New Poem "Turning Corners"

Turning Corners

 Life's corners are sharp.

Sometimes we cut ourselves on the turns.

We grit our teeth, ignore the pain,

and from those cuts we learn.

Some cuts are shallow; some are deep.

A bloody trail may mark our path.

But if we learn our lessons well

cuts teach us how to laugh.

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!

 

In honor of the late, great Dr. Seuss' (Theodor Geisel) birthday, I've written the following poem.  I hope that he'd like it.

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

It's Dr. Seuss' birthday

and though this is quite late

we've gathered together several friends

to help us celebrate.

We'll have a birthday dinner-

perhaps green eggs and ham-

the food cooked by none other

than Seuss pal Sam I Am.

There'll be lots of fun and games here.

The Vipper of Vipp will preside.

The Fuddnuddler Brothers are ready

to spread the news far and wide.

The dress code for the party

will be casual and fun.

Both Fox in Sox and Cat in Hat

will be dressed for the sun.

Yertl the Turtle is the party's host.

It'll be here on the beaches.

You'll see Red Fish and Blue Fish

and Plain and Star-Belly Sneetches.

The East Beach Beast and the West Beach Beast

will, for once, get along.

The North-Going Zax and the South-Going Zax

will join together in song.

The Whos will sing the birthday song,

led by Cindy Lou Who,

and joining in to spread the cheer

you'll hear Thing One and Thing Two.

The Grinch himself will bring a gift,

a pair of Pale Green Pants.

And we'll all hope our picnic

will not be spoiled by ants.

Marvin K. Mooney will say goodbye

and when our party ends

we'll all patiently wait 'til next year

for Seuss' birthday again!

Poetic Political Plea

Politicians are the saddest lot

They leave the citizens to rot

Never mind our country's dark direction

Their only thought's the next election

Cuts to this and cuts to that

Exactly where's this leave us at?

We work all day. We toil and toil

Still can't afford our gas and oil

Nor bread, nor milk, nor housing cost

So many of us are feeling lost

And God forbid we need health care

Nothing today's more prized and rare

Education's gone downhill

Because we just can't pay the bill

Should someone out there need a job

He must contest a desperate mob

All around us, wars do rage

Tell me, is this wise or sage?

Our Congress needs to unify

The more they fight, the more we die

Libertarian or Democrat

 We really don't care where you're at

Republican or Independent

We don't believe your hearts are in it

Bipartisan's not a dirty word

We're tired of not being heard

The bed you make, we must lie in

Remember that, when session's in

Can't put it off 'til you're in power

Already it's our desperate hour

Don't wait until the next election

To change our country's sad direction

Driveway to Knowledge

Due to the massive amounts (by Georgia standards anyway) of snow and rain we received this year, my long gravel driveway has weakened and softened in spots, forcing me to take action for fear my car might fall into some bottomless pit right in front of my own house and I'd never be seen again.  Okay, so it's not quite that bad, but bad enough that I had to add some additional gravel.

My oldest brother, forever trying to be helpful, gave me the name of the company that paved his rather short driveway a couple of years ago.  I called and a very helpful man came out the next day and walked up and down the driveway with me as I pointed out the spots I thought needed a little work.  He was thoroughly in agreement with my assessment and pointed out a couple of other places I hadn't noticed.  We had 15 or 20 minutes of very friendly conversation about the winter weather, all the problems it had caused people, how busy his company had been, and how much we were both looking forward to spring.  

Then, we got down to the nitty gritty.  How much would this cost me?  When he gave me what he termed the "ballpark estimate", I remained silent for a moment.  It wasn't reverence or prayer.  More like shock.  It costs that much to haul and shovel some gravel?  Really?  Not that it was so high I could have bought a new house with the money, but it would definitely pay for a couple of dental bills, a lot of groceries, or even for part of a nice summer vacation.  I thanked the guy politely for coming and told him I would give them a call.

