Blog
1 WEIRD FALLING BOOK
Several weeks ago, a falling book grabbed my attention. While working at my computer, a large bang startled me. I went into the office bedroom only to find that my Larousse French to English/English to French dictionary had fallen from the top shelf. It's freaky...
my 1 insane comfort food graving
Comfort food always calls my name when I am anxious or unsettled. The presidential election has me wanting to grab everything that screams comfort and cram it down my mouth. Right now, I don’t care whether the grease clogs my arteries or makes me keel over from...
6 AMAZING FACTs ABOUT WAFFLE HOUSE
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Waffle House, let me give an introduction. The company began in Georgia in 1955 when two neighbors decided to open a 24-7 sit-down restaurant for their friends and neighbors. Their goal was to provide the friendliest service in...
gaming phones: 1 treacherous activity
My addled brain has been slow to recognize the proliferation of gaming phones. Who knew there was such a creature? The need for a more sophisticated phone follows the incessant demand for mobile gaming. GROWTH OF GAMING PHONES SOFTWARE The mobile gaming market has...
1 impactful lesson about banned books
I am pleased to share Joan Fernandez’ recent “Digging In” post about banned books, a topic close to my heart. You can learn more about her and her upcoming historical fiction novel, Saving Vincent, available for preorder, here. A LESSON IN GULLIBILITY I remember a...
1 EVIL MACHINE EATING CATS AND DOGS
Haitian immigrants are not eating cats and dogs. Believe me. I repeat. They are not to be blamed for the neighborhood cats and dogs disappearing. Any card-carrying, flag-waving, blue-blooded, America-loving Boy or Girl Scout knows the truth. The neighbors’ cats and...
1 demoralized cleaning lady
Cleaning the house is not my favorite thing to do so I hire someone to take care of it. But my office, however, is another matter. My 500 sq. ft. oasis, several yards from my home, is not under contract. Why? Because I am frugal and can save money by cleaning it...
1 SHOCKING CONUNDRUM ABOUT A ROUTINE
To routine or not to routine, that is the question. Experts have differing opinions. WHY ROUTINE IS GOOD On the positive side, routines can be beneficial to your health. Managing stress, being active, sleeping better, and eating healthier increase when you are on a...
1 INCREDIBLE Labor Day Heroine
Labor Day is a time to honor not only all who labor but also one of the most tireless activists for the rights of laborers—Mary Harris Jones. LABOR DAY HEROINE BEGINNINGS Jones (née Harris) was born in Cork Ireland, circa August 1837. At age five her family moved to...
1 BEWILDERING GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION THAT SIZZLED
The 2024 election is not as unique as you may think. Consider what happened in the Lone Star State 100 years ago… The 1924 Texas gubernatorial election was hotter than a firecracker lit at both ends. Eight candidates vied for the Democratic party’s nomination. They...
unleash power by locking 2 eyeballs
Apparently locking eyeballs can be powerful. Who knew? And the practice is not new. The ancient philosophy of tantra was believed to have originated in India between three and five thousand years ago. Achieving spiritual enlightenment through tantric eye gazing is one...
1 CASE OF DEHABILITATING DEPRESSION
This post was originally published on April 3, 2023. I'm repeating it because I'm having one of those days when I need a mental health break. My mind is racing and I need some quiet. I recommend the novel, The Box, by Cathelina Duvert, for those with depression or...
1 INTRIGUING way to kill bugs
A middle-of-the-night phone call got me thinking about the most effective way to kill bugs. Yes, that is weird, but bear with me. My cell phone sits on a cabinet by the back door at night because I have a landline for emergencies. However, around 1:30 a.m. last week....
1 agonizing fawn obsession
I am suffering from fawn anthropomorphism. I didn’t know what that term meant until I searched for “attributing human emotions to animals” on the internet. According to PsychCentral, projecting human-like qualities onto objects is commonly how we view and interact...
1 CRAZY WINDMILL BATTLE
Well, ya got trouble, my friend, right here, I say, windmill trouble right here in Fayette County, Texas. (With apologies to Robert Preston for stealing his lyrics) Yes, windmills are coming to my county and the folks in these parts are riled up, including me. While I...
1 genealogy obsession
As you read this genealogy blog, I will be on vacation in Guntersville, Alabama, the burial place of my great uncle Simp McKee. It was first published in May 2020. Enjoy! GENEALOGY AWAKENINGS I became obsessed with genealogy this week. My journey began when I...
1 WOMaN’S job EXPOSED
After hearing former President Trump speak of black jobs and Hispanic jobs, I began to ponder—what exactly is a woman’s job? WOMAN'S job DEFINED Women's work, according to Wikipedia is a field of labour (sic) assumed to be solely the realm of women and associated with...
1 EPIC STRUGGLE TO COMBINE CHURCH AND STATE
My Puritan ancestors who founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1630 did not believe in the separation of church and state. In fact, their mission was to establish a society based on the laws of God. I discovered this while researching my current fictional work based...
2 ALARMING FACTS ABOUT PLAGIARISM
Can you imagine my surprise when Grammarly.com accused me of plagiarism? The charge was devastating. To assure we are on the same page, I turned to my favorite dictionary. Plagiarize as defined by Merriam-Webster means: : to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of...
MOUSECAPADES: 9 wild days
Alas, ten blissful months have passed since I last wrote a mousecapades segment. But—they’re back! And I am once more regaling you with my hair-raising tale. MOUSECAPADES DAY 1 The morning started peacefully enough. My housekeeper arrived and, as she began to unload...
4 little-known facts about LiarS
Recent events have led me to wonder why liars lie and why some people cannot see through those lies. So, I did a little digging. WE ARE ALL LIARS AccOrding to Pamela Meyer, we are lied to from 10 to 200 times a day. And while lying can be harmful when it damages...
1 MASSIVE WOMEN’S FICTION GIVEAWAY
Women’s Fiction Day is June 8, 2024, and one massive giveaway is going on. I promise to give all the links, but not until you have read the blog. Despite my request, I realize those of you who read the end of the story first will skip the next few sections! WHAT IS...
1 terrifying news consumption revelation
Analyzing political news consumption sources gives a fascinating (and frightening) look into America’s red-blue divide. According to an NBC News poll, Biden holds an 11-point lead among traditional news consumers (newspapers, national network news, and cable news) in...
1 MADDENING UNCONTROLLABLE SQUIRREL
Rocket (Rocky) J. Squirrel has made one too many appearances at my birdfeeders lately, and I am fed up. Last summer he managed to jump to one of my baffled shepherd’s hooks with no feeder, then to another feeder that has a pull-down bar to shut off the seed when a...
3 ENLIGHTENING THOUGHTS ABOUT RETIREMENT
Last week I attended my brother’s retirement party. Dr. Ted Watson is winding up a distinguished career as a professor of chemical and biological engineering at Colorado State University. The experience brought on thoughts about the whole idea of retirement. According...
1 nasty sharknado trauma
One recent Friday morning, a Sharknado warning at 5:30 a.m. sent me flying from the bed, my heart racing a million miles an hour. “Get up now. There’s a Sharknado coming. Stay away from the windows and stick with me if you want to live. This is not my first...
1 SPELLBINDING WOMEN’S GOLF TOURNAMENT
The Chevron Championship women’s golf tournament in the Woodlands (ending April 21, 2024) was spellbinding. What mesmerized me was the number of girls attending. My heart leaped when I observed girls and their fathers as well as girls with their mothers streaming into...
1 unexpected rat’s nest
Rat’s nest. Yes, I said rat’s nest. Those of you who follow me know that I have been plagued by mice. My last sighting was in August 2023. I’ve been riding high, assuming I won the war. But no, the Mouse King sent his cousin, the rat, to harass me. And frankly, the...
1 AWE-INSPIRING TEXAS ECLIPSE PARTY
Our 2024 Texas-style eclipse party surpassed my expectations. Planned over a year ago, my husband and I, accompanied by my brother, his grandson, and son descended onto my girlfriend’s ranch in the Texas Hill Country. While we had 90% coverage projected in our neck of...
1 astonishing woman speaks truth to power
Speaking truth to power can be a dangerous occupation. Just ask Anne Royall, professional journalist, travel writer, and the first female newspaper publisher in the United States. TRUTH TO POWER—AN UNCOMMON JOURNEY Anne’s early life never foreshadowed the woman she...
1 INSANE SLEEP DEPRIVED NATION
Americans cannot sleep. This issue costs us an estimated $16 billion a year in medical bills. Yikes! WHAT ARE THE PROBLEMS WITH SLEEP? A WebMD survey found that people have trouble getting to sleep as well as staying asleep, spending 7.61 hours in bed and nearly 2...
FINDING PURPOSE IN LIFE
This column was first published during COVID, but is still relevent today. Having a purpose in life is essential to a meaningful existence. Life purpose means setting goals and determining a direction for your future. With this road map, you are more likely...
1 unconscious bias confession
I, like every human on this planet, harbor unconscious bias. Social stereotypes about certain groups of people lurk in the recesses of my mind, and I don’t even know it! And, despite my best intentions, they sometimes spill over into my everyday activities....
1 UNIQUE BURIED TREASURE
Buried treasure was unearthed at the ranch last week! Can you believe? I am now $2300 richer. The booty was left on the property several years ago, and Mother Nature managed to obscure it with a luxurious coat of grass. And what was the loot, you ask? Suckers. You...
1 EYE-OPENING independence day celebration
My March 2nd Independence Day celebration with the Texas Exes was eye-opening. What, you say? March 2nd? I thought Independence Day was July 4th? It is, but Texans celebrate two different independence days. INDEPENDENCE DAY FOR TEXAS In 1836, a delegation convened at...
1 FORGOTTEN TECHNOLOGY–THE LANDLINE
The telephone landline is apparently a thing of the past. Its demise became evident when the AT&T cellular network had a meltdown this past week, leading to howls of protest. One businessperson reported that, without her cell phone, she could not take orders for...
1 ASTOUNDING ARTIST—EDMONIA LEWIS
The fact that Edmonia Lewis was able to fulfill her destiny is astounding; that her works were ignored and lost—shameful. Authorities are unclear on the exact details of her life because Lewis was known to tell stories about herself to win over the audiences she was...
1 UGLY RANT ABOUT AGEISM IN aMERICA
Bear with me as I rant against ageism in America. The special counsel report on President Biden’s handling of classified documents really punched my button. My purpose is not to debate whether Biden has the mental capacity to be president. My beef is that Americans...
LIFE IMITATES ART –1 CONFOUNDING QUANDRY
At my ranch, Las Tortugas, I find that life imitates art these days. What, you say? I thought the phrase was art imitates life. Apparently, the argument has been around for a long time, way back to Plato and Aristotle. Plato felt that all artistic creation is a form...
