11.22.63 by Stephen King

Please do not discount this book because of the title or the author like I initially did.  I am not a current fan of works by Stephen King and read it because it was the selection of my BPW book group.  I am so glad that I read it.

Yes, in my age group it is the date on which we all knew where we were: the day President John F Kennedy was assassinated.  This is a great read which causes one to think about more than the time travel in the book. If you could go back in time, would you? Could you live with the consequences of what resulted from that change? It was not obvious to me that any change, however minor, would result in other changes.

The lead character is a teacher who has as a student the janitor of the school where he teaches.  The writing assignment includes the story about how a family was brutally murdered by the father. More importantly, the writing brought the family members to life for the teacher in such a way that he seems to have or felt a connection (of sorts) to that family, particularly the janitor who was a young boy with real career dreams.  The teacher wondered what the janitor would have become if that night had not happened.

The teacher has a friend who owns a diner that insists on his time travel trip through a “portal”.  The friend is deathly ill and garners a promise from the teacher to stop the assassination.  Of course, the teacher has other changes that he wants to make along the way but it results in some unexpected changes within himself and to his character in the process. The changes were not what I had expected but added to the overall flow of the book. 

The twists and turns in this story held my attention and included real information about the names we came to know: Lee Harvey Oswald, his wife and family, Jack Ruby, JFK, and a host of others.   It also includes stories within the story about the obvious of him having to live a lie about who he was really; he was a great teacher who could/did make a difference in the ‘50s and ‘60s, loving someone, losing that someone, etc. 

Bottom line, changes came with consequences which were greater than I could have imagined and in my opinion, the story ended with ………………………….. NOPE, I AM NOT TELLING YOU.

Read it and share your thoughts with me.

On a scale of 1 to 10, I gave it a 10.

August is More than Heat

The first thing that comes to the mind of most Houstonians in August is the HOT, HOTTER AND HOTTEST month of the year.  I cannot really disagree. However, what comes to my mind first is back to school.  I loved being a student and loved school even more as a parent when my boys would come home sharing their “stories” of the day followed by helping them with schoolwork.   I looked forward to every second of their younger years and teenage years when I was allowed to so easily share part of their day as we talked through the homework sessions which “always” led to other discussions. 

The majority of my friends have grown children and as a result do not have the usual Back to School supplies list to fill.  Be sensitive to the needs of the many 100’s of families who could use your assistance in providing these supplies.  Please exercise your opportunity to fund some of the basic school supply needs as made available through various local charities or in your school district. 

Before my July 2012 retirement, I had completed 11 years as a volunteer Junior Achievement and every year had its rewards.  You can only imagine some of the questions asked of me by these students during these short, one hour a week, six weeks program in the elementary grades. 

Be a mentor or be a volunteer, it will add the best looking hat not only to your resume’ wardrobe, but to your life. 

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

Imagine being four years old with no memory of who you are and are left standing alone on the dock where you have existed the ship that brought you to Australia from England.  You are discovered the dock foreman and are taken in by him and his wife pending finding your family.  Fast forward. You have been raised as a beloved daughter with younger sisters and at 21 years of age you learn that you are not who you think you are and the “parents” have no answers. They can offer nothing more than the little white suitcase you had at the shipping dock. You are confused and have no real sense of belonging. 

The mystery does get solved but by her granddaughter who also finds her own path in the process. 

SO FAR THIS IS MY 2ND FAVORITE READ FOR 2012

July has More than Fireworks

It is incredible to note so many dates, milestones and occurrences that have shaped us as Americans and women in the month of July.  From fireworks in celebration of our July 4^th Declaration of Independence to including such notables as the women’s rights convention in 1848, the first “physical” step on the moon in 1969 tied to the inadvertent missing “a” which literally affects the meaning of that most memorable sentence made by Astronaut Neil Armstrong on that momentous date, the inauguration of the five-digit zip code, birth date of promoter and showman P. T. Barnum who opened “The Greatest Show on Earth”, birth date of automotive pioneer Henry Ford and probably THE most notable, at times most financially uncomfortable, the creation of the income tax withholding in the US.

