WITTY SIGNS
The Wallingford Chevron, just east of Seattle, has a person (probably a lady) with a really good sense of humor running their sign department.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Friday, July 22, 2016
REMEMBERING GRANDMA GRACE
Thoughts before Bedtime
My mama, whom we all love so dearly, passed away two years ago. My sister, brother, and I speak about her frequently because she played such an important role in forming who we are today. Mama was quiet, loving, protective, and so much more. We always say that we never met anyone who wasn’t drawn to her sweet and caring nature. She was our Little Italian Mama.
I know, I know, some of you are probably thinking that I am idealizing her. Maybe so, but it is the truth about who she was and what she stood for. I suppose I was thinking about her tonight because of a conversation that came up during lunch with the girls. Actually, there were only three of us, but that is all one needs to experience belly laughs interspersed with serious conversation.
One topic centered around the people in our past lives who helped us to overcome some adversity when we had young children. My contribution was about Mama always being there for her three children, whenever, she was needed.
I had several serious health issues back then. We lived in Maryland and it only took one call before Mama was on her way. My dad would drop her off and return home to Pennsylvania. She took over the household without any fuss, bother, or noise. She was a wonderful cook and a divine baker. My family and I were so thankful that Grandma Grace was there for us.
One of the most vivid memories my sister and I have of Mama is of her later years when we got to tuck her into bed. Mama was such a little thing all her life. She stood about five feet tall and never weighed more than 100 pounds. She would crawl into her bed, snuggle under the warm covers (yes, even in the hot Carolina summers) and sigh deeply. Mama would say, “This is the best part of the day.” As we turned off her light, we could hear her whispering her prayers and offering them up to God.
It is time for me to trundle off to my bed. I am auditing an Italian class at the University. I have been studying for tomorrow’s test.
I, too, shall climb into my bed, turn off the light, and repeat Mama’s favorite nighttime words. “ This is the best part of the day.”
Goodnight and be well.
Live simply.
Speak gently.
Love unconditionally.
Sunday, June 26, 2016
Is Selfie Culture Making Our Kids Selfish?
I read the following article this morning and thought I would share it with my readers. Dr. Borba makes some interesting suggestions for helping children become less self centered and more aware and tolerant of others.
One additional suggestion for parents who wish to promote awareness and open-mindness in their children. Read and talk to them when they are born and continue to read and discuss the stories until they are well able to read cognitively for themselves.
Fairy tales, folklore, and fantasy play an important part in a child’s life. Research has shown how important imagination is to a child’s cognitive development. According to psychologist Brunno Bettelheim, (‘Fairy tales [folklore and fantasy] are an important tool for children learning to navigate reality and survive in a world ruled by adults’)
Read more...
http://nepeantutoring.com.au/the-benefits-of-fairy-tales/
http://imaginationsoup.net/2012/02/22/fairy-tales-are-essential-to-childhood/
http://www.education.com/magazine/article/Why_Love_Fairy_Tales/
http://www.getreadytoread.org/early-learning-childhood-basics/early-literacy/helping-children-to-develop-early-literacy-skills-with-dialogic-reading
Is Selfie Culture Making Our Kids Selfish?
June 23, 2016 6:00 am
30
The psychologist and parenting expert Michele Borba says society’s fixation with the selfie is having some unintended consequences. She sees children mimicking not-so-nice behavior in adults and fewer grown-ups calling them out.
In “UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World,” her 23rd book, Dr. Borba combines scientific research with tales from real-world families and offers concrete tips on how to cultivate kindness.
We talked recently about “selfie syndrome,” ways to flip the focus away from the self and specific activities to build empathy in our children. Here is an edited excerpt of our conversation.
Q. You suggest in the book that technology disrupts kids’ emotional lives. How?
A.You have to have face-to-face connection in order to read emotional cues and experience where the other person is coming from. If the average kid is plugged in – let’s just say what Common Sense Media says is 7.5 hours a day – you’re not having the opportunities to look face-to-face. You can do that in FaceTime. You can do that in Skype. It’s not like you’re throwing the entire thing out. It’s finding ways to make sure there are opportunities where your child won’t lose the critical core skills of not only empathy but connection and social skills. We’ve failed to realize that all of those social skills are learned and they need practice. What we’re not doing is helping our kids practice.
Q. Your book talks about kids and their often-inflated egos. Is this a repercussion of the 1980s self-esteem movement?
A. Yes. Unfortunately, we misinterpreted self-esteem. I wrote five books on self-esteem, but my whole concept of self-esteem was it was layered. Real self-esteem is a balance between two things. One part is feeling worthy and likable. The other part is being capable to handle life – having the skills and competence.