1 AWESOME SUPERAGER
I aspire to be a superager like my friend, Jeanette. I recently attended her 90th birthday party and was so awed, I asked if I could blog about her. DEFINING A SUPERAGER A superager is an individual over 80 with a memory at least as good as those of people who are 20...
1 Conundrum—Book Cover Design
One of the biggest conundrums for a writer is book cover design. The experts hammer this into anyone who publishes. While the saying is “you can’t judge a book by its cover” the reality is most shoppers do. According to ProWritingAid, you must be sure your book cover...
1 PIECE OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS—SYSTEMIC RACISM
Yes, we have made great strides in individual rights. The Civil Rights movement profoundly affected me as a woman. I was born into a society that denied me fundamental rights that we take for granted today. Consider this: 1954 Women gain the right to serve on Texas...
IT’S ABOUT TIME
I am pleased to share this blog post from writer Joan Fernandez. You can learn more about her and follow her blog here. *** I write historical fiction because I am deeply passionate about the present. Sound...
1 FREAKY NEW YEAR’S EVE
As New Year’s Eve approached, I began thinking about New Year's Eves past. Some I remember, some I slept through, and some were bizarre. The craziest one I spent was in the early eighties. NEW YEAR’S EVE SETTING THE SCENE My mother died in 1978, and my father...
HAVE 1 INCREDIBLE HOLIDAY SEASON
1 CRAZY DAY OF GIFT WRAPPING
My husband and I have different ideas about gift wrapping for the holiday season. In the past, he took care of the wrapping without my assistance. Now, because his disability is worsening, I have been called upon to be the gift-wrapping assistant. Do you have cycles...
1 HORRENDOUS LIE—HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Happily ever after—I can’t believe I ever bought into this horrendous lie. So, readers, bear with me, I’m on a rant today. Since I was small I was exposed to what Merriam-Webster calls an idiom: live happily ever after. Which means “to live happily for the rest of...
MICRO WRESTLING 1 BIZARRE WORLD
Micro wrestling. Who knew? After shopping at Walmart, I returned to my truck only to find a flier advertising micro wrestling coming soon to an event venue outside of La Grange. The event was billed as “HIGH FLYING, BODY SLAMMING & OFF THE TOP ROPE! “OUTRAGEOUSLY...
LOVE OF MONEY —1 THORNY ISSUE
Geoffrey Holt’s lack of love of money was in the news recently. The eighty-two-year-old was the caretaker of a mobile home park in Hinsdale, New Hampshire. Wearing threadbare clothes, he would ride his lawnmower to the convenience store. His mobile home was mostly...
SHOCKING JFK ASSASSINATION 60 YEARS AGO
I remember the JFK assassination as if it happened yesterday. JFK ASSASSINATION SETTING THE SCENE Let me take you back to my home town, Baytown, Texas, Friday, November 22, 1963, population around 30,000. Six days prior to Thanksgiving, thirteen days till my...
1 THORNY ISSUE—CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Christian nationalism is a hot topic these days. According to NPR, researchers recently found that more than half of Republicans believe the country should be a strictly Christian nation, either adhering to the ideals of Christian nationalism (21%) or sympathizing...
1 CRAZY TREND: DOG HAIR YARN
Dog hair yarn? Who knew? Yes, you heard me correctly. It’s all the rage to have your beloved pet’s hair made into a fashionable hat, scarf, or sweater. Chiengora—the art of turning dog hair into textiles—is having a renaissance. In fact, the hair has some advantages...
1 GIGANTIC STRUGGLE—CHANGING YOUR MIND
Changing your mind is difficult even when the facts say otherwise. Imagine my surprise when U.S. House of Representatives Jared Golden of Maine openly changed his mind regarding assault rifles after the mass shooting event in Maine on October 25, 2023. According to...
1 NEW BIONIC WOMAN
I have joined the bionic woman population, having received a total knee replacement on October 11, 2023. I am not alone. Approximately 790,000 total knee replacements are performed every year in the U.S. Who knew? BIONIC WOMAN JOURNEY It’s been quite a ride. I blew...
context matters
This blog was first published July 18, 2022. I am republishing after the news of the new fighting in the Middle East. While listening to the pundits, I became dismayed as many of them were citing facts and not putting the entire situation in context. Again, in order...
OLD DOG — 1 NEW TRICK
I admit I’m an old dog and do things the old way. So, when my grandson called me out for not washing the dishes with soap (I only rinsed) before putting them in the dishwasher, the practice got me to thinking. Now, I remember the last time this old dog failed to rinse...
1 AWESEOME AXE THROWING MOMMA
Axe throwing is now off my bucket list. This past week a girlfriend and I spent about one and a half hours learning the ancient art. Let me back up, while they call it axe-throwing, it was really a hatchet, a short-handled axe. There were three different weight...
is socialism 1 scary bogeyman?
I'm off to to Chicago for the Women Fiction Writer's Conference this week and want to share a blog from 2021. Understanding the history of our development as a country and how we function rather than let words such as socialism strike fear into our hearts is food for...
4 NEW FABULOUS FRIENDS
Making new friends is tough for me. At conferences, I keep to myself, shy about approaching others and starting a conversation. I’ve always been that way. My ex-husband said that when he first met me in high school I seemed aloof. (Frankly, I should have stayed that...
EVOLVING LIFE SKILLS
A conversation with my daughter, a third-grade teacher, got me to thinking about evolving life skills. She told one of the boys to tie his shoes. When he hesitated, she asked if he knew how. He did not. Three other boys were nearby. She asked if they would tie his...
3 SURPRISING OMENS
August has been a month of surprising omens within one week. Not only was the super blue moon present, but two eggs we cracked had double yolks. OMENS OF MY YOUTH Omens, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, are observed phenomenon that signify good and bad...
MOUSECAPADES: MARGINALIZED VOICES
The publishing industry is edgy these days about marginalized voices. Marginalized voices, according to IGI Global’s InfoScipedia, are groups or individuals who have been pushed to the edge of society and are not afforded active voice or place in community....
SLEEPING POSITIONS CONTROVERSY
Who knew that sleeping positions could be so controversial? By now, you must be thinking, Watts, don’t you have anything better to write about. And, frankly, I’m asking the same question. My deadline is nearing, and I’ve been wracking my brain for topics. By now we...
MOUSECAPADES: 1 STUNNED MOUSE
I had hoped another Mousecapades would be in the distant future, but alas, it was not to be. The bastards seem to be determined to try my patience and ingenuity. It’s been less than two months since the last batch was banished. Sigh. STUNNED MOUSE CLUES My first clue...
HELL RUN THROUGH
I’ve never really thought about what it might be like to go to hell. After all, I’ve tried to be a good girl my whole life…. Let me rephrase this. Throughout my life I have shifted my thoughts about what it means to be a good girl: I no longer believe that drinking,...
BARBIE MOVIE RESONATES
I must confess that, at first, I was against seeing the Barbie Movie. Frankly, I seldom go to the theater. But I took a deep dive last week while in Houston. I’m glad I did. It was hilarious. This satirical comedy skewered just about everyone from Mattel’s commitment...
BARBIECORE MANIA
Barbiecore mania is sweeping the nation. I hate to admit being a fuddy-duddy, but I had no idea what that meant. Now I know. Barbiecore, according to the Today Show, “is a bright, vibrant trend defined by a very particular color pink. Moreover it “means channeling a...
COLLECTIBLES DILEMMA
Lately I’ve been thinking about collectibles. Collectible is defined by Merriam Webster as an object that is collected by fanciers, especially: one other than such traditionally collectible items as art, stamps, coins, and antiques. And I have plenty of these things....
1 HORRENDOUS CASE OF LAZINESS
I’ve been trying to come up with a blog topic for several hours, but laziness is blocking my creative writing juices. I’ve had this problem since I took the weekend before July 4th off and can’t get back into the groove of things. I’ve been searching for causes for...
1 BIZARRE RECYCLED GIFT
I received a bizarre, recycled gift for Mother’s Day—a cowhide rug. Now, mind you, I already have one and love it. You can sweep it off or wash it down with a hose. And, as a born and bred Texan, why would I not have one? This particular hide, however, is spooky...
TRILL BURGER MADNESS
This week I joined the masses (including elites such as Ludacris and Drake) in a quest to taste the Trill Burger, proclaimed best hamburger in the nation on Good Morning America on July 29, 2022. HISTORY OF TRILL BURGER According to their website: Co-founded by...
JUNETEENTH IN RURAL AMERICA
Juneteenth is not a new celebration in Fayette County, Texas. This rural central Texas County has been celebrating the occasion since after the Civil War. One of the earlier celebrations was recorded in the 1884 La Grange Journal. The newspaper indicated that...
MOUSECAPADES: 1 GROSS-OUT
Mousecapades. Again? Really? One of my friends mentioned the other day that she was ready for another mousecapades episode. I tried to brush it off. I am so over the vermin. Well, they’re back! And Redsie, this one’s for you. MOUSECAPADES AWAKENING The first clue...
WOMEN’S FICTION DAY GIVEAWAYS
Please join me in celebrating Women’s Fiction Day on June 8, 2022. The day lauds women’s fiction authors, novels, publishers, and book sellers as well as readers who appreciate women’s fiction and the power of a great story. The event is hosted by the Women’s Fiction...
WRITING DEADLINES AND WATER LEAKS
Writing deadlines and water leaks should not go together. However, lightning has struck twice. In 2007, nearing the deadline for submitting my manuscript for La Grange, Images of America, I entered my office only to find water covering the floor. A pipe underneath the...
DEVELOP SELF-COMPASSION
Even though I'm having a great year, I need self-compassion because I'm up to my eyeballs in alligators. Enjoy this blog from 2022. This year appears to be morphing into another tough one. To get by, we’ll need a little self-compassion. Compassion is defined...
1 APPARITION OF JANIS JOPLIN?
An apparition of Janis Joplin appeared in my bathroom several weeks ago in a homemade bar of soap gifted to me. Gazing at it while showering has brought back memories of another era. I’ve postponed using it, instead hanging on to the dreg of the last bar, allowing me...
1 WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
Something spurs me to walk on the wild side. Being adventurous and trying new things is part of my DNA. Before leaving Las Vegas this week, I stopped by the oxygen bar to see what it was all about. Proponents of these establishments claim purified oxygen can help:...
ALEXA STOP THINKING!
Alexa stop thinking! You are really getting too big for your britches. The nightmare of “the thinking” Ms. A began last week. Note: I will use this abbreviation for her as I generally check my blogs by having Microsoft Word read them back to me, and I don’t need her...
