Writing My Life

Now and Then


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… hair-i-tic ~ a PLEASANT hair-raising experience …

Today was a good hair day. Why? Because I enjoyed a great “hair-raising” experience – got the locks cut ‘n colored, and I really like how it looks.  (I’ve had enough BAD HAIR experiences to write a book.) Jessica, the WonderGirl of Amara Day Spa, Boutique , AND Salon,  not only trims my hair, but she actually STYLES it! Not many hairdressers have been able to do that to my satisfaction since my days in high school.

I remember when going to the BEAUTY SHOP for a fancy do was a MUST before attending semi-formal or formal high school dances.Teen girls, bedecked in plastic rollers, sat in a line of chairs with attached hair dryers in nearly every salon in Pocatello – much like these nameless ladies in the photo. After that warming experience, our hair was “ratted”/teased/ back-combed into beehives, bouffants, or French twists.

I remember the beautician who styled my first bouffant also created swirls of curls on top. Using half a can of hairspray,  she actually “glued” glitter amongst my boring brown locks. (This photo is a VERSION of the SPARKLING hairstyle, but WITHOUT the glitter.)

I loved the results, but my date was probably less than impressed when sparkles fluttered to his shoulders, leaving behind a version of shiny dandruff. Of course that wasn’t the only thing that ruined the date.

(Does anyone reading this post remember the older beauty shop patrons who made weekly trips to the salon and would NOT wash their hair between visits? In fact, they hardly even combed it because the style was set in stone via Aqua Net Hair Spray. Urban legends about spiders nesting in beehive hairdos were favorite topics around the dinner table. YUCK!)

Now, some 46 years later, I hustle in to the salon about every 6 weeks.. Jessica slaps some hair color on my graying roots while I avoid eye contact with the woman in the mirror because her double chin and jowls enlarge and droop more at every glance. Next, Jess sticks my head under a hood that steams the goopy hair, and 1/2 hour later, she washes out the slime.

Before trimming my darkened locks today, I showed her a picture of the CARTOON ME that graces the front page of this blog. Yes, I asked her to cut my hair like a comic version of myself that really doesn’t look anything like moi. But lo and behold, the woman worked wonders drying and round brushing my fine hair into a great facsimile! I really like it  A LOT! (I only hope I can re-create it, which I know I really can’t.)

What pleased me the most, however, is that the cheeks, chins, and jowls of that woman in the mirror receded a bit, and the round face seemed to lose  an ounce or so. BUT not enough to tempt me to take a picture of myself for this post!

Nevertheless, I THANK  Jess for the GREAT HAIR DAY!


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… SanJoseSpringFling ~ the 3rd day …

The Famous Cannery Row! And Lisa's curly hair.

Saturday, April 17th was the day Brayden, Drew, and Abby had been waiting for. Of all the fun activities we experienced during my visit, this trip to the aquarium in Monterey topped their list of adventures. (Maegan is good for ANY exploit!) The kids didn’t even mind waiting until Saturday because that meant their daddy could come along.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is 25 years old, and is a great place to visit. If you can’t go there this minute, visitors to the aquarium’s website can sneak a preview through the webcams OR look through these FUN film clips!

WARNING:  This is the very first time I’ve video-taped with my camera so these aren’t all that great, but they are still fun! OH, OH! I CAN’T upload my video! DARN! DARN! DOUBLE DARN! I will have to upgrade my WP account ($59) if I want to do that. If I hadn’t LOST my super-cool, but NOT as cool as I Phone while in Monterey, I could have afforded to upgrade. (I have a strong theory as to how I lost the phone, but do not feel like I can share that hypothesis at this time.) For right now, you’ll just have to be satisfied with a few photos. Sorry.

"Mine! MINE! Mine!"

LtoR: Abby's little head, some chunky lady, John Steinbeck, Brayden, & Drew

By the Bay - the Beautiful Bay!

"Where are the seals?"

This would be a nice place to insert a video of jelly fish or sea horses, but no, it’s not gonna happen unless I fork over $59. to WordPress. Instead Maegan will say “bye bye!”

She is SO done! We all were! But it was FUN!!!