Then I started thinking, something which can frequently get me in trouble.  I remembered the times I'd helped my dad do the same thing with his driveway, that it didn't seem like such a tough job, and how much less expensive it was to buy a pickup truck load of gravel and haul them home yourself.  I would have asked my dad for help, but he's had back problems lately.  My brother never does things like this for himself, so I wouldn't have felt comfortable asking him.  Finally, I said to myself "There's no reason why I can't do this myself. They load the gravel for you.  All I'd have to do is shovel it off the truck into the spots where it needs to go and spread it out a little." 

A little voice in the back of my mind told me it might not be quite that simple.  I refused to listen to it.  I get my stubbornness from my mom (even if she won't admit it) and I hate thinking that there's something I can't do.  Having made up my mind, I called my brother-in-law and asked if I could borrow his Ford F-150 pickup for a couple of days.  Just needed to haul something home I told him, because I knew he'd discourage me from doing it and probably call my brother and my dad to back him up.  His truck just sits there and rarely gets driven anyway.

So, to try and make a long story a bit shorter, I actually did it.  Yesterday, I went to the supply company and proudly drove my much-less-expensive load of gravel home.  Having too much other work to do, I let it sit until today.  

Then, after lunch, I got my shovel out of the garage and got started.  By the time Sarah got home at 5:00, I had satisfied myself that two of the four places that I thought were a problem were finished.  I had sore shoulders, a sore back and legs, blisters, a headache, and a couple of scrapes--but I had done it myself!

I stood outside with Sarah, pointed out the places I'd filled in and asked, "What do you think?  Did I do a good job?"

Possessing amazing tact for a five-year-old who's almost six, she took a long look and ignored my questions.  "I'm hungry," she said.  "Are you gonna cook now?"

As we went into the house, she said as an afterthought, "The driveway looks good."

I have about a third of my gravel left and two more small areas to fix, as I sit here typing this waiting for my ibuprofen to kick in but, as Scarlett O'Hara said, I'll think about that tomorrow. If I think about it now, I'll go crazy.

On the plus side, I'm proud of myself for doing it and not listening to people who said I couldn't.  It's also taught me that I shouldn't necessarily think something's easy just because I've done it before.  My sore muscles have let me know that I need to do a little bit of work with weights and not equate being thin with being in shape.  It's also given me ideas for at least a couple of stories.

And I thought all I was doing was fixing the driveway.

Bullied To Death

How many of us had occasional problems in school with what we called a 'bully'? Let's face it, even if you're a popular kid not everyone will like you. Were you ever taunted or made fun of by someone else at school? Did anyone ever spread rumors about you?

I'll be the first to raise my hand. I was a quiet kid who spent most of her time reading. That didn't endear me to a lot of people, but I did have my own circle of friends and, with the exception of occasional remarks about my height (or lack therof) and a few remarks about 'sucking up to the teachers', I was fine.

Imagine though that such taunts and remarks, along with much worse inferences, were all a part of your daily routine. Imagine that others made endless fun of a disability, your sexual orientation, or some other personal attribute. Suppose physical violence was added to the taunts? What if pictures, comments, etc., were posted on the internet about you?

Such constant, non-ceasing negative behavior crosses a line and becomes terroristic or 'bullying'. In the wake of suicides of teenagers over the past several months, including Asher Brown, 13, Seth Walsh, 13, Justin Aaberg, 15, Billy Lucas, 15, and Tyler Clementi, 18, bullying has finally received a long overdue focus in the media and elsewhere.

Tonight(Friday, Oct. 15) ABC will air a 20/20 segment titled "Bullied To Death: Victims' Stories. This segment will talk to victims and parents of victims about bullying. It will examine why kids bully and whether schools are doing everything they can to help prevent bullying.

One portion of this show will focus on Tyler Long, 17 years old, a young man in Georgia who committed suicide last year in the wake of long-term bullying at his high school. Tyler suffered from Asperger's Disorder. His parents, David and Tina Long, have filed a lawsuit against the school system and his high school principal, alleging that the school failed to protect Tyler from bullying which they say included other students punching him the face, spitting in his food, stuffing food in his face and calling him names, as well as other verbal and physical abuse.

