Most everyone on earth goes through some kind of bad spot in their life. I have a friend who was very poor as a child, not enough to eat, no heat in the house. He credits this to his ability to survive, especially when it comes to finding free stuff.
Now, he lives in a big house with a fireplace. So when he needs wood he just drives around in his car looking for trees that are down. When the workers arrive to cut it all up, he asks can he have it, he'll help cut it. Wholah! Free firewood.
I had my own period of poverty but it was after I'd grown up. It was in the nineties when I was in my thirties. My way of surviving it was to walk on down to the National Archives to their newspaper section and take a look at microfilms of depression era papers.
I found that they were stock-full of tips and ways to save money, egg substitutes and how to make things last. It really showed me where to save and ways to cut corners. I still had to do without for a lot of things, but there was lots of good advice in these papers.
Now, I know this is an entirely different time period and maybe most people wouldn't be able to find much to help them with their mortgage or gasoline price but with the way the economy is now, I find myself wondering if a lot of middle-class people couldn't benefit from reading those old papers.
It's just a thought and it would just be for a time. This economic crisis that we're having in North America is not as bad as the depression but all the same, people need to eat every day and they need to feed their kids.
So next time you pass an archive or library where they keep these old copies, maybe have a look, there might be something that you can use coming from the times of extreme poverty for all. There just might be some good come out of that time.
Book Hippo
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Thanksgiving
Well, it's the day after Thanksgiving. My room mate and I thought we'd just get a turkey breast instead of a whole bird, so I went to our downtown grocery store and bought what seemed to be part of a turkey with enough meat for two.
Hah! We cooked it, even after my room mate discovered that what looked like meat was a neck tucked under a back. The store made it seem meaty although I think they probably meant to sell it for turkey soup. But it sure looked meaty.
Anyway, cooked, it turned out to be almost pure bone, so David and I had a vegetarian Thanksgiving. I know, I know, some are saying, well vegetarian is good but we do look forward to our birds.
When I was young, I ate nothing but nuts and pasta and bread. I didn't have a weight problem, like I do now, but I was always becoming anemic and having to take iron pills. There is a way to eat where you can get all you need from non-meat products but you really need to plan what you're going to eat.
Back to Thanksgiving, I just wanted to say that I read what is supposed to be the true story of Thanksgiving. The story is always told that the pilgrims of the USA didn't know how to survive in the New World and their Native friends taught them and they had a Thanksgiving meal as a celebration.
The Native story that has come down is this one: The early Americans wanted the land that was occupied by a certain tribe. So they went to them and slaughtered every last man, woman and child and Thanksgiving was their celebration that the tribe was now extinct and they could move onto their land.
I wasn't there so I don't know which one is true, but it's something to think about.
Now on Christmas we'll be getting a whole bird. Lastly, for Halloween, why not download my horror short story The Mountain City Bronzes? It's only 99 cents.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-City-Bronzes-ebook/dp/B006M4HDEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349802557&sr=8-1&keywords=the+mountain+city+bronzes
And why not visit my Author's page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/madeleinewriter?fref=ts
Hah! We cooked it, even after my room mate discovered that what looked like meat was a neck tucked under a back. The store made it seem meaty although I think they probably meant to sell it for turkey soup. But it sure looked meaty.
Anyway, cooked, it turned out to be almost pure bone, so David and I had a vegetarian Thanksgiving. I know, I know, some are saying, well vegetarian is good but we do look forward to our birds.
When I was young, I ate nothing but nuts and pasta and bread. I didn't have a weight problem, like I do now, but I was always becoming anemic and having to take iron pills. There is a way to eat where you can get all you need from non-meat products but you really need to plan what you're going to eat.
Back to Thanksgiving, I just wanted to say that I read what is supposed to be the true story of Thanksgiving. The story is always told that the pilgrims of the USA didn't know how to survive in the New World and their Native friends taught them and they had a Thanksgiving meal as a celebration.
The Native story that has come down is this one: The early Americans wanted the land that was occupied by a certain tribe. So they went to them and slaughtered every last man, woman and child and Thanksgiving was their celebration that the tribe was now extinct and they could move onto their land.
I wasn't there so I don't know which one is true, but it's something to think about.