On a fun note, I absolutely love to go to the circus, which for Houston, TX, is usually each July. However, I have only attended twice in the last ten years or so since I would prefer not to go alone and my nieces and nephews feel that they have somewhat outgrown it since it is may considered juvenile by their peers and I have no grandchildren to parade about. Well … !!!

What is juvenile about stepping out of the many professional demands in our life for no other reason than to become one with the joy, happiness and awe of the visual for what really is for me one of “ The Greatest Shows on Earth”. What is juvenile about the demanding training schedules, strenuous exercise, skills, requisite disciplines and their driven commitment to excellence by each circus performer and acknowledging each through our attendance? What is juvenile about the skill of designing and creating the costumes that dazzle and adorn the performers, EVEN THE CLOWNS? What is juvenile about seeing on the face of a child their fascination and absorption of  the  seamless, graceful, perfectly timed performances of the acrobats, lion tamer, elephants parading, horses prancing about with their acrobatic riders, and etc. that still mesmerize me as I horde down popcorn, root beer and my “once a year” hot dog.

Yes, I have an absolute appreciation for the circus, whether in the ring or behind the scenes. Now you know that for me the month of July is complete when it includes attending a circus which in Houston, Texas, shortly follows the fireworks and the many magnificent firework displays that celebrate our independence formalized on paper in our Declaration of Independence signed and witnessed on July 4, 1776.

June noteables for women and some great reading

            This month commemorates many firsts and notables in history for women such as the first woman elected to US Congress Jeannette Rankin, first American woman in space Dr. Sally Ride a physicist and pilot, Sally Jan Pries and was ordained as the first woman rabbi in the US, pioneering feminist Susan B Anthony was arrested for voting in a presidential election (which did not become legal until August 1920), the composer of the melody “Happy Birthday to You” Mildred J. Hill was born, as was Harriett Beecher Stowe who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin,  photojournalist Margaret Burke-White who became the first accredited war correspondent in World War II and American author Pearl  Buck who wrote The Good Earth and won a Pulitzer Prize for her many books. 

            These are but a few who laid a path before us that lends toward our having a “chosen” profession that we can appreciate and grow as a result of “their” accomplishments. 

As most of you know, I have a passion for reading and am in a book group that meets monthly.  As luck would have it when we made our 2009 reading selections our June book review was I’m Proud of You by Tim Madigan which chronicles the friendship between the author and Fred Rogers.  Yes, “THE” Mr. Rogers, in the same month as Father’s Day.  Mr. Rogers was a welcome addition to our TV family time and right on cue with many of the topics that my sons and I had the need to discuss.  What could be more appropriate leisure reading this month?  I highly recommend that you create the time to read this wonderful book. 

Father's Day, Flay Day and June trivia

When thinking of the month of June, ones first thought is probably Fathers Day, which for me is equally as important as Mothers Day, followed by Flag Day (Flag Birthday).

My Dad died in July 1994 but I have some special memories that are as fresh as when they happened.  In fact, it was my dad that explained the “facts of life” to me on the night of my first date about an hour before my date began.  Whew.  Talk about mixed emotions. I could hardly wait for the date to end so that I could feel safe again AND BACK AT HOME.  It was almost a year a before I had nerve enough to try dating again and to this day I do not recall with whom I had that first date.

Be sure to thank your dad for loving you enough to make decisions that may have caused some discomfort or inconvenience, for they most certainly influenced you to become who you are today. 

Preceding Fathers Day each year is Flag Day on June 14^th. I am glad to say that in June 2000 during my vacation in Washington, D.C., I was able to actually see one of our original US flags.  Shortly afterwards, the exhibit was closed to the public in order to complete some necessary repairs.  The dimensions were so much greater than I had expected, covered the entire room and I was in absolute awe of such an incredible part of our history.  Our entire tour group was silent in honor and respect as we actually viewed such a symbol of our freedom as American citizens.  It was a most memorable experience coupled with seeing our current flag flown over the White House in the same week.