P.S. If you’re wondering what happened to the food update, I enjoyed left-over baked oatmeal for breakfast (just as yummy as the first day), terrific ham & cheese on homemade bread along with sweet grapes from who-knows-where for lunch (delicious even when eaten in a parking garage), AND Johnny Rockets’ for dinner where I slurped down the best chocolate malted since 1959!


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… SanJoseSpringFling, day 2 …

BREAKFAST ~ Baked oatmeal, filled with mixed berries, topped with that delicio yogurt and just a little milk. OH SO GOOD and HEARTY, which was needed because we went hiking! Yes, I said H.I.K.I.N.G.  

The SanJoseSalisburys live near ever-lovely foothills that are criss-crossed with some great trails. I missed the memo that told me to pack shoes suitable for foothill climbing, but I thought the backless tenney-runners would work fine – which they did. It was my aging, whacked-out body that suffered through the gradual incline. Huff, puff, sweat, sweat, sweat.  

Stage 1 … Starting out 

C'mon Drew! We haven't even hit the trail yet!

 

... and where's ... Oh, there's Brayden sneaking up on what???

 

Double applying the sun screen, and yes, Lisa toted Maegan most the way UP and DOWN!!!

 

Finally hit the trail, and yes, it was THAT green!

 

View from the summit. Gramma made it. SHOCKER!

 

Brayden pushed the limits of the summit by climbing just a little higher!

 

And the ballerinas danced their way to the top!

 

The downward spiral - SO MUCH EASIER!

Stage 2 … Lunch ‘n stuff

 

Home by noon, the kids ate chicken nuggets, but Gramma lucked out and snarfed down left over mu shu pork Lisa fixed Wednesday night. Another scrumptious delight.!  

While Abby attended pre-school and Maegan napped, the boys and I headed to the library and then to TOYS R US to check out the Legos. We finished up the afternoon playing outside on the tree swing and other fun stuff! Does this look like TONZ O’ FUN or what? I fully intended on being a swinger myself, but when I learned that Brayden once broke the branch, I totally chickened out! WHAT A GREAT DAY!   

Drew zooms across the yard!

Brayden goin' CRAZY!!

 

 Stage 3 … Dinner

Hmmmm? Almost forgot, and how could I NOT remember Lemon Chicken? This SJS (SanJoseSalisburys) favorite is a dish Lisa served Andy their first year of marriage. And what was his response? “It’s kind of ‘lemony’.” DUH! It IS Lemon Chicken!! Now he and the kids LOVE it, and I am a big fan, too!  NOW I’ll bid one and all a final adios!  

And don’t forget Miss Ahhhh-ahhhhh-bbbbbbb-yyyyyyyyy!


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… SanJoseSalisbury’s SpringFling …

THE ARRIVAL ~ Is there anything more warming that hearing “GRAMMANAE! GRAMMANAE!”? Is there anything more cuddly than BIG hugs from little arms? Is there anything more touching than “SIT BY ME, GRAMMA! SIT BY ME!!!”? Is there anything more welcoming than grandchildren meeting you at the airport? What a way to start a visit!!! 

DAY 1 ~ Thursday, April 15th

Breakfast::  Mixed fruit parfaits with home-created YOGURT and homemade granola (Eating great food is a big part of the SanJoseSalisbury experience!)

Trip to the Children’s Discovery Museum: Abby and Maegan LOVE this place; Brayden and Drew – not so much. Here are pictures of B and D TRYING to be BORED; Abby and Maegan being girly GIRLS!

“1 – 2 cha cha cha!”

"I'm forever making bubbles!"

Are we bored yet?

"Tiny Bubbles in the S-I-I-N-K!"

"Whoo ... whooo ... whooooo."

"Stay right there, Brayden! Ready! Aim! SQUIRT!"

TIME FOR PIZZA?

"Your order will be ready in a minute, Gramma!"

"So we serve plastic food, Gramma! It's has NO CALORIES whatsoever!

All right, already. Let's go. Take a bow, Drew!

It's okay, Maegan. We won't forget you!

After such a BORING morning, we enjoyed a GREAT lunch back at the ranch (ham and cheese on DELICIOUS homemade whole wheat bread) and a L-O-N-G bike ride to the park. Well, the kids biked and GrammaNae walked and walked and walked. Maegan slept – LUCKY!

