I am a huge fan of The Beatles. My favorite song by The
Beatles changes depending on my moods and what is going on in my life. My most
recent favorite is Let It Be. I love the melody, and the words. The lyrics tell me to let go of problems, which
sometimes I struggle with. And the song brings back happy memories of seeing
McCartney live. And all of those times I saw people sing it at Beatlefest. Yes,
I do like the song Let It Be.
As a rule I don’t like cover songs of where they really
change a song by The Beatles, but occasionally one will stand out. And
sometimes I may not like the cover that well when I first hear it, but later
when it is more appropriate in my life it really strikes a chord. So when I
heard the cover of Let It Be from the movie Across the Universe again it was
time for me to say wow, this cover is almost as good as the original. Well
almost at least. I think because of the lessons I’ve had to learn in patience,
forgiveness, and well the death of a loved one over this past year has drawn
out the interpretation of this song to me. It has more meaning than it did a
few years ago.
So take a listen to this version of Let It Be, and let me
know what you think of it. Which version do you like better?
When I read the news, I never cease to be amazed at what I
read. And when I read that a couple was arrested in California after a five
year old tests positive for cocaine. When I read the headline, I thought how on
earth would a five year old have access to cocaine? But believe it or not it is
possible. According to the stories I read, a man was arrested for possession of
cocaine. In his car was his five year old son, who was sitting very close to
bags of drugs. And I thought to myself what was the father thinking? Was this
take your child to work day? Couldn’t he find a baby sitter, or did he just
want to spend quality time with his child? And my mind wandered to the chase
scene in Raising Arizona.
And I thought to myself, is there any circumstances that
would justify a father taking his child along to a drug deal? I quickly thought
no. And then I thought about the mother. I wondered if she knew that the
child’s father was taking him along on drug deals. Needless to say both parents
have been charged with child endangerment along with a few other charges. And the five year old along with his two
other siblings have been taken by child protection services. I know that I have
made light of some of this story, but I do believe that taking the children
away from their parents is probably a good thing.
And this story does make me angry in some ways. There are so
many individuals who want children. They would be good parents. They would do
nothing to put their children in danger like these parents reportedly have, but
for one reason or another they are not able to have children. Good people have
difficulty adopting children, and they are forced to go to foreign countries to
adopt. And while I only know the circumstances that were reported in the news,
I believe that these children would probably be better with some of those
loving families. And I wonder what will become of the five year old whose
father felt it was acceptable to take his child along on a drug deal. Will he
be one of those children who gets lost in the foster care system, or will he be
one of the kids who comes out and makes a good life for himself?
Oktoberfest will soon be with us, and part of that great
time of partying is the pretzel. So here is an easy bacon cheddar pretzel for
your Oktoberfest celebrations. And I do mean this is easy.
First you need some pretzels. You know the doughy ones like
you buy at Aunt Annie’s. You can make your own, which I prefer to do, but sadly
didn’t have the time for today. Here’s a link to a great homemade pretzel
recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction. They are whole wheat, so they may be a little
healthier than the average pretzel.
But if you don’t have time to make your own pretzels, you
can buy the frozen ones in the freezer section at the grocery store.
Now take those already prepared pretzels, and get your
shredded cheese out. Spread a large handful across the top of the pretzel. Then
sprinkle some bacon bits on top of the cheese. Next place those soft pretzels
in the oven at 400 degrees. And bake
them for 4 to 5 minutes. Enough time for the pretzel to warm up, and the cheese
to melt, but not overcook. And that’s how you make easy bacon cheddar pretzels.
Did you know that the traditional dip for pretzels is not
cheese, it’s actually mustard. So don’t forget to serve it with mustard. And if
you’re going all traditional, when you make a toast with your drink that is
served with the pretzel. Say prost and not cheers. It's the traditional German toast.
Music to blog by Oktoberfest Music by vaious artists
This is post is part of the Foodie Extravaganza Posts
There are times when your senses start to come alive. You
just know something different is in the air. Recently, I’ve been sensing fall.
