It's Certainly Been A While!

It HAS certainly been awhile since I blogged on this site. I think perhaps I judged my blogging value by the number of people I thought were reading it. I have come to realize that blogging is just as much for ME as it is for anyone else. That being said, though, I do hope some of you follow me now that I am back to writing. I have several blogs, as it turns out, because my life is multi-faceted. This one is more of a general blog, filled with moments of family, friends, and adventures. Speaking of such, I have had many since I last blogged on here. The last blog announced the birth of my granddaughter, Faith, who is now 5 years old and living with her brother and parents in Indonesia. Her daddy is a doctor and will very soon be helping people in the island of Papua. Right now they live in Java where they are almost finished with their language school. I recently visited them and had a marvelous adventure! I shall try to post some pictures once I remember how to do that. I know that probably sounds silly, given how many I have posted in the past, but this is a different computer. And I have a different phone camera as well. So this should be interesting! For today, I just wanted to share that I plan to be back online and on this post, hopefully weekly. I have been sharing my life's details more on Facebook and have ignored this blog. I am on a mission to correct that! I hope there are some of you out there who are interested in following me. I want to retire soon and be a regular blogger as I travel even more. So long for now...and I promise to make every effort for it not to be sooooo long ever again!

Oh yes! Wonderful News!

I forgot to mention that one reason I was so busy, is that God has blessed me with a new granddaughter! I am posting her pix along with her brother, and maybe some others. These were taken mostly by webcam on Skype, so they have their limitations. I wish I could find my other disc of pix! Boo hoo!

Well, enjoy the pix of FAITH ELAINE EISENBERG, born July 21, 2010~

and her brother, ELIJAH MICHAEL who turns three on Nov. 15! He is a big boy, almost potty-trained now! YAY!

Getting with the Program!

I haven't written on this blog for 3 months! Wow! That is a long time. It is not that nothing noteworthy has happened, iit is just that busyness has taken its toll.

I plan on revising the way I write this blog. Lots of decisions and changes seem to lie ahead of me right now. So, I am going to commit to blogging on here once a week...on Thursday nights (usually), although the day may change from week to week as schedules change too.

I am changing the forum on this blog as well. It shall deal with the mundane day-to-day things and the lessons I learn from life through them. I intend to steer away from the controversial and politics, etc. I will even leave the "news" to the television stations for the most part. There are, however, some times when news items directly affect my life.

I guess when life brings you changes when you are in your "senior" years, (according to Ross, Denny's and Sun City, I qualify!) it can be a little daunting. And yet, what challenges lie ahead might just release some long-awaited desires.

All I know is that God has a plan! And He isn't done with me yet! (either that or Heaven isn't ready for me yet!) ha!

Well, I look forward to sharing new and exciting things. For those of you who have followed my grannypro blog as well, I am taking a sabitcal on that one for now. I have posted one last blog as a sort of explanation. I may return to it shorty, and I may totally abandon it at some point. But I will keep you informed.

I have started a new blog for sharing stories I wrote with and for my children and grandchildre, although it will take me a while to get them all retyped. I plan to post at least one a week as well. I know I have not been a faithful blogger, but I am beginning to see its value more and more.

Thanks for hanging with me!

People People Everywhere

Riding the bus around a California city that I personally am unfamiliar with is both intimidating at times, and interesting. Here I am in Long Beach, CA awaiting the arrival of my granddaughter who is teasing us with latent labor pains for days now but not progressing toward delivery just yet. It is frustrating for my daughter who is bearing all the pain. Some of her contractions are very intense. This has been verified by the monitor at the hospital on several occasions. Yet, here we are, stuck in a waiting game, for just when the "real" heavy "active" labor will be declared and she can be more comfortable in the hospital. Oh well. In the meantime, the docs say to walk, so we have been walking the streets of downtown, and taking buses to drs appts and stores.

If she did not live here, I doubt I would attempt to use this method of transportation alone. Although, the parking is limited in many places, so public transportation is popular. I really did enjoy it. I met many interesting people. Most were friendly. There was one bus which was over crowded. Many were hanging onto the standing only straps all through the bus. We came to a stop where a man in a wheelchair was waiting. Now, to accommodate these wheelchairs, the bus must sacrifice at least 5 passenger seats. People began to complain and yell about who the driver might "kick off" to make room. Some yelled they were late to work, or appts. The driver took almost ten minutes to decide he had to leave the man behind. the man, himself, was not bothered by that at all, as the buses on that route run every 12 minutes...so by now it was a mere two minutes behind us.

Momentarily that scene made me feel uneasy. I was unsure if these people were going to start becoming agitated. A few were irritated, but most just went with the flow. At the end, only a few complaints were made known and all went on as usual.
I met people of all colors and "genders". People dressed in business suits, and people in shorts. People dressed in ethnic attire, and others bedecked in little clothing at all.