Now on Christmas we'll be getting a whole bird. Lastly, for Halloween, why not download my horror short story The Mountain City Bronzes? It's only 99 cents.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-City-Bronzes-ebook/dp/B006M4HDEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1349802557&sr=8-1&keywords=the+mountain+city+bronzes
And why not visit my Author's page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/madeleinewriter?fref=ts
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Halloween Month
Well, it's that time of year that children adore. Halloween is on it's way and already the stores are full of candy and costumes. One great thing about being older is that you can remember when things were different.
How many of you can recall those bedsheets (old ones) with eye holes cut in them. Just throw it over your head and go. I can't precisely remember any of my costumes.
We started around six o'clock when I was a child. Supper, then outside to do around to any and all houses that were in White Rock. We stayed in our area, but still had to beware people who would ruin our fun for us.
Like people who put razor blades in apples or teenagers who thought it fun to throw firecrackers at a little kid's head.
After Halloween had lost it's fun for me, and when I lived in Ottawa, it became the custom to have a big party at community centers for all the neighborhood kids. How boring I would have found it. I remember once at school when my class was having a party. A big lot of candy was just thrown on the floor and all the kids jumped in.
I was aghast at this 'animal' behavior. I vowed never to throw myself into a pile of writhing children fighting for a piece of candy. I just stood there knowing on October 31st I would get my chance at candy.
Another thing I liked was cutting a face in the pumpkin. My brother was much better at that than me and always had original faces. Mine were just triangles so I wouldn't make a mistake. Mom never did roast the seeds though, and I think that's too bad, maybe she would have felt more included in Halloween. Instead, she thought of it as a kids thing.
Back to today. Lots of kids now go out again at Halloween and do the trick or treat thing. If I go driving with my room mate we see kids in neighborhoods going up to doors and some of the houses are really taking the scary thing seriously. Decorations and blinking eyeball skeletons.
So Halloween is not dead (or undead) and it's good to know that all sorts of children can have a ball on All Hallowed Eve.
How many of you can recall those bedsheets (old ones) with eye holes cut in them. Just throw it over your head and go. I can't precisely remember any of my costumes.
We started around six o'clock when I was a child. Supper, then outside to do around to any and all houses that were in White Rock. We stayed in our area, but still had to beware people who would ruin our fun for us.
Like people who put razor blades in apples or teenagers who thought it fun to throw firecrackers at a little kid's head.
After Halloween had lost it's fun for me, and when I lived in Ottawa, it became the custom to have a big party at community centers for all the neighborhood kids. How boring I would have found it. I remember once at school when my class was having a party. A big lot of candy was just thrown on the floor and all the kids jumped in.
I was aghast at this 'animal' behavior. I vowed never to throw myself into a pile of writhing children fighting for a piece of candy. I just stood there knowing on October 31st I would get my chance at candy.
Another thing I liked was cutting a face in the pumpkin. My brother was much better at that than me and always had original faces. Mine were just triangles so I wouldn't make a mistake. Mom never did roast the seeds though, and I think that's too bad, maybe she would have felt more included in Halloween. Instead, she thought of it as a kids thing.
Back to today. Lots of kids now go out again at Halloween and do the trick or treat thing. If I go driving with my room mate we see kids in neighborhoods going up to doors and some of the houses are really taking the scary thing seriously. Decorations and blinking eyeball skeletons.
So Halloween is not dead (or undead) and it's good to know that all sorts of children can have a ball on All Hallowed Eve.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Cancer...don't answer.
My mother used to say that I shouldn't worry about diseases so much when I was a child. "By the time you're old enough to get that...they might have a cure." Not exactly words of wisdom but it kept me from worrying and it turns out that it's a little bit true.
My mom died in 2000 from cancer. Lymphoma. Now I'm hearing the word nanobees in relation to this disease. Cancer cells can be destroyed by bee poison, you know, the kind in stings. So they've created microscopic 'balls' on which they attach 'pins' in each one is bee poison. It's injected into the cancer and kills it all. Fantastic. It is just started being used now and might be available in two years for all. Maybe Mom was right about that one, if I get cancer, maybe they'll be able to cure it...destroy it.
And then there's Multiple Sclerosis and the shunt put in the blood vessel which has a lot of people up and walking who couldn't even move before. Unfortunately, they've also had some deaths caused by the shunt. But I think they seem to be on the right track and will find a way to make it work.
