R & R Parenting II

“John smacked up his car again,” my husband said as he unpacked his lunchbox.

“What do you mean he smacked up his car again,” I asked in disbelief. “Was anyone hurt? I didn’t know he had another car. I thought he couldn’t afford to buy one after his last accident.”

“Yeah, but I guess he must have found some money somewhere,” he said. “I don’t know how he did it but apparently he found some wheels again.”

“Did he do it legally this time? Did he get insurance and a driver’s license?” Continue reading R & R Parenting II

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Double Majoring in English and Clambering

Who knew that a degree in clambering would piggyback a degree in English? And that there would be no tuition charged for it? I certainly did not.

If you are wondering precisely what clambering is, think of what happens when you show up late at a huge auditorium with fixed, assigned seating and an usher tells you that your ticket is for a seat that requires a helicopter to reach. But since that isn’t an option, you are forced to either forego the event or clamber over legs, knees, laps, bags, and armrests causing a whole row of people to become involuntary butt-kissers as you turn your backside to them Continue reading Double Majoring in English and Clambering

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R&R Parenting I

According to the dictionary, any kind of parenting is deceptively simple; it is supposedly about being or acting like a mother or a father. But as everyone knows, that is not the case at all.

Parenting is a complicated lifelong process that, in practice, varies from culture to ethnic group. It is a complex biological process compounded by multiple abstract factors. R&R parenting at its most basic level, at least conceptually, Continue reading R&R Parenting I

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Overrun by Techno-gizmos

A white walking cane had been an extension of my hand for six years before I became a college student. In those six years I had experienced interesting and varied reactions. They ranged from a muttered “what the heck is she doing in a place like this by herself?” (I was in a mall) to a woman asking my husband if he thought I would mind if she offered her assistance in a public restroom along an interstate highway. My favorite reaction was the simple, curious Continue reading Overrun by Techno-gizmos

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Assaulted by Techno-gizmos

I am writing this blog entry with a techno-gizmo. My simple Amish brain has a love/hate relationship with this techno-gizmo. The hate part comes from my love of simplicity and the love part comes from my aversion to cluttered, chaotic writing. I like things simple, clear, sensible, and neat. I have yet to use a techno-gizmo that meets my expectations.

Yes, pushing buttons is simple enough but how am I to make sense of the infinitesimal outer markings as well as comprehend its inner functions? Continue reading Assaulted by Techno-gizmos

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Power Surges

“I wonder why they’re wasting so much heat in a stairwell,” I muttered as I rounded the first-floor landing. I paused, tucked my cane under my arm, pulled off my gloves, and unzipped my coat before continuing the climb.

Okay, I guess the coat will need to come completely off, I thought as I rounded the second-floor landing. So I propped the cane between my legs, shrugged off the heavy backpack, dropped it to the floor, and took off my coat. Hoisting the backpack into place again and draping the coat over my arm I continued huffing up to Room 320 hoping I wouldn’t be soaked in sweat by the time I got there.

It’s strange that I only get these power surges in this one stairwell Continue reading Power Surges

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The Horsehair Plaster Debate

Which is more important, intention or action? Should the two be separated? And where does horsehair plaster fit in?[pullquote] Is the road to hell paved with good intentions and horsehair plaster?[/pullquote]

Allow me to set the stage. My husband and I had hired a carpenter-friend to turn two small rooms into one. The job involved tearing out horsehair plaster, the bane of everyone who’s ever remodeled a nineteenth century building. To complicate things Continue reading The Horsehair Plaster Debate

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