Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Reflections on The End of 2008.....


In Many Ways....
I look at the Migrant Mother photo...it haunts me...because I see that Woman in my eyes...and other mom's eyes and I carry it in my heart ....it is WHY I blog...and blog so much...We are living through an important part of Our History.....the most difficult Challenging ever....for many of us...it is Up to Us HOW we get through this...about Adapting , Learning and Taking Care of Each Other....Empathy is part of Survival.

But really I am the Gold Dust Woman....because I am always looking for the Golden Moments...mining for it....in small moments and trying to share it, songs, music, photos, art and even stories,anything to Stoke Our Humanity...to help us come through This Time Intact, I am part Gypsy, Part Nurse, Part Appalachian Mama,part worried librarian ...so of course I look for the Gold........it is my way of Hopemongering.....

It started long ago...in the Seventies when I was in Highschool I studied Wildflowering....( in Appalachia that is the study and collecting of Herbs to heal....my parents were not impressed with my Herbal Studies...) But it taught me that What we need to Heal and Care for Each Other is around us.....we just have to look....and open our Hearts...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Gold Dust Woman"....by Fleetwood Mac

Neko Case " Hold On , Hold On"...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So I will be here....writing it all..trying to capture it writing Our History with Heart and Hope....and yes, with Honesty and Empathy......Happy New Year....

Remembering People that matter ...on New Years Eve...

On New Years Eve I always remember the two girls we fostered when 6-6 was 6....They stayed with us most of that fall , Halloween and that Christmas...and New Years...and we tried to give them what they mom could not....she was lost in a Drug Haze....They were beautiful girls....15 and 6....It was good for him to have some sisters for a time...They loved him...and he loved them...They used to sing to him....especially in the car....and this song was their favorite to sing to him....And now all these years later...I hope they grew up to be safe and loved....and happy.

Spice Girls.....

((( they had not a clue of the sexy part of this song...they just liked singing it ....they were just little girls....}}}

Friday, December 12, 2008

A NEW List....JOB List..

So here is my theory...that we all can get through these times if we just adapt....and change and flow with it...What kind of jobs have you had ? has it shaped your life ?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a List of Jobs I have had...Some I worked for pay...some I worked for trades, I worked a barn so my son could ride and learn to ride, etc....so bartering is in a way a useful skill....
1.waitress ( over and over)
2.worked concert halls and political events ( coat checks, and service for events)
3.Stage crew for plays
4.Lighting for bands at a Baltimore Bar
5.Lifeguard,
6.Pool Manager
7.Swimming Instructor
8.Stall Cleaner and care of 20 Horse Barn ( trade for lessons for son)
9.Horse Therapy/grooming and Massage ( Tellington Touch)
10.Research for a News Station in College
11.nurse's aid.volunteer ( highschool and junior High , Special Olympics and Childrens Hospital,
also was a Reader and did puppet shows....)
12.Hospice Volunteer ( started when 17, before that volunteered)
13.Parking Lot Attendent at Harbor Construction Site
14.Bartending
15.Taught HIV/AIDS Classes for years in Seattle 1988-1998
16. Cofounded a Environmental Health Non Profit
17. Red Cross Disaster Volunteer
18.Reader for Blind College Students
19.tutoring
20.housecleaning
21.Pet Care
22.volunteer at Nature Center ( rehabing Wild Animals- bears to baby squirrels)
23. Market Checkout
24.Rickshaw Driver in Baltimore ( first female one in early 80's Harbor)
25.Inventory Bookeeping at a resturante
26.Personal Trainer ( taught eexercise classes at gym for free membership)
27.Worked at 2nd Hand Store
28.worked in Special Dress Shop In Baltimore ( where I met Oprah....)
29.And yes, I am still a nurse..an RN....( PEDS, Hospice,PICU,ER,AIDS Nursing....)

I need Tropical.....It's Frigging Cold by Lake Erie....


No Woman No Cry....

Rivers of Babylon...

Friday, December 05, 2008

THE LIST....click on the ones that you have done...and then do the list of things you want to DO...


While you sip some warm coffee...ponder this 100 List...and see How Many of these you have done...great list Stolen from DK at Redheaded Wisdom....

