post-funeral thoughts

Here's what I wrote on facebook, after the visitation last night, after the funeral and burial and the luncheon at St. James Catholic Church this morning and afternoon.

"My gratitude to my ex, Jeff McDermott. He drove in from Rome, GA, for the funeral today for our niece, Jean Marie Morgan, to show his love and support for me, my stepsister Susan Morgan, our nephew Stephen Morgan, and for her dear Robert Williams. Jeff embodied the Reverend Joseph Smith's message at the funeral mass. To paraphrase, we are all flawed creatures and sometimes we need to ask each other for help and we need to know that asking for help is part of being human... and to give that help when asked is also part of her nature. My thanks for continued prayers during this time, not just for me, but for all who knew Jean Marie."

My ex had driven up on Friday night, arriving just before midnight.
In the morning, we met for breakfast before heading to the church.
He never left my side.

God is still looking in on me, too.
That is how I know I am both blessed and loved.

Now, I am taking a nap.
If only I had someone to sing "Soft Kitty" to me, that would be perfect.
(smile)

his eye is on the sparrow

I was on the couch this evening, numbing my mind from thoughts of death and loss, watching reruns of "The Big Bang Theory" that I almost know by heart, taking a break from reality.
Slowly, I became aware of a presence watching me.
Not creepy watching, but benevolently.
From my vantage point on the couch, I looked through the window,
toward the street,
toward the tree I so enjoy seeing...
and looked at the face of God...
positioned perfectly in my windowpanes for me to discern...
noticing first the two broad lips...
the cleft in the chin...
then the left eye in the upper pane...
granting me peace from heartbreaking thoughts...
allowing me time to capture the image...
giving me love and support.

i thank You, God.

ciao, Theresa

I had popped onto facebook to check in with folks, looking for light entertainment.
The news from my nephew Zach was somber and grabbed my aching heartstrings.
His Grandma Terrie was buried today.
If I had known, I would have been there.

Theresa Rondeau was 78 years old, the same age as my Aunt Linda.
She was loud and loving and lively, ready with a hug whenever I saw her.
Of course, that wasn't often. In fact, the last time was for the baby shower for Zach's son, Kobe. He was Terrie's one and only great-grandchild and she loved him so much. His name is even included in her obituary.
That baby shower was in the summer of 2010.
Could that possibly be right???
Nope! She was at the pool party for Kobe's first birthday, too, in July of 2011.
I also got to visit with her in July of 2012 at the boy's 2nd birthday pool party.

Here's the photo I took at that event... and the words Dee wrote about her mom.
"Okay, this is the 'great-grandmother/Zach's family's side...Grandma Beauty...or depending on a child's age it's pronounced...'grandma-Booty'!...She is obviously telling someone how, or what, to do."
Hey, what else would you expect from an Italian straight out of the Bronx?
(smile)
Terrie was never boring, that's for sure.
I'm sorry I wasn't at the funeral to give my nephew a big hug... and to get one, too.

nearly forgot my broken heart

I can't wrap my head around the fact that her funeral will be on Saturday.
My niece, Jean Marie Morgan, took her life on Sunday.
My brother Smitty broke the news to me last night. I had gone to join the Living Out Loud folks for bingo after my students finished their last test. I ended up leaving the table several times for phone calls that evening from family.
Jean Marie was only 31 years old.
Her birthday had been on Friday.

I wish I had been able to spend more time with her.
She is my stepsister Susan's daughter and has basically been out of my life since Mama died in 2001.
Sure, we would see each other at the Christmas gatherings, while Frank was alive...but he's been dead since 2011.
Then, I saw her for her brother's wedding in 2012...
and her son's first birthday...
and at the baby shower for her brother's first child.

Of course, we saw each other on facebook.
In fact when I was combing her page for a recent photo of her, I found it a difficult task.
Not that there was a scarcity of such - not at all.
But the majority were of her in group shots, surrounded by laughing girlfriends at parties or dinners or just together.
Then there were those candids of her with her son and daughter, with her dear Robert, or her mom, or her brother and his growing family.
And she was always smiling her sweet smile, radiating love.

