Monthly Archives: December 2011
How we use words
In my 20s I became aware of how people used words to indoctrinate. In the 1960s and 1970s there was a lot of discussion about how the dominant culture writes about history, to make them look like the “good” guys … Continue reading
Posted in politics, Random thoughts, religion, social issues
Tagged Culture, history, language, values
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Circle of friends
No, this is not about the Irish movie. This is about having a circle of friends you can talk with. Often such circles are born during our high school or college years, forged by proximity, shared tasks, and seeing people on … Continue reading
Too much “stuff”
Children grow out of clothes and toys really fast; they need gifts just so the parents can keep up. Young adults (especially if they are setting up a household of their own) need clothing and “toys” and household things, because … Continue reading
Listening to my heart
Today is a quiet day for me. My husband is working, so I slept late. 🙂 We did most of our Christmasy stuff with family and friends on Friday and Saturday. There will be phone calls today. But I can … Continue reading
Casual Winter Holiday
While my husband and I grew up with Christian backgrounds, we both consider ourselves pagans now. This is not a problem around the Christmas holiday, because so many of the the traditions associated with it ARE pagan (candles, decorated trees, … Continue reading
Posted in family, health, home, natural holidays, social issues, spirituality
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Living with Nature
I live in a part of the world just right for me. I see mountains with snow. I hear the ocean waves breaking only a mile away. There are trees everywhere, and some of those redwoods are HUGE. An elk … Continue reading
Posted in home, natural holidays, nature, spirituality
Tagged ravens, redwoods, Roosevelt Elk, Smith River
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Please stop adding MSG!
Last weekend I went to a Christmas Party. The food was simple (no sauces or gravies), but quite good. The next morning I woke up with a screaming headache. Now I know — there was MSG in the food. What is MSG? Monosodium … Continue reading
Posted in family, food, health, home
Tagged eating in restaurants, foods with MSG, what MSG does to you
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I’m almost 60 . . . and I play WoW
I was talking with a young man the other day, and it was one of those conversations where you are looking for things to talk about. I casually mentioned I play World of Warcraft, and I thought his jaw was … Continue reading
Nail polish — to use or not to use?
My mother rarely polished her nails; she was a gardener, and the manicures didn’t last more than a day or two. My Aunt, however, always had beautiful, polished nails. They were elegant. Classy. Powerful, even. When I was about 11 … Continue reading
Cultural competency
When I was at university (about 2005), there was a big push for cultural competency in the various fields. According to Wikipedia, it is defined thus: Cultural competence refers to an ability to interact effectively with people of different cultures, … Continue reading
Hermit by Moonlight 