SURVIVING LIFE’S CURVEBALLS
This week has thrown more of life’s curveballs at me than I’d ever imagined possible in such a short period of time. The bad and good, all jumbled up into one. In the meantime, I’m desperately trying to complete my mission to be what I could have been. Basically, I...
1 DISTURBING ETHICS BROUHAHA
Upset and saddened sum up my feelings about the ethics brouhaha surrounding Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. I was raised by a father who had a strong code of ethics regarding what was right and wrong. He worked for Exxon and had a cool mechanical pencil, dark...
WILD TEXAS WEATHER
Wild Texas weather descended upon the ranch Wednesday around eight pm. The sky lit up and rumbled, but it was all bark and no bite. Nary a drop of rain. Grumbling, I went to bed. You see, it’s been: Dry so long, we only got a quarter-inch of rain during Noah’s Flood....
DEHABILITATING DEPRESSION
Since the 1990s, I have suffered with clinical depression. And, despite meds, it has taken hold of me in the past few weeks. At one point in my life, I became so depressed I was a walking zombie. Going to work, not able to think. Barely putting one foot in front of...
I’M RELATED TO WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE!
William Shakespeare (1564-1626) is my 11th great-grand uncle! Who knew? Family Search dropped me an email the other day to inform me of this connection. I guess writing is in my genes. However, somewhere along the way, his genius got wiped from my DNA. WILLIAM...
HAPPY WORLD STORYTELLING DAY
Today is World Storytelling Day. It got me to thinking about the craft. I fancy myself as a wonderful storyteller. My oral ability to spin a yarn made me a popular trainer in the business world, allowing me to teach others management, diversity, communication skills,...
WOMEN’S HARD-FOUGHT BATTLES
taking time to reflect on women’s hard-fought battles during Women’s History Month. A battle close to my heart is the right for married women in Texas to control their own property, contracts, and wages without their husband’s permission. It was not until 1968 that...
Stressful Grand Dog Sitting
OMG! Grand dog sitting is stressful. My daughter and son-in-law needed to attend an out-of-state funeral and we were recruited to keep the ten-week-old Goldendoodle, Phoenix, this weekend. Oh, and the grandsons. The weekend before the grand dog sitting assignment, was...
1 angry PLAY LIKE A GIRL woman
You can’t imagine my dismay at Tiger Woods’ Play Like a Girl stunt at Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles, February 16-19, 2023. THE PLAY LIKE A GIRL STUNT Tiger outdrove Justin Thomas and, as they walked to the ball, handed Justin a tampon....
EARLY TEXAS LITERARY SOCIETY
An early Texas Literary Society flourished a little more than a mile from my home beginning around 1857. The Prairie Blume (Prairie Flower) Literary Society was formed by German immigrants living in the Black Jack Springs area of Fayette County, Texas. The leaves...
MOUSECAPADES: 1 BITTER DEFEAT
Mousecapades will never end. I stand before you a broken, defeated soul. Mournful echoes of my alma mater’s song have been twisting through my mind this week, leaving me bereft. The mice of Texas are upon me, All the live long day. The mice of Texas are upon...
1 STRANGE PAJAMA DAY
I haven’t had a pajama day since before COVID when attempting to recover from a severe cold. But last Thursday was chilly, misty, and icy. Fearful I’d slip going into my she shed, I stayed in the big house. And, since I wasn’t going anywhere, pajama day seemed like a...
GOLDFINCHES GOING WILD
For days my feeders have been overwhelmed with Goldfinches going wild. I’ve had them before (when I bothered to put out feed) but I’ve never seen them like this. They’ve plowed through three full containers of sunflower seeds in about three days, mostly throwing them...
AMERICA’S MOST POPULAR PET
Historically, the squirrel is America’s most popular pet. In fact, in the 18th- and 19th centuries, squirrels were fixtures in American homes. Sorry, dog and cat lovers, I am not joking. In fact, January 21st was Squirrel Appreciation Day. HISTORY OF AMERICA’S MOST...
MLK DAY SMALL TOWN TEXAS
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would be amazed by the 2023 MLK Day celebration in the small Texas town of La Grange. Nestled in Fayette County just southeast of Austin, the county has a long and distinguished African American history. Freedom Colonies abound and La Grange...
WATER LINE BREAKS
Water line breaks! Not again! I thought that ugly memory would be relegated to the ghosts of snowmageddons past. No such luck. The cold weather snuck in right before Christmas, but I was prepared. I spent time turning off the water at the road, draining the pipes,...
PARTING COMPANY IN 2023
My New Year’s Resolution in 2023 is parting company with things, people, or organizations not adding to my happiness. PARTING COMPANY WITH PHYSICAL OBJECTS Prior to Christmas, I reluctantly relinquished the quilt rack my mother gifted me. She passed away in 1978 and...
DRAG QUEEN BROUHAHA
All the drag queen brouhaha got me to thinking. (A dangerous thing for me to do!) Recently there have been a spate of threats and attacks against drag queen performances. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation reported that more than one hundred twenty drag...
HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
By now many of us are thinking about being home for the holidays. These verses stream through my mind: Oh, there's no place like home for the holidays'Cause no matter how far away you roamIf you want to be happy in a million waysFor the holidays, you can't beat home...
MOUSECAPADES-A DUSTUP
Just as I announced mousecapades were behind me, a dustup occurred, forcing me to turn my attention from my new enemy, feral hogs, to my old nemeses, the mice. At least this time they didn’t trespass in the house. The varmints decided to park themselves on my party...
WAR ON FERAL HOGS
This blog was originally posted in December 2022. Unfortunately, I must report that my plan to set up my deer feeder to attract them near my house backfired. The feeder is old, blew down several times, and is now bent beyond recognition. The beasts are still with me....
WILL GLOBAL WARMING END THANKSGIVING?
After having stuffed my face and imbibing too many Manhattans, I began to wonder if global warming would change the way my descendants celebrate Thanksgiving. The last few weeks have been filled with news about Lake Powell and Lake Mead running out of water and towns...
ROADBLOCKS IN LIFE
My recent trip to Williamsburg, VA made me think about roadblocks in life. While I consider myself successful, I’ve been guessing about how my life would have turned out had major roadblocks not foiled my plans for college. A visit to Williamsburg in the 1960s left me...
1 ROCKING POTTY MOUTH
My potty mouth may not be such a terrible trait after all. I imagine you are saying right now, “Marie, do you have a potty mouth? I can’t believe such a mild looking grandmother could let out a string of expletives.” My answer is, yes, unfortunately I do. Yeah, Yeah,...
NOT LIVING UP TO A PROMISE
We Americans are not living up to a promise made to our disabled compatriots; namely to remove barriers from public accommodations. Our recent road trip, wandering from Texas to Washington, D.C. and back, was a rude awakening. My husband suffers from post-polio...
FOLLOW THE MONEY
Follow the money was a theme on my recent trip to Williamsburg, VA. FOLLOW THE MONEY JAMESTOWN Make no mistake, Jamestown was founded with making money in mind. In June of 1606, King James I granted a charter to a group of London entrepreneurs, the Virginia...
OIL BARON NO MORE
I am no longer a Texas oil baron. My Lone Star State identity has been ripped from me. When I acquired the ranch in 1998, a big-ass ugly oil well occupied the back corner. The profits were nil— enough to buy a happy meal yearly—costing me more in tax accounting fees...
SEEKING THE TRUTH
Readers: I am on vacation today but wanted to share with you one of my favorite blog posts regarding truth from 2016. Enjoy! As a student at the University of Texas I often gazed at the verse from John 8:32 that is carved into the front wall of the tower: "Ye shall...
the truth about gossiping
I hope you enjoy this Gossiping blog posted on September 28, 2020. I'm taking a vacation to relax and visit relatives this month. Enjoy! Ladies, do you remember your mother telling you that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything? And for...
BANNED BOOKS CONTROVERSY
Banned books are nothing new. The first one likely outlawed in the United States was Thomas Morton’s three-volume New English Canaan, in 1637. The tomes are a denunciation of Puritan government in the colonies and their policies towards Indians. He described the...
DISLIKING OTHERS
We’re all human and easily fall into the trap of disliking others. But what is fascinating, is that when we are the ones who are disliked, we fall to pieces and go down a rabbit hole of self-loathing. DISLIKING OTHERS IS BAKED INTO OUR DNA The truth is that disliking...
CHANGE OBLITERATES MY PAST
The reality of change hit me especially hard on August 31, 2022, while viewing the Battleship Texas moving from its’ berth at the San Jacinto Monument to Galveston, Texas for repairs. The location we chose for the event was the Baytown Nature Center, a 500-acre...
I HATE YOU, LUCIFER DECS
Lucifer Decs first appeared in my life on August 14, 2022, a day that will live in infamy. I was minding my own business, attending a meeting of the Faison Preservation Society. This group to which I belong preserves and operates the historic N.W. Faison House in La...
SELF HELP ROCKS
Self Help Rocks is the third in my series, Talking to Ourselves. You can find the second installment, Talking to Others here. Chatter, The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross is the source of this information. We can’t expect others...
TALKING TO OTHERS
Talking to Others is the second in my series, Talking to Ourselves. The first thing we want to do when we’ve had a negative experience is talk to others. Ethan Kross, author of Chatter, The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It explains this is a...
TALKING TO OURSELVES
I am writing a blog series, Talking To Ourselves, and dedicating it to me. Throughout my life, my inner voice has been a tough critic, sending me into spirals of depression. Lately, it questions why I continued to write. In my continual fight to stay out of the pit, I...
1 TREMENDOUS LAZY DAY
National Lazy Day was August 10th. I’m still celebrating. Many ideas for today’s blog have been swirling through my head and, one day, I’ll get to them—but not today. They’re just too much work! Even the even the activities in the “Lazy Day” song by Spanky and our...
2 MEAN ‘USE BY’ NAZIS
I love my daughters very much, they’re ‘use by’ Nazis. When they come to my house, they will take stuff out of the pantry or fridge, look at the ‘use by’ date, and go berserk if they find any food that has expired. COMMON ‘USE BY’ DATES The USDA gives these examples...
MOUSECAPADES: THE FINALE?
Listen my children and you shall hear of the last mousecapades adventure of the year. Shortly after I bludgeoned the one trespassing creature in May 2022 and unceremoniously throwing his carcass out the door, his comrades rushed to back-fill his position. They were...
OCCUPATION GHOSTBUSTER
Last week I was cajoled into being a ghostbuster. Unpaid of course. A ghostbuster is someone who locates and removes spirits, be it a ghost or apparition. I’ve been many things in my life–babysitter, camp counselor, mother, wife, Girl Scout leader, church choir...