She has struggled with drug abuse since she was a teen.
Ever since, she has fought with depression, struggling to grasp happiness, self-medicating with alcohol or other substances when no other way helped.
The depression seemed to have taken a new hold after her daughter's birth.
Counseling did not help to elevate her presence in the world.
She and Robert had even lost their children to foster care for a while.
But she had taken steps to change her life for the better last year. I had applauded her actions and voiced my pride in her and love of her.
And now she is gone.

I know Chris Cornell's song is about a lost lover, but it speaks to my heart of grief, the grief I already associate with this month for my Daddy, my friend Sam Johnson, and my mother-in-law Pat.
Ever since I heard the song on the radio this morning as I drove to school, the refrain won't turn loose of me.

I almost forgot my broken heart,
it's taking me miles away
from the memory of how it broke apart,
here we go 'round again...

May God reunite your spirit with those of Pop and Grammy, Jean Marie.
Please give them big hugs for me.

tallying up the time

Hey, Dood!
Last week, I gave my last lectures of the semester to both of my lecture classes! Hooray!
Next week, I will give them their last lecture exams.
The following week is Final Exams.
Hooray!
Soon, I will have no more grading of lab papers!
I do so dislike grading lab papers. They take up so much of my time, as we perform a minimum of ten labs (at Armstrong, it's a total of eleven labs). So, that's grading a lab data sheet, a pre-lab quiz or assignment, and a post-lab report for each student for each lab.
Whew.
I have 22 students in one lab at Armstrong, 20 students in another lab there, and 10 students in the Savannah Tech lab class.
If you conservatively figure ten minutes per student per lab, then the Savannah Tech group alone requires a minimum of ONE THOUSAND extra minutes of my time... and that doesn't include the 150 minutes for the performance of the lab each week for fifteen weeks.
The real shame is I don't get paid one cent for all that grading time.
Not at Savannah Tech, not at Armstrong. In fact, when you factor in the time I spend not only grading lab papers, but also writing and grading lab tests and lab final exams, I make just over twenty bucks an hour.
That's because I'm an adjunct.
Well, the department at Armstrong had a posting for a "Limited Term Instructor" and I applied for it two weeks ago.
Please say a little prayer for me!
Well, it's late and tomorrow - I mean, today - will be dawning in a few hours. Guess I better get to sleep!
love you!
Tina

whadda ya got?

That was Lisa Simpson't response when asked what she was rebelling against.
I know whereof she speaks.
But I also know one specific thing I have been fighting.
Change in my eating habits.
I have Weight Watchers to thank for that, both the good and the bad.
You see, on March 3rd, my Weekly Smart Points decreased from 42 to 35.
A drop of SEVEN POINTS.
On the face of it, that doesn't sound like much, but let me tell you what SEVEN POINTS represents.
Four cups of movie popcorn - that means three nights with no treat.
A bowl of cereal with milk before bedtime on two evenings.
Chips and salsa on dinner out, and a WW hummus snack one afternoon.
Each of those costs about seven points.
I rebelled.
Of course, that caused my weight to slide back up one pound...and I regained my WSP of 42.
That next week, I actually tried to only use 35 points for my weekly allowance.
Nope.
I could not do it.
That's not quite right. Let's rephrase that.
I WOULD NOT.
Trying to cut those seven points out led to me eating MORE.
Fairly deliberately, too.

Three weeks ago, when I was forced to attend the early Saturday morning meeting, I admitted to Kelly and the group that I had been rebelling.
I admitted that the progress of my weight loss had been good enough that I had lost seven weekly points...and that loss had led to me feeling deprived.
The group was aghast that I had lost those seven weekly points.
Well, I take that back, too.
Those who have so few points in their WSP that they have not experienced a change gasped.
Those who are grossly overweight like me didn't even blink an eyelash about it.
They've already had that issue to wrap their head around.
You would think they might have spoken up with some words of advice, but they did not.
Sigh.

