Pragmatists and Idealists At War
This story is so fitting for today’s world. It’s been told for decades in various forms, if not centuries. It was included in an episode of The Closer, Season 2, Episode 15 : Serving The King.
Asst. Chief Brenda Lee Johnson explains that she heard this story while working at the CIA. Part of a Lecture for Agents.
The Struggle To Control Civilization
We’re always fighting the same fight. Using the Dark Ages as an example. Continue reading
Our Holiday Stocking Holder
When my son was little, decorating for the holidays suddenly became more fun. Like a lot of little boys, he loved trains! When he was about 4, I found the perfect stocking holder set, a train! The set has become one of our holiday traditional decorations to put out on the fireplace mantle each year. When we moved from Virginia to North Carolina, we also had the chance to bring my husband’s oldest son into our celebrations. Which meant we needed another train car for the additional stocking. Finding another car to go with our existing train wasn’t easy and we were forced to find an alternative during that first holiday. Thankfully he’s 20 years older than our son, so he wasn’t offended But I’ve made it a mission to find an additional train car to go with our existing set. Enter eBay!
Here’s what I’ve found out about our train set. They’re rare and they seem to be VERY popular! Two things that create challenges for eBay buyers. It means they’re not listed very often. And they’re often very expensive! This year, 2019, there’s an Egg Nog car listed for $325 and the current bids are over $420. Wow! Still I’m determined. I’m hoping to find the Santa and one of the tanker cars to add to my set.
White Supremacy Propaganda, Extremism and Online Recruitment Tactics
Yesterday I read an article about parents talking to your “white sons” about how white supremacists are using the internet to recruit kids (White supremacists are recruiting white teens online). The article included a link for how to talk to your kids about this topic and why it’s important to do so (Propaganda, Extremism and Online Recruitment Tactics).
What struck me deeply was the article included a story about a Virginia family, who dismissed the signs of their son’s interests as he just had a deep interest in history. Until he killed two people and was charged with a hate crime.
We’re from Virginia, and my son has a deep interest in history and he’s a great kid. But as a Mom, I worry about that balance between protecting my teen son, while giving him a sense of trust and privacy in his own home. Plus this issue is impacting unsuspecting families all around the world. Whither it’s Islamic Extremists, or White Supremacy groups. We have to talk to our children and make them aware of the dangers. Continue reading
Alexander Cougars
The Impact of School Shootings
It seems everyday in America, parents face the dangers of sending our kids to school. Our biggest concern used to be worrying about their behavior in school. Wondering if they’re being respectful to teachers and their classmates. When they’re very young, we worry about them being taken care of by teachers and administrators, as we put their fate into the hands of these strangers.
But today, regardless of what age they are, we worry about them coming home safe and alive! That’s the impact that school shootings have placed on many parents in America now.
My son is 15 and a sophomore in high school. We live in a rural county in North Carolina. The kind of place where you wouldn’t think of worrying about school shootings. But there isn’t any place in the U.S. where you don’t worry about someone hitting a breaking point and responding with gun violence. Whither you’re out in the middle of no where, in a big city or a sprawling suburban area. No one is immune. Continue reading
The Magic of Poetry
Every now and then you may come across a phrase out of no where that you can’t let go of. Perhaps it’s a poignant moment in a TV show, a movie, maybe even an Internet meme. What ever it is, the words touch you in a way that grabs hold of your mind and you need to know more.
Thankfully in today’s world your only a little search tool away from looking into the Library of Alexandria and discovering more. That happened to me tonight.
While watching a rebroadcast of Inspector Lewis, one of the characters recites a line from a P.B. Shelled poem “And the moonbeams kiss the sea“. There was something magical in that phrase and I felt drawn to finding where it comes from.
It wasn’t hard to find. And I’m glad I made the effort. It’s that last paragraph that truly touched my soul.
P. B. Shelley
CLXXXIV
Love’s Philosophy
The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the ocean,
The winds of heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single,
All things by a law divine
In one another’s being mingle—
Why not I with thine?
See the mountains kiss high heaven,
And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
If it disdain’d its brother;
And the sunlight clasps the earth,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea—
What are all these kissings worth,
If thou kiss not me?