Dinner ~ marinated flank steak and HOME FRIES! YUM!


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… spring break in San Jose …

Fun to see that a few readers are still dropping by even though I haven’t posted anything in a few days. I am here in northern California where there is green stuff growing and shades of pink, yellow, and purple are everywhere, too. It’s so refreshing! So colorful!

My SanJoseSalisburys are on spring break, so I decided to join them. In a few days, lots of pictures and a few funny stories will grace the top post of … good times AND seasons … .

The grandchildren are a riot and their mom has scheduled tons of fun things to do in the few days I am here. Lovin’ it.

Till later,

Renae


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… cell phone post AND what I read tonight …

Note: I used a desktop computer with a human-sized and ergonomically-correct keyboard to revise  and edit this “cell-phone” post. These additons are typed in this GREENISH color; whereas the original text , composed on the Lilliputian keyboard, is  typed in traditonal BLACK.

Oh, and if you click on the movie title links in this post, you’ll see the trailers for these oldies but goodies. Don’t miss ’em! They are GREAT!

Something new. I’m trying to update SEASONS from my G1. Couldn’t do it without a teeny keyboard! I promise this will be a short entry.  (Because I had to type with chunky thumbs on bitsy keys!) 

The great thing about this “ap” is that I can add in something on the spot if I do or see anything exciting, interesting, crazy, or wonderful – yeah, like that will happen. My life is NOT all that exciting or crazy, but I think it is interesting AND wonderful. (Most of the time – let’s be realistic here!)

Typical Friday Night Action

It’s Friday night and what am I doing? Watching TV – Ghost Whisperer. Wait a minute! G.E. just changed the channel to an old Clint Eastwood movie. Ghost Whisperer turned weird this season when the producers decided to fastforward the characters’ lives 5 years. Don’t know

Hangin' out with G.E. watchin' TV & stuff.

 why exactly, but I think it had something to do with Jennifer Love Hewitt’s husband’s body-swap.

While that idea worked in the comedy All of Me starring  favorites Steve Martin & Lilly Tomlin – it was just silly in GW. The dying body her Hewitt’s  dead hubby jumps into couldn’t have been a 1st choice. And I’m sure Jennifer was disappointed as well: “Is THAT the ONLY near dead guy, you could find, Honey?” And viewers were reminded of that sad comparison every time the body-swapping hunk, played by Dan Conrad, stepped in  front of a mirror where a reflection of the inferior sub shows up.

I always wonder why producers make strange changes like that.

  • Did Conrad take a leave-of-absence to have a baby?
  • Was there a contract dispute?
  • Couldn’t he and Hewitt play nice together?
  • Was Conrad in rehab?
  • Was Conrad’s character ticked off when Jennifer’s character spent too much time with the Gary UNmarried guy?
  • Did viewers revolt when producers tried to kill off Conrad’s character so they had to resurrect him?
  • Were there limitations with a firefighting character in comparison to yet ANOTHER doctor character?
  • Are you thinking I’ve spent way too much time thinking about this show – that my sons have labeled an “old people show?”

 The Eastwood movie G.E. is watching is The Outlaw Josie Whales with Sondra Lockheart – or is it Sandra? What did Clint ever see in her anyway? She wasn’t even a very good actress. Wonder where she is now – who cares? (Chief Dan George co-stars in this movie and is absolutely adorable! I know where HE is now – the happy hunting ground! And a cute little old actress, Paula Truman,  plays a gramma that outshines the Beverly Hillbillies’ Irene Something-or-Other. Her character HATED Missourians – much like early-day Mormons disliked those “ruffians.”)

Guess I’ll finish this “phonY”– this was supposed to be a play-on-words – experience and start reading my book. (I did turn to Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – which has been described as Gladiator meets Project Runway. (But I think it’s more like SURVIVOR meets Project Runway.)  Friends, this Young Adult author can write , and write best sellers, she does! While I haven’t read her Pretties and Uglies series, I was totally engrossed in Games! There are romantic elements that make you think of Bella, Edward, and Jacob, BUT the writing and the plot truly OUTSHINES Twilight. AND teen girls who enjoy Shephenie Meyer’s series are LOVING Collins’ newest works.