THE CONTEXT CONUNDRUM
My fear is that, as a society, we are neglecting to look at issues in context. Instead, we turn to simple, pat answers to support our beliefs, preferring not to explore how complex and gray issues are. Merriam Webster defines context as: the parts of a discourse that...
IT’S THE HEAT, STUPID
The heat is eating me alive. It’s a downright scorcher at the ranch. My personal weather station is registering 102° while Austin is a sizzling 103° and it’s only 4:15 pm on July 9, 2022. How vicious is the heat, Marie? I’m glad you asked. It’s so hot that a...
BOYCOTTING THE FOURTH OF JULY
The Fourth of July is our national holiday to celebrate the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation. The document that envisioned a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal was the...
ONE TRICKY PERSONAL BEST
The concept of personal best caught my attention last week as I played golf for the second time since the pandemic started. And, of course, I sucked. Despite my husband’s coaching, I kept raising up while swinging, topping the ball. I hit some good shots, perhaps...
JUNETEENTH—A UNIQUE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
The Juneteenth (June 19, 1865) experience smacked me upside the head this weekend as I participated in numerous Juneteenth celebrations. Take yourself back one hundred fifty-seven years ago to Fayette County, Texas where thirty-three percent of the inhabitants were...
THE GREAT PAPER SHORTAGE
The great paper shortage will get worse before it gets better. As we speak, book publishers are in a panic. Why are we in this mess? PAPER SHORTAGE DUE TO CHANGING CORPORATE PRACTICES Jack Welsh, CEO of General Electric, began his corporate reign in 1981, ushering in...
WOMEN’S FICTION DAY
Day Promotes Authors and Genre that Consistently Tops Bookseller Charts I’m inviting everyone to celebrate Women’s Fiction Day with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. I joined this organization several years ago and it has made a...
I AM INVISIBLE
Imagine my surprise when I learned that I am invisible; I do not exist according to my alma mater, the University of Texas. Last week I began researching my new historical novel and came across an article in JSTOR to read. Supposedly, because I am a Texas Ex member,...
MOUSECAPADES FURY UNLEASHED
I am blankety-blank tired of writing blogs about my mousecapades. But the monsters are BAAAACK. My blissful day was rudely interrupted a week ago when I noticed the mac and cheese spoon I had left on the stove in a spoon holder was licked clean and small pellet...
FOOD IS FAMILY: FAMILY IS COMFORT
My earliest childhood memories revolve around food with family in Baytown, Texas. While we had a formal dining room, most meals were eaten in the kitchen. My brother and I had our own child-sized table and chairs while my parents dined at the big one. Standard fare...
WHEN GOOD INTENTIONS BACKFIRE: THE STORY OF ANNA MARIE JARVIS
Anna Marie Jarvis spent decades trying to undo the monster she created: Mother’s Day. To her horror, the day she envisioned was highjacked by the moneymakers and turned into a commercial venture. The National Retail Federation estimates the average family will have...
MOVING FORWARD WHEN THE WAY AHEAD IS UNCLEAR
I’m pleased to repost Moving Forward When The Way Ahead Is Unclear by Jeanne S. Archer. Jeanne is a gold friend. For you non-Girl Scouts, as Brownies, we learned a musical round: Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver and the other’s gold. I won’t tell you...
10 Reasons to Navigate Your Life Like Google Maps
I’m pleased to repost a blog by Catherine Matthews, 10 Reasons to Navigate Your Life Like Google Maps. Catherine is a silver friend. For you non-Girl Scouts, as Brownies, we learned a musical round: Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver and the other’s...
MY PERSONAL KILLING FIELDS
Spring has sprung, and the action is heating up in my personal killing fields. My general tendency is to butcher almost everything I plant so it will be a long season. Because of my dismal track record, I stick mostly to succulents and cacti, which are harder, but not...
1 UTTERLY EFFECTIVE WANDERING MIND
One of my absolute best traits is a wandering mind. I’m not alone. A growing body of literature suggests that we take our mind away from the task at hand, about half our waking moments. Our brain moves backward or forward in time rather than just being in the moment....
MY FIRST RODEO
My first rodeo wasn’t the 2022 Houston Live Stock Show and Rodeo. Over the years, I’ve seen Sonny and Cher, Charlie Pride, and Bob Dylan, to name a few. Sigh, yawn. Performances in the Astrodome, then in NRG Stadium, never dazzled. The dome’s sound system was...
KIDNEY DONATION SAVES LIVES
An extraordinary kidney donation will occur on March 29, 2022. Two women, whose lives intersected on Zoom during COVID lockdown, will become one. The daily Zoom meetings were spawned by the Women’s Fiction Writers Association as a way to stay connected to the writing...
MOUSECAPADES REDUX
Well, ya got trouble, my friend, right here,I say, trouble right here in Fayette County, Texas. Mousecapades 2022 has begun. Yep, I can’t believe it, but I seen it with my own eyes! Unfortunately. After returning from a weekend trip, my husband announced he saw a...
1 UGLY BLACK EYE
I’m sporting one ugly black eye today. Technically its an obnoxious red, but will soon head to the dark side. WHAT IS A BLACK EYE? A black eye is bleeding under the skin around the eye. Generally, they aren’t serious, but if you have double vision, bruising around...
EARLY TEXAS HERO ANGELINA EBERLY
Texas hero Angelina Eberly epitomizes the grit and determination of pioneer women. She and her first husband, Jonathan C. Peyton, left Tennessee in 1822 and eventually landed in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas (Coahuila and Texas) at Matagorda Bay. Settling in...
MY NOVEL-WRITING JOURNEY
Tomorrow my novel-writing journey will reach a milestone with the release of the last book of my Warriors For Equal Rights trilogy, Rapture by Revenge. All Alice wants is to make it to retirement. Her boss has other ideas. As Alice’s team celebrates significant...
ONE UTTERLY FORGOTTEN PRESIDENT
to Oxford Scholarship Online, Martin Van Buren is the number one forgotten president. I know him only because we share the same birthday—December 5. I learned this important piece of trivia through my cherished childhood presidential biography book. The man does hold...
BLACK HISTORY MONTH MATT gAINES
In honor of Black History Month, I am sharing this article I wrote for the historical series, Footprints of Fayette County. The article is titled FAYETTE COUNTY JURY DERAILS CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. African-Americans learned that they were free from slavery on...
SEND A CARD TO A FRIEND DAY
Today is “Send a Card to a Friend Day." Who knew? Greeting cards have been around since the 1400s, but I have a sneaking suspicion that greeting card companies whipped up this day to sell their wares. Sites even have hashtags such as #SendACardToAFriendDay to allow...
1 GIANT DOSE OF TECHNOLOGY FATIGUE
I hit the wall last week with one giant dose of technology fatigue. For a senior citizen, I’m pretty in sync with the digital universe. However, the learning curve seems steeper these days due to the increasing number of gadgets and streaming services. If you look...
THE GREAT RESIGNATION EXPLAINED
The Great Resignation continues unabated. People are quitting their jobs in droves because of COVID. Many began to rethink how, where, and why they work. By November 2021, a record 4.5 million workers left their jobs, according to the Labor Department. The plight of...
CONTINUING THE MLK LEGACY OF BELOVED COMMUNITY
In the spring of 1963, civil rights activists in Birmingham, Alabama led by Dr. Martin Luther King launched a campaign against segregation. They used a variety of nonviolent tactics including lunch counter and library sit-ins, marches on city hall, and boycotts of...
DEVELOP SELF-COMPASSION IN 2022
This year appears to be morphing into another tough one. To get by, we’ll need a little self-compassion. Compassion is defined as the feeling that arises when you are faced with another’s suffering and feel moved to relieve it. If we are capable of treating others...
one audacious wishbone for 2022
I’m requisitioning one audacious wishbone for you this new year. May a good break give you all the fortune you deserve for 2022. I remember breaking wishbones, mainly in chickens, with my brother as a child, but I haven’t done this in years. My COVID angst led me to...
VACCINE LESSONS FROM SEAT BELTS
Today, most of us agree that seat belts save lives and accept regulations mandating their use. But that wasn’t always the case. The fight for seat belt acceptance sounds eerily similar to today’s struggle for vaccine compliance. HISTORY OF SEAT BELTS The first seat...
KISS YOUR INNER CRITIC GOODBYE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
My inner critic is working overtime his month. I need a few peaceful days to fully embrace the blessings I do have. Like many of you, I’m stressing over finances. Then, there are the new windows that are only half installed (who knows when the others will be done),...
KIMCHI SURPRISE
I recently tasted kimchi for the first time. Awesome! Scrumptious! The dish will be on my menu in the future. For the uninitiated, kimchi is, according to Wikipedia: … a staple food in Korean cuisine, is a traditional side dish of salted and fermented vegetables,...
MENTAL TOUGHNESS IN 2022
We’ll need all the mental toughness we can muster to face 2022. The skill is essential in helping us overcome extreme hurdles and achieve goals. With the Omicron COVID variant lurking, virus-induced problems such as supply chain issues and inflation will most likely...
ALARM CLOCK MEMORIES
I bought my first new alarm clock in twenty-something years this week. The retired gadget (Timex Nature Sounds Radio Clock) was state of the art back then, putting you to sleep with babbling brook, forest, or ocean while waking you with a cathedral chime, mechanical...
ONE FABULOUS TECH CHALLENGED TRIP
My recent trip to Boston revealed an ugly truth—I am tech challenged. Needless to say, my pride was wounded as I’ve always believed myself to be on the cutting edge of this rapidly changing field. But, No! As soon as one aspect is mastered, another innovation swoops...
MY BODY TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY IS COMPLETE
In January 2021, I blogged about my body transformation journey, updating my progress in April. I am proud to announce the end of the road. Actually, I’ve been hovering at the doorstep for several weeks now, too afraid to declare victory. The reason is body weight...
1 CRAZY FROG INFESTATION
Houston, we have a problem—frog infestation. I’ve lived in the country full-time for eighteen years and never seen anything like it. These creatures are scurrying around my porch, in the carport, and down the sidewalk. All different kinds. Two even climbed into my...
1 COOL SMALL-TOWN FESTIVAL
Last weekend I attended a unique small-town festival in Fayetteville, Texas called Lickskillet Days, now in its forty-fourth year. The event is a fascinating blend of cultures, making it an extraordinary window into the past of this small central Texas town of 255...
SHORTAGE FRUSTRATION
Until recently, I considered myself immune to shortage frustration. My toilet tissue and hand sanitizer stockpiles are healthy. What more could anyone want? But this week, the new economy has punched my button big time! Where do I start? EMPLOYEE SHORTAGE...
