Monday, December 18, 2017

Really? A Naked Girl?




A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I came upon this billboard, the size of a small house, while on Burnside Avenue in Portland Oregon.

“I’d rather go naked than wear wool.”

“What! No, Alicia Silverstone, it’s FUR, not wool.

I was wrong.  She meant wool.

“What’s wrong with wool?”  I go out of my way to find wool clothing, and wool socks are the best.

Well, Silverstone is objecting to the inhuman treatment of animals, in this case, sheep.

HEY, I LOVE ANIMALS!  I use wool because it does not kill the animal, but neither do I want them harmed. I know that sheep are quite docile and if a handler is gentle; the sheep will lie there quietly during the shearing process. SO, FOCUS ON GENTLE HANDLING! 

Get a grip folks! Don't use animals as though they are machines, and don't believe that you are God's gift to stewardship with no heart. 

If you harm the animal you lose your job. Period. Isn't that more plausible than to stop using wool?

If you don’t shear sheep they will turn into a mass of burrs tied up in a fur-ball. And remember, they grow a new coat. That’s the nature of wool. If you stop buying wool, farmers will stop raising sheep, and all those cute little lambs will not be born.

When I was a kid, we lived on a rural property in Oregon, and we had a beautiful grey cat with abundant long fur—not a good idea in the country. He turned into a mat of fur as though he was wearing a rug, so one summer we clipped him. And underneath we found that he had foxtails (the barbed seed of the foxtail plant) stuck in his skin under those mats. Without those fur mats, that interfered with his fur washing, and foxtails that stuck into his skin like needles, he frolicked like a kitten.

And he stopped traffic. 

We  had sheared him like a lion with a furry mane and tip of fur on his tail.

But then, naked Silverstone got people’s attention. Including mine.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Hey, Don't Bother Me, I Have Cat Videos to Get Back To



Just kidding.


We had great readers on the last blog.  A big thank you to all who showed up. If I had four dead mice, I’d give you… well, all of them.

Here are hearts instead!

 
But, let’s not doddle in the past, or with cat videos—although they’re fun—let’s get on with this great adventure called life.

I’ve had a tiny book following me around for maybe 20 years. It has a paper cover, worn and ragged. The book is only 3.5 inches by 5 inches with 16 little-bitty pages. Although I have lost or given away many books this one has stuck itself to me.  It was there on my bookshelf.  Now it’s  beside my computer.

That book was a gift those many years ago. It was written by J.D. my initials, but I didn’t write it. 

The author says his or her name isn’t important, but the information within is.

The title of the book is The Ultimate Secret
TO GETTING ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING YOU WANT

My daughter, although she had not read the book, declared its secret when she was trying to conceive her child. The secret really isn't a secret, it is found and utilized by many. They just don't know it's a secret.

After 12 months of artificial insemination, with no luck, and many months of discouragement, tears, yet hope, my daughter was ready to go for an In-Vetro fertilization. 

That month she conceived her son.

Her comment was: “Maybe you just have to be willing to do the hard stuff.”

And that is what J.D. said in The Ultimate Secret. That's the secret. You need to be willing to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. (Let’s keep this within the realm of legality here.)

Often, it is not necessary to complete all your goal's to-do list, maybe just one or two. It is the willingness to do them that counts.

“When it comes to getting results, intention is more important action.”—J.D

It’s a frame of mind.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

Why Have the Thirst if not to Drink the Wine?

*And why have eyes that see
And arms that reach
Unless you're meant to know there's
Something more?

If not to hunger for the meaning of it all
Then tell me what a soul is for
Why have the wings unless you're meant to fly
And tell me please why have
a mind
If not to question why?


*Where is it written? Sung by Barbra Streisand (Yentel), written by Alan & Marilyn Bergman

Check Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and you will see an abundance of motivational videos, inspirational sayings, pictures, and brainy quotes.

People are reaching for something more.



I do know the meaning of life; it isn’t some big extravagant purpose, nor does it reach lofty realms that end at the pearly gates—and who said the gates are encrusted with pearls anyway, or that there are any gates at all? (Is that to lock people in or lock people out?)

We have been given a gift.

The gift is life. And our purpose is to experience it.

Aren’t we lucky?

Too simplistic you say?

Okay, give me a better reason for being here.

Some say it is to heal old injuries, to grow, to understand, to save humanity, to change the world, to make the world a better place (as though it is a bad place), to serve God (Does He want to be served?)

God’s God. He/She doesn’t need us to serve Him, to adore Him, to obey Him, or to worship Him.

Are we afraid to question lest God condemn us for our lack of faith?
 
Well, now that is a number someone did on us.

Once I told daughter number one, “Nobody said it would be easy.”

Her answer: “Well, somebody should have.”

I love it.

The young ones can be so astute.

Look around. Many spend their lives inking out a living–going to work, only to come home exhausted in spirit and flesh, flop on the couch, have dinner, and if they have children, tend to them, do a little house-keeping maintenance, go to bed, and begin it all over again.

We didn’t come here to be slaves. 






The irony is that some look forward to retirement so they can get out of the rat race, only to experience boredom, and die shortly thereafter.

Retirement is a reason to do something you have always wanted to do.

What is that?

Invent? Begin an online business, paint, write, read copiously, take Quantum physics classes, tutor a child in reading, rest, yes rest, enjoy it, languish in it. Now, get up and do something.

And men, don’t follow your wife around like you are lost. Find yourself.

When I say to experience life—I mean, find the juice in it.