Last epiphany – if I ALWAYS used my cell phone to blog, my posts would definitely be shorter IF I could resist revising and editing on my desktop!


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… 41 and counting …

Anniversary Congratulations from Cheesecake Factory

Last week, G.E. and I celebrated 41 years of marital …. hmmm? Bliss? Well, NOW we enjoy more blissful days than we did long ago and far away. Joy? Psalms reminds us that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” So yes, we endured some nights of weeping, but we’ve also experienced the joy that comes with the mornings. Humor? O my YES! Without a doubt, our marriage has been filled with laughter, and that is what helped us work through the less-than-blissful days and the tear-filled nights.

So, how did we celebrate 41 years together? I wish we could say we visited the Trevi Fountain in Rome or the canals of Venice.

But money – or the lack thereof – and timing prevented such a celebration. Instead, we settled for the next best thing!

LAS VEGAS!!!!

WHOOPEEE?!? At the last moment, G.E.’s boss sent him south to the capital of glitter and gambling. While neither appeals to us boring folk, a get-away to warmth and sunshine did! In our beautiful room that we paid to upgrade, I kept busy sleeping in, reading books, blogging, AND doing a little bit of work – I know that shouldn’t happen during a vacation, but the unexpected timing necessitated the intrusion.

During the afternoons, the two aging lovebirds walked Las Vegas Boulevard with other oldies on spring break, and we DID visit the Trevi Fountain AND the canals of Venice Vegas– as in casinos. NOT quite the same experience, but what the heck.

"Three Coins in a Fountain"

No, that's NOT us seated in the gondola!

We even took a side trip to Troy to see the BIG horse!

We also enjoyed some YUMMY meals and ONE funny mishap. Yes, I managed to lose track of my cell phone within minutes of arriving at Caesar’s Palace. Didn’t even miss it until son Joey called G.E. at 7 A.M. the following morning:

Joe (trying NOT to laugh): Hey Dad, sorry to bother you so early. But Kara got a text message from security at Caesar’s Palace. 

G.E. (sounding shocked): SHE WHAT??? A text message? What did it say?

Joe (still chuckling): Do you know if Mom has her cell phone?

G.E. (still perplexed): WHY??? What was in the message?

 Joe: Last night Kara sent texted Mom to tell her the health care bill passed, and at 3 A.M. THIS MORNING, her phone beeped and she found a REPLY message from Security! (more snickering) Anyway, it asked if we knew the owner of the cell phone. And if so, could we notify that person to pick up it up.

G.E. (laughing): OMIGOSH! Let me ask Mom. (Turns to me) uH, Nae, do you know where your phone is?

Me (sounding sleepy and confused): Yes, it’s in my purse. What’s going on?

G.E.(snickering and ignoring the question): Are you sure?

Me (climbs out of bed and heads for purse): I’m pretty sure. Who is that? What’s happening?

G.E. (still ignores questions and returns to phone conversation): She THINKS it’s in her purse. (continued laughter) She’s still looking. Okay, thanks, Joe! Sorry they disturbed your sleep. Have a great day, Son. Love you and thanks for making my day! Bye.

Me (searching madly through purse): What’s going on? (Five or 6 minutes of digging through the purse, suit case, and bathroom; now thoroughly frustrated) “TELL ME WHAT’S HAPPENING? WHERE IS MY GOSH-DARN PHONE?”

 The thrill of watching my panic unfold finally plays out, and G.E. shares the details of Joe’s call. Ha ha.

Kicked back and smuggly enjoying my distress!

Of course, this wouldn’t be all that funny if such an exercise was a rare occurrence in my life, but IT HAPPENS ALL THE FREAKIN’ TIME!!! However, I was grateful that I didn’t have to suffer for more than 10 minutes. I hadn’t even missed the dang thing!

Chubby and Hubby - together FOREVER!

The remaining days passed without incident, and we really enjoyed a romantic, quiet escape from the crazy busyness of our day to day lives. Oh, and we didn’t miss a chance of telling people – servers, security guards, concierge – that we were CELEBRATING 41 years together. It was fun to see their reactions and receive their congratulations in a city known for quicky divorces! GOOD FOR US!