Yes, I realized that it was fall on the first day of autumn. But my senses have
been alive seeing the changes in the world around me and I wondered what are
those things that I’m sensing that are different?
First, I saw the school bus stop sign out on my way to work
in the afternoon. That wasn’t going on a couple of months ago.
Then I was driving in the country, and someone had a small
batch of leaves burning. No, it wasn’t just trash they were burning it had the
distinct scent of leaves. You know the dry woody smell that is slightly
different from wood.
I’ve started to hear talk about all of the new fall shows.
And yes, I am going to see if Madame Secretary is as good as people are saying.
I was able to taste a fresh apple picked right off of a
tree. It was so crisp and tasty.
And last, when I get up in the morning there is a slight
chill in the air. Even though the days are warm you can feel the chill that
will be with us all soon.
Music to blog by Frankenstein Baby by Mad Jack and the Hatters
With Halloween coming up, and well the love so many people
have of zombies. I thought I would share a video by a band called My Secret
Island. The name of the song is What Was Yesterday. The year is 2031, and life is pretty bleak.
There have been wars that have changed life. The video shows how life has
turned kind of awful. A man finds himself wandering through this wasteland into
a bunker. And he discovers something scary. A beautiful woman, a scary doctor
injecting individuals with something that turns them into zombies is what the
man discovers in the bunker. Yes, the
video has a little bit of a dark theme. But I liked it. I like the woman’s
style in the video. Her outfit is great. And it’s just a video that fans of
zombies movies will enjoy.
But what about the band? The band is based out of Berlin
Germany. The band has been around for a few years, and My Secret Island is the
third album they have produced. Their previous releases have included I Miss
the Day and The First Stories. And all three releases rock! So how do you
classify them? Well they definitely fall into the alternative music category,
but that’s a broad category. They are definitely influenced by metal bands and
punk. It has that fast beat with offbeat themes. Toss in a little bit of goth,
and some rockabilly. And then some of that grunge sound. And you have an idea
of what you might hear when you listen to their music. It is diverse, and well
worth listening to.
So watch the video, and let me know what you think.
And if you like the music you can purchase it on amazon of
course.
Thanksgiving is usually celebrated in November, with much
feasting, football, and family. But Thanksgiving doesn’t have to be celebrated
in November. It really should be a holiday that is celebrated daily. So today l
am celebrating Thanksgiving in September with a list of 10 things I am thankful
for today.
1.Sunshine!
It is a beautiful day, with the sun shining. I am so
thankful for the beautiful warm weather. Warm fall days are a blessing to us
all. They provide us all with the chance to see the leaves changes colors. The
first time it rains. The leaves all seem to drop off the trees.
2.Good Health
I am fortunate to have good health. I am blessed with the
ability to walk, talk, and breathe. Not everybody in the world has this
ability.
3.A Job
Yes, while I dread going into work, I am fortunate enough to
be employed. There are many people in the world who cannot find a job. And
there are still others who love to be able to work, but due to health reasons
they are unable to.
4.Great People
I am so thankful for all of the people in my life. Whether
they are the family I was given at birth, or whether it is the eclectic group
of friends I have gathered over the years. All of them are great.
5.Free Speech
Yep, I like being able to say what I think, and it’s really
cool that I have a place that I can say it too. I really enjoy the blog world,
and of course all of those faithful followers.
6.The Beasties
Yep, the felines in the house do drive me crazy on a regular
basis, but I do love them, and I would be upset if anything happened to my
furry little friends.
7.Chocolate
Yes, chocolate is a gift from God. And my friend Billy used
to say it was a vegetable because it came from a bean. I think he might have
missed the mark on that one, but it is healthy, at least dark chocolate is. And
well a trip to DeBrand’s is always a treat. Ask anyone who has been there just
how good chocolate is.
8.Facebook
I never thought I would say it,
but I am thankful for Facebook. When my dad was sick over the summer Facebook
made it so much easier to communicate with extended family. We were able to contact
people that we needed to without hunting down phone numbers, and playing phone
tag.
9.Lazy Days
I love lazy days when I am able to sleep in, and I don’t
have to do anything. It’s time to just relax. Isn’t it wonderful?