I mention Tyler Long in particular because all this happened in a high school in a nearby county. I did not know Tyler or his parents, but I have followed the story in local newspapers and my heart goes out to them. The one thing that runs through my mind over and over again is "that could have been me", and I think that's a thought that all of us would do well to remember.

I'm raising my five-year-old niece, who just started kindergarten this year. I read the accounts of bullying and the stories of children committing suicide and I am frightened for her. Every day I do my best to make sure that she has confidence in herself, as well as respect and compassion for others. I hope that I am doing enough.

As this episode of 20/20 shows, however, there is always more that all of us can do. It is a shame that it has taken the senseless deaths of children to bring bullying such widespread attention. Do not let those deaths be without purpose. If nothing else, let them be the catalyst to our taking action to prevent the bullying and senseless deaths of others. Remember, it could have been you, or it could be one of your children.


Resources for kids and their parents:

The Trevor Project

It Gets Better Project

Some Days

In a day full of numbing and depressing news, including the senseless death of Rutger's University student Tyler Clementi, this is what came to me.  For obvious reasons, the title is Some Days.


Some days
I wake up in the morning wondering why I woke.
Some days
My breakfast is disturbed by news of death, destruction and devastation.
Some days
I go to work despairing over whether the money I earn will ever be enough.
Some days
My lunch time is consumed by worry over the safety of my family and friends.
Some days
I spend the afternoon thinking that my life will never turn out the the way I'd like.
Some days
I go home, look into the faces of my children, and know I am blessed.
Some days
As I sit at the dinner table I know that I am fortunate to have enough to eat.
Some days
I go to bed safe in the knowledge that I am surrounded by those who care about me.
Some days
I realize that I am lucky to be alive.

Sex and the (U.S.) Cities

 

Are you sexually satisfied? Strange question to ask on a blog? Maybe. Men's Health magazine, though, has asked it's readers, and they have now released the results of their survey.  A list of the most, and least, sexually satisfied cities now graces their website. You can read all about the strict scientific methods used to conduct this scintillating (not to mention titillating) piece of research over at their site, but here's the gist of the list:

 Most sexually satisfied cities in the U.S.

1. Indianapolis, IN
2. Columbus, OH
3. Fort Wayne, IN
4. Cincinnati, OH
5. Salt Lake City, UT
6. San Antonio, TX
7. Denver, CO
8. Austin, TX
9. Boise City, ID
10. Chicago, IL

Least sexually satisfied cities in the U.S.

1. Lexington, KY
2. Birmingham, AL
3. Manchester, NH
4. Yonkers, NY
5. Montgomery, AL
6. Newark, NJ
7. Providence, RI
8. Jersey City, NJ
9. Greensboro, NC
10. Jacksonville, FL

Are you wondering how in hell your city didn't make the list?  Or do you have a self-satisfied smirk on your face because your reside in Indianapolis, IN, which apparently does a lot of revving up of engines outside the Indy 500?

While you and I (and a lot of others as well) may scoff at the validity and reliability of such "research", I couldn't help but think of all the excellent practical uses for a list like this.  So I'm including my own list below of just a few suggestions of ways in which the Men's Health list could be invaluable.

1.  Jerry Springer and his producers could tape an entire bloc of shows in each city.

2.  A great reference tool for a chain of adult novelty stores looking to expand.

3.  Good vacation planning guide for the singles.

4. Jay Leno could conduct excellent "Man on the Street" interviews, asking citizens of each city how they
    felt about their inclusion on the list.

5.  Family planning clinics can see where their services are most needed.

6.  Parents with teens could use the list as a guide for where NOT to move.

7.  College students can find the ideal spot to spend their spring break.

8.  Companies that manufacture male enhancement products will see the best places to send their sales
      representatives.

9.  Prospective madams and sex therapists alike can find the ideal city in which to set up a new practice.

10.  The Republican and Democratic National Committees can refer to the list when planning their
        conventions.


So, the moral of the story is that every piece of research, no matter how silly it may seem, has it's uses. And please feel free to leave any other uses you can think of in the comments.