After that meeting, the thought occurred to me that I had been missing some of my favorite foods.
Dinners of just endless tortilla chips, scooping up RoTel laced with cheddar cheese...
pizza mounded high with meats, meats, and more meats...
fried chicken fingers with waffle fries...
baklava with a side of bacon.
Sigh.

Well, I resolved that the chips and RoTel (as salsa) was making a comeback.
And you know what I found?
The months of making better food choices had made an impact.
I had determined that I would do as I once did, eating the combo, with shredded cheddar generously added to the can of spicy tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro, until it was gone.
Each bite would be accompanied by crunchy, crispy tortilla chips, of course.
Guess what happened?
Well, first, I substituted the fat-free shredded cheddar for the regular variety.
Then, I made sure the chips had at least a little fiber.
However, the most telling mark left by the Weight Watchers philosophy was this: I found myself counting chips.
Counting them, every last one of them, ticking over the mental counter when I reached 14.
Why?
Because fourteen chips with salsa is worth four points.
Even though I was rebelling, I was still being mindful.
Even though I was deliberately eating as I once did, I found I could not eat with that level of sheer abandon anymore.
Sigh.

Today, while out with my Born in the 50's and 60's meetup, that point came home.
We were at Chiriya's, indulging in Thai, and I had opted to not have salad.
I wanted the Kalua Pig and Cabbage!
RRraawwwRRR!
And the conversation around the table turned to addictions...
and Pat, to my right, was a retired cardiosurgery nurse...
and Ed was talking about the six stents in his chest...
and I found myself telling these folks about my ex and about him having two stents placed into his heart just two months after his 39th birthday.
I told them how he had refused to believe he needed to change his eating habits into healthier ones...
I concluded by saying that "you can't eat like a Polish farmer if you don't do Polish farming anymore"...
and I realized how very true that was.
I had been trying to eat like I was still the 18-year-old dancer in my head.
What is that Einstein quote?
Oh, yeah.
"Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is insanity."

Yeah.
I am certainly guilty of doing that.
I'll keep trying to do better.
At lunch, I ate with chopsticks (partly to slow me down)and I ended up with enough left over for lunch on Tuesday...
maybe with a nice salad, too.

At least I know the lessons are having an effect.
(smile)
That means the money has not been wasted on this round of nutritional schooling.
That's a good thing.

i thank You, God.

black belts, musubi, and ramen for all!

What glorious time I have had!
Last night, I attended the opening ceremonies for the 21st Savannah Asian Festival! Barbara was to my left and John Suchower was on my right as we enjoyed the Japanese drummers and the Polynesian dancers and the Chinese flute player and the martial arts demonstration!
Amazing!
Today, I've been running solo for the festivities on the Armstrong campus... if you can call it solo while in the midst of crowds in the International Garden and crowds on the Burnett lawn and crowds in the food lines.
(smile)
So many countries were represented at the Flag Parade! I counted at least 23, possibly as many as 25!

But this particular bit was an unexpected treat!
See the woman in the tan pants?
She is about to show her prowess in the martial arts by breaking a wooden board.
Success!

I just had to go and congratulate her afterward!
It was President Bleicken!
Actually, she is soon to become simply Linda, as she is retiring after this semester.
I sure am going to miss her steady hand on the tiller!

This is another of the photographable highlights for me: musubi!
Well, close enough for me!
The Japanese restaurant, Sushi Zen, calls their version O-Nigiri and they make it with grilled salmon or chicken as the meat, but it is still a hand-held, delectable treat!
Now that I know where they are, I look forward to having them again soon. Maybe when the physicist returns this summer, he and I can dine on musubi...
that would be quite fine!
What did I enjoy that wasn't able to be photographed?
Well, how about me learning Tai Chi from a 72-year-old expert with nine black belts?
And how about me dancing along with the Japanese drummers?
And then there was me learning some Bollywood dance moves, too!
(smile!)
What a glorious day this has been... and I even managed to write the tests I needed for my Chem1152 and Chem1211 classes on Monday and Tuesday.
As they would say in Japan, Kireina!
Or would you prefer the Chinese, Měilì!
Perhaps the Hindi, sundar!
In any language, it's been a beautiful day and I have been blessed to spend much of it outdoors on this Earth Day, celebrating the diversity of the world with music, food, and dance from so many different countries.

i thank You, God!

