

“Those who dwell as scientists or laymen among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life.”  Rachel Carson

“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”  Henry David Thoreau Walden

Thinking more about Earth Day and mother nature in general, I look back to the work of Rachel Carson. She was a pioneer in her education, her way of thinking, her work and her life. She brought science to us in a readable form and ignited a generation of naturalists and ‘tree huggers.’

My own life was impacted by Silent Spring. It was published in 1962 when I was too young to have a clue that it existed. Thankfully, I discovered it in the early 70s when I was old enough to read and understand it. They say that because of the force of that one book and the horrors of pesticides, the EPA was started and DDT was banned in the U.S.

I was lucky to have parents who were organic gardeners and who preserved most of our food and took us out looking for ‘wild’ food like grapes, asparagus, strawberries, raspberries, mushrooms, onions and other yummy things. My Dad fished and bought our meat from local farmers whom he knew and trusted. When I was a child, I loved gardening and looking for things growing wild in the country. I still love finding wild asparagus and just recently found two wonderful pecan trees to gather from this coming fall. To note here is that my parents weren’t organic gardeners because they were on a mission. That’s simply how they had been taught by their parents and the canning/preserving was because they were frugal and had 4 children. Also, the food just tasted darn good.

As a little step off course here, I remember when my Mom bought TV dinners for us kids for a treat on Saturday night. We were so excited to try them and, oh, were they not good! But, it was still fun and Mom did give us a chance to try out what was being advertised on TV. We also didn’t go to fast food restaurants, except as a rare treat. We only had ice cream when we had relatives over and we hand cranked it. Wonderful tasting, but it was a treat, not an everyday thing. And, finally, although my Dad owned service stations and we stored ‘pop’ in our garage for the machines at the stations, we rarely had any ourselves. We just didn’t like it too much and it was expensive. (Yes, at 10 cents, it was still expensive for a family of 4 on a budget.)

It was interesting to me to see that Rachel Carson enjoyed reading Beatrix Potter when she was a child. Me too. There wasn’t a mention of her reading Walden but I somehow think she might have taken an interest in the writings of Henry David Thoreau. She choose a life that was difficult for a woman at that time–at this time too. She was dedicated to her science and to her writing. She also died too young, at age 56, from the overall effects of breast cancer.

I think of people like Rachel Carson, Henry David Thoreau, and Beatrix Potter when I am out tromping around on paths not much taken. I think most people would benefit from getting out there in the wild or on country roads and letting nature works it’s magic on them.

Maybe, in all that tromping around, some would find the path to their own significant life.

Aw, 1970.  I can almost hear the chants of anything anti war, anti establishment, anti anyone over 30, anti military industrial complex, anti *ahem* you get my drift.

But, today I am thinking about that first Earth Day and what it meant to so many of us at the time.  Hard to believe it has been 40 years and, although some things have improved, it’s still mostly the same old story.

Part of Earth Day was just getting out on the quad and having a love fest.  We loved each other and we loved good ole Mother Nature.  The weather cooperated.  The timing was also good because it was before we had to quite worry about finals and we still had a feeling of freedom and a desire to celebrate the arrival of spring.  Yes, we were also worried about a world that would be lost to war and all of that Vietnam era stuff.  We worried that the government ‘spies’ would be checking us out and making a list of who was naughty or nice.  But, we still had an awfully great time just being together and caring about each other and the world in general.

This morning I was listening to some ‘talking heads’ making comments about the first Earth Day, and without exception they said there was no concern about climate change then because that was before global warming.  Hey wait a minute guys!  I was there.  No, we weren’t concerned about global warming, we were concerned about the big freeze that was coming.  No kidding. The Hadley CRU climate center in East Anglia had results from studies showing a slight global cooling from 1940 on. Yes indeed. We were about to enter a new ice age if we didn’t do something real quick. There was talk about auto emissions, coal plants, livestock, etc., etc. I had become a vegetarian several years before and I didn’t have a car so I wasn’t in control of some things. But the power plants in Central Illinois were powered by coal and I was feeling very guilty. I bought more sweaters at Goodwill, turned the heat down to about 50, and shivered a lot. (I was skinny in those days.)