1 EVIL EYE CHARM
My daughter bought me a coat at a garage sale that had an evil eye charm pinned near a buttonhole. At first, I just assumed it was there to help the wearer quickly recognize his/her coat. I had no idea about evil eye charms until I started looking on the internet for...
THOUGHTS ON SOCIALISM
All, I am off to the the Women's Fiction Writer's Conference in Chicago, so am reposting this blog first published in 2021. In today's political climate, thinking about our country and what we want for our future, its good to take some time to examine our past. Enjoy....
ZOOM VERSUS REAL LIFE
Meeting people on Zoom versus real life is weirdly different. I have a Zoom community of writers from the Women’s Fiction Writers Association that I’ve regularly met with since June of 2020. I’ve gotten to know them in a square box, generally at a desk. I recently...
SEEKING THE TRUTH
Readers: I am on vacation today but wanted to share with you one of my favorite blog posts regarding truth from 2016. Enjoy! As a student at the University of Texas I often gazed at the verse from John 8:32 that is carved into the front wall of the tower: "Ye shall...
1 Inept Woman
I hate it when men think I am an inept woman. Just so we are on the same page, I’ve included the definition of the word: Definition of inept 1: generally incompetent : BUNGLING inept leadership 2: lacking in fitness or aptitude : UNFIT inept at sports 3: not suitable...
5 BADASS RIFLES
Talk about badass rifles! I got my first look at a reproduction of the 1874 Sharps Rifle from Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing. This beast is called the 1874 Quigley, made famous by the movie Quigley Downunder. It weighs twenty pounds! The gun is custom-ordered and...
5 HURRICANE MEMORIES
Hurricane season dredges up memories, especially as another one is forming in the Gulf of Mexico. HURRICANE CARLA The first serious storm I survived was Carla, which hit Texas in 1961. We huddled in our home along with the preacher and his wife who took shelter with...
BINGE-WATCHING AND MENTAL HEALTH
My husband’s binge-watching has certainly affected my mental health. The other night, around one in the morning, I was in a dead sleep. Suddenly, vicious barking and a huge slam jarred me awake. I thought fighting dogs were throwing themselves against the furniture...
1 BIG ‘BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP’ HEADACHE
“Build Me Up Buttercup” is about ready to make me scream! Lately, the tune has been popping up in my mind at the oddest times—driving the tractor, taking a shower—POOF! It appears. Its even running in the background while I’m writing this blog. Having come of age...
4 LESSONS LEARNED FROM SMALLPOX
Apparently, the lessons learned from smallpox are being ignored when dealing with COVID. The ugly disease had been around almost three thousand years until it was officially declared eradicated in 1980 after an aggressive worldwide vaccination campaign. (Mind you, an...
THE MASK IS BACK
Scary stories I heard in Houston last week made me realize the mask is back. Frankly, I paid little attention to the CDC guidance on July 27, 2021, recommending fully vaccinated people to wear a mask in public indoor settings in areas of substantial or high...
THE BIGGEST TIME WASTERS
You may be surprised at this list of the biggest time wasters we regret when we get older. I certainly was. It gave me lots to think about. I’ve always been a big fan of the maxim—You've got to know when to hold 'em, Know when to fold 'em, Know when to walk away,...
DEVELOPING THE GIFT OF WISDOM
Developing the gift of wisdom is crucial to happiness. Research studies indicate that individuals who rank high in wisdom have improved mental and physical health. Additionally, wisdom strengthens high life engagement, positive problem-solving skills, and social and...
THE NEED FOR GENDER-NEUTRAL PRONOUNS
Lately, the need for gender-neutral pronouns has been on my mind. It started when my husband purchased The Mon Chéri Cookie from our local HEB grocery store. They are pitched as naturally flavored, cherry-almond cookies containing real Montmorency cherries. ...
THE STRANGE HISTORY OF YANKEE DOODLE
Most Americans can’t remember the first time they heard Yankee Doodle. The song, a staple for the Fourth of July, has a rather strange history. It actually started out as an insult to the colonists in America. YANKEE DOODLE INSULT Legend holds that in 1755 British...
THOUGHTS ON GAY PRIDE MONTH
June is Gay Pride Month. The timeframe was established to commemorate the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, commonly considered the catalyst for the gay rights movement. Many strides have been made, but one overwhelming hurdle exists. While other groups enjoy full...
DEATH AND REBIRTH OF ONE TOUGH CENTURY PLANT
Country living brings me close and upfront to the cycle of death and rebirth. This month, I performed an assisted suicide for the most stubborn hardy injurious infuriating gigantic Agave americana aka century plant I have ever known. BIRTH PHASE OF THE DEATH AND...
UNDERWEAR HELl
Lately, I’ve been stuck in underwear hell. Hope this isn’t TMI for you, but the issue has driven me to the soapbox. After losing a good deal of weight, my undies began drooping. First, I headed to a big box store and spent a good fifteen minutes searching for the...
3 PAINFUL YELLOW JACKET STINGS
Yellow jacket stings gave me a crude welcome last week. I retaliated the first time by spraying the crap out of the nest on the door to my office. Four days later, the same thing happened, this time from a house above the entrance. Again, armed with long-stream...
SMASHING A TURTLE
Super Mario Bros. makes a game of smashing evil turtles named Koopa Troopas. Smashing a turtle (a real one) two days in a row is not fun but upsetting. Most people believe smashing a turtle to be difficult, but I have managed to do it two days in a row. We’ve had...
THE GREAT RESHUFFLING
I am proud to be an early adherent to the great reshuffling. In 2003, I lost my job, became self-employed full time, and, tired of the Houston rat race, moved to my second home in rural central Texas. (Something had to give. I couldn’t afford both places.) ...
GAMBLING SENIORS
Last week my husband and I joined hordes of gambling seniors at a casino in Louisiana. Frankly, I was stunned at the substantial number of gray hairs, wheelchairs, walkers, and scooters assembled. Did you know that seniors make up fifty percent of casino visitors?...
SCARY NIGHT TERRORS
My night terror left me stunned and bruised.
ANGRY WHEN LIFE GETS IN THE WAY
I’ve been angry this week. Extremely angry. But why? After deliberating, I’ve realized that I’m tired of life getting in the way of my desires. Chores waiting, stuff broken, a berserk website, relationship issues, volunteer work deadlines. You name it. Simple...
FARM CHORES–BURNING WOODPILES
Burning wood puts me in the moment. For several years we’ve had a large mound sitting, waiting for the right weather, a full day to tend the site, and the motivation to make it happen. Since then, I’ve changed tactics, moving to small piles to finish earlier. My...
COVID ENTERTAINMENT FOR BORED MEN
Like many men during the COVID terror, Brook is bored. So, he reached out to me. This is not the first time I have been romanced online. That got me wondering--what do these social media males see in me that mortal flesh and blood dudes can’t identify? Inquiring...
MY BODY TRANSFORMATION UPDATE
In January, I wrote about my body transformation journey. The trek has had its ups and downs, but nearing thirty pounds of weight loss is thrilling. Developing new habits and staying in line with consuming a net twelve hundred calories a day has not been easy, but...
NOT ALWAYS BEING RIGHT IS GOOD
We humans have a need to see ourselves in a positive light. Sometimes, however, we become too protective of our self-esteem and fail to take responsibility for negative outcomes. Ever heard any of these excuses (defense mechanisms) designed to protect our feelings of...
FORGETTING SECRET HIDING PLACES
Part of my time during the COVID shut-in has been devoted to reorganization and storage upgrades. The problem is, I can’t remember the special places where everything is hidden. For instance, baking pans accumulated over the course of forty years were becoming...
HOW CAN WE STOP BEING THREATENED BY EACH OTHER?
A January 2021 poll taken after the capital insurrection indicated that fifty-four percent of Americans saw their fellow citizens as the biggest threat to American life.[1] Sad, isn’t it? The reality is that we have more shared dreams and goals than any of us...
PRODUCTIVITY VERSUS CREATIVITY
As a writer, developing a balance between productivity and creativity is crucial. Recently I read Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones by James Clear. The book is chocked full of excellent advice about forming habits and...
LIFE AFTER COVID VACCINATION
In ninety-six hours, I will have full immunity from COVID thanks to two doses of the Moderna vaccine. The twenty-five million of us to be fully vaccinated represent only seven percent of the U.S. population. My fortune is astounding. Suddenly, the world is my...
TAKING MODERN CONVENIENCES FOR GRANTED
One of my friends who rode out the Texas deep freeze commented that we take modern conveniences for granted. That got me thinking. My children lost power for several days and had planned on using the gas fireplace for warmth. Guess what? It had an electric ignition...
SURVIVING THE TEXAS DEEP FREEZE
What a week! The Texas deep freeze was a sucker punch. Never in my life have I endured such frigid temperatures in the Lone Star state. While my humble abode can handle one hundred ten degrees with no problem, seven degrees is an entirely different matter. Aware...
HONORING THE FATHER OF BLACK HISTORY
Perseverance was the hallmark of Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson (1875-1950), known as the father of Black History. Born in Virginia to illiterate former slaves, he spent much of his childhood working on the farm. Unfortunately, survival took priority over formal...
MY AGGRESSIVE BATHROOM SCALE
My new bathroom scale scares the bejeebers out of me. This fancy electronic version replaces the Wii Fit I had been using to calculate pounds melting away. The ancient game console was spewing funky readouts—showing a weight loss from the day before all-the-while...
I WON THE COVID VACCINE LOTTERY
I won the COVID vaccine lottery! My good fortune mind-blowing. And frankly, my excitement about the windfall is higher than that of winning the Powerball jackpot. (Well...not really. That’s a lie. Hitting the billion-dollar lotto would have enabled me to have the...
LOTTO FEVER DREAMING
I’m lotto fever dreaming these days. While not a regular player, the large jackpots for Powerball and MegaMillions have been calling my name. Taking home 400 million dollars after taxes opens a myriad of possibilities for me. Although somewhere deep inside, I realize...
Short of cash? Bored? Y’all come and participate in the spring feral hog and coyote killing contests. No, I’m not making this up. Fayette County, Texas routinely runs these competitions sponsored by the Texas A&M University AgriLife Extension Service, Fayette...
TRANSFORMING MY BODY
For me, 2021 will be a year of transformation. As those of you who follow my blog know, I am a bit rotund. Before Christmas, I got tired of it and pledged to get down to what my doctor considers fighting weight. I must lose forty-seven pounds. I will still stick...
DEVELOP EMPATHY IN THE NEW YEAR
Healing the divides in our country requires us to practice empathy. Simply put, empathy is trying to understand another person’s feelings. According to Merriam-Webster, sympathy implies sharing (or having the capacity to share) the feelings of another, while empathy...
ARE YOU BORED?