Now, I'm off to join Barbara for a CinemaSavannah screening, "Neruda".
Later!

morgan's universe

When I was cleaning out closets, I also threw out some items that were rather decrepit.
A nightgown so faded and worn that its initial color could no longer be determined.
A shirt that had been stained so many times that it looked to have a mottled pattern on the front.
Both items had small holes in the front; the lace around the armholes and collar of the nightgown was barely hanging on.
I wanted to keep them anyway...
but I know how to deal with that lunacy.
I knew if the items were torn up, I would part with them...
so I ripped those holes until they ran across the entire front of the clothing.
They're out of my life now.

But these shoes?
These shoes with the holes
at the little toes
and the holes in their soles?
My intention was to toss them into the trash can...
truly, it was.
However, this thought
stayed my hand:
my BFF's darling,
dancing daughter
had painted these shoes.
They are unique...
and I have so enjoyed
having this gift from her.
So, they stay.
Instead, I tossed the pair of tan sandals that have the holes worn into the heel pads from me not wearing the strap.
Would you believe I had to cut them up so I would throw them out?
True story.
I even broke the scissors when I did so.
True story.

Now, for real, I am out to do the back yard, wearing Morgan's universe.
Later!

out, out, i say!

Today, I spent most of my time going through the closets in my bedroom, the Ocean Room, the guest room, and the hall.
None of these are walk-in closets.
None of them.
And yet, they took up so much of my time today!
I had first intended to clear out the clothes that I had accepted from my niece, but which I could not wear.
The pants were too big on me and the tops weren't really my style.
(Yes, I kinda do have one.
Smile.)
Then, since I was going to be taking them to Goodwill, I thought I might go ahead and take them a few more things, like some T-shirts that I have never, ever worn.
After that, things got on a roll.
I was determined to take all clothes from the hall closet and the guest room.
Those two spaces certainly did not need to have clothes in them!
The next thing I knew, it was after tea time and I had amassed a car load of items.

That's three bags of clothes: one of pants, the other two of tops and tees.
There is also one bag of shoes, all of them being pairs I had liked, but rarely worn since the time five years ago when I bought them.
(Yes, I said 5 years of those shoes sitting idle.)
There is also a bag with cookbooks never used, storage containers (likewise), plastic storage bags (with zippers, that had shower curtain liners), and refrigerator magnets.
Then one bag with only three items: an electric clothes steamer (still in box), an old keyboard (for a long-gone desk computer), and a punk synthetic wig (never worn).
Seriously, there's much more that still needs to get out, but that will wait for another day.
Now, I'm going to finish mowing the back yard, as the battery is charged up again.
(That's twice this week I've had to charge it so I can mow the entire front and back.)
(That's even with the blade set at its highest range, too.)
Then, tonight, I'll meet Barbara for the 21st Asian Festival out at Armstrong!
Drums!
Dancers!
Different cultures!
Hooray!!!

i thank You, God!

last lecture of the semester!!!

Last night, I gave the last lecture of the spring semester at Armstrong!
That lecture covered the beta-oxidation cycle for fatty acids, part of animal metabolism.
D_O_N_E!!!

Then, I presided over the last lab for my Chem1152 students.
This was -not- one of my favorites, as it was designed to illustrate the ill effects of heat on the potency of Vitamin C in OTC tablets.
The problem is, it never quite works.
Never.
Sometimes it's an issue with the starch indicator being too weak to be effective.
This time, we not only had that problem, but also with the choice of beverage to be tested.
Let's just say that Propel lemon-flavor drink should not be used as a source of the citrus-based coenzyme.
Aware of the issues the lab has, I made sure before they left that each lab duo had data that made sense, massaging the numbers into better shape so the trend would be correct.
So glad -THAT- is done!
Those Lab Reports will be so much easier to grade now!