10.The Public Library
Yes, I love to read, and I am so fortunate to be able to go
to the library and get any book they have available for free as long as I remember
to return them on time. Occasionally, that is something I forget to do.
It started out as an ordinary day. A day like others with one exception. I had this desire to get rid of things. It doesn't happen often, but occasionally it does. So I gathered up a bag of items, and I ran them to the thrift store.
Yes, I felt better I had cleaned out some items, but why the need to clean? I drove through the parking lot, and I saw this.
And I thought to myself, wasn't that tree green yesterday? And it hit me. The reason I felt a need to clean was it is the first day of fall, And that means things need to change. Thus the need to clean.
I drove down the road and decided that since it is that since fall has arrived, I needed a pumpkin. After all I do have that bucket list which included making things chocolate covered pumpkin seeds this year. So I visited with the vendor, and bought this beautiful orange Cinderella pumpkin. Isn't that the greatest shade of orange?
And then I realized that my neighbors had a jump on me with fall decorating. Their porch looked so cute.
And when I arrived home, I wondered as I walked through my yard, was this the last day that I would be able to wear my summer shoes? My toes were feeling a little cold.
So I went into the house, and began to look through my long sleeved shirts, sweaters, and hoodies.
And that is how I realized that fall has arrived.
Music to blog by I'll Be Satisfied by 4 Dollar Shoe
Ah, yes, this time of year brings back memories. And like
many people fall memories bring back days of going back to school. I always
think of the first day of fifth grade this time of year.
This is the scene of our story.
Yes, the first day of school at a new school. The school was
Susan B. Lindgren elementary school. My father dropped me off at school. And I
entered my class. Mr. Johnson was the teacher. The day progressed normally, and
I was introduced to my new classroom, and my fellow students.
The problem really began when I was dropped off at school. I
had a little problem listening to all of the instructions while I was growing
up. So I missed the part of the good-bye when my dad said he would pick me up
after school. We had only lived in the neighborhood for a couple of days. We
moved from Duluth, MN to St. Louis Park, MN the week before.
As I said earlier, I spent the day at school. It was a
normal first day back in school. Then the bell rang, and school was out. I went
outside with my classmates. Everyone began walking home. So I thought I should
do what my classmates did. I began to walk. If you remember we had only lived
in the neighborhood for a couple of days. And well the school was ten blocks
from my new home. I walked and talked to my fellow students. And one by one
they began going into their homes. And then it was just me walking down the
streets. I looked for my new home, but it didn’t seem to be anywhere around. So
I walked some more. I still didn’t know where my home was. I kept walking and
walking and walking and still couldn’t find my house. Soon a familiar face
appeared in a car driving down the street. It was my dad he found me three
blocks over from our house, and he gave me a ride home. I wandered those
streets for three hours. I must have walked in circles. But one thing was for
sure. I got to see plenty of my new neighborhood on the first day of fifth
grade.
Music to blog by I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For by U2
It’s officially fall now. Yes, the season that in ways I
enjoy, and in some ways I enjoy. And
with the new season, I have some projects for a fall bucket list. So here are
some of the things I really want to do this season.
1.Clean the gutters on my house. Yes, some years I’m
good at this, and then there are years when I just don’t want to do it. And I
put it off, and somehow it never happens. And the next thing you know you have
little trees in the gutter in the spring. Not fun. This year I’m going to get
it all cleaned out early on.
2.I really want to go to Mississinewa 1812. Yep,
one of the biggest battles of 1812 was fought an hour away from my home. The reenactment
of the battle and the entire fair goings on in the area has always sounded like
fun to me. So this is the year that I’m going to make it to the event, if the
boss gives me the time off I requested.
3.Carving pumpkins is a blast, and I have many
plans for pumpkins this fall, but I really, really, really, am going to use the
seeds, and make some delightful chocolate covered pumpkin seeds this year.
4.Acorns, each year, the squirrel in the oak tree
and I fight about acorns. He runs around burying them in my yard. I yell at him
for digging so many holes, and causing all of those seedlings to come up in my
yard. This year, the goal is to pick up most of the acorns, so he can’t bury
them. I’ve already started. I just have
to figure out what to do with all of those acorns. Suggestions are welcome.