Most were polite and gave us seats to my pregnant daughter and me. Some, though, scrutinized those coming aboard, to choose who may sit by them and who may not. The handicapped and children, most of the elderly, and the pregnant were given due honor and place, for the most part.

As we walked, we passed a myriad of humanity. There were several who were talking, not so much to themselves, but to someone who did not exist. There was an older man on a skateboard yelling out blessing to everyone! A woman in a wheelchair sat by her condo door and smiled at those who came by. Two men, who seemed to be together, walked single file while one of them loudly gossiped about friends to the other. A male and a female, who apparently once worked together, ran into each other in a cafe. The man rushed over to congratulate her, excusing himself for not having known she was "with child". No one had told him he said.

I nearly got run over several times by bicyclists who were riding on the sidewalk. Long Beach hails as the "Friendliest Bicycling" Community, and that is well-deserved. However, some of them disregard the rules. Only once in about six incidents of bikes on the sidewalk, did anyone say "Excuse me, please!" I turned around to find it was a child! The adults just kept on biking! Oh well. We all have our rude times! I really don't think they meant to be rude, but rather focus on nothing at all and just ride to their destination, oblivious to others.

So, I am having a good time over all. The difficulty of seeing my daughter in so much pain day after day is taking its toll though. I wanted to stay to play with my granddaughter, but she had best hurry up!

And Again, I Repeat!

Sometimes people repeat things. Sometimes people repeat things. Sometimes...Oh, I confess, I am among them! And, I think, I am among good company!

Now, I realize that listening to repeated stories can be less than interesting. But I believe that one should politely oblige, none-the-less. You see, there are many reasons why people repeat themselves. And, there are just as many reasons to be respected while doing so!

Reason #1. They have forgotten that they told the story, or info. The reason to be respected is that people who fall into this catagory are usually aging, or ailing or both! It happens to the best of us! It occurs after years of enduring the stress of child-rearing and managing households and/or businesses! We have earned the right to forget once in a while...and the right to repeat ourselves!

Reason #2. They think they forgot an important detail or fact, and retelling the story seems the only way to clarify! The reason to respect people in this catagory is that they are making a valiant effort to state truth, to get the facts straight and complete. And, they want to make sure that, if their "listener" repeats the story, the details are correct! Hey! We just want to make sure the "grapevine" is really growing grapes!

Reason #3. They weren't sure you were really listening the first time they told you! Perhaps the loud music in the background, or the screaming toddler, or the side conversation they overheard, gave them reason to feel you could not have possibly heard correctly the first time. Respect them for considering you important enough to be worthy of their repeat.

Reason #4. They consider this information, (even if it is a dumb joke) to be important (or funny) to the highest degree, and want to make sure that you, the listener, get the full benefit of it. You should feel special to be privy to such significant info! Respect them for exposing their preferences and letting you in on their humor or opinions. Not everyone shares with you!

Reason #5. They have become accustomed to repeating things to you. They have spent a lifetime finding this a necessary part of communication. The reason to respect them in this case is, that they are most likely your parent! (Or some authority figure of your past...)

So, people...humor us! Be polite enough to let us finish our repetitive statements without cutting us off, or rudely replying "You told me that already!" Perhaps we have just forgotten. Perhaps we remember...and perhaps we will not let you know which it is...just listen...it makes us feel special!

Life Goes On!

Thank God, life goes on! And how fast it goes, sometimes seems out of our control! But the method in which we travel it, can be our choice.

There is much in the news lately, that can produce fear and anxiety. Governments and politians can seemingly make choices that directly effect our quality of life. Many people choose to take what I call the "mobster train". The railroad history indicates that many people rode the rails without tickets to get to one place or another. A train travels down a given path. It has a destination. It moves many types of people, fairly quickly, and is low security. Thus, those who choose to jump on board political issues without their "ticket" (like proper info...like reading the actual bill or proposal) find themselves heading down a path, on a roll, among lots of others equally uninformed. I call this the mobster train, because without proper ticket info, we resort to mob mentality...just get on board and blow the whistle...the more the merrier! (Might want to check out the engineer!)

Some people react to disturbing news with the slow boat approach of complacentcy. "Just give it time, things will change." Oh yes, they will! Remember, not long ago, an election was won on the slogan for "change." But many are not nearly as happy with the "change" as they thought they would be. And the change goes on as well. We should be calm. We should be proactive. But we should not just go on a slow boat cruise and try to have a good time, ignorant of the changes around us. History is full of changes that occurred because people took no action. They just wanted everyone to get along, enjoy life...have a nice trip. Come along with us. Slow boats are great, and get you out to sea, so you can forget about what it happening that you don't like. And the bonus, you get to see the world! (The part that each country's government WANTS you to see, that is!) (Might want to check out beyond the ports!)

Still others approach life with the airline, frequent flier plan! Planes get people where they want to be FAST! They are high security, and relatively safe! They put you UP above the clouds of worry. They demand accountibility and pre-plannning as much as possible. Yet, some shy away from the higher ground from fear, or not wanting to be accountable, not having to prove their identity. (take that and think in allegorical terms!)