Today, I gave my last lecture of the spring semester at Savannah Tech.
That lecture dealt with energy diagrams, energy of the system, energy of the surroundings, and how the two are related to each other and to work.
D_O_N_E!!!

Now, to write the tests I'm giving next week and prepare mentally for the onslaught of Lab Final Exams for my Chem1151L and Chem1152L classes.
Then, to grade the last lab reports for both Chem1151L and Chem1211L.
For the last few years, I have been saying I need to automate these Lab Reports so a machine can grade them instead of me.
Why haven't I done so?
Well, setting up that automation process is going to require a serious investment of my time.
It'll eventually pay off... so maybe this summer I can make that happen.
But not right now - tests to prepare!
Lab reports to grade by hand, reading every word, checking every calculation...
but no more lessons to plan until the fall!
School is -almost- out!

hydrogen's heart

One of my Savannah Tech students was talking about the world of chemistry last Thursday, after our last lab of the semester. He had started by complimenting me on still having so much enthusiasm for material I've been teaching for more than two decades.
I had responded that even though the material had not changed since the nuclear age, I keep it interesting for me by changing up the order of the topics, looking for that "best way" for the students to understand the material. Also, the department changes textbooks every two or three years, so that helps, too.
(In fact, Armstrong will be using an open-source textbook this coming fall. That will be very exciting! Now, every student will have access at the very beginning of the semester, with no issues about financial aid to pay for it. Now, that is equality!)
I wasn't quite correct about chemistry being a done deal, of course.
As we know, the 7th Period elements have all been filled in now. As of early last year, the existence of the final four has been verified. Last summer, the proposed names began their probation period with IUPAC and, as of November of 2016, the names are now official.
Element 113, synthesized in Japan by bombardment of bismuth with zinc, has been named Nihonium, with the chemical symbol Nh. "Nihon" means "Land of Rising Sun", as their homeland is known.
(Nihonium has the distinction of being the first element to ever be discovered by an Asian country! I'm so glad the name reflects that honor!)
The other three of the final four were discovered by a Russian and American team, collaborating their efforts in Russia, Tennessee, and California. Element 115 is now Moscovium (Mc) and Element 117 is Tennessine (Ts), named for the geographic locations of their origins. Element 118 has been named Organesson (Og) in honor of Yuri Oganessian, the Russian who discovered the superheavy elements of the Periodic Table. How wonderful that he is still alive for this honor!
I didn't mention the above to my student, however.
He was just elated to be finally done with a lab that doesn't relate to his major.

Then the bfe posted this on facebook as a clue to the work he is doing.
It's just a proton, the heart of every hydrogen atom, the one and only particle in its nucleus.
The coloration of the image hints of the three quarks, two of the "up" variety and one which is "down", that compose the hadron and give it the resultant positive charge.
From a physicist's point of view, the proton still holds mysteries to be solved...
amazing.
I'll look forward to seeing him when he returns from his sabbatical...
and to the card he told me yesterday that he is sending me...
a card he wrote himself!!!

I found out when I was walking in the Primitive Garden. That stroll had brought him to mind, of course, so I had texted him to let him know.
I received an immediate response!
He had the day off and was at an exhibit of guitars at a science museum.
He was "rockin' like Dokken"!
(smile)
Ah, good times!

i have a waist!