5.I am actually going to go out, and enjoy some of
the warm fall days. I always seem to get all caught up in everything that is
going on around me, and I don’t go out and enjoy time outdoors like I should.
And I really do enjoy time outdoors. I’m going to spend some time walking
around, and actually looking at things so I see the season move from one point
to another. And of course I’m going to take pictures of it this year. (wink,
wink)
So these are a few of my plans for this fall, what are your
goals for the fall, and I’ll let you know how much of my bucket list I actually
accomplish this year.
Okay, so the those Halloween parties will soon be here, and we'll all need a little something to take to those parties. You want something kind of traditional with a little twist. Why not try Spicy Deviled Eggs.
The recipe is simple, We all know how to make deviled eggs, the key to making them is add some a couple of tsp of wasabi sauce to the mixture, and sprinkle the tops with a little bit of cayenne pepper instead of the traditional paprika.
Did you know that deviled eggs have been around since the time of the ancient Romans?
So I went out into my yard the other day, and what do I see? I see mushrooms galore. At first, I think to myself the fairies are at work building a fairy ring, but no, it wasn't a fairy ring. They were all in a straight line. So here is some of what I saw.
So since I am not an expert when it comes to mushrooms, I decided to just leave them alone. While many mushrooms are edible, just as many are toxic. And if you don't know you should probably just leave them alone is my policy on that.
And here are a couple of fun facts about mushrooms
Different varieties of mushrooms can produce different colors of dye for clothing. The colors range anywhere from green to red to brown.
Under certain conditions mushrooms spores can lie dormant for hundreds of years and still grow again.
A Portabella mushroom has more potassium than a banana.
Certain types of mushrooms that grow underground can sell for as much as $800 a lb. I should be so lucky to have those in my yard.
Music to blog by Woke Up New by The Mountain Goats
If you are anything like me, when you read the line 93 year
old man charged with 300,000 counts of accessory to murder, you immediately
thought there is a typo in the story.
But as I continued reading the story, I realized it wasn’t a mistake.
The gentleman was an accountant at the concentration camp Auschwitz.
As I read the story, I was surprised at reactions to it.
There were some individuals who stated that it has been too long since the
events occurred for a trial to have significance. There were others that stated
on message boards that the gentleman was too old what good would it do? There
were others who stated on message boards and comment areas, that he was an
account and could do nothing to stop the murders. There were others who
commented that so many of the original perpetrators of the crimes went into
hiding and could never be found.
After reading the comments, I found myself asking more
questions about this individual than when I first read the story. I looked up a
little more information about the gentleman, and it seems as though he was
initially charged in 1985 with crimes. But the charges were dropped due to lack
of evidence. But what I found more surprising is that he has actively addressed
the issue of Holocaust denial. He has gone public with the things he saw, but
he has always stated that he was innocent of committing crimes.
Now this man did not operate the gas chambers, but he did
help with processing the money from the victims. He claims to have seen things,
and knew about the gas chambers according to reports. I guess the final
question about this gentleman for me is did this gentleman do anything to help
any of the victims while he worked at Auschwitz? I don’t believe that he could
have stopped the machine, but did he have the courage or ability to save one
person’s life? Did he try to make a difference to someone or did he simply say
there is nothing I could do?
What do you think about the story? Should the man be
prosecuted or is it better to just let it go?
Roxanna is a new performer from Canada. She has recently
released her debut album called Exotica. And anybody who hears this singer’s
voice will have to admit that her voice is beautiful. The music is relaxing,
and would probably be categorized in the contemporary adult category.
Roxanna’s journey to recording isn’t your typical journey.
As a child in Iran she enjoyed singing, and she comforted her patients as a
nurse by singing to them. It was after doing this someone suggested that she
pursue a profession in music. And she teamed up with producer Mark Portmann on
this album.
So now you know a little bit about her. What about her
music? Her beautiful voice is perfect for ballads. And many of the songs on the
album utilize Spanish guitar to provide a romantic and soft feel to the music.