Boredom is a human condition. The Roman philosopher Lucius Annaeus Seneca the Younger complained about it around two thousand years ago. “How long the same things? Surely I will yawn, I will sleep, I will eat, I will be thirsty, I will be cold, I will be hot. Is...
PRACTICE KINDNESS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
This holiday season, we are urgently in need of kindness to bind our nation’s wounds. That means intentionally being friendly, generous, and considerate—not because we have to, but because we want to. While we can’t control what others do, we are the master of our...
DO HOLIDAY TRADITIONS TERRORIZE YOU?
For many of us, Christmas is a magical time full of nostalgia. Providing our loved ones with a memorable holiday is paramount. Unfortunately, trying to create the perfect Christmas often overwhelms us. As a young mother, I sent Christmas cards to friends and baked...
MY WILD COVID BIRTHDAY PARTY
COVID destroyed my plans to take the family on a western Caribbean cruise to celebrate my birthday. Rather than sipping rum punches onboard ship, the party moved to Uvalde, Texas. There, my daughter treated me to a tank and machine gun package to salute the big day!...
WAS RACCOON ON YOUR THANKSGIVING TABLE?
I was astonished to learn that raccoon had been a traditional Thanksgiving meal in our country. Eating the mammal began with the Native Americans and early settlers. Those moving west, as well as the poor survived on it. For slaves, the animal was a godsend. Few...
WHY WE EXAGGERATE
WHY WE EXAGGERATE My mind turned to the phenomena of exaggeration as I perused Goodreads. Imagine my surprise when I found the following posts: LIFETIME BOOKS READ B 34,068 S 49,997 L 86,495 J 504,944 REALLY? If J. is 50 years old, he/she would have...
HONORING OUR VETERANS
Note: This blog was first published on Patti Shene's Over 50 Writer's Blog on Veteran's Day, 2020. This Veteran’s Day I would like to pay tribute to a special veteran in my life, my dad, Second Lieutenant Albert Theodore Watson Senior (October 14, 1923 – December 2,...
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD SELF?
During a recent podcast interview, host Terry Shepherd asked me what advice I would give my eighteen-year-old self. Frankly, I was stumped. My reply was that I would say ‘yes’ when asked to take on a task or project that I was unsure I could master. Later, I would...
HOME REPAIRS
I insist on doing home repairs. Why? The main reason is, I’m cheap! I don’t really remember my dad doing many home repairs while I was growing up. In fact, I can’t remember who fixed the toilets. My mother, however, would do interior painting. When I first...
ESCAPING COVID
At last, I have found an activity to take my mind off COVID. Shredding with the tractor. For my big-city friends, this means driving the tractor around the pasture and cutting the weeds, shrubs, and grass with a device attached to the back. The bush hog will shred...
THE LIMITS OF FREE SPEECH
October 19-25 is Free Speech Week. The First Amendment written in 1791 states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the...
THE GREAT BUTTERFLY INVASION OF 2020 HAS BEGUN
Recently we began to notice small brown somethings resembling windblown leaves swirling through the air. Since the trees are still green in central Texas, I was quickly able to remove that possibility from the list. Their speed, unfortunately, made identification...
2020 EXAGGERATION SYNDROME
For most of us, 2020 has been outrageous--CIVIL UNREST, COVID, DEATH, CHAOTIC POLITICS, FIRES, FLOODS—and we still have three months to go. The news cycles these days are teeming with catastrophes. Unfortunately, all this staying at home gives many of us too much...
THE TRUTH ABOUT GOSSIPING
Ladies, do you remember your mother telling you that if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything? And for good reason. In the past, a woman caught gossiping could be in peril. Women have been demonized as gossips since the 16th century. At one point...
THANK YOU, RUTH
I owe my entire career to Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Without her dogged determination to ensure women’s equality, I would most likely not have held good-paying jobs in the private sector. President Richard Nixon’s attitude towards women was typical of the day. The New...
THE BIG MEDICINE RIPOFF
If you were near my computer as I composed this blog, you would probably have seen smoke coming out of my ears. I am steamed. After a trip to the doctor, I stopped by the pharmacy to pick up an antibiotic prescription. The pharmacist told me it would be $42 with my...
DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION
Everything is driving me to distraction these days. I can’t focus. So, rather than knuckling down on writing my next book, I thought I would surf the internet for some clues to my malaise. And, sure enough, with enough diligence, I found some interesting information....
WHEN DREAMS DIE
Last year about this time I was busy planning adventures in my new RV, with the expectation of spending this summer on a road trip to Alaska, stopping at America’s numerous campgrounds. Today the dream is officially dead. My home on wheels has been sold. Right now,...
ONLY A PAWN: WARRIORS FOR EQUAL RIGHTS IS HERE!
Only A Pawn, the second book in the Warriors for Equal Rights trilogy, will be available for sale Friday, August 28, 2020 on Amazon. Click Here to preorder. I chose this date because it is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech....
ONLY A PAWN SNEAK PEEK
Welcome to Only A Pawn, the second in the Warriors for Equal Rights trilogy, debuting Friday! The novel opens with trouble: “Just get rid of it.” Hank shoved an envelope at Espy. “Now.” “But you—” “Just do what I say.” Hank stood and threw a hundred-dollar bill at...
HAPPY NATIONAL BLACK CAT APPRECIATION DAY
Today is National Black Cat Appreciation Day. Who knew? While you may not be jumping up and down with excitement about today’s topic, this is the best I can do. All the other themes for today’s blog were just too depressing. Legend has it that the holiday began in...
MAKING SENSE OF MY COVID FUNK
I’ve been in a deep COVID funk lately. How about you? Apparently, I’m not the only one. Even Michelle Obama is depressed. A tracking poll from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that a majority of Americans believe the pandemic is taking a toll on their mental health....
I’M A QUAKER
I have Quaker roots! This revelation was even more shocking than finding out I had Neanderthal DNA. Who knew? And I thought we only had deep roots in Methodism. Last week Family Search notified me that they had found my eighth great grandmother on my father’s...
ULTIMATE COVID TIME WASTERS
I thought jigsaw puzzles and sudoku on the internet were my ultimate timewasters during COVID. But I was wrong. The absolute number one is dish scapes (channel 199). Several days ago, I returned to the house from my office next door. I stepped into a cacophony of...
FREE BOOK CELEBRATION
In honor of releasing the second book in the trilogy Warriors for Equal Rights, I am giving away the first book, The Cause Lives, from July 20 through 24, 2020. The saga continues in Only a Pawn. The release date is August 28, 2020, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther...
MOUSECAPADES 2020
After a blissful year without rodent sightings, my adversary returned. And, unfortunately, brought some nasty friends with him. It started several weeks ago when I saw what appeared to be sawdust on the floor outside my pantry door. The surrounding walls are cedar,...
ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM CRS (CAN’T REMEMBER STUFF) SYNDROME?
Lately, I’ve been having a hard time remembering things. Today I went to my safety deposit box and, after rifling through it, promptly forgot to retrieve my key and exited the vault. Thankfully my bank is a small one and immediately called me to retrieve it. This...
MOVING FORWARD: TOOLS FOR SUCCESS IN A DIVERSE ENVIRONMENT
The following practices improve the ability to thrive in a diverse environment: Treating Others with Dignity and Respect Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect because they are a member of the human race. Listen and put yourself in their shoes. ...
MOVING FORWARD: DIVERSITY IN DECISIONMAKING
No doubt most Americans want to work for--or own--a profitable company. Various groups have researched improving the bottom line. The results are unmistakable—diverse groups make better business decisions, and diverse companies are more profitable. Professor Evan...
THE STEREOTYPING CONUNDRUM
In the 1990s, while working for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), I had my first contact with a Nigerian. Before this meeting, my slate was clear. I had no opinions-- good or bad--about individuals from that country. Working on his failure to hire...
MOVING FORWARD–TACKLING BIAS AND PREJUDICE
Recent events call for our society to develop a path forward that will allow all residents of this great nation to partake in the promises of the Declaration of Independence. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are...
HARD-TO-OPEN PRODUCE BAGS
Putting bananas in a plastic produce bag during my recent shopping trip drove me batty. The bag just wouldn’t open. Frustrated, I put the unprotected bananas in my cart and carried the container. Eventually, it gave way. This issue has not plagued me until this year,...
RECONCILING THE SINS OF OUR ANCESTORS
Genealogical research comes with unsettling insights about our ancestors. Case in point is documentation I have uncovered about my ancestor Francis Dorsett (my great-great-great-great-great grandfather) and his son John Dorsett (my direct descendent). Francis was...
GENEALOGY OBSESSION
I became obsessed with genealogy this week. My journey began when I received an email from familysearch.org, indicating they may have found one of my relatives. I opened it up and, sure enough, my grandmother’s lineage on my mother’s side was laid out back to the...
WEARING A MASK SIGNALS RESPECT
Wearing a mask is a sign of respect for our fellow humans. What seems like a simple request by governments and businesses has, unfortunately, sparked violent altercations across the country. The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment received more than...
THE IMPORTANCE OF CINCO DE MAYO
Tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo (May 5). The date commemorates the Mexican army’s victory in 1862 over France at Puebla. There, approximately 2,000 ragtag Mexican soldiers mostly of indigenous or mixed ancestry, held off a force of 6,000 French soldiers. Interestingly...
FAYETTE COUNTY, TEXAS AND THE SPANISH INFLUENZA OF 1918
What is commonly known as the Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918 was actually an H1N1 virus of avian origin. It spread worldwide from 1918 through 1919. In the United States, it was first identified in World War I military personnel in the spring of 1918. Fayette County...
COVID SHOPPING ANXIETY
I am suffering from shopping anxiety due to COVID. Just entering the grocery store raises my alarm. My mind has decided that the longer I’m in an enclosed space, the higher the risks. And, of course, with shortages, the process is more difficult. If your go-to brand...
COVID SILVER LINING
While COVID has been devastating humans, Mother Nature is not skipping a beat in central Texas. A sparrow has built her nest on my porch and is intently tending her eggs. New calves cavort through the pastures. And the wildflowers have been spectacular this year....
COPING WITH COVID
I must admit I am struggling to cope with COVID. I know I’m not the only one. My life actually turned upside down at the end of January 2020, when my husband broke his hip. Because of the location of the break, the doctors decided to let it heal as you would a...
LETTER TO MY GRANDSONS
I know this COVID-19 thing is scary to you, it scares me, too. Our lives have been disrupted. If you’re like me, you’re angry about the change that has been forced on you. I’m sad that I can’t give you a hug so we can comfort each other. But I want to stay well so...