I HAVE... **{{ means I did it}}**
1. Started my own blog **
2. Slept under the stars**
3. Played in a band** {{ Did Lights, and also tamborine and back up}}
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower ** {{ many times}}
6. Given more than I can afford to charity **{{{ yup..over and over }}}**
7. Been to Disneyland/world ** {{{ disney world}}}**
8. Climbed a mountain **{{{ yup..}}**
9. Held a praying mantis *** {{{ son had pet one, also walkingstick and pet slug too}}}**
10. Sung a solo ***{{ don't ask- it was totally embarrassing}}}}***
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightning at sea *** {{{ had a sailor boyfriend}}}***
14. Taught myself an art from scratch ***{{ many jewelery, caligraphy,chinese painting etc}}***
15. Adopted a child *** {{{ fostered two girls,sisters one year}}}***
16. Had food poisoning **** {{many times}}}***
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty ***{{{ went pretty high- not sure how high}}}**
18. Grown my own vegetables *** {{ many many times}}}***
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train***{{many times}}***
21. Had a pillow fight***{{{ many times}}**
22. Hitchhiked*** {{ as a dumb teen}}}***
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill ***{{{ gulp..yup}}***
24. Built a snow fort ***{{{ yup...}}***
25. Held a lamb****{{{ yup}}***
26. Gone skinny dipping ***{{{ yup..many times}}}****
27. Run a Marathon*** {{{ used to run half marathons in college}}**
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse *** {{{yup}}***
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset ***{{{ both many times}}}***
31. Hit a home run *** {{{ long time ago}}}***
32. Been on a cruise ***{{ gone on overnight sailing trips...not sure that counts}}}***
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors***{{{ In UK and also in Kentuckey and West Va.}}}**
35. Seen an Amish community **{{ many times}}}***
36. Taught myself a new language *** {{ some french, some thai,some spanish }}***
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied ***{{ sometimes}}**
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing *** {{{ yup, and I sucked }}***
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke *** {{ don't ask}}}***
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant ****{{{yup}**
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight **{{{ many times}}}***
46. Been transported in an ambulance*** {{{ also worked on one, son had bad asthma attack went with him}}***
47. Had my portrait painted *** {{{ had photos taken for a friends photo class, and he did also paint it...ugh}}***
48. Gone deep sea fishing ***{{{ kind of, we went but did not catch much }}}***
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling *** {{{ as a teen snorkeling, also swam with dolphins }}}}***
52. Kissed in the rain **** {{yup }}****
53. Played in the mud **** {{{yup with son}}}****
54. Gone to a drive-in **{{ long ago}}}***
55. Been in a movie *** {{ son and I were Extra's in Singles, I was asked to Extra in Spiderman filmed in 2006- turned down}}}**
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business **** {{yup}***
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen***{{{ yup}***
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies *** {{ and bought}}**
62. Gone whale watching ***{{{ many times}}***
63. Got flowers for no reason **** {{{not in a long time}}}***
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma *** {{{not recently}}**
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check **{{{ oooops by accident, rare}}**
68. Flown in a helicopter *** {{ ex was a fight nurse, I begged for a fly , but watched him alot}}}**
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy *** {{ yup}}***
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial ***{{many times}}**
71. Eaten Caviar ***{{ yup...rare}}**
72. Pieced a quilt **{{ many }}**
73. Stood in Times Square **{{ yup, long ago}}}**
74. Toured the Everglades **{{ long ago}}***
75. Been fired from a job *** {{ got in a fight with a big company - about AIDS care}}***
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London **{{yup}}}**
77. Broken a bone ***{{many}***
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle ***{{{ not sure if it was going too fast}}}***
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book*** {{ long ago}}}***
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car **{{ long ago}}}***
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper **{{{ embarrassing}}}**
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House *** {{ not the inside}}}****
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating ***{{{ it was a fish, does that count}}}***
88. Had chickenpox**{{{ yup}}***
89. Saved someone’s life *** {{{ yup..1st time I was 11, a drowning, and then as a nurse}}}***
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous **** {{{{ a few }}}***
92. Joined a book club **{{joined a few}}**
93. Lost a loved one **{{{yup}}**
94. Had a baby ****{{ yup}}**
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake **{{{ did not swim in it- did see- it's gross}}**
97. Been involved in a law suit **{{ yup}}}***
98. Owned a cell phone **** {{{{ yup.....since 1999}****
99. Been stung by a bee ***{{{ a few times, I am allergic...not good..}}}***
100. Ridden an elephant *** {{ I was little won a contest, I was 5- or 6....it was wonderful, it was a baby}}}***