move along... it's time

So, I've been thinking about current events. Many monumental issues right now, how can I not think about them? What it boils down to for me is this: I'm a lifelong northerner, living in the nation's least ethnically diverse state. I don't know and can't relate to the African-American struggle. What I can relate to is the culture of hate. Historically, the "Stars & Bars" represented Civil War era soldiers, however, after the Civil War, several white supremacist groups (the White Knights, the KKK, and others) used the flag as their symbol, distorting an honorable war memento into a symbol of repression.

I get why people are riled up. For a lot of us, removed from the deeper meanings of the flag, it seems like a symbol of "good ol' boys" and "redneck culture," relatively meaningless and harmless. But historically, it's got more meaning than that. Many southern states began including the flag at state and federal buildings during the Civil Rights Era, making a statement that not everything would change. I do think it's time the government shed itself of the flag and all it has come to represent.

We've prided ourselves as being a nation based on freedom and liberty for all and it's time to ante up and be that. If we are a nation of inclusion, of freedom, of liberty, of justice, then we need to move on from the symbols of a bygone era. And I don't think it's living in a culture of political correctness, as others have argued. It's acknowledging the history of our nation and moving forward. It's not erasing the past or covering it up, it's acknowledging and moving on. And it's time. It's time for Americans to live up to the ideal the Founders set forth, they certainly acknowledged their own hypocrisy--although most people are unaware of the Commerce (Slave Trade) Compromise and other ways the slavery issue was skirted at the formation of the nation. The teacher in me could go on and on, but basically that's what I've got on the flag issue.

friday 5

Under

1. What goes under grape jelly?
a grilled biscuit
2. What goes under your car?
the pavement
3. What gets under your skin?
petty things
4. What’s the underlying cause of your latest figurative headache?
the "updated" Barnes & Noble website
5. What do your underlings generally think of you?
they seem to like me

mosaic

Swiped from Princess Ladybug

Yourself as a mosaic…
The concept:
1. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
2. Using only the first page of results, pick one image.
3. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into Big Huge Lab's Mosaic Maker to create a mosaic of the picture answers.

The questions:
1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to be when you grow up?
10. What do you love most in life? ( I interpreted this as what thing do I love most and therefore it’s understood that I do NOT love this more than I love the people in my life.)
11. What is one word that describes you?
12. What is your flickr name? (I don't have a flickr name so I did a google image search)

yarn along

Join in every Wednesday to share a single photo of what you are knitting and reading too!

ten things tuesday

Linking up with Ten On Tuesday this week.

This week's topic is 10 Things You Love About your Home.

1) I love how safe I feel in this neighborhood.

2) The front porch is awesome.

3) With all the windows, I get light all day long.

4) There are no neighbors above me.

5) All my neighbors are quiet. I've had some who were partiers and rowdy, so I truly appreciate having quiet neighbors.

6) It's a convenient location to town. I'm about a mile away from my parents and from the best supermarket and business district.

7) I love living by myself.

8) The house is well-maintained. My landlord does a great job of keeping the outside looking nice.

9) I love having neighbors that I could borrow a cup of sugar from. Not that I borrow sugar, but, if the need arose, I know I could ask.

10) I love that after living here for twenty years I still love living here.

just finished reading

From the publisher:

Two people are abducted, imprisoned, and left with a gun. As hunger and thirst set in, only one walks away alive.

It’s a game more twisted than any Detective Helen Grace has ever seen. If she hadn’t spoken with the shattered survivors herself, she almost wouldn’t believe them.

Helen is familiar with the dark sides of human nature, including her own, but this case—with its seemingly random victims—has her baffled. But as more people go missing, nothing will be more terrifying than when it all starts making sense....

What a gripping premise! There were parts that I couldn't put down but there were a couple of parts that were almost preposterous. Anytime the focus was on the victims, I was riveted--the ethical struggle and the aftermath of the choices was compelling. I will definitely read more in this series!

musing mondays

Click here to play along.