Take pride in our flag, your citizenship, and your freedom to succeed as an individual, professional or business owner which we all know can best happen here and together.

Now, here is your June trivia and memorable milestones:

In 1916, Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, our Stars and Stripes.

In 1972, President Richard Nixon signs into law a permanent U.S. Father’s Day to be observed on the third Sunday of June.

June 11, 1880 the first woman was elected to US Congress, Jeannette Rankin

June 18, 1983 Dr. Sally Ride, a 32-year-old physicist and pilot, became the first American woman in space, beginning a six-day mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida.

June 27, 1859 American musician Mildred J. Hill (1859-1916) was born in Louisville, Kentucky. She composed the melody, Happy Birthday to You.

June 30, 1971 - The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was enacted, granting the right to vote in all federal, state and local elections to American citizens 18 years or older.

May or Can ... this month is full of both

Yes, I am talking about May as a month or permission and Can as ability.

How I love the month of May with Mothers Day, Memorial Day, and that magnificent gift of nature – flowers, flowers and more flowers. 

Please take time this month to acknowledge your mom for the life that she created, that being “you”. They mentor and coach us through childhood and a mother’s love seems to have no limits.  One year I sent a handwritten note instead of the traditional Hallmark card, telling my own mother how much she served as my mentor during my years of life and the influence she still has on the way that I regard others. She said that it was favorite. I was surpised until I recalled the many handwritten notes from each of my sons, which I still have to this day.

As professionals and business women, we may receive numerous accolades or awards for our accomplishments, but no title or professional designation sounds better to me than Mom. 

In June 2000, I spent most of an entire day at the Arlington Cemetery and was privileged to observe the changing of the guards at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which commemorates our American war dead from the World Wars, Korea, and Vietnam. Words are inadequate to express how I felt at that moment.  I experienced great pride to have been born here but could not stop myself from crying while watching the soldiers at that tomb. 

You may not have the opportunity to see it first hand, but you can visit our local veteran’s cemetery to witness the Memorial Day ceremony, wear one of the poppies that are frequently sold near that date, and absolutely thank the next soldier that you see in a uniform.  They deserve our honor, both past and present.

I cannot close this message without sharing some May trivia. 

• Mother's Day became a public holiday on May 9, 1914
• Memorial became a federal holiday in 1971, and is observed on the last Monday in May.
• May 15, 1940-nylon stockings went on sale for the first time in the US.

Lastly, I am absolutely convinced that flowers were created for the primary purpose of enjoyment and are to be unquestionably shared along with our memories between family and friends.   HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR FLORIST TODAY?

The Nook ……or not

I tend to read three or four books a month hence my switching to an eReader, the Nook. It makes sense to have 1000’s of choices stored in something that is not much larger than my checkbook.  My checkbook has extra “stuff” inside and may not mirror yours but the point is that it is similar in size/weight.

Yes, I have a real passion for reading except for the “body stripping, trash talking” style of writing which do not warrant my time. Sometimes I treat myself to “brain candy” which is a term learned from my friend Jennifer W.

Knowing my reading appetite borders on obsession my husband decided back in 2010 that he wanted me to have an eReader. He requested (odd for a husband) that I review the options and make my decision for this gift for him. I left my chair and moved so quickly to my computer that I feel sure that I did not even cast a shadow during the vault from my recliner. I explored the Internet and narrowed my choices down to three: Sony, Kindle and Nook. For me the obvious and best choice was and still is Nook.

It had four options that for me could not be denied and the fifth is a given: 1) can be linked to your local library for millions of other FREE reading material, 2) a FREE book offer every Friday, 3) book exchanges between fellow Nook readers also FREE, 4) there was an alternate site available from which to acquire other books (have not felt the need to try it), and 5) it supported my favorite bookstore, Barnes and Noble.