CRAPPY COVID COOKIES
Satisfying your sweet tooth while in self-imposed isolation can be a formidable proposition. Because my husband has a chronic lung condition, we have opted to limit our contact to the outside world. We ran out of cookies the other day, so, rather than braving the...
SCAT, RACOON SCAT!
I hate to be such a complainer, but the raccoons are really driving me up the wall. The devils have decided that my several hundred yards of walkways and pier are fair game for their scat. Hey, we all have our bodily functions, and I don’t begrudge them a place to...
FLYMAGEDDON
Flymageddon is here! House flies are besieging us, and we are bravely fighting back. About two weeks ago, the vermin began to swarm around my automobile. Despite trying to quickly slip in and keep the pests at bay, they managed to join me on trips to town. Rolling...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DR. SEUSS
Today is Theodor Seuss Geisel’s birthday. Mr. Geisel is known to most of us by his pen name, Dr. Seuss. Geisel (1904-1991) was born in Massachusetts. While he published over sixty books, the Cat in the Hat stands out for me. This was the first book I read, taking me...
IS DEATH KNOCKING AT MY DOOR?
Yes, I realize I am getting older. My aching knee reminds me daily. The idea of an imminent demise did not cross my mind until we began to be bombarded with fliers inviting us to a free meal to discuss our final disposal. Offers of a complimentary dinner from...
WISDOM FROM OUR PRESIDENTS
For many of us, Presidents’ Day is just another excuse for a three-day holiday. But let us pause to take stock of the day and remember past presidents who swore to defend the Constitution of the United States. What better way than to ponder a few quotes from our...
READ IN THE BATHTUB DAY
Until this year, I had no idea a National Read in the Bathtub Day (February 9th) existed. That got me to thinking about when and where I read. And it is definitely not in the bathtub, mainly because I haven’t lived in a house with a tub since 2003. I’m a...
ARE YOU LONELY TONIGHT?
If so, you’re not alone. Cigna recently released its 2020 Loneliness Index. The survey found: Three in five Americans (61%) report that they are lonely Loneliness has a larger impact on certain demographics Men are slightly lonelier than women Younger people (18-22)...
GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALES TACTICS
While writing the blog on Girl Scout cookies, a Scout friend told me her mother pushed a compelling sales tactic. My buddy would tell the prospective customer that she only had two boxes left. The sale succeeded more often than not. We both had a good chuckle when...
THANK YOU, DR. KING
Dr. Martin Luther King changed my life in profound ways. He galvanized people of all races and sexes to take action to make equality a reality. For this, I am genuinely grateful. As a woman, I was born into a society that denied me fundamental rights that we take for...
IT’S GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME
As a child, the refrain, “it’s Girl Scout cookie time,” filled me with dread. While I loved Scouting and stayed in the program for over twenty years, I absolutely hated selling cookies. My earliest memories are trudging the neighborhood with boxes of sandwich cookies...
INCLUSION BEGINS WITH LOW CONTEXT CULTURE
Inclusion starts by ensuring that your organizational culture is low context. This means that knowledge is immediately transferrable and available to all. Anyone can function in an airport because information on what to do and where to go is directly transferable....
MY MOST MEMORABLE NEW YEAR’S EVE: 1999
Of all the New Year’s Eves I’ve celebrated, the most eclectic was the turn of the century; December 31, 1999. We’d just purchased our central Texas ranch and managed to put a camper on the premises. What a great place to hang out as we faced the unknown. After all,...
MY POSSESSIONS MATURE ALONG WITH ME
Unfortunately, as I age, I tend to forget that my possessions are also maturing. A case in point is my sewing machine. Not really a sewer, the contraption is reserved for making curtains, crafts, repairs, and other odds and ends. It's always done the job. My daughter...
DIGITAL MEDIA REDUCES CREATIVITY
Idly consuming digital content, I ran across an article by Srinivas Rao regarding the influence of digital media on creativity. Extreme consumption, he stated, can restrict our capacity to do deep thinking, ultimately impacting creativity. Hmm. My attention peaked....
MYSTERY WRITERS GET IT WRONG
Mystery writing is hard work. Most writers in the genre are not trained as police detectives or in crime scene investigations. Many resources are available from books and websites; there’s even a mystery writers’ police academy. But without thorough research, writers...
I’M BEING BLACKMAILED BY THE RUSSIANS
This morning I opened an email blackmailing me. After a long explanation of how my computer was hacked, the villain got down to business: For months now, I have been spying on you through your device camera..especially when you visited those sites to have...
BINGE-WATCHING
Last week a head cold invaded my life. When ill, my general tendency is to work anyway and power through. However, I decided to give myself a break and watch television. This, in itself, is unusual, because I’m a reader. My weekly viewing habits are a short section of...
TECHNOLOGY MAKES MUNDANE TASKS MORE DIFFICULT
There was a time when I could walk into anyone’s house and answer the telephone, turn on the TV, operate the stove, and flush the toilet. Not anymore. Remember when you just picked up the telephone handset and said ‘hello’? Now it’s punching a button to talk and...
THANKSGIVING IS AN AFTERTHOUGHT
Thanksgiving has become an afterthought, an impediment to retailers hoping to make a fortune during the Christmas season. Halloween will soon be gobbled up as well. Hints of red and green began to show at stores brazen enough to decorate before the trick or treaters...
A SUNRISE KIND OF GIRL
While sunsets can be gorgeous, I’ve always been a sunrise kind of girl. To me, dawn brings the excitement of a new beginning, the promise of surprising possibilities that await. My first recollection of the exhilaration of sunrise was in my teens during a trail...
MY DNA SAYS I CAN SMELL ASPARAGUS ODOR IN MY URINE
Curious about my ancestors and not my predisposition to illnesses, I had my saliva tested by 23AndMe a number of years ago. Imagine my surprise when the company recently shared thirty-four traits gleaned from my DNA. To think that they are able describe me from a...
FRUGAL OR CHEAP?
Last week we upgraded our internet to fiber. After completion, the landline rang, and I saw the name of the caller flash across the phone screen. Shocked, I asked my husband what had happened. When moving to the area some fifteen years ago, we had declined caller-ID...
NINETY-SIX YEARS?
I saw a piece on television about a gentleman who had recently passed away at the age of one hundred eight. Until shortly before his death, he had worked as a barber for ninety-six years. Eight hours a day, five days a week. Clip...Clip…Clip… This feat totally amazed...
PHOTOMANIA
My recent trip to Europe highlighted how personal photography has evolved. I’m from a time when taking pictures was expensive. You bought film and had it processed. And, at one point, cameras used flashbulbs good for only one image. Therefore, you carefully chose what...
CURSIVE R.I.P ?
I recently heard that cursive, aka script or longhand, was no longer being taught in schools. Promptly I dismissed the suggestion as a wild conspiracy theory. Now, I've learned otherwise. Several students attending the eighth-grade presentation I...
PLANNING PREVENTS POOR PERFORMANCE
My motto as a long-term Girl Scout is to “Be Prepared.” However, sometimes stuff happens. I belong to a group that preserves the N.W. Faison House in La Grange, Texas. One of our recent schemes has been to increase visitation to the house by developing children’s...
EEK! A BABY!
One of my Facebook buddies recently lamented that she has had conversations with others who were anxious or upset. Worry appears to be going around these days. I, myself, have seemed adrift, unable to move forward, just wanting to sit around and do nothing. I...
pər-ˈfek-shən
Are you someone who expects to perform in a flawless fashion? I’ve been fighting that tendency my entire life. Unfortunately, I’ve passed that gene to my offspring. I’m probably the only one who, upon entering college, had her mother say “don’t work too hard” and...
WHIRLING DERVISH DELIVERIES
Never forget the old adage, be careful what you ask for because you might get it. I talked my husband into getting the RV, and now he has taken to the life wholeheartedly. The only problem is that he had to buy a few things in order to travel in style....
HOME IS WHERE THE STRESS IS
I spent the majority of my adult life in Houston doing jobs that involved working with people--hurt people, angry people, wronged people—seldom happy people. I was so stressed that sad movies were off-limits. Watching films like Steel Magnolias would throw me over the...
TICK…TOCK…TICK…TOCK
Part of the American dream is working hard, saving money, and doing what you want in your golden years. Lately, angst settled over me as I realized I hadn’t really started working on my bucket list in earnest. The fact that my husband had polio as a child and...
A NEW LOVE IN TOWN?
The new Jeep Cherokee sat in my driveway for several days before I got around to reading the manual. This mainly happened because we were out of town but, I must admit, I was still mourning the Renegade and in no hurry to get involved with my new suitor. Eventually,...
ODE TO MY JEEP RENEGADE
Tuesday, July 30, 2019, I said goodbye to the love of my life, my 2016 fully loaded fire-engine- red Jeep Renegade. Of all the cars I’ve ever owned, this is the only one I dreamed about, researched, and planned for. It’s been a crazy ride. I’ve never...
TUNNELING IN HOUSTON
I was in charge of my grandsons in Houston the other day and was wracking my brain for ways to entertain them. The usual suspects for a scorching summer day were a possibility: swimming pool, movies, bowling, roller-skating, arcade games, etc. (All terribly...
SKETCHES OF COURAGE: LBJSKETCHES OF COURAGE: LBJ
While wandering through a museum at the Lyndon B. Johnson State Park & Historic Site, I came across a story about LBJ of which I was unaware. A congressman since 1937, he won election to the Senate in 1948, but only by a slim margin of 87 votes, earning the...
TAKING AIR CONDITIONING FOR GRANTED
Every once and a while, it’s a good idea to look around and see what you take for granted and give thanks. Today I’m really happy for air conditioning. Almost every place you go in Texas is cooled: houses, schools, stores, government buildings, and cars. Why? ...
OUTWITTING THE TYRANT
Earlier this year a bought a Galaxy, and I love it. However, I have become annoyed with its “tools for betterment.” What’s that, you ask? It’s the personal trainer who has become a tyrant. The watch can track over thirty-nine types of exercise activities and is...
MORE MOUSECAPADES
Alas, the mice did not get the message after their comrade was flushed down the toilet that our house was a dangerous place to live. Soon, we began to find more evidence that the rodents were busy invading our space. I declared war; removing food from the counters...
MOUSECAPADES
I have some real trepidation about telling this story because it’s a bit embarrassing…Well, here goes. I live in the country and have only had one other instance where mice got into the house, and that was some years ago when my husband replaced the floor registers...
ABOLITION IN TEXAS
ABOLITION AND FAYETTE COUNTY Pre-Civil War Fayette County, Texas counted on slave labor to assist with the production of corn, tobacco, wool, and cotton. The region was home to 3,786 slaves out of a total population of 11,604. These...
