Happy Spam from my Email

God has seen you struggling, God says your struggle is over.
A blessing is coming your way.



I AM GIVING YOU 600 MILLION ANGELS TO TAKE CARE OF YOU,
SEND THEM TO 10 FRIENDS, INCLUDING ME
AND YOU WILL HAVE GOOD NEWS IN 10 MINUTES.

(Is that enough? I can send more if you need me to! lol)

For all the teachers, students, and other interested parties

This is a film of a student performance that was put on for our entertainment and reflection on our first day back to work. It is something that can be enjoyed by everybody, but I know the many teachers I have as friends will find this particularly interesting. I loved it, so I'm going to share it with all of you.

Introducing some very special students in the Oklahoma City School District! (This is an embeddable clip from the school's main website.)

Cinnamon is one of the oldest spices known to man

... and also in my household.

John pulled the cinnamon out of the cupboard yesterday, and idly turned it over in his hands before using some on his applesauce.

"Does cinnamon ever go bad, Mom?"

"Good question, John. Why do you ask?"

"Well, we have had this same container for practically my whole life."

I immediately snatched it from him to inspect it. Oh no! Exactly when did I buy that cinnamon?

The more I thought about it, the more horrified I became. I couldn't pinpoint exactly when the spice came into the house, but it dawned on me that I had used that exact same cinnamon to make apple pies when Andy was alive!!! (as in over 8 years ago.)

John didn't get sick yesterday, so I guess it wasn't too poisonous. But still, ewwww!

Guess I'll call my mother tomorrow and ask, "Does cinnamon ever go bad, Mom?"

Shelby's friend was arrested

There is nothing that makes me feel so old as seeing Shelby's friends become young adults with minds of their own. Now that they are old enough to do so, they are beginning to express themselves in new ways that they were unable to when living at home.

Back in elementary and middle school, two of Shelby's best friends were twin sisters named Candice and Cassidy. They were tiny, effervescent girls, always happy and full of life. For several years one or the other was always with Shelby, most particularly Cassidy. I can still close my eyes and picture the little twins skipping and bouncing along on either side of the much taller Shelby.

During high school, little by little, they spent less time together until it dwindled down to none. That saddened me a bit, but I realized that friends often grow apart as they mature. However, both the girls have remained special in my memory.

Here in the present day, several of Shelby's friends are college students. One of her friends is getting married soon. Another friend is in culinary school.

Cassidy is a political activist in New Hampshire:

http://freekeene.com/2009/08/23/raw-video-topless-equality-activist-arrested/

I'm not sure how I feel about that video. I know I would never want Shelby to do anything like that. And yet, I feel a stir of admiration for this young woman that I knew as a little girl. She is standing up for something she believes in, and I think she has a point.

What do you think?

Sorry for my lapse in blogging!

Too busy, not very creative. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!



I don't even have my own video this week! Talk about lazy. :-) However, I have been meaning to post this for awhile. The rock group in this video had moderate success in the 70's, and I rubbed elbows with greatness because the drummer was a friend of mine from high school.

I promise, bright and early Monday morning I will have a REAL post with current events!

Sharing a moment in time...

August 14th, 1987




Happy anniversary, A.B. I still remember.

Jimmy on Television (a loooong time ago.)

All this talk about sororities, Shelby going away to college, etc. is starting to make me feel sad. So for this weeks film clip I thought I would travel back in time again to when my kids were all still kids. (Actually, John wasn't even born yet when this film was made!) This is a clip from Jimmy's middle school days when he appeared on television with the school jazz band.

The morning news show was hosted by Butch and Ben McCain. It was more of a news-variety show. The McCain brothers are singers and performers themselves.



An interesting note about this film: I have had it on YouTube since February. I mainly posted it so Jimmy could see it again. Well, just this past week several of his former band mates stumbled on the film. Their thread on facebook (about 60 posts long so far) makes me smile! I remember all those kids fondly. High school band is like a big family! :)

What's the Rush?

Shelby came to me one day earlier this summer and said she needed to discuss something important.

"Sure, we can talk! What's up?"

"Mom, I have decided to rush."

"Um... OK. What's the hurry?"

"No, Momma! I mean I want to rush! I want to attend rush week at the university!"

Still not quite understanding I replied, "Well, sure, I guess. But, what exactly is rush week?"

"It's what you go to if you are thinking of joining a sorority."

Aha! The light bulb went on! Although I have a bachelors degree from a four year university, I was a non-traditional student. I have never lived on campus, and I know absolutely nothing about sorority life.

"Well, I guess that will be fine. I don't know much about them."

That was an understatement. The whole issue made me feel a little intimidated, and even a bit sad. For the first time ever I would have no input into an important part of my daughter's life. I have been Shelby's "go to" person for advice since she was old enough to ask questions!

When I dropped her off for rush week this past Monday all I could say was, "Have fun, be yourself, and you will do fine."

I won't see her until this Saturday, which is the day she decides whether she wants to pledge, and which sorority she will be joining if she does. She has very limited phone time this week. In fact, the directors of this shindig actually take the girls phones from them except for a couple hours at the end of the day. (Can you imagine if we parents ever tried to do that???)

She received her phone long enough tonight for an excited phone call to me saying that she had been rushed by several chapters that she really liked. She gets to drop those that she doesn't feel is a good fit, and vice versa each day until she receives her bid.

Shelby's call sort of made my head swim, though.

It went something like this: "The first house I visited was Tri-Delt, or Delta Delta Delta. then I went to Chi-Omega and I like all the girls at both of them so far. Pi Beta Phi, and Zeta Tau Alpha, and Phelta Melta Welta, and Gamma Whamma, and Mu Shu Tae, and...."

Hey! It's all Greek to Me!
(groan!)