Except for that little slip from the talking heads, the reports are about right. We did care about the cutting down of trees, the wastefulness of our society, air and water pollution, and almost everything else that involved the earth. People joined Peace Corps en masse, people dodged the draft and ran for Canada or where ever they could to get away, some formed communes, some went to The Farm, some dropped out and are still dropped out. Most though made it through those turbulent times and ended up with lives very similar to their parents. Nice house, two cars, 2.5 kids, steady job, dinner out on the weekends, every thing they had condemned their parents for.

The good thing is that some people did spend their lives either working publically to ‘save the earth’ or in their own quiet ways making changes in their own lives that made a difference. Those changes include not being wasteful, recycling/repurposing, using or growing organic foods, cutting down on meat consumption, not littering, not using herbicides/pesticides, using public transportation when possible, being careful and mindful of the earth’s resources.

Other people have made a business of the politics of Earth Day and I am ashamed of them. They lead people off the real goal of being good stewards of the earth. We are currently tangled in the politics of Earth Day and I would love it if we could get back on track. Don’t force legislation for windmill farms so that politicians that own them can make a ‘windfall.’ Don’t force preservation of woodlands so others can confiscate the acreage and make a profit from it. Don’t shut down coal plants without providing affordable energy for the masses. Do the transition in a thoughtful and non-greedy way so that people can adjust and no politician or friend of a politician can reap untold rewards.

I want to see Americans stand together on Earth Day and create new ways to get us to where we need to be. I want us to be good stewards of this magnificent Earth together.

Somehow I think I should end this with: Peace Brothers and Sisters

Oh yeah, if you never look up any other time, you just have to look up tonight!  The Lynid Meteor Shower should be putting on a display all night for you.

The best time to view the shooting stars is right before dawn on Monday morning but I plan to stay out from 11:00 p.m. Sunday evening til 4:00 a.m. Monday.  That is, unless I see plenty of ‘wishers’ early on, then I will just go in and go to bed satisfied at having seen a fantastic show from Mother Universe.

You might encounter brightness due to the moon or to city lights.  What you need to do is get as much away from city lights as you can, dress warm if you are in a cold area (which most of us are if you live anywhere north of Texas right now), take some snacks and warm drinks and some good music to listen to.  You can also take a friend or several friends and make a party of it.  I would suggest holding off on too many *drinks* because you don’t want to miss the show, you might have to drive home, and it might make you forget to bundle up and take care of yourself. On the other hand, if you have a very dark deck, like we have, you can just slip out there with some good wine or beer and truly relax with nature.

The good thing about this sky show for those of us in the north, is that it comes at a time when the mosquitos aren’t awake yet. One less thing to be concerned with.

Now, where do you look?  Straight up is the best way to spot them.  More guidance, if you don’t need to be talking with friends, stay quiet. I have often times heard the meteors hitting the atmosphere and bouncing off. Not that it happens every time, but it is a wonderful thing to experience if you can.

No more advice on this one but I did want to encourage you to go out and find out for yourself how cool this can be and what a great show Mother Universe can put on for us.

Only available for viewing from tonight through the morning of April 23 so bundle up, get on out there, and have some stories to share with your family, friends, and co-workers.

It was 1993 when the iconic film Coneheads, directed by Steve Barron and based on Saturday Night Live sketches, was released to an adoring audience, including me. Lots of silliness, sweetness, and great music. I just watched it again recently and it still makes me laugh. The David Spade character is a minor player but his role is one of my favorite parts. So much like people I have seen everywhere I worked.

First, everything he does is for his own ultimate benefit. Now I know most of us handle our careers with a self centered interest and there’s nothing wrong with that. But there is always that one person, hanging close to the boss, managing the boss’ ego. The rest of the workers know exactly what is going on but the boss always seems oblivious. And, somehow that person has everything timed perfectly so when the boss moves up, they move up. Or, when the boss is replaced, they get a job with the new boss, doing just what they were doing but at a higher pay level.

Have you seen this happen at your workplace?

The second thing about that person is they always intervene or act as a middleman. No one else can get close to the boss. If you have a great idea, you can’t talk to the boss, you have to tell the ‘David Spade’ and let them pass it on. Of course, the idea then becomes their idea and they get credit and, you guessed it, a raise.