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… hunters and gathers, springfest, part 2 …

Yesterday I wrote about the Easter egg and welfare bunnie party I held for my local grandchildren, and this morning I realized I didn’t include the culminating activity, the raison d’etre – THE EASTER EGG HUNT! Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of this event – although I tried. My little point and shoot CoolPix Nikon couldn’t point or shoot fast enough to keep up with the mayhem. So here is a recap and 3 pictures that I cut, pasted, or cropped from the first post. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

GRANDKIDS GONE WILD!

After transforming store-bought eggs into works of art and paper sacks into interesting BunnieBags, the BIG cousins – Taylor and Spencer – hid candy-filled plastic eggs and dollar-store toys throughout the basement family room. I helped the LITTLE cousins – Connor and Mia – hide similar items around the upstairs rooms while TINY cousin Evie oversaw the entire operation. (Utah’s typical stormy spring weather forced the hunt inside.) 

When all was well-hidden, cousins switched floors and the HUNT WAS ON! Big and little ones excitedly searched for and swapped the treasures. (Spencer to Taylor – “This princess egg HAS to be yours! I’ll keep this SpongeBob egg.”) And they willingly shared their bounty with those who didn’t find as many goodies – without being asked! They made sure tiny cousins, the sleeping Carter and the hovering Evie, got their share as well. SO CUTE! 

When all was safely gathered in, the hunter/gatherers sampled their finds; disemboweled eggs and candy wrappers littered the everywheres! The dollar toys hung together, but little ones lost the little white balls that came with the cone-shaped ejectors (not sure of the technical name.) CHAOS REIGNED. Eventually, the action waned, and so this tuckered gramma and my helpful daughter-in-law Kara started cleaning up, but grandchildren can always find a way to keep a party going. While dividing up the beautiful boiled eggs, they decided they wanted to eat some!

 I love deviled eggs, but I’m not a great fan of fresh-from-the-shell, boiled eggs. I was sure the kidlets would take a bite or two and then dump the rest in the trash. NOT SO! After cracking, peeling, and scattering eggshells throughout the landscape like so many flakes of dandruff, they gobbled up those blah eggs! EXCEPT for Connor Bear. He really got into the peeling part until he realized there was just white, kinda slimy stuff inside – WHAT? NO CHOCOLATE!!! With a disgusted and disappointed look on his face, he handed over the offending food. Yechhhhhh!

I have to add here that Connor and Mia were not happy with just DYING their eggs. Those two miniature Picassos meticulously PAINTED theirs.

Mia's EGG.stravagant Egg!

Connor's EGG.citing Creation

Mia chose to add a layer of teal paint over her blue-dyed egg. Connor wanted a white canvas on which to create a swirling purple design.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The SpringFling was a BLAST!!! and lucky GrammaNae gets to head WEST in a couple of weeks to enjoy FUN and GAMES with the SanJoseSalisburys!!!!


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… Easter eggs and welfare bunnies …

Today I introduced several of my grandchildren to WELFARE BUNNIES. Back in the day when their daddies were younger and lived under my roof, I started a mini-tradition that still shows up on occasion.  

(I suggest you double-click on the above photo to capture an “up-close and personal” peek at these critters!)

Because my 4 sons were outgrowing Easter baskets, the BUNNY brought them either clothes or games or movies, all arranged neatly throughout the livingroom. Those items cost a bit more than chocolate rabbits, Peeps, and Buns, so I put Easter Bunny (E.B.) on notice: “Do NOT bring lots ‘o chocolate and charge it to my credit card!”  

To ensure that Mr. LongEars stayed under budget, I created little bunny bags made out of paper sacks, thus limiting the amount of malted eggs, jelly beans, and those Peeps and Buns.  

As years passed by, non-edible gifts were often eliminated because of the high cost of high school or little league baseball, college tuition, missions, etc. Nevertheless, the bag bunnies still showed up on Easter morning.  

Somewhere along the bunny trail, our third son Joe referred to the paper-sack creations as “welfare bunnies” because their appearance coincided with tough economic times for our family. I cracked up because that was NOT the reason for their creation. I just thought the boys were too old for those green, blue, and yellow woven Easter baskets.  

