Sunday, August 31, 2014
Friday, August 29, 2014
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
No 'great purge' : why there is no recycling in this part of Virginia
I certainly believe in recycling! A long time ago - before there was mandatory curbside pickup of stuff in my native NJ - my Dad and I would go out on the nights before garbage pickup and throw in the car, bundled newspapers: then, back at the house, we had old wooden boards in the carport, where we would stack them up: when they got big enough, we'd load the car and take it down to the recycling plant, off the tail end of Meadow Road, and that would be my allowance ....
My favorite recycling location was Lexington, Kentucky: one big blue bucket that easily moved on wheels to the kerb that took EVERYTHING! And believe you me! I recycled everything - including toilet paper rolls - EVERYTHING!!!
Then, I moved here.
There is a dumpster that takes all the garbage for the landfill, including furniture and car parts, that we pay $13 a month for ... a while back, I even spoke to the Mayor of this small town: in order to recycle, I'd have to get my own tiny blue bucket at city hall and drag it to the kerb (no wheels) - no one can tell me why the so-called Green Earth company - that provides recycling dumpsters for businesses in this same area! - won't do so for apartment complexes!!!
I really do feel bad about just adding to the landfill and just adding to the landfill! ... and this, combined with my recent financial pinch, made me think back to the early and yes they were fun! days with my beloved Dad ... and I looked at my stack of newspapers (which the animal shelter in Harrisonburg doesn't want, either - the one in Lexington always did!) ....
First, I checked the website: tied with string, it said ... ok - I went to Ace hardware and invested in biodegradable twine ... and then I wrapped two bundles: I didn't want to do the hard work of offloading all my newspapers at once, if for whatever reason this didn't work out ...
THEY DON'T PAY YOU FOR RECYCLING!!! WHAT'S WORSE IS - YOU WALK UP THESE RICKETY METAL STEPS AND WALK INTO A TRACTOR TRAILER - AND NONE OF THE NEWSPAPERS ARE TIED - THEY'RE LOOSELY THROWN ABOUT!!!
Virginia, I'm gravely disappointed in you!!!!!!!!!
My favorite recycling location was Lexington, Kentucky: one big blue bucket that easily moved on wheels to the kerb that took EVERYTHING! And believe you me! I recycled everything - including toilet paper rolls - EVERYTHING!!!
Then, I moved here.
There is a dumpster that takes all the garbage for the landfill, including furniture and car parts, that we pay $13 a month for ... a while back, I even spoke to the Mayor of this small town: in order to recycle, I'd have to get my own tiny blue bucket at city hall and drag it to the kerb (no wheels) - no one can tell me why the so-called Green Earth company - that provides recycling dumpsters for businesses in this same area! - won't do so for apartment complexes!!!
I really do feel bad about just adding to the landfill and just adding to the landfill! ... and this, combined with my recent financial pinch, made me think back to the early and yes they were fun! days with my beloved Dad ... and I looked at my stack of newspapers (which the animal shelter in Harrisonburg doesn't want, either - the one in Lexington always did!) ....
First, I checked the website: tied with string, it said ... ok - I went to Ace hardware and invested in biodegradable twine ... and then I wrapped two bundles: I didn't want to do the hard work of offloading all my newspapers at once, if for whatever reason this didn't work out ...
THEY DON'T PAY YOU FOR RECYCLING!!! WHAT'S WORSE IS - YOU WALK UP THESE RICKETY METAL STEPS AND WALK INTO A TRACTOR TRAILER - AND NONE OF THE NEWSPAPERS ARE TIED - THEY'RE LOOSELY THROWN ABOUT!!!
Virginia, I'm gravely disappointed in you!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
August 27 reading and my commentary
Memorial of Saint Monica
Reading 1, second Letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 3:6-10, 16-18
We instruct you, brothers and sisters,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to shun any brother
who walks in a disorderly way
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
to shun any brother
who walks in a disorderly way
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I tried to Google this specific reference, I found an awful lot of commentary essentially on the verses that follow this one, about not being idle and finding work, no matter what type of work that is... but I wanted to know specifically about this one -- which to me it seems to be saying:
If you know someone as a Christian, who then walks in a disorderly way, we are to shun them (like the Amish do ??? is this there Scriptural basis for so doing ???)
I guess I have more questions, than commentary -- so this means, for someone I know to be a Christian, I should shun them when --
they have a sexually active relationship outside of marriage ??? does this apply in each and every circumstance this can happen in the life of a Christian??? what about the lonely ... the fatherless woman with two sons who need a man's hand ... those with deep-seated wounds who have no recognition of that, who don't know they need help, who are lost, who don't hear about this from the pulpit and who aren't ones to read self-help ... the financially dependent ... the medically dependent (on either side of the equation) ... those whose church forbids any type of remarriage ...
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Monday, August 18, 2014
Black Dress Day for Severe M.E....
Wheelingalong24: Wheelchair Fashion: Black Dress Selfie for Severe ...: Today's ootd post is coming to you with a side of activism. That sounds really Sesame Street (at least to me) but you know what I mea...