Two years ago, my dad passed away from Lewey Body or Dementia, they were never quite sure which it was. Both are types of Alzheimers. It's not too long ago but already they're saying they think they have a medicine that will remove the plaque from the nerves of the brain.
So both are too late for my parents but maybe my mother left something for me to look forward to. Maybe I'll be cured of cancer and Alzheimers both and be able to live a lot longer.
My mom died in 2000 from cancer. Lymphoma. Now I'm hearing the word nanobees in relation to this disease. Cancer cells can be destroyed by bee poison, you know, the kind in stings. So they've created microscopic 'balls' on which they attach 'pins' in each one is bee poison. It's injected into the cancer and kills it all. Fantastic. It is just started being used now and might be available in two years for all. Maybe Mom was right about that one, if I get cancer, maybe they'll be able to cure it...destroy it.
And then there's Multiple Sclerosis and the shunt put in the blood vessel which has a lot of people up and walking who couldn't even move before. Unfortunately, they've also had some deaths caused by the shunt. But I think they seem to be on the right track and will find a way to make it work.
Two years ago, my dad passed away from Lewey Body or Dementia, they were never quite sure which it was. Both are types of Alzheimers. It's not too long ago but already they're saying they think they have a medicine that will remove the plaque from the nerves of the brain.
So both are too late for my parents but maybe my mother left something for me to look forward to. Maybe I'll be cured of cancer and Alzheimers both and be able to live a lot longer.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
If Only I Had...
A few years ago, my room mate began watching The Antique Roadshow, both the American and British versions. Although I was usually reading a book when it was on, I would look at interesting things and wait for the appraisal before going back to my book.
I started to wonder if I had anything antique that was worth anything. Well, there was my pendant that my parents bought for my birthday in the sixties, with all sorts of symbols, it's supposed to bring positive energy to the wearer. I didn't suppose it was worth anything, even though it's in pristine condition.
But it did make me think of some postcards I'd had as a child. My grandmother's neighbor, Mrs. Golder, came to her one day and said, "Earlie, I have these postcards my grandkids used to play with, they're too old now but your grandkids are the right age." So that is how I got all these postcards from 1900-1914. I loved those cards as a child but when I moved out east, I didn't take them with me. I thought they were all gone and I wistfully wondered what they would be worth as antiques.
In 2008, I visited my Dad in BC. I mentioned those postcards and he said he still had them. What? My step-mom Shirley and him went through all their drawers and found all those postcards. I was ecstatic! Now I would have all sorts of money. I mentioned this to Dad, too and he told me there was all sorts of those postcards for sale everywhere, at most, they're worth about three dollars. Disappointment. But never mind, I wanted those postcards.
Back in Ottawa, I showed them to my room mate. He found a couple of postcards with very early motorcycles that might be worth a little and there is one photo of the Prince Of Wales mistress, who was an actress, worth about one hundred dollars. But I've decided to keep them. I read the writing on the back and found that E.S. Golder and his friends are the first generation of car crazy guys. They are constantly writing about the new invention, the motor car. It's too interesting to give up.
Then there were the old coins my mother had. We have a money museum in Ottawa and I've seen one coin we had two of. Both Ming Dynasty coins. They would have been worth millions but as befits 17th century coins, both had been worn away by handling over three hundred years. Still, it would be nice to have. My mom thought she could get a lot of money from it and sold it years ago. Dad says she got next to nothing.
But one thing I really wish I had now belonged to my room mates family. They were shipbuilders in Ireland and a 18th century shipbuilders tool kit had come down the family. I would love to see it. But alas, my room mate's brother sold it years ago.
So now I've run out of things I wish I had. But I'm going to keep everything and pass it on. Maybe they'll be more lucky.
I started to wonder if I had anything antique that was worth anything. Well, there was my pendant that my parents bought for my birthday in the sixties, with all sorts of symbols, it's supposed to bring positive energy to the wearer. I didn't suppose it was worth anything, even though it's in pristine condition.