For the first time in probably three decades, I can wear my belt.
I've kept it these many years because I couldn't part with the buckle.
I cannot recall where I bought either the buckle or the belt, but I do know I've had them for most of my life.
Every once in a while, I'd take them out of the drawer and look at them, trying to decide whether I should give them away or try to sell them...but I always kept them instead.
About two months ago, I was washing clothes and kept having to hitch up my pants.
After all, I've lost forty pounds since September and my clothes are definitely fitting a bit looser these days.
(smile)
My first niece had given me her old pants, the ones her mom was not able to alter. Most of the pants were jeans, something I haven't had for a while, either.
Well, as you know, denim tends to stretch out the more you wear it. The pants I was wearing at the laundrette were on their third time and kept trying to slide down my backside.
Nami had given me two long, thin straps to use as belts to tie the pants on.
That worked, but looked definitely makeshift.
So, when I returned home, I dug my belt out of the back of the fourth drawer in my bureau.
Could I wear it?
Would it fit?
It did!
Well, somewhat.
(smile)
I can only use the first and second holes right now.
That leaves just a little tail of belt emerging from the buckle...
but I can wear it!
And so I have, off and on, several times in the past two months.
Today, I noticed that I truly look like I have a waist again.
Imagine that!
And now I have a photograph to remind me that I'm getting closer to the 18-year-old in my mind every day.
(smile)

Off to school now to show my students!

change in plans

This morning, I received an unexpected phone call for a favor.
As good fortune would have it, I was able to grant the request.
So far, so good, n'est-ce pas?
Then a thought (1) struck me and I sobbed.
That predicated me leaving my breakfast to blow my nose.
(Thanks, bfe, for the nice tissues! With the extraordinary pollen count this spring, I've gone completely through two boxes of the four, plus opened the other two. BTW, my experiments have shown that Puffs plus unequivocally beats Kleenex with lotion.)
Then another thought (2) came...and I again fell into puddles of tears.
That was partly thanks to "The Shiny Trinket Maneuver". I had been watching it yet again to accompany my morning meal. By this time, it had reached the part where Amy tells Penny how mad she is with her, "but we both know that won't last".
That's when I had burst into tears that second time.
More tissues, more nose-clearing, more gathering my senses back together.
Breakfast finished, television off, I was in the hall and caught sight of the four-generation photo of me, Mama, Grandmama and my first niece.
A third thought (3) leapt into view and I had to hold myself while I sobbed.

Now, here I am, making sense of the string of actions that led to my reactions.
But first, what was that phone call about?
Well, my Aunt Barbara called to see if she and I could meet and ride together to Bev's for Easter dinner tomorrow.
Uncle John has been rather sickly this year, so he wasn't going to be able to travel with her and he didn't want her to make the drive alone.
After all, she is 79 this year, as there were two years between her and Daddy.
(He would have been 81 on April 7th.)
So, as she knew I had been interested in going to Bev's for this Sunday, she had called to ask for the favor.
She had known of my interest because I had interjected myself into the facebook conversation between her and her granddaughter Robbie. Robbie was not going to be able to attend Easter dinner because of work obligations. That's when I had piped up to see where the dinner was to be. Aunt Barbara's in Glennville? The reply had been, "no, at Bev's in Augusta and your cousin Bonnie will be there, too."
Cool beans! As Bonnie had been living in Hawaii, I had not yet met her. She and her husband were now living in Tallahassee and were making the drive.
Would I be going, too?
Well, I sure did want to! I had missed not going in November for Thanksgiving.
And I had missed not seeing the paternal side of my family during the Christmas holidays.
This visit would certainly help mend that hole in my psyche.
I told Aunt Barbara I would call Bev to make sure it would be okay for me to crash her dinner.
And I did call!
And she had answered the phone as if she had been standing by it waiting for me!
(smile)
All of that was on Wednesday.
I had just happened to be on the social media site at the right time to catch the conservation.
I was at Armstrong and between classes and had done a "touch and go" mission there.
Wednesday is usually a busier day for me, with office hours, 1152 lecture, and 1152 lab, all starting at 3 PM.
This time, I had finished the "gly- and glu-" lecture faster than anticipated, giving me a little break before lab. I actually took advantage of the free time and called Bev right then.
i thank You, God!
That call at the right time perked up both of us!