Musing Mondays asks you to muse about one of the following each week…

• I’m currently reading…
• Up next I think I’ll read…
• I bought the following book(s) in the past week…
• I’m super excited to tell you about (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I’m really upset by (book/author/bookish-news)…
• I can’t wait to get a copy of…
• I wish I could read ___, but…
• I blogged about ____ this past week…

This week’s random question: Last week, I came across someone’s idea to create waterproof books {see it here}. What do you think about this? Good idea, or bad?

There was a time that waterproof books would have piqued my interest. Now that I'm almost exclusive to my Nook, it doesn't matter. I wonder what the books feel like.

finished reading

Although this book is set in winter, it was quite a beachy read.

From the publisher:

Angela Russo is thirty-three years old and single, stuck in a job she doesn't love and a life that seems, somehow, to have just happened. Though she inherited a flair for Italian cooking from her grandmother, she never has the time; for the past six months, her oven has held only sweaters. Tacked to her office bulletin board is a picture torn from a magazine of a cottage on the coast of Maine, a reminder to Angela that there are other ways to live, even if she can't seem to figure them out.

One day at work, Angela clicks on a tiny advertisement in the corner of her computer screen—"Do Soulmates Exist?"—and finds herself at a dating website, where she stumbles upon "MaineCatch," a thirty-five-year-old sailing instructor with ice-blue eyes. To her great surprise, she strikes up a dizzying correspondence with MaineCatch—yet as her online relationship progresses, life in the real world takes a nosedive. Interpreting this confluence of events as a sign, Angela impulsively decides to risk it all and move to Maine.

But things don't work out quite as she expected. Far from everything familiar, and with little to return to, Angela begins to rebuild her life from the ground up, moving into a tiny cottage and finding work at a local coffee shop. To make friends and make ends meet, she leads a cooking class, slowly discovering the pleasures and secrets of her new small community, and—perhaps—a way to connect her heritage to a future she is only beginning to envision.

I enjoyed the secondary characters and loved the Maine life.

sunday stealing

(click the icon to play along)

Sunday Stealing: Unusual Things Meme

1. Who was the last person of the opposite sex you laid in a bed with? I think it was my dad when he was in the hospital
2. Where was the last place you went out to eat? Pizza Hut
3. What was the last alcoholic beverage you consumed? a glass of Barefoot White Zinfandel
4. Which do you prefer - eyes or lips? eyes
5. Medicine, fine arts, or law? fine arts
6. Best kind of pizza? I love almost every kind
7. Is your bedroom window open? no
8. What is in store for your future? I'm not thinking too far in the future
9. Who was the last band you saw live? Elvis Costello
10. Do you take care of your friends while they are sick? I offer
11. Any historical figures that you envy? not envy, no
12. How many songs are on your iTunes? 350 or so
13. What brand of digital camera do you own? Cannon
14. When was the last time you got a good workout? it's been awhile
15. Are you experienced? in some things
16. If you need a new pair of jeans, what store do you go to first? either CJ Banks, Catherine's, or Land's End
17. Are you a quitter? not often
18. What are two bands or singers that you will always love? U2 and Annie Lennox
19. What of the seven deadly sins are you guilty of? gluttony
20. Did you just have to google the seven deadly sins to see what they were? no

sunday salon

Joining in Sunday Salon.

Time: 2:07 pm

Scene: living room, in the recliner

Today's plan: I did laundry

Listening to: The Heat

Drinking: Polar orange dry

Blogging about: memes--I've discovered this one and a Wednesday meme

Reading: Eeny Meeny by M.J. Arlidge

Giving thanks for: the wonderful visit with my Virginia sister's family and the great time I had at the Whoopie Pie festival yesterday

postsecret

PostSecret is an ongoing community art project where people mail in their secrets anonymously on one side of a postcard. I like to post one that speaks to me each week.

exciting show

I may have a new favorite guilty pleasure show!

whoopie

With the Whoopie Pie Festival mascot.