But it did make me think of some postcards I'd had as a child. My grandmother's neighbor, Mrs. Golder, came to her one day and said, "Earlie, I have these postcards my grandkids used to play with, they're too old now but your grandkids are the right age." So that is how I got all these postcards from 1900-1914. I loved those cards as a child but when I moved out east, I didn't take them with me. I thought they were all gone and I wistfully wondered what they would be worth as antiques.
In 2008, I visited my Dad in BC. I mentioned those postcards and he said he still had them. What? My step-mom Shirley and him went through all their drawers and found all those postcards. I was ecstatic! Now I would have all sorts of money. I mentioned this to Dad, too and he told me there was all sorts of those postcards for sale everywhere, at most, they're worth about three dollars. Disappointment. But never mind, I wanted those postcards.
Back in Ottawa, I showed them to my room mate. He found a couple of postcards with very early motorcycles that might be worth a little and there is one photo of the Prince Of Wales mistress, who was an actress, worth about one hundred dollars. But I've decided to keep them. I read the writing on the back and found that E.S. Golder and his friends are the first generation of car crazy guys. They are constantly writing about the new invention, the motor car. It's too interesting to give up.
Then there were the old coins my mother had. We have a money museum in Ottawa and I've seen one coin we had two of. Both Ming Dynasty coins. They would have been worth millions but as befits 17th century coins, both had been worn away by handling over three hundred years. Still, it would be nice to have. My mom thought she could get a lot of money from it and sold it years ago. Dad says she got next to nothing.
But one thing I really wish I had now belonged to my room mates family. They were shipbuilders in Ireland and a 18th century shipbuilders tool kit had come down the family. I would love to see it. But alas, my room mate's brother sold it years ago.
So now I've run out of things I wish I had. But I'm going to keep everything and pass it on. Maybe they'll be more lucky.
Friday, September 7, 2012
Oprah-Zombies And Other Media-Induced Female Frenzies
I don't know why it is, but it seems women are more likely to be influenced by the media. Especially the show-biz media. You see women walking around and they look ordinary but they're not, they're Oprah-zombies! And their goal is to save the world by saving themselves. Meaning that they're going to wham you with their self-esteem and do all they can to help their children be superstars of life.
Now, don't get me wrong. You may as well be all you can be but I find that women will believe so much that they are told, that it leaves me gasping in wonderment. In fact, I find those ladies with all that self-esteem to be totally unmerciful towards others who may not be the same as them. What does this have to do with believing what you are told. Well, Oprah said this was good, to have self-worth would bring about great changes.
It has, but not always in a good way.
Take men, for instance. They will never say that so-and-so celebrity is a special person and you need to listen and learn from them. NO. Men will say, "This is a free country. Nobody can tell me how to think or what to think." Good for them, I say. We need men to keep a country free. Men will stand up for their rights to think and act as they will. Whereas women, at least Canadian women, will want to know what is right or best. And for that they turn to show-biz media and Oprah.
At least the Oprah-zombies aren't as bad as the Laura Croft kick-ass toughies who don't seem to believe that weaker women shouldn't be allowed their democratic right to walk down the street without fear of being savaged. What about hemophiliacs or arthritics? Why shouldn't they be able to say what they want without the Laura Croft kick-ass toughies threatening them?
I think the solution for women adherence to show-biz media is to teach very plainly while they are still children, the rights and obligations of every citizen of a free country. How it's almost a duty to stand up for those who oppose you opinion because in a free country all are entitled to their opinion. If no one stands up for others rights then we have a system where oppression of everyone's opinion becomes possible.
Just like the women who use the justice system to solve their problems. If nobody tells the truth and we let innocent people sit in jail then what's to stop the police from picking up anybody they don't like.
So hopefully, media-induced female frenzy is just a passing thing and our children will be taught about freedom and not Oprah's dream for a better world. A free country is the best world we can hope for.
Now, don't get me wrong. You may as well be all you can be but I find that women will believe so much that they are told, that it leaves me gasping in wonderment. In fact, I find those ladies with all that self-esteem to be totally unmerciful towards others who may not be the same as them. What does this have to do with believing what you are told. Well, Oprah said this was good, to have self-worth would bring about great changes.
It has, but not always in a good way.
Take men, for instance. They will never say that so-and-so celebrity is a special person and you need to listen and learn from them. NO. Men will say, "This is a free country. Nobody can tell me how to think or what to think." Good for them, I say. We need men to keep a country free. Men will stand up for their rights to think and act as they will. Whereas women, at least Canadian women, will want to know what is right or best. And for that they turn to show-biz media and Oprah.