For fans of 80’s music, you’ll be pleased that she has done
a cover version of Lionel Richie’s Hello. She hasn’t attempted to alter the
song too much. She has added Spanish guitar in place of much of the keyboard
work that was in the original song. I believe that fans of the song will enjoy
listening to it. The album also includes a cover of Julio Iglesias’ El Amor
which is showcases her talent.
But my absolute favorite song on the album is Here with Me.
The lyrics of the song are based on a book of Farsi poetry translated into
English. They are touching. And I love how the trumpet was used in the song. It
just adds something special to the song. And I just like that Roxanna has
brought something from her homeland to the music scene. She has combined the
two worlds beautifully.
Okay, so who will enjoy this music? Women who enjoy romantic
music will definitely enjoy this music. As I was listening to the music, I
immediately thought of my friend Michelle. My friend Michelle passed away
several years ago, but I clearly had an image of her singing along to these songs,
and crying over the lyrics. Anybody who reads this and knew Michelle will know
exactly what type of music is right now. And fans of Celine Dion’s music will
also enjoy this album.
Faithful followers of my blog, make sure you listen to
Roxanna’s music and let me know what you think. I think that many of you will
be adding her music to your playlists because the girl has talent.
I met with a friend this week for breakfast. She has a
daughter that well has led a somewhat colorful life, and this has brought quite
a bit of paint into my friends life. This has gone on for several years. There
were years when she tried to help her daughter, and her daughter stole from
her. She even left her with an infant to care for. I have seen my friend cry, and I have seen
her get so excited that maybe this time her daughter would go clean from the
lifestyle she was leading. And I have seen my friend have to make the terrible
decision that she could no longer help her child unless her daughter really
gave up her drug use. And this meant that she felt that she could no longer
have any contact with her daughter.
A couple of months ago I received a call from my friend, and
she informed me that her daughter claims to have been clean and sober for two
and a half years. She told me that she didn’t know if it was really true. She
stated she wasn’t sure what she was going to do. She couldn’t let her daughter’s
behavior take away the happiness she had worked hard to find.
This leads to the breakfast we had together this week. My
friend was so excited. After cautiously talking with her daughter over the
phone she decided that her daughter really had been clean and sober for the
past two and a half years. I haven’t seen my friend that excited in years. And
then she told me I wanted to make sure that you knew because over the years you
were one of the few people that actually said that she could change. I was
surprised. I fully supported my friend’s decision to not have contact with her
daughter. But I never realized that so many people had told her that her
daughter was incapable of change. And I thought to myself why do we give up
hope so often?
You see to me, hope isn’t knowing how something will happen;
it’s just that you know that it can happen. If you have hope you know that
things aren’t going right, but you believe that there is the possibility that
they will be different. It doesn’t mean that you have to sit and wait for
another individual to change their habits, because that isn’t healthy, but that
you have to open to the fact that people are capable of change. And I would
encourage my readers to never give up hoping for people even though you can’t
see how things will work out because one day you might get to see that someone
you care about actually needed you to be hopeful for them.
Blood Sugar Summer is a doomwave band based out of the UK. Now,
there are some of you asking doomwave, what is that? For those who aren’t up on
all the subgenre’s of music, doomwave is pretty similar to goth. In fact I
would classify it as goth.
So this song like many songs of the genre has a slight melancholy
feel to it. It uses minor keys, and the tempo is a little slower than some
songs. And the music doesn’t overpower the lyrics in this song. Many musicians
struggle to find that blend. And Blood Sugar Summer has got it right in this
song. It’s easy to understand the lyrics and the music enhances them. And like
many goth songs the lyrics are sad. The song is the story of a famous model
whose pictures are in billboards and magazines, but it isn’t enough for her.
The lyrics state she’s so lonely. It’s a reminder to all of us that fame doesn’t
mean that you are going to be happy.
The duo that forms the band are Benjó James – vocals and Jack
Wilson – guitars. They only formed in 2012, and they have already put out a
song with strong lyrics and a great melody. I hope this band continues all of
its hard work because I believe that they can produce some really great music
in the future as they develop their style.