What we did on the self-esteem bandwagon is we did the whole thing of helping the child feel worthy but without the competence; it backfires. Our praise, if we keep focusing on you, after a while, the kid begins to forget there’s others in the world. And the other thing is they become more and more dependent upon us. We kind of bubble-wrapped the child. We helicoptered them and we didn’t teach them the skills to be able to cope. We’re going to have to re-tilt the balance.
Q. Let’s talk discipline. You cite a lot of problems with approaches like spanking and yelling, which are known as detrimental. But what’s wrong with time outs?
A. Time out works if you do it the right way. It’s impossible to discipline wisely or well if you’re in distress or your kid is in distress. It’s better to say, “Let’s separate from each other and let’s calm ourselves down.”
But just sitting alone doesn’t help the kid think through the impact of his actions on others. When your kid comes back out, you need to say, “I’m disappointed in you. I expected better of you because I see you as a caring person. How would you feel if that were you? What are you going to do differently next time?” That’s the piece that research says we may be missing.
Q.
Just what is “selfie syndrome?”
A. Self-absorption kills empathy. Narcissism is “it’s all me.” Empathy is feeling with someone. Empathy is always “we, it’s not me.” The problem is kids are tuning into themselves, and what we need to do is flip the lens and start looking at others. We started to emphasize one side of the report card and we forgot the other side, which is “You’re also a caring human being.” Let’s redefine success so it’s not just a GPA, but it’s also a kid who has heart.
Q. You suggest that some activities, such as chess, reading, watching movies and recess, boost not only academic achievement but increase empathy. Why?
A. Chess is about perspective taking. Kid are not thinking of themselves. They start thinking of others. New research on reading shows that emotionally charged literary fiction like “Charlotte’s Web” or “To Kill a Mockingbird,” where the kid can catch the feelings of the character, makes the child not only smart but nice. Chapter books (such as the “Frog and Toad” series) are short and easy, and more parents are skipping literary fiction in favor of a chapter book because they think it will boost their kid’s vocabulary and reading comprehension. What they’re missing is the rich moral dilemma. Movies and literature are the same. Think of the kind of movie that stirs your heart, like “Dumbo.”
Following are some of Dr. Borba’s tips for how to flip the focus and cultivate kindness.
1 When your children walk out the door, remind them to do one or two kind things each day.
2 Show that you value kindness. Do not just ask, “What you get on your test today?” but, “What kind thing did you do?”
3 Praise your kids for being kind in the moment – when they have earned it: “That was being kind because you offered your toy to your friend.”
4 Make kindness a regular happening. Put a box by your front door for gently used items and when it fills up, drop it off together for a needy family.
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/06/23/is-selfie-culture-making-our-kids-selfish/?emc=eta1
As always,
Grandma Meg
Live simply.
Speak gently.
Love unconditionally.
Sunday, May 8, 2016
Happy Mothers' Day
HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY
I would like to wish all mothers and women around the world who work, care, and nurture children, “Happy Mothers’ Day!”
You may remind me that all women are not birth mothers. True. This is not to relegate mothers to a back seat. I am always and foremost a mother, grandmother, and a great grandma. I am truly blessed.
However, I believe that women immemorial have loved, cared, and protected children whom they did not bear. In the present world environment, it is most important to recognize every woman who has reached out to a child and made a difference in his/her world. Furthermore, I would encourage other women to take an active part in advocating for children.
As I see it:
CHARACTERISTICS OF A NUTURING WOMAN
Affectionate and loving
Caring
Compassionate
Advocating
Consistent
Empathetic
Playful
Attentive
Patient
Accepting, …
And so, I shall remind everyone that Mother’s Day/Mothering Day should be celebrated everyday with love and respect for all who treasure children.
Read more…
Mother’s Day around the World:
For in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small
planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. And we are all mortal. John F. Kennedy
planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's futures. And we are all mortal. John F. Kennedy
As Always, Grandma Meg
Live simply.
Speak gently.
Love unconditionally.
Thursday, March 17, 2016
ANGELS AMONG US
ANGELS AMONG US
Do you ever look back on your life and think about those special people who were there when you most needed them? Call them mentors, family, friends, or just Angels Among us.
Speaking for myself, I have been blessed by many when I most needed them.
Recently, I heard about the passing of a dear friend and mentor, Margaret Sherkey. This post is a tribute to her, as well as a recognition of how she helped shape my early life as an educator.
I was very fortunate to be hired by Mrs. Sherkey in 1973 when she opened Rippling Woods Elementary School in Glen Burnie, MD. I had been teaching for 3 years prior to that. My years spent with Mrs. Sherkey enriched my life in every way possible.