The third part is most funny to me. They always have to have the last word. I’ve had some fun with people like this before by always adding one more word of my own just to see how far they will go. There have been some e mail threads that are long beyond belief because I fool with people like ‘David Spade.’ Example: me “I’ll work on the report and have it ready for proof.” Them, “I’ll review it and send it on.” Me, “Thanks” Them, “It’s OK” Me, “I’ll send it this afternoon.” Them, “I’ll look at it as soon as you send it.” Me, “Around 2:00.” Them, “Good.” Me, “Thanks.” Them, “No Worries.” Me, “No, really, I appreciate it.” Them “My pleasure.” Me, “You’re too kind.” Them, “Only for you.” Me, “Thanks again.” And this can go on all day. They just can’t let anyone have the last thank you or the last word on anything, either e-mail or verbal.

Anyway, the Coneheads movie has so many good laughs in it I would recommend if you haven’t seen it or have time to see it again, give it a view.

Wishing you many laughs and hoping that, in your own life and in your own way, you manage to ‘Narfle the Garthok.’

It was German night at the St Louis Symphony but not the oompah type music that might bring to mind.  It was Brahms, Webern, Strauss, Jr., and Strauss.  Lovely stuff.

The first Brahms was Song of the Fates with full chorus accompanying the orchestra.  Not bad but not my favorite over all.  There was something about having a full size screen hanging down from the ceiling with the words to the ‘Song’ translated into English.  I would have preferred not to have the distraction and just to have let the music carry me through it all.

Of all the music presented, most people would have recognized parts of the J. Strauss, Jr. piece, Artist’s Life.  But, my favorite was the final presentation.  Der Rosenkavalier Suite by R. Strauss had everything in it from moving, lyrical passages, to booming tuba, to the richness of harps and the pounding of kettle drums.  It also has several ‘false’ endings that didn’t fool me at all.  The ‘real’ final ending was spectacular and got everyone to their feet with a pretty rousing applause.

What I liked best about Der Rosenkavalier was that it seemed like it would fit in an early 1950s movie about men returning from war and having sad memories but longing for a new life and love.  I could feel the passage of time, the longing, the memories, the conflict, and finally the exuberance.  It’s actually the music of a comic opera about a woman with a younger lover.  The young man then falls for a young woman and the older woman steps out of the picture after much intrigue by many people.  I’m not sure why I can make it the music for a 1950s movie, but that’s the way I heard it.  At least it had a happy ending.

It might not have been the music of an oompah band, but what the heck?  It still put me in the mood for beer and pretzels.

Stephen King, yes, the other, very famous in is own right, Stephen King, reminded me of an old favorite movie, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, a John Huston film staring Humphrey Bogart.  I had been thinking quite a bit lately of human behavior and especially thinking about it after the Boston Marathon incident.  So, thank you Stephen for making all the disorganized, messy thoughts I was having congeal into something of a statement concerning our victories and failings as human beings.

You may know of the Humphrey Bogart movie, when Bogart plays Fred Dodd, a fairly normal man trying to improve his lot in life by taking some risks and working very hard.  But, do you recall Edith?  Edith is the presumed name of Lot’s wife.  Yes, that is the same Lot from Genesis in the Bible.  Funny how she is always just referred to has Lot’s wife with no name of her own.  But, I believe students of the Bible have been able to track down a first name for her and most Hebrew students of Genesis believe her name was Edith.

Well, Edith had a moment of human frailty when she was fleeing for her life with Lot and some others.  Their only command for freedom was, “Flee, but do not look back.  If you look back, you will be turned to salt.”  I like to think I would have gone along with that command and run like heck.  But, Edith had a moment of weakness and turned back to take one last look at her former home and zap–she was turned to salt.  Now, I think Lot did pretty good to just keep going without standing around weeping over his lost wife.  He just kept going like he was commanded.  Mean while, Sodom was destroyed and Edith remained, half way to freedom, turned into a salt pillar.

Fred Dodd, on the other hand, crept over to the dark side slowly.  He had a good deal going, working with a couple of other guys to mine a possible gold field.  They actually did strike it rich and in doing so, something dark and terrible was turned on in Fred’s mind.  He became greedy and paranoid.  This was a man that had worked side by side with his two companions and shared everything.  He had stood up with them against some heavily armed banditos and beat the bad guys back with skill, smarts, and a lot of luck. 

Then, suddenly, they struck it rich and he started craving what his fellows workers had gained through their hardship and their mutual partnership.  He was paranoid about losing his share of the gold yet wanted to find a way to capture their shares as well.