Through the years, I continued to make paper-sack bunnies for my sons – even sent them to the mission field, designed with Mormon missionary nametags – and my daughters-in-law received one or two as well. A few times, I designed some for the grandchildren, but TODAY I decided to teach Taylor, Spencer, Mia, and Connor how to MAKE the infamous WelFareBunnies.  

But first we had to DYE the EGGs!  

  

  

  

                                                                            

                                                                  

Four – or was it 5? – CRRRacked eggs later ~ The FINISHED products!  

Another fine photo by Miss Taylor!

  The WelFareBunnies AND their Creators!!!  

Evie, Spencer, Mia, Connor, & Taylor

Wondering why there are 6 bunnies and 5 kidlets? Carter was counting sheep while his brothers, sister, and cousins partied! Thanks, Spencer for making a bunny for him; and thank you, Taylor for creating one for Evie! We missed you, little man!

ONTO THE HUNT!


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… activists vs. REACTivists…

I’ve written about the current state of education – the state I live in because I am an educator. And I have to remind any new readers that education is in an upheaval for several reasons.

  1. the GREAT REcession
  2. education REform under  President Obama
  3. the WAR between the DISTRICTS that resulted in the SEcession of almost half of Jordan School District
  4. state budget cuts – results of #1 and a state law requiring a balanced budget

While I don’t plan to describe the above issues, suffice it to say (I  LIKE that cliche’) that the current Jordan School District was $30 million dollars short, and so lay-offs were announced and battle lines drawn. The Jordan Education Association leadership stand on the front lines, and many active members fill in the supporting rank and file. Sitting on the sidelines are less passionate/committed JEA members and teachers who do not support JEA through their membership.

Along the front lines, however, are other leaders standing shoulder to shoulder with teacher union members – parents, mostly mothers. One young mother, Jolynne Alger,  is every bit the leader that Robin Frodge, JEA president, is. This mom, a PTA mom, started a grass-roots effort via FaceBook among parents in Jordan School District to fight against the budget recommendations set forth by the school board. She didn’t do it by attacking board members. Instead, she recruited other like-minded parents and took the fight up to the hill and challenged legislators to help in the struggle. I saw her in front of cameras and seated on marble floors writing out memos to state representatives and senators.

Through combined efforts of teachers, parents, and union members, the legislator downsized the budget battle to a sizable skirmish. While long-term solutions were NOT addressed in the legislative session – state equalization for money to ALL Utah schools or equalization between the 2 districts involved, Canyons and Jordan – support to Jordan arrived in the form of a bill that allows diverting money from capital funding to general funding. That means that new buildings or repairs will have to be delayed so that about $14 million can spare teachers from being laid off and class sizes from being increased. VERY GOOD NEWS.

While my own job is still in jeopardy, I still marvel at individuals who jump into the fray – sometimes BEFORE it becomes a fray. While I am a card-carrying JEA member because technically, I am NOT an administrator but a teacher on special assignment, I do not jump into frays. I have a NON-confrontational personality that doesn’t mix well with picketing, shouting, and other “in-your-face” tactics that seem to be popular forms of communication. Nevertheless, I really admire those who stick their necks out for us ostriches. (Are you loving all my analogies and metaphors?)

While a few individuals see an injustice that hurts others, not necessarily themselve, they immediately join the fight against it. I, on the other hand wait until that thing lands on my front door and hurts me, and THEN I REact. I suppose that’s better than ignoring the elephant on the doorstep as some still do, but there are times I wish I’d grow more of a backbone or better support causes that INdirectly affect me.

But I did venture up to the capitol, wrote notes to legislators, talked with JEA leaders and parents, wrote letters and asked questions of the board. I also reflected and commented on the situation through this blog, and some who read my meanderings passed the posts onto others.

I guess what I’m saying is “THANK YOU” to those who charge forth to carry the banners.  Why? Because they are willing to invite controversy into their lives on a daily basis, sit down with criticism and debate the issues, live with angst as a constant companion, and in so doing they make a difference. I don’t always agree with some activists (especially those tea party folks) or their modus operandi, but I respect their willingness to stand up for their beliefs. In the meantime, I’ll fill in the ranks – maybe not on the front lines, but NOT on the sidelines either.