So go listen to their music, and let me know what you think
of this band.
Remember the book review I completed on the book Favorite Daughter the other day? Well if you don't you should read the post. It's a good book. The author Paula Marguiles has provided me with some questions and answers about her book, herself, and her writing process. So a big round of applause for our guest today Paula Margulies.
1)
Where and when do you write? In my home office mostly, although I try to
sneak away to artist residencies whenever my teaching and client work schedule
will allow. I usually write on Sundays, but that all depends on how much life
intrudes (and it does that often, believe me!).
2) Why did you write your book? I’ve always
been fascinated with the story of Pocahontas, and since so much of her history
has been told to us by English explorers like John Smith, I decided that
retelling her story, from her perspective, might make for an interesting read.
3) There have been
many books written about Pocahontas. How is this book different? There are
a number of differing versions of the history of that time, and much of what we
know about Pocahontas comes from the writing of John Smith and the other
colonists, who reported on what they found in the new land when they returned
to England. Favorite Daughter, Part One
is based on my research on works about her by Native Americans, many of whom
tell a darker tale than the English history. Also, there aren’t many fictional
works about that time from a Native American perspective, and the majority of those
that do exist are written for young adults. Favorite
Daughter, Part One is written for adults and focuses on Pocahontas’s coming
of age into womanhood and becoming a wife and mother, in addition to her work
as a representative of her tribe and, eventually, as a celebrity in England
(that part of her story will be covered in Part Two).
4) Are you of Native
American heritage? No, both of my parents are of Italian descent. But my
father, Douglas Roccaforte, loved Native American history and was a collector
of American Indian artifacts, so I grew up with a deep appreciation of Native
American culture and history.
5)
Whose work inspires you? So many authors inspire me that it’s hard to
choose! I’ve always been a huge fan of the Southern gothic – William Faulkner
and Flannery O’Connor are my all-time favorite writers. As a graduate student
in English Literature, I studied Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Bellow, Doctorow, Didion,
Heller, and Pynchon. Recent authors whose stories have haunted me, stunned me,
or made me weep: Sherman Alexie, Ha Jin, Vikram Seth, David Mitchell, Barbara
Kingsolver, Louise Erdrich, Jane Smiley, Jane Hamilton, Sena Jeter Naslund, Anna
Quindlen, and Elizabeth Berg.
6) What do you like to do in your spare
time? When I’m not working on my publicity business or teaching classes, I
enjoy meditation, reading, writing, and experimenting with artisan bread
recipes. In the summer, I try to go to as many local Native American powwows as
I can (there are quite a few here in the San Diego area), and I’ve been known
to enjoy an Indian taco (or two) on occasion.
7)
What are the words you live by? Less is more (except when we’re talking
about Indian tacos). ☺
Like I stated in an earlier post, I've been playing around with bento boxes in order to try and eat more healthy, and have food that is just a little more fun to look at. So this week I created a Bento Box Butterfly. It turned out pretty well. And of course it tasted great.
It's simple, and it is made up of ingredients you have around the house. Turkey, pickles, apples, oranges, some sort of flat bread like pita bread, carrots, and a leafy vegetable for the background. In order to keep the apples in place I used a yogurt cream cheese and tumeric mixture on the bread.
If you decide to make this box, keep in mind, it may not fit into a normal size bento box. It actually filled a small pie pan. So that was my lunch box for the day.
Music to blog by Chestnut Street by Collision Blonde
Okay, we all know that all of those cardboard boxes end up in the landfill if you forget to put them in the recycling bin. But they are actually a free craft material for the kids. You can make an easy diy kitty cardboard cutout for kids by using one of those boxes that you were just going to throw in the trash.
Here what you need
a cardboard food box
scissors
modge podge
black and white paint
What to do
Draw a circle with two triangles on top of it, a couple of little circles, a rounded triangle, two little triangles and some thin strips on the cardboard. Next cut all of the items out.
Now take your black paint and paint the big piece. Next paint the remaining pieces white. And add a couple of black dots to the little circles, and a line to the rounded triangle. Next glue the round pieces on as eyes, the rounded triangle below it. Then the little triangles to the area for the ears. Finally, add your whiskers. And you have an easy cardboard kitty that your kids have created.