Other people just walk the walk. They trudge down the streets, taking one day at a time and putting one foot ahead at a time. They move at a natural pace. They observe the scenery and the people around them.

But the key is to walk with God. To let love and concern move you to proper action. Those who choose mob mentality rarely take the time to think and enjoy the diversity around them. Those who meander through life, focusing only on their own pleasure rarely accomplish much, and often complain about all that the world lacks. Those who take off on frequent flights, while perhaps getting some things done and going lots of places, rarely think about the steps of life. These don't mind the minor risks of flying to see the world. And seeing it from a higher perspective is good...as long as we remember to come down out of the clouds to face the reality of daily walking.

So, whatever path we choose to follow as life moves on, let us first begin it on our knees! Learning to walk with the God who created the Universe, and invented life, seems the best way to keep moving!

Proud to be in Arizona!

Arizona is in the news these days! It's all about what a bunch of prejudiced outlaws we are, wanting to profile people who remotely look like illegal aliens. Public opion on both sides is heated. I think it all is ridiculous. It is ridiculous that we have such a law. It should never have come to this. The Federal Government should have been proactive on this years ago.

I am not for illegal immigration. I know plenty of people who came here legally from many countries, including Mexico. The consequences of being in a country illegally in most other countries is swift and severe...some imprison violators for 12 years. Some just shoot them...we won't go into details there...

I realize it takes a long time, and money to come here legally. It's the same with most countries. And I do acknowledge the poverty in Mexico. I understand why people would want to come as quickly as poissible. But, coming illegally has its risks and its consequences.

Mexico and The USA had a treaty back about 100 years ago stating that BOTH governments would honor the borders. That has become a laughing point...apparently on both sides. Mexico has no consequences to their people who get sent back over from the USA. And our governments have looked the other way, offering compassion and health care, jobs, etc. Now that we have no more funds to do this, we are prejudice ignoramasses that do not have any compassion at all, but delight in profiling. That is, if you listen to the news...especially the national news.

IT is also ridiculous that people are reacting and making such rash statements against Arizona. Most have never read the law itself, but rather joined in on the mob mentality of prominent "limelight" seekers. I shall not name names! You only have to watch the news. Calling for boycotts of sporting events, conventions, etc. is ridiculous! They are taking away much needed jobs, many of which are filled by legal Hispanic Americans.

The law actually mimics the FEDERAL LAW which stemmed from the treaty I mentioned. But since the Feds, including our former governor, seem unable to help, we have taken matters into our own hands. And that, too, is ridiculous!

I wish there had been some accountibility on that treaty from day one. Both governments benefitted from the illegal traffic in the early days. Now that the economy crashed and legal residents cannot afford their own medical treatments, the idea of free health care for those here illegally seems ridiculous to us! There is no money in Arizona to continue programs for special needs kids, for domestic violence, or to keep the State parks open. Child care subsidies and all-day Kindergarten has been underfire due to the economy. Yet, many of these programs started to help Hispanics, even those here illegally.

We are not a people of prejudice! We WANT our Mexican American population! But we want the legal ones who contribute to society in positive ways. They want to have the services and opportunities we have made for them and everyone too! I am not saying we don't want anyone who is here illegally, but they really need to understand that America is a country of compassion, which is what got us in this mess in the first place. STOP trashing our country because we let you get across the border illegally...and took care of you while you were here!

I want "grandma" to get to stay here. I want the mommies who married legal daddies to get to be together. But, I cannot understand why there has not been a program in place to assist with these things all along. Or, there should have been border control so that these people never took the risks they now face. People who have been here for years should have begun the process of finding a legal way long ago. And we should have made it easier and quicker. It is a long, difficult dilemna and there are factors on both sides who are at fault. BUT IT IS NOT THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA, whom are now being punished for the failure of our FEDERAL government!!

Janet! Wake up! You said you fought the Feds for money to control our borders when you were our govenor! Was that a lie? You now ARE the FEDERAL government and it seems like you have not come to the defense of the great state of ARIZONA!

The marches we are enduring here, should be directed to YOU! The cancellations of conventions should be publically defied from the FEDERAL standpoint! The protests we must walk around should be sent both to WASHINGTON DC and MEXICO! Perhaps if the politicians were inconvenience a bit...if their jobs were on the line due to protests of a law they didn't even get to vote on...perhaps, then things would be different! But I guess that would be only in my dreams!

As for me, I am PROUD to be in ARIZONA! At least we took action. It may be controversial action, but it is ACTION! Someone has to move the FEDS to do the right thing! Someone has to acknowledge our budget deficiet and ALL of its causes (which are NOT all related to illegals, by any means). We were the last continental state to join the Union...perhaps we can be the FIRST state to move the monumentous mountain of Washington DC!