ROBO IMMIGRANT SCAMS
Mandarin-language robocalls are back! They first appeared in 2018, but now have become a staple on my personal cell phone. I have a Houston area code, and their sizeable Chinese population is apparently fertile ground for the scam. According to the FBI, the...
U.S. CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED? YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!
I received a notice recently about first responder training being offered in my community sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security. The course, AWR 147: Rail Car Incident Response, is an eight-hour, awareness level course developed to educate rural emergency...
MEASLES INDUCED ENCEPHALITIS REMEMBERED
Measles does have consequences. I should know. It happened to me. The memories of my childhood are faded but some things you never forget. The year was 1960 and I was in the third grade. I remember my mother being on the telephone and me crying; I had a headache...
LOVE THAT BÚN!
Recently I made a quick trip to Houston for a doctor’s appointment. And, while I much prefer country living, I miss the food diversity of the Bayou City. After a little arm twisting, my husband took me to a Vietnamese noodle house. I relished in spring rolls and my...
HOW DO YOU INTERPRET THE UNKNOWN?
HOW COMPASSIONATE ARE YOU?
Compassion, according to Merriam-Webster, refers to both an understanding of another’s pain and the desire to somehow mitigate that pain.A recent review of medical research determined that doctors who treated patients compassionately improved the patients’ outcome. ...
SCAN SCAM
Over the last several months, I have watched our local Walmart expand its self-checkout units exponentially. These days, only a few of the checkout lines are manned by humans during the busiest shopping hours. Because our community tends to be older, the queues are...
ENTITLED TO MY TABLE?
For the last fifteen years, my husband and I have had weekly breakfast outings to our preferred taqueria. Most mornings our favorite table is available, but recently someone was occupying it. I found myself with a strong compulsion to scream “Get out. That’s...
WHAT IS YOUR LEGACY?
IS SWEATWORKING FOR YOU?
“Sweatworking”, networking while working out, is in; golf and happy hour are out. Apparently, golf doesn’t burn enough calories and takes too long while happy hour makes you fat and susceptible to saying things you shouldn’t. This latest craze is even pushing out...
DIVERSITY MAKES LIFE WORTH LIVING
HITTING ON WOMEN IN CYBERSPACE
Ladies, thought you were safe from men hitting on you if you stayed out of the bars? Think again. I have now had five men hit on me through Facebook. At my age, I guess I should be flattered, but I found myself more flustered than anything. My personal...
ALMOST ESCAPED WITH GEN Z
I recently took my 13-year-old grandson to an Escape Room for his birthday, my husband and daughter in tow. This one had a classroom theme, and, to go the kickball game, you had to do all your homework. Only then could escape before the hour expired. Honestly, my...
SPIDER INVASION A RESULT OF CLIMATE CHANGE
I’ve lived in the country for fifteen years. And, yes, spiders are always with us. However, this year they have invaded my space! I can’t walk in my yard or to my car without running into several tightly woven webs. I even drove to town the other day only to open the...
DOES LIFE GRIND YOU DOWN OR POLISH YOU?
THE CONSEQUENCES OF OUR BEHAVIOR
Many times, when we have a problem, we latch onto the first solution we uncover. I found myself in that situation recently when icy weather hit. I had gone up the steps of my office, which are Austin limestone, with no problem but later, when I was ready to leave,...
GOTTA HAVE IT!
Do you have something you’ve just gotta have this holiday season? I had fun thinking about my obsessions from the past. The first one I remember is a Shetland pony. Fortunately, my parents were in control and the equine never materialized. We lived in the suburbs...
BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
Believe in yourself. You are braver than you think, more talented than you know, and capable of more than you imagine.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
PROCRASTINATION
Lately I’ve been dealing with procrastination when it comes to writing my novel. I’ve found the perfect excuse to delay—working online jigsaw puzzles! I allow myself one puzzle of 150 mosaic pieces in the morning along with one online sudoku. Then, I turn to the...
MR. RICKITY’S RE-DO
After three shows at the Round Top/Warrenton Antique Festival, Mr. Rickety, the table, had not been sold. The problem was he had a hole in the top and he was, well, rickety. My friend told me it wouldn’t hurt her feelings if Mr. Rickety found his way to my burn...
STUFF!
STUFF! A tribute to mankind’s creativity and imagination. Round Top – Warrenton Antiques Weekend, Texas fall 2017
STEREOTYPING SCORPIONS
One morning while fixing coffee, I felt something crawling on my leg. A scorpion! Panicked, I flipped it off and spent several minutes hunting it down and smashing it mercilessly with a paper towel until I was sure it was dead. Then, I got to thinking. This...
MARIJUANA BROWNIES
One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2017 was that I would learn new things. Marijuana was on my bucket list when I visited my brother in Fort Collins, Colorado. I must say I learned a lot! Fort Collins, home to over 24 breweries, also offers pot at over 24...
HOW TO BE MORE LIKE ANTS
When the rains of Hurricane Harvey flooded my pasture, the ants adapted, building mounds as high as 18 inches. Unlike ants, we humans have a hard time with change. What can we do to cope? Know when to hold ‘em: If you feel the change would truly be bad, take action...
FEELING OVERWHELMED?
FEELING OVERWHELMED? I must admit I am feeling a bit overwhelmed these days. Between all the hate and violence in the U.S., threats from North Korea, and a government that appears to be dysfunctional, I was already anxious. Then Harvey hit. Just driving through the...
WORK IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTH
Worried about being killed in an ISIS-inspired attack? Think again. You are more likely to be killed on the job. An average of 700 employees are killed in the United States workplace annually. Additionally, over two million employees are affected by some form of...
ARE WE GOING TO HELL IN A HANDBASKET?
Dr. David Seabury, psychologist, recently told a Boston audience that civilization is facing a crisis, for a 30 per cent increase in insanity has been noted in the last ten years, and a probable increase of 60 per cent in...
PREDICTABILITY IS BORING!
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: ETHNOCENTRISM AND STEREOTYPES
Arguments, at times, can be wrapped in ethnocentrism and stereotypes, particularly arguments that generalize. Stereotyping is the assumption that all members of a group share the same set of characteristics. Holding the belief that one’s own nationality, religion,...
ON BEING A NEANDERTHAL
Recently I had my ancestral DNA processed. The big surprise was that I am 4% Neanderthal! Of all the individuals tested by 23andme, I am in the 96% percentile; the average American is 2%. One of the characteristics of Neanderthals is full and straight hair, of...
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS: ANALYZING TALKING HEADS
We all have biases no matter how hard we try to be objective. Our points of view evolve from our life experiences as well as lifelong learning. So, when evaluating the “talking heads” or experts many radio and television shows present to expound on or argue points...
EVALUATING INFORMATION SOURCES–CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
In this time of fake news, it is important to understand information sources and how to evaluate them. First, information is either from a primary or secondary source. A primary source is original material that has not been interpreted by anyone else. Primary...
FACT VERSUS OPINION– CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
A key component to critical thinking determining the difference between fact and opinion. A fact is a thing that is known to be true, to exist, or to have occurred. A view about a particular issue is an opinion, which is not always true. Sounds easy to distinguish,...
30 YEARS UP IN FLAMES
Early Thursday morning my husband and I watched 30 years of my life go up in flames. It took me several days to amass the huge pile of investigative files, training materials, client documents, tax returns, and other papers I was reluctant to recycle. As I cleaned,...
DEATH AND CHANGE
Benjamin Franklin said, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” However, in today’s fast-paced environment, change is a given, and it is happening at an increasingly rapid rate. Dorothy Vaughan, acting supervisor of a group of...
DIVERSITY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY
On Martin Luther King Day it is fitting that we reflect on the power diversity has to make America a force to be reckoned with. When we limit the participation of any group we don’t have the best and brightest working on our pressing problems. The movie, Hidden...
WHAT CUBANS KNOW ABOUT THE OUTSIDE WORLD
Cubans know quite a bit! According to Havana University professor Dr. Jorge G. Arocha, 31% of the population is online at Wi-Fi hot spots set up by the government in 2015. Seeing Cubans huddled in parks or outside government-run buildings staring at smart phones...
2017 RESOLUTIONS
Experts say that for you to be more successful at keeping your new year’s resolutions you should be realistic and talk about them. So this year I’m taking losing weight off the table. Instead I’ve chosen the following: Be positive. Give back. Learn new things. Write...
BORED AT WORK? TRY A LITTLE CREATIVITY!
Work does not have to be boring. Just use your imagination and create your own fun. The housekeeping staff on the Celestyal Crystal cruise ship has figured out how to put a little spice in their daily routine. Towel Animals! Every day a new creation would appear in...
Castro’s Funeral Procession December 3, 2016
Saturday, December 3, 2016 Santiago de Cuba, Cuba Click the link below to view the sights and sounds: The Sights and Sounds of Castro's Funeral Procession Trepidation and excitement mounted as I looked out over the harbor from the cruise ship deck. A rust bucket of...
CREATIVITY PART III
IMPROVING YOUR CREATIVITY Part III Hopefully you have now mastered Part 2 of improving your creativity. I will now explore the last suggestions from Human Relations 4th Ed. By Dalton, Hoyle, and Watts. 10. Have a sense of humor and learn to laugh easily. Humor...
CREATIVITY PART II
Hopefully you have now mastered Part I of improving your creativity. I’ll forge ahead with a big lesson, steps 5 through 9 from Human Relations 4th Ed. By Dalton, Hoyle, and Watts. 5. Avoid rigid patterns of doing things. Change your rhythms. Draw your problems...
CREATIVITY PART 1
Creativity, a thinking process that solves a problem or achieves a goal in an original and useful way, is becoming an increasingly important skill for employees, entrepreneurs, and volunteers. We all have the potential for creativity and, with a little focus, we can...
Seeking The Truth
Readers: I am on vacation today but wanted to share with you one of my favorite blog posts regarding truth from 2016. Enjoy! As a student at the University of Texas I often gazed at the verse from John 8:32 that is carved into the front wall of the tower: "Ye shall...
THE STEREOTYPING CONUNDRUM
Just before Christmas I decided to dump my Iphone for a Galaxy Note 4. A new AT&T store just happened to be opening in my small town and I was one of the first customers through the door. I was determined to learn all I could about the Galaxy before making the...
TIME FOR AN EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE CHECK UP
Are you looking to move up in the company or find a better job? If so, it’s time to check out your emotional intelligence quotient and see whether there is room for improvement. A strong emotional intelligence improves your...
EMPATHY, THE ESSENTIAL SKILL
Occasionally I run into individuals who do not have the ability to empathize. They are unable to walk a mile in another person’s moccasins. To them, the problem is the other person; they’re perfectly fine. Recently I interacted with two men who had been asked to stop...