Maggie had it all. She blended high expectations with understanding, compassion, and friendship. As teachers, we were always presented with new and exciting methods of teaching in ways that increased our knowledge and helped our students reach their potential.
On the social side, Maggie encouraged celebrating personal accomplishments, special occasions, and the highs and lows of life, always with laughter and food. I do not remember a day going by when there weren't delicious treats in the Teachers' Lounge brought by Maggie or one of the Staff.
Margaret Sherkey was an incredible woman who made a new team, in a new school, into a family who worked for the good of all.
Anyone who ever had the great fortune to spend time with Maggie Sherkey is truly blessed
Sunday, March 13, 2016
DONALD TRUMP: A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
| DONALD TRUMP | |
Make no friendship with a man given to anger, nor go with a wrathful man, lest you learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.Proverbs 22:24-25
***
Are we Americans going to stand by while violence rocks our Democratic Election Process?
Is this what The United States of America has finally become,
a nation of fanatical xenophobes, racists, bullies, and misogynists?
***
http://www.capesnbabes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/2010-11-03-Angry_Mob.gif
***
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-legal-fees-punch-protester_us_56e56e96e4b0860f99d94f53
 ***
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/man-punched-protester-trump-rally-hints-violence-article-1.2560288
 John McGraw,John McGraw, 78, of Linden, N.C., said there's more than just a punch in store for protesters at Trump rallies***
http://gawker.com/black-lives-matter-protesters-violently-thrown-out-of-t-1763066858
|
***
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2016/03/04/donald_trump_definitely_praised_vladimir_putin.html
https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=trump+images&qs=IM&form=QBIDMH&pq=trump+images&sc=8-12&sp=1&sk=
Donald Trump emulating Putin!
"When people call you 'brilliant' it's always good, especially when the person heads up Russia," Trump said during that Morning Joe interview. In a statement later he said, "It is always a great honor to be so nicely complimented by a man so highly respected within his own country and beyond."
First of all, Trump has most certainly spoken glowingly about Putin. In December 2015, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, he said, “I've always felt fine about Putin. He's a strong leader, he's a powerful leader. ... He's actually got popularity within his country.”
***
http://cdn.inquisitr.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Vladimir-Putin-665x385.jpg
http://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-says-trump-is-front-runner-in-u-s-presidential-race-1450364780
Vladimir Putin
“He’s a very colorful and talented person, without a doubt,” Mr. Putin said, according to Russian news agencies. “It’s not for us to judge his merits, that’s a task for the American voters, but he’s the absolute front-runner we see today in the presidential race.”
***
http://www.reunionblackfamily.com/trump_hitler_985132845.jpg
Donad Trump emulating Hitler?
***
Click below to go to link.
When did we confuse freedom of speech with the freedom to be rude?
http://ncronline.org/blogs/where-i-stand/when-did-we-confuse-
freedom-speech-freedom-be-rude
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice
compassion. -- Dalai Lama
When did we confuse freedom of speech with the freedom to be rude?
Joan Chittister | Mar. 11, 2016 From Where I Stand
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. -- Dalai Lama
I've written or spoken a good many times about the incivility that unmonitored social media
sites have generated in this country. Someplace along the line we have managed to confuse freedom of speech with the freedom to be rude, crude, mean, hurtful or brutal,anonymously. Secretly. Behind some silly moniker like Darth Vader 2. Or worse.
I grew up in a society where there were some words that were never spoken in front of women, in front of children, in public, at a dinner table, in a professional setting, on a telecommunications program of any kind. But then, little by little, we began to see it painted on back walls of old buildings. And did nothing. Then we began to accept it in teenage music. And did nothing. Then it showed up in racy literature. And we did nothing. Finally, it was everywhere on the streets. And now, it seems, there is very little we can do about it at all.
Where did we lose the idea that freedom of speech is the right to have our speech protected, no matter what our opinion might be? That does not, however, include the right to libel, slander, and now bully people into submission. It does not include a license to abuse someone, meaning to call names or threaten harm or talk or harass those who are different than we are. Physically, socially, or politically. There are statutes against it. So much for the law. So much for our birthright. So much for the character of the nation. So much for our vaunted ideals of democracy.
Obviously, given the increase in the amount of outright lies or veiled insults in the public airwaves now, the threat of the law does not really much restrain an anonymous population, let alone educate it to a more civilized kind of communication. Those websites that employ monitors with the right to reject that level of so-called comments manage to maintain a higher standard of conversation and insight. But for smaller groups with fewer resources, the ability to engage that kind of monitor is more likely to threaten the existence of the website itself than it is to eliminate the problem.