Yes, many of my friends chose the Kindle which is their right and I respect their choice. However I would have lost two whole years of FREE and additional reading pleasures.

Color can be appreciated on many levels but I did not choose the NOOK Color. My husband encouraged me to choose the more expensive model (also odd for a husband). The differences between the one that I chose and the 2010 Nook Color were not significant and not enough to change my mind or justify the increase in cost.

Kindle from Amazon may offer the same options “now” but I have not been interested enough to check. The best combination for me is Nook from Barnes & Noble. 

Don’t settle for less, I didn’t.

Encyclopedia Britannica going out of print

When I first saw the message posted on my LinkedIn this came as a shock.  Then my brain engaged to give it additional thought as my breathing returned to normal.

Like many before me, my first introduction to the Britannica was in the school library. Aside from my Bible, I thought them the most majestic, highly esteemed of all reading material “freely” available to all. My fellow “Houston Northsiders” will understand this clearly since our families would fall into the category of those who could not afford to buy/have/savor/enjoy them at home. I even remember the leather covers which I felt were as rich as the contents.

The library was my favorite summer spot and yes, it was to the Britannica’s that earned my first stop.  They opened up a whole new world for me and they fed a young girls mind and created a thirst for more that has never been quenched.

My parents were eventually able to buy us a set of Compton’s Encyclopedias which I enjoyed just as much.  I have three siblings and they got a workout until the last one graduated.

The Encyclopedia Britannica is an ICON and certainly set the standard for other reading mediums. After the shock of the article title, I realized that even the Britannica had reached a point that required 21^st century attention. Paper may become “out of vogue” but knowledge and information is power and only the venue is changing.

Besides, did you check out the cost of the last printed edition: $1,395.00? 

Message to brain: slow down my breathing AGAIN

Crazy Daisy and the Girls Scouts

Today marks the 100^th anniversary of the Girls Scouts, originally called American Girl Guides and its British equivalent, Girl Guides.  This blog is not to restate the obvious or to copy/paste what may be printed on an international level in today’s news. However, when reading the Houston Chronicle article by Maggie Galehouse a few points jumped off the page. Let’s start with the originators name: Juliette Daisy Gordon Low.

Juliette – in French it means soft haired, in Latin Down-bearded youth (still soft).  One of the pictures in the paper is of a soft featured appearance of a lady, complete with a hat. (I love hats and have close to ten of them). Looks can be deceiving when a woman is on a mission of any kind.

Daisy – English meaning Days Eye or Eye of the Day, the flower. The first picture in the article is of that first group of young ladies and judging by the shadows was near noon.  All are uniformed, saluting the day AND the next steps in their paths.

Low – her married name and a marriage which brought little comfort.  Her husband was an adulterer and her hearing was forever impaired by a grain of rice which lodged itself in her ear on her wedding day resulting in chronic ear infections.  Her husband was a pain and the wedding rice caused pain.

Juliette Daisy Gordon Low was 51 years old when she founded the first troop of “Girl Scouts of the USA” in Savannah, Georgia.  

This American pioneer southern girl did well for all of us while no longer young by the standards of that time, in a more than troubled marriage, was hearing impaired which is a disability by today’s standards, was called “Crazy Daisy” because she liked to experience fun as a youth, and the purpose behind her forming of the Girl Scouts was to empower girls from all walks of life whether “factory girls, working-class girls, wealthy girls, immigrant girls, everybody”(as quoted from Houston Chronicle 3/12/2102). 

Some of my favorite facts in the article are these:  53% of women business owners are former Girl Scouts, ten of the 17 women serving in the US Senate are Girl Scouts and 2.3 million girls in the Girls Scouts of the USA today.

Keep in mind this was a full eight years before we were granted the right to vote on August 26, 1920 through the passing of the 19^th Amendment.  I would surely like to know how the experience of being the first group of Girl Scouts affected the decisions/goals set for their adult life and how they may have participated, if at all, in the women’s suffrage movement. 

I lived the life of a Girl Scout even though not one officially.  Oh well, another story for another time ….