Music to blog by Baby Please Don't Go by Lightnin' Hopkins
I was listening to the reports from Mesa, AZ today. You know
the place where all that flooding has been going on. I heard a gentleman say I
thought I was prepared, but I guess I wasn’t. The truth is nobody is completely
prepared for a flood or any other natural disaster. And I realized most of us
aren’t prepared for a disaster. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the Zombie
Apocalypse, Hurricane Katrina, or that flood that we didn’t think would happen
because we live in a low to moderate flood risk area.
So, I after thinking about this I went to FEMA’s site and
looked up emergency supply kit. According to them you should have these items
on hand.
Picture Courtesy of World Prep
1. Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least
three days, for drinking and sanitation.
2. Food, at least a
three-day supply of non-perishable food
3. Battery-powered or
hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries
for both
4. Flashlight and extra
batteries
5. First aid kit
6, Whistle to signal for
help
7. Dust mask, to help
filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
8. Moist towelettes,
garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
9. Wrench or pliers to
turn off utilities
10. Can opener for food
(if kit contains canned food)
11. Local maps
So after reviewing the items I have in my house. I actually
have three items on the list. I have parts of a first aid kit, but since it’s
incomplete I decided not to include an item I have. I have a flashlight, but no
extra batteries. What I have on the list is a manual can opener, a wrench or
pliers, and garbage bags. So if the great disaster occurs don’t come to my
house because I’m not prepared at this time, but then how prepared are you for
a disaster?
Music to blog by It's the End of the World by R.E.M.
Favorite Daughter is a book about a young Indian princess
named Pocahontas. Yes, the book follows the story of young Pocahontas at the
time when Captain John Smith first enters her tribe’s life. Pocahontas is a
lively girl who is her father’s favorite. Pocahontas along with the rest of her
tribe is very curious about the newcomers. The story shows that while
Pocahontas was a favorite of her, he still used her as a political tool. While
he doesn’t force her to marry a man she doesn’t want to marry, he certainly
encourages her to marry a young man who will bring the tribe political
advantages. When John Smith is captured and brought to the tribal village
Pocahontas saves his life. At this time she becomes the person her father
relies on to obtain the gifts that newcomers have promised in exchange for
food. Pocahontas is fascinated by John Smith, but she has difficulty getting
him to deliver on his promises.
I really enjoyed reading this book. The author portrays a
young woman who is making decisions about her life. We often view women from
the past as unable to make decisions without the help of a man, but Pocahontas
is quite the opposite. She influences her tribe’s policy with the newcomers. I
also like that this books shows what life was like in a tribal village. I also
like how the book shows Pocahontas as a young girl with an upcoming marriage,
and the emotions that go with it. This book took me back to a time, and once
again made me ask the question what if Pocahontas hadn’t saved Captain Smith?
Would life be different for all of us?
This book also reminded me that cultures that we may think
were primitive were far more advanced than we give them credit for. The members
of the tribe can’t understand why a group of individuals who were clearly
struggling to survive would devote so many of its resources to looking for
something the natives knew was not in the area. They had even informed the
newcomers of this. But they continued to search for gold, and they were
suffering due to it.
I recommend this book to anyone who wants to know what life
was like in the Americas at the time explorers from Europe began to settle the
area. Marguiles has done her research, and she includes a glossary of terms at
the end of the book. You will want to use this glossary at times while reading
the book. I also encourage individuals who enjoy romances will enjoy this book.
There is the love story between Pocahontas and her betrothed, and of course the
fascination Pocahontas has with John Smith.
Overall, this is good book, and I hope I will get to do a
review on Part 2 of the series when it comes out.
Do you sit around wondering you know weird things? Sometimes you come up with a question of the day. This is my question of the day.
It involves watching two videos.
Here's the first one
Raccoon Table Manners
Emily Post Table Manners
So my question of the day is did the raccoon with better table manners than some people I know jump on youtube and view the video of Emily Post's table manners?