And so we all know that. And so we don't know what to do about it. Except maybe inspect our own children's websites in the hopes of being able to separate them from the adults around them who are even more childish, and even more crude, than the average adolescent.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. -- Dalai Lama
I've written or spoken a good many times about the incivility that unmonitored social media
sites have generated in this country. Someplace along the line we have managed to confuse freedom of speech with the freedom to be rude, crude, mean, hurtful or brutal,anonymously. Secretly. Behind some silly moniker like Darth Vader 2. Or worse.
I grew up in a society where there were some words that were never spoken in front of women, in front of children, in public, at a dinner table, in a professional setting, on a telecommunications program of any kind. But then, little by little, we began to see it painted on back walls of old buildings. And did nothing. Then we began to accept it in teenage music. And did nothing. Then it showed up in racy literature. And we did nothing. Finally, it was everywhere on the streets. And now, it seems, there is very little we can do about it at all.
Where did we lose the idea that freedom of speech is the right to have our speech protected, no matter what our opinion might be? That does not, however, include the right to libel, slander, and now bully people into submission. It does not include a license to abuse someone, meaning to call names or threaten harm or talk or harass those who are different than we are. Physically, socially, or politically. There are statutes against it. So much for the law. So much for our birthright. So much for the character of the nation. So much for our vaunted ideals of democracy.
Obviously, given the increase in the amount of outright lies or veiled insults in the public airwaves now, the threat of the law does not really much restrain an anonymous population, let alone educate it to a more civilized kind of communication. Those websites that employ monitors with the right to reject that level of so-called comments manage to maintain a higher standard of conversation and insight. But for smaller groups with fewer resources, the ability to engage that kind of monitor is more likely to threaten the existence of the website itself than it is to eliminate the problem.
And so we all know that. And so we don't know what to do about it. Except maybe inspect our own children's websites in the hopes of being able to separate them from the adults around them who are even more childish, and even more crude, than the average adolescent.
But now we have struck a new low. A gutter talk so bad that we don't want children even to watch the news.
Now it's our national leadership who are leading the pack. These valiant types who purport to be the role
models of the country. These high-level poobahs who speak from the Olympian heights of business, politics,
and public service have long ago sliced and diced not only one another but the character of the country itself.
I am in Europe as I write this where their attitude about what they are seeing of us on television is clear but said in far more elegant, more honest, more caring language than ours for one another. They feel sorry for us. They wonder what is happening to those decent rank and file citizens, real Christians, genuine intellectuals, committed activists, genuine patriots who are embarrassed by their own political parties.
And we, for our part, ask ourselves what has happened to us. Where compassion, the ability to really feel for the other, to care for the other as well as ourselves, to be different than others but never destructive of others has disappeared.
Maybe compassion here and now calls for us to quench this fire at its lowest level on our comment boards, in our blogs, in our texts, in our chat rooms. To refuse to read them. To unlike all of them. Then, eventually, it can become unacceptable again to use that kind of language anywhere. Even in our presidential elections. At the top.
So now we're split as a country, as a body politic, as a generation. Why? Because we ignored this malignancy and let it spread. Has it helped us express ourselves? Has it helped us to make our points any better, any more effectively? Has it brought us to the point of effective political discourse? Has it made us any happier? The Dalai Lama?s statement says it all: ?If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
From where I stand, it seems that to be compassionate in this environment, we can't say it's awful anymore. We need to say: It stops here. In front of me. Always.
I am in Europe as I write this where their attitude about what they are seeing of us on television is clear but said in far more elegant, more honest, more caring language than ours for one another. They feel sorry for us. They wonder what is happening to those decent rank and file citizens, real Christians, genuine intellectuals, committed activists, genuine patriots who are embarrassed by their own political parties.
And we, for our part, ask ourselves what has happened to us. Where compassion, the ability to really feel for the other, to care for the other as well as ourselves, to be different than others but never destructive of others has disappeared.
Maybe compassion here and now calls for us to quench this fire at its lowest level on our comment boards, in our blogs, in our texts, in our chat rooms. To refuse to read them. To unlike all of them. Then, eventually, it can become unacceptable again to use that kind of language anywhere. Even in our presidential elections. At the top.
So now we're split as a country, as a body politic, as a generation. Why? Because we ignored this malignancy and let it spread. Has it helped us express ourselves? Has it helped us to make our points any better, any more effectively? Has it brought us to the point of effective political discourse? Has it made us any happier? The Dalai Lama?s statement says it all: ?If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
From where I stand, it seems that to be compassionate in this environment, we can't say it's awful anymore. We need to say: It stops here. In front of me. Always.
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