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Saturday, August 16, 2014
Friday, August 15, 2014
The Wedding
Some very fortunate couples go together like peanut butter and jelly ... and that are the Milligans, Coty and Brooke! They were previously my upstairs neighbors ... 8 months ago, they did elope; but earlier this evening (August 15th), there was the "official", for all our loved ones, wedding in the park <3 ....
Now, the minister said something that made me think - (paraphrasing), he said - y'all got married legally 8 months ago ... and you've had 8 months to live as husband and wife ... are you ready to say I do again now that you know what it's really like???
Happily, they did!
... But it made me think ... and so later on I walked over and chatted with the minister ... I filled him in on how - the last time I was married, circa 1995 -- at 8 months my answer would have been HELL, NO!!! -- we were on the cusp of our first separation .... so, we talked; and then the minister asked me a question --
Jeannee, having that broken marriage to a minister -- what has it done to your faith???
I got all choked-up, as I realized -- as I admitted right out loud -- that my faith is fine, thank you kindly for asking! -- HOWEVER --
I've been unchurched since.
Oh, I've tried! I really REALLY have tried! I've gone to different churches ... for different amounts of time ... one in particular, an overwhelming case of depression-crash caused by improper medication swept me out the door BUT --
-- yeahhh, I probably would have left there soon, too.
I don't trust. I know the inside -- too well. I'm uncomfortable.
I believe, but I don't church.
Now, the minister said something that made me think - (paraphrasing), he said - y'all got married legally 8 months ago ... and you've had 8 months to live as husband and wife ... are you ready to say I do again now that you know what it's really like???
Happily, they did!
... But it made me think ... and so later on I walked over and chatted with the minister ... I filled him in on how - the last time I was married, circa 1995 -- at 8 months my answer would have been HELL, NO!!! -- we were on the cusp of our first separation .... so, we talked; and then the minister asked me a question --
Jeannee, having that broken marriage to a minister -- what has it done to your faith???
I got all choked-up, as I realized -- as I admitted right out loud -- that my faith is fine, thank you kindly for asking! -- HOWEVER --
I've been unchurched since.
Oh, I've tried! I really REALLY have tried! I've gone to different churches ... for different amounts of time ... one in particular, an overwhelming case of depression-crash caused by improper medication swept me out the door BUT --
-- yeahhh, I probably would have left there soon, too.
I don't trust. I know the inside -- too well. I'm uncomfortable.
I believe, but I don't church.
Monday, August 11, 2014
Sunday, August 10, 2014
Saturday, August 9, 2014
Happy :) Normal :) :) :) -- Reflections
Earlier today, thanks to a birthday gift from a friend, I had a delicious! meal at a real Greek diner, Panos, in Harrisonburg ....
As I sat there drinking coffee from the ubiquitous heavy white cup, looking out the window, I realized ... I feel normal. I felt that way, because I was sitting in a diner.
Now, let me put this in perspective: there are plenty of things that make me happy:
Animals (Delilah and Big Mama; CoCo and Myndie Ruth; friends pets; videos ...)
Good food
Books
A beautiful-weather day
Having clean clothes to put on myself
And then there are things that make me feel normal, like the aforementioned diner, and:
Shopping
Being with a friend or in a group of friends. Being around my Dad. Being in a relationship.
Writing
Reading
Being really dressed-up
And so here is what I know: that on a daily basis, I can certainly! and I do, for mental health!, find something(s) to make my heart and my soul happy ... but feeling normal is a far more elusive feeling the older I grow, and more and more people///places///et al, exit stage left.........
As I sat there drinking coffee from the ubiquitous heavy white cup, looking out the window, I realized ... I feel normal. I felt that way, because I was sitting in a diner.
Now, let me put this in perspective: there are plenty of things that make me happy:
Animals (Delilah and Big Mama; CoCo and Myndie Ruth; friends pets; videos ...)
Good food
Books
A beautiful-weather day
Having clean clothes to put on myself
And then there are things that make me feel normal, like the aforementioned diner, and:
Shopping
Being with a friend or in a group of friends. Being around my Dad. Being in a relationship.
Writing
Reading
Being really dressed-up
And so here is what I know: that on a daily basis, I can certainly! and I do, for mental health!, find something(s) to make my heart and my soul happy ... but feeling normal is a far more elusive feeling the older I grow, and more and more people///places///et al, exit stage left.........
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Depression? Anxiety? Meoooowww ....
So I was just sitting here looking at the list of things I must do and
It got far too overwhelming ... I started having an anxiety-based meltdown oh no not again! I can't - I can't give in to this (which of course makes it worse )
So I said to myself, OK, JEAN ... just rewrite the list! Its messy-looking - scribbled ... rewrite it cogently ....
Doing so, still having this anxiety wave a bit and
Big Mama jumped up on the desk and walked right across my page ... and, as I'm laughing, she starts rubbing her face against my pen ;) ... and now she sniffs at the paper, makes a moue of distaste, and sits her fat rump right on it!