If you haven’t seen the movie, I won’t tell you the ending, but I will say that it didn’t work out the way Fred was hoping.

What I want to say from these two stories is that sometimes, even when we have the purest of intentions, the frailty of our human self can take hold and cause us to do something we will regret forever. The weakness may even cause our demise.

I always liked the story of Lot’s wife because I thought we had much in common. I probably would have turned back to look also. Not that I’m not a good person but that I have the same human weaknesses of Edith. Curiosity and a desire not to let go of the past can sometimes be our undoing. And poor Fred Dodd. I have often seen people overcome by greed and I am pretty certain I will not become a part of that sorry group.

How can we gird ourselves to be the ones that withstand temptation and do the right or ‘heroic’ thing? We can train our mind, our body, and our spirit to be as strong as possible.

And, what kind of person am I? Will I be the one to run away from the sound of an explosion, or crumple in tears, or will I be the one dashing past those two, right into the face of danger to help another person or prevent a disaster?

We live in a time of uncertainty. I am preparing to charge into the face of danger with no more fears.

Two minutes.  Not much time.  And yet . . .

It is time you can use to answer several e mails or texts, or read two or three short news updates, or check your stock reports or make a quick phone call.

Two minutes is the amount of cycle time for most of our traffic lights.  I am not thrilled with this because on my morning commute I end up stopped more than I go and it doesn’t matter if I drive fast, slow, or in between.  I have had people from the ‘green St Louis’ team say if you drive the right speed you will end up with all green lights.  But, that just isn’t true.  If you hit one red, you will hit all of them red.  If you hit one green light you will invariably end up hitting all the rest red. I implore you to prove me wrong on this.

Or, you could just get in the car with me some morning and find out for yourself.

What I have done, since I am a ‘time counter,’ is figured out how to make the time productive. I didn’t like sitting at stop light after stop light being impatient and angry about the waste of time, not to mention the waste of gasoline. What I started doing was timing each light to see how much time was available for other activity. OK. Some stop lights are a mere 1.5 minutes and some are 2.0 to 3.0 minutes. Most of them in my particular drive area are exactly 2 minutes. I have figured out what I can accomplish in various amounts of time and have managed to create a way to use the time productively. Also, when I don’t have something to do during the ‘down’ time of the stop light, I use the time to relax. I know when I stop that I will have 2 minutes to chill or to listen to something good on the radio or a CD. This keeps me from becoming anxious or impatient.

I always look at my dash clock as soon as I see the light turn red, then, according to what I want to accomplish, I start doing whatever while keeping one eye on the clock. When two minutes are up, I know it is time to pay attention and maybe start moving forward in the traffic lane. It would be great if other people also did this because I am sure some people doze off at stop lights. In Chicago it seems to be appropriate to honk as soon as the light turns green, thus alerting the people at the front of the line they should start moving. In St Louis we are more polite. Sometimes we sit through an entire green light behind someone that has phased out and doesn’t move during the go cycle. This is aggravating to those behind the staller but we wouldn’t want to seem impolite by honking at him/her to alert him/her of the error.

You may think it is obsessive of me to be concerned about traffic light timing. You are right. But, like I said, I am a counter and it’s not good to pretend otherwise. It is a pretty helpful obsession sometimes. Other times, not so much.

Just to leave you with something to consider: It takes most people approximately 2 minutes to read 560 words.

This post is definitely stop light material.

The arms of a stranger, sheltering, lifting

The cries of a stranger, waiting for help

The blood of a stranger, flowing, unceasing

The sound of a stranger, offering prayers

The fear of a stranger, seeking a loved one

The hope of a stranger, waiting for news

The arms of a stranger, sheltering, lifting

A world full of strangers, longing for hope

Yes, the bell is about to toll for April 15th, and the IRS reg book is about to close for another year, and yes, finally, yes, my taxes are filed and paid in full today.

Tested to the limit
Asked to give too much
Xyster could be needed
Extracting all I’ve got to
Satisfy the tax man
Pulling savings out
All other funds have vanished
I don’t know where to turn
Deliverance could await me
In an unemployment line
Not having any income
For IRS to assign
Unless they find a way to count
Lost coins within my purse
Leave me alone for just a while
To build my safety net
Or maybe stash some dough away
Despite the constant threat
Alone I’ve faced the IRS, next
Year it starts again.