At least the Oprah-zombies aren't as bad as the Laura Croft kick-ass toughies who don't seem to believe that weaker women shouldn't be allowed their democratic right to walk down the street without fear of being savaged. What about hemophiliacs or arthritics? Why shouldn't they be able to say what they want without the Laura Croft kick-ass toughies threatening them?
I think the solution for women adherence to show-biz media is to teach very plainly while they are still children, the rights and obligations of every citizen of a free country. How it's almost a duty to stand up for those who oppose you opinion because in a free country all are entitled to their opinion. If no one stands up for others rights then we have a system where oppression of everyone's opinion becomes possible.
Just like the women who use the justice system to solve their problems. If nobody tells the truth and we let innocent people sit in jail then what's to stop the police from picking up anybody they don't like.
So hopefully, media-induced female frenzy is just a passing thing and our children will be taught about freedom and not Oprah's dream for a better world. A free country is the best world we can hope for.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Chiroprators
It's embarrassing as a child and you can't do something everybody else can. That was the way with me when it came to sitting up straight. I didn't know it then, but I had a problem with spinal alignment. My neck was not curved the way most are but ramrod straight.
This meant I could not hold my head up without becoming fatigued. It also meant that my head would droop down to my chest whenever I did my schoolwork so I had to prop my head up with my hand. Teachers did not like this.
My spine was twisted and crooked so I had all sorts of problem with doing things other kids could do. I had heard of chiropractors but so many people totally pooh-poohed them that I didn't press my mother to take me to one. I dropped out of gym as soon as I could.
I became a gardener in Vancouver and because of my spinal problem, I injured myself again and had to give it up. Years went by with pain, inability to walk occasionally and all sorts of times when I couldn't work.
In the 1990's, it got so bad that I had one constant, horrible headache that kept me from sleeping and going out for the most part, but on one time I did go out, I passed a chiropractor's office. He had a sign out. Free x-rays. What could it hurt? So I got my free x-rays and when I saw them, I suddenly felt better about all the fatigue and pain and embarrassment I'd suffered. The explanation for it all was right there.
After one treatment, the headaches stopped, the tension dropped away. My pelvis had also been stuck. I had to go three times a week but now I only go once every month. My neck is now curved again and every headache is solved by a trip to the chiropractor.
One more story: my chiropractor was brought a two-week old baby who would not stop crying. He made one simple adjustment and Presto! the baby stopped crying and hasn't cried since, I'm told.
So, I'm not really trying to sell you on chiropractors but if you have a problem with posture or fatigue or a grouchy baby, you might do well to check it out with one. It can literally give you a new release on life.
This meant I could not hold my head up without becoming fatigued. It also meant that my head would droop down to my chest whenever I did my schoolwork so I had to prop my head up with my hand. Teachers did not like this.
My spine was twisted and crooked so I had all sorts of problem with doing things other kids could do. I had heard of chiropractors but so many people totally pooh-poohed them that I didn't press my mother to take me to one. I dropped out of gym as soon as I could.
I became a gardener in Vancouver and because of my spinal problem, I injured myself again and had to give it up. Years went by with pain, inability to walk occasionally and all sorts of times when I couldn't work.
In the 1990's, it got so bad that I had one constant, horrible headache that kept me from sleeping and going out for the most part, but on one time I did go out, I passed a chiropractor's office. He had a sign out. Free x-rays. What could it hurt? So I got my free x-rays and when I saw them, I suddenly felt better about all the fatigue and pain and embarrassment I'd suffered. The explanation for it all was right there.
After one treatment, the headaches stopped, the tension dropped away. My pelvis had also been stuck. I had to go three times a week but now I only go once every month. My neck is now curved again and every headache is solved by a trip to the chiropractor.
One more story: my chiropractor was brought a two-week old baby who would not stop crying. He made one simple adjustment and Presto! the baby stopped crying and hasn't cried since, I'm told.
So, I'm not really trying to sell you on chiropractors but if you have a problem with posture or fatigue or a grouchy baby, you might do well to check it out with one. It can literally give you a new release on life.
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