Even just as funny as the distasteful look that only a cat can give! was that she wasn't, she absolutely was. NOT. moving off that paper until she had made face-to-face SURE that I was laughing and smiling and - well, could be trusted with it, you see ;)
I'm really starting to think that - instead of medications - doc's should first hand-out free cats and dogs, ya know???
It got far too overwhelming ... I started having an anxiety-based meltdown oh no not again! I can't - I can't give in to this (which of course makes it worse )
So I said to myself, OK, JEAN ... just rewrite the list! Its messy-looking - scribbled ... rewrite it cogently ....
Doing so, still having this anxiety wave a bit and
Big Mama jumped up on the desk and walked right across my page ... and, as I'm laughing, she starts rubbing her face against my pen ;) ... and now she sniffs at the paper, makes a moue of distaste, and sits her fat rump right on it!
Even just as funny as the distasteful look that only a cat can give! was that she wasn't, she absolutely was. NOT. moving off that paper until she had made face-to-face SURE that I was laughing and smiling and - well, could be trusted with it, you see ;)
I'm really starting to think that - instead of medications - doc's should first hand-out free cats and dogs, ya know???
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Hidden New Jersey: Saluting New Jersey's military heritage: the Natio...
Hidden New Jersey: Saluting New Jersey's military heritage: the Natio...: You know you're heading for a really hidden New Jersey gem when you have to stop at a guard shack to get in. I found myself doing just t...
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Journey with Gastroparesis: Alive with HPN, HPN Awareness video 2014
Journey with Gastroparesis: Alive with HPN, HPN Awareness video 2014: I would like to take a few minutes and talk about TPN, how it has affected my life, and most recently the work I do. Not only is August G...
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Book review (so far) //// Date-linked personal sharing
One of the many books that have bookmarks in them, that I am currently reading, is Nancy Horan's "Loving Frank" (which - as almost all fiction does that crosses my desk - comes along recommended) ... It is a slow read, in the sense that you have Lindt's chocolate now, and not something grabbed in a breathy hurry from the dollar-store counter! ... There are sentences that just rivet me - I underline them; I tease them across the suddenly-sensitive teeth on the bottom front, ruminate them over in my mind -- here's one (below), which is the cause for the second half of this blog sharing --
"That lately, when her husband came into the same room, she felt as if the air had been sucked out of it."
The upcoming 5th marks a wedding anniversary - thankfully, one I've been able to divert attention from by a dear friend's birthday being on the 4th!!! ... This sentence - oh yes ... this is what happened in our marriage -- this is what it became, this quote right here!!! Let me explain, if I can :
He would walk into the front door ... he would come back inside from the back door (when we had the house and he was out there with the doggy's) ... he would come back into my father's house (when we were there visiting, and let's say he had gone to a meeting and I'd elected to stay put) ... he would stride purposefully and heavy-threaded down the stairs in my father's house, to my 'it's always been my inner sanctum', the basement, where I was reading or coffeeing ....
It was as if he was taking the air out of me, and as many 'wrong thoughts' (in his not-so-humble opinion) out of me by sheer force of his presence - I would feel it; I would smile AND I would drape my arms across my book, trying to save the words before he loomed over the top of me and tried to extract them by kissing me, his eyes wandering for any 'key words' he could see in print that would alarm him - 'she's veering off course! warning, warning!!!' .... Or I would turn the page in my notebook ... or hit my version of a 'kill switch' on the computer ... which interestingly enough was always in the center of our living spaces -- not so he could 'suck air', but actually, ironically, to facilitate conversation
which is a little hard to do, of course, if you're having trouble breathing ;-
I'm enjoying the book ... and , a not so frequent occurance for me, I'm actually grateful today to be single --
thank you, Ms. Nancy Horan!
"That lately, when her husband came into the same room, she felt as if the air had been sucked out of it."
The upcoming 5th marks a wedding anniversary - thankfully, one I've been able to divert attention from by a dear friend's birthday being on the 4th!!! ... This sentence - oh yes ... this is what happened in our marriage -- this is what it became, this quote right here!!! Let me explain, if I can :
He would walk into the front door ... he would come back inside from the back door (when we had the house and he was out there with the doggy's) ... he would come back into my father's house (when we were there visiting, and let's say he had gone to a meeting and I'd elected to stay put) ... he would stride purposefully and heavy-threaded down the stairs in my father's house, to my 'it's always been my inner sanctum', the basement, where I was reading or coffeeing ....
It was as if he was taking the air out of me, and as many 'wrong thoughts' (in his not-so-humble opinion) out of me by sheer force of his presence - I would feel it; I would smile AND I would drape my arms across my book, trying to save the words before he loomed over the top of me and tried to extract them by kissing me, his eyes wandering for any 'key words' he could see in print that would alarm him - 'she's veering off course! warning, warning!!!' .... Or I would turn the page in my notebook ... or hit my version of a 'kill switch' on the computer ... which interestingly enough was always in the center of our living spaces -- not so he could 'suck air', but actually, ironically, to facilitate conversation
which is a little hard to do, of course, if you're having trouble breathing ;-
I'm enjoying the book ... and , a not so frequent occurance for me, I'm actually grateful today to be single --
thank you, Ms. Nancy Horan!
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