It was a gorgeous day for the Whoopie Pie festival. A beautiful drive and lots of fun.

saturday 9

I Miss You

1) In this song, Bjork knows what she's looking for in a mate, she just hasn't met him yet. If you are/were still looking for The One, what two qualities would you hope he/she possessed? patience and a sense of humor

2) The lyrics ask if you believe "that a dream can come true." Do you believe that dreams come true if you wish hard enough? well... not really

3) Bjork turns 50 this year. Do you treat "milestone" birthdays differently? Or to you, is your age just a number? milestones are major

4) Bjork was always highly musical. At the tender age of 6 she began studying classical piano and flute. Sam is impressed because at the age of 6, she was still trying to master tying her shoes. Do you consider yourself musical? I am musical but I don't enjoy performing

5) She was born and raised in Reykjavik, Iceland. While the city is known for its bar scene, beer was banned there until 1995. How often do drink beer? maybe once a year

6) 66ºNORTH is one of Iceland's biggest employers. This clothier makes quality outdoor wear and this time of year they sell a lot of durable rainwear. Do you have a raincoat? I have two awesome raincoats

7) In 1997, when this song was popular in clubs, Titanic was popular in theaters. Sam saw it and yes, she cried. How about you? Have you seen the saga of Jack and Rose? Did you enjoy it? saw it, was really quite "meh" about it

8) Also in 1997, singer John Denver died. Name a John Denver song. "Sunshine On My Shoulders"

9) Random question: If you had the opportunity to sky dive, would you take it? absolutely

time flies

The week has flown by! I planned special days for both of my Virginia nieces and they were fantastic, memorable days! One day, I took the older girl to lunch and then we poked around at little Main Street shops and talked non-stop. That's the best part, the talking. We have so much in common and the conversation flows. The next day, I had made arrangements for my younger girl to go to a colleague's family farm. My niece is really interested in farming and 4H and she got a chance to talk with a student of mine who shows his steers and has earned quite a bit of money with his successes. The farm visit was a huge hit! We went to a country-themed restaurant for lunch and then went to Tractor Supply store (which I felt very out of place at). We finished the day with a trip to the local dairy bar and a visit to the John Deere store.

My sister and I didn't even get a chance to play our years-long grudge match of Spite and Malice, but I did get to play cards with my nieces. Lots of laughter. Lots of laughter!!! But I just can't believe the week is over.

Seriously, though, the older I get the more my sisters are my best friends.

friday 5

So Rank

1. What memories do you have of an old-fashioned general store?
summers I spent at camp at Silver Lake were highlighted by our trips to town--when we would always hit the general store for penny candy. I remember the rows upon rows of gleaming glass jars full of goodies and treats
2. What’s something people think incorrectly of your home state (or country) but still contains a kernal of truth?
people think we don't have electricity or that we don't have paved roads
3. What are the major differences between you and your best (non-romantic) friend?
she has children and a much busier life than I have
4. What’s something you were the captain of?
I'm drawing a blank on this one
5. What’s the story of your first private moment with a high-school romantic interest?
I've got nothing out of the ordinary--we were playing pool and had a kiss

love is love

booking through thursday

click the icon to play along
What do non-reader friends think about your reading habits? Do they understand? Are they sympathetic? Or are they always trying to get you to “get your nose out of that book?”

I don't have many non-reader friends. They generally think I'm crazy for reading as much as I do. Especially when I tell them that I set yearly reading goals and usually hit the magic number or surpass it! They don't relate to it although they do tend to encourage me.

more family fun

Lobster feed!

ten things tuesday

Because my Virginia sister and her family are visiting here this week, I'm going to write about ten things I'm doing or have done this week:

1) I'm taking both of my nieces out for one-on-one time. Lunch, some special activity, and good old-fashioned quality time!

2) Lunch at Cafe Sorpreso, my favorite place for lunch!

3) Playing Spite & Malice. Our favorite card game! My sister and I have had an epic grudge match going since 1986!

4) Hanging out with my parents and local sister and her kids, too!

5) Today, my sister made whoopie pies! We gobbled them up.

6) Catching up on family gossip.

7) Making plans for my fabulous birthday!

8) Road trips around the County looking for moose.

9) Trying to stay warm--this vacation isn't off to the nicest of starts, it's been windy, rainy, and cold!

10) Laughing. We laughed so hard my sides hurt.