2016
© 1997-2016 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D., Springwolf’s Creations. All Rights Reserved.
My Favorite Word
Origin of pixilated. altered ; from pixy-led, lost, literally, led astray by pixies, influenced, influence by past participle of verbs in -late (as elated, titillated).
One of my favorite words in the english language is “Pixilated”. I first heard the word in a movie starring Gary Cooper. Two little old ladies are called as witnesses in a court case and asked about the character of Longfellow Deeds. They say “Longfellow has always been a little pixilated.” I’ve been in love with the word ever since.
This morning Garrett and I were talking about the word and I was trying to remember the name of the movie the line comes from. Which was made more difficult since I’m on some heavy-duty pain meds from a recent surgery. And it didn’t help that I remember the movie as a Cary Grant film, which isn’t the right leading actor for this movie. But off to do a search and find the title.
It’s not easy finding obscure things on the internet. After 45 minutes of futility searching, I finally found an interesting site that provides full scripts from both movies and tv. How helpful! Script-o-rama.com.
Armed with the name of the movie IMDB provided the rest of the information. Made in 1936 by Frank Capra, starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur.
“Mr. Deeds Goes To Town”
Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town, leading a small town kind of life – including playing the tuba in the town band. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune, Longfellow picks up his tuba and moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone from the greedy opera committee to the sensationist daily newspaper. Deeds outwits them all until Babe Bennett comes along. Babe is a hot-shot reporter who figures the best way to get close to Deeds is to pose as a damsel in distress. When small-town boy meets big-city girl anything can, and does, happen.
Now if I ever need to find a movie quote, I know where to go for help.
By
2016
© 1997-2016 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D., Springwolf’s Creations. All Rights Reserved.
Faerie Magazine
I admit it, I’m a Facebook-aholic. One of the pages I follow is for the Faerie Magazine. Every now and then they post images of some of the beautiful and magikal places around the world that simply inspire a vision in my head.
Faeries fluttering in the misty woods, spreading their sparkling magik glitter over plants, trees and animals. Leaving behind all colors of the rainbow and groves of mushrooms where they’ve danced in a circle to celebrate their work and play.
I usually comment on the post to share the vision. But for those who don’t have facebook or follow me, I thought I’d share a few of them here.
Save A Life – Adopt A Shelter Pet
The Story Of My Day
My beautiful friend Angela, turned me onto a Pound Puppy adoption event today at a local PetSmart. It was an hour and 10-minute drive from home, but I figured there must be a reason I should go. I checked out the Chesterfield Human Society shelter and their Facebook page where they had posted a few pictures of the puppies they’d be bringing to the store. One of them caught my attention. So today, on a Saturday, I got up at 7:20, got ready, made my morning stops and headed south.
This past November we lost my beloved dalmatian Rascal to a blood clot. In 2011, we lost her big sister Destinie to a stroke. But these past 6 months have been the first time in my life I haven’t had a dog with me. It’s been hard. Tougher than I expected actually. And that feeling probably prolonged the grieving longer than I would have liked. Continue reading
Niamh and the Raven
Felted sculpture in the picture is by Lavender and Lark
June 24th Is International Faery Day
May all the Faery’s in your world greet you with smiles and glee,
May you share a laugh, comfort a sorrow and toast with me,
To the beautiful mystical Faery folk who live in the magikal tree.
© 2015
Celebrate by leaving a small plate of fresh fruit, nuts and sweet treats in your yard or garden for your faery friends.
Right about sunset, read them a poem, a story or tell them a tale from your imagination. You can even tell them a dream you’ve had about them. Continue reading
Bath-tub Contemplations
Thoughts From The Tub
So I’m sitting here doing some busy work and the boy, who’s home sick, once again comes out of the bath to share something he had been contemplating while his day in tub.
Momma, do you know what a fart is?
Mom: Yes it’s flatulence.
Boy: Ok, whatever that is.
A fart is your butt cheeks applauding your digestive system.
Mom: …can’t stop laughing! Yet another “poofie poofie” moment.
2015
© 1997-2015 Springwolf, D.D., Ph.D., Springwolf’s Creations. All Rights Reserved.