Yesterday, I had worked with Smitty to catch up the last two months of sales taxes and invoices. (We had also worked on the payroll and first quarter taxes, accomplishing all in right at three hours. Whew!)
I told him about my Easter in Augusta plans and cousin Bonnie being there. Then we chatted about stepmom Bonnie and the grandsons and about her son Michael and troubles with his ex. That led into talk of our brother Ronnie, of course, as well as of Tony.
I floated the idea out there of visiting with cousin Sharon on this trip, too.
He had told me to give all greetings from him!
Then I had raced home to make some late lunch. It was at the right time for me to enjoy an hour of "The Family Feud" with my meal, then maybe catch a movie. Hooray!

And that was mostly what happened...but I had checked my Armstrong email and seen that a collection of one-act plays from students would be performed - and it was free for all to attend!
I had sent the text message alert to Barbara, Sandy, Jackie, and JinHi, then headed off to see "Power Rangers" at the former Carmike (now AMC Classic 10).
The confusion about the new process added to the line delay at the cinema. I missed both the intended movie as well as my back-up plan, "The Case For Christ". Noticing that most of the folks in front had chosen "The Fate of the Furious", I did, too.
After all, I find it difficult to resist Vin Diesel or The Rock, and this movie had both!
(smile)
I was there at the right time to catch the start of the race in Cuba. I didn't even bother to sit down until it was done! Great opening scene!

Afterward, running late, I easily joined Barbara at Jenkins Hall.
She told me she had sat where she did so I could find her...in Mama's seat.
Nice!
There were only three plays. One was about cigarettes, with four young women speaking of the attraction, the types, the perils - very good! Then there was "Beer Girl", created by a despondent young man when his girlfriend left him - very funny! The last was of new friendship between two fellow thespians: a young woman and a young man whose sickly younger sister had died - very dramatic.
After, I had suggested dinner at Carrabbas.
Why?
Because I knew Barbara had a $10 coupon for this month that she needed to use.
And so that is where we dined, with her able to splurge on the special on lamb chops.
Good deal!
We had talked about my Easter plans and my having maternal and paternal cousins in two towns now. Then she talked of her cousin Penny in Tallahassee (what a coincidence!) and now we have plans to go there this year for Thanksgiving.
Sah-weet!
(smile)
By this time, it was after ten. Too late to call Sharon! No worries. As I told my youngest brother, I would just call her on Saturday morning about visiting!

Then Aunt Barbara had called for her favor.
I had assured her that I would meet her where I-16 and GA-301 intersect, then I settled in for coffee and omelet and my boys of physics.
Thought (1) popped into my head: Daddy had set this up to help his sister.
No sooner had I recovered from that session of tears than Thought (2) flew in: Mama had set this up. Who better than Aunt Barbara's best friend to arrange to help her out?
More salty tears flowed down my face.
Then I remembered a line from yesterday's movie while looking at my photo wall.
Thought (3) flashed in and overwhelmed me: did Grandmama set up these coincidences? Had Grandpa also been involved? Had the two of them worked with Mama (on me) and Daddy (on his sister) to make sure she and I would be there for each other?
Because, regardless of my assurances to others that I can do distance-driving again, I'm still a little shaky about it. Now, I don't have to be concerned about overtaxing my "new and improved" left hand.
Plus, I'll have this opportunity to get to know Aunt Barbara better.
That will be good, as we have so much in common.
Didn't you know?
The hypothyroidism, the lactose intolerance, the moles - she has all of that, too.
Mama did not.

I had thought of driving up today to Augusta, to visit cousin Sharon.
Now, I'll save that for another weekend.

Interesting how plans change.

i thank You, God.

Now, to see about attending a Celebration of Garlic Day at Christa's with my Caroline girls and dos of las tres amigas.
Hooray!

hop-hop-hopping along!

Some bunny loves you!
Who can it be?
You bet that some bunny
is me!

Happy Easter, Tony!
I've been invited to Easter dinner in Augusta with our paternal cousin Bev and her family - and I'm going! Aunt Barbara will be there, too, as well as our cousin Bonnie, who I haven't seen in more than forty years! Bonnie and her husband were living in Hawaii, but now they've moved back to Tallahassee.
You know what that means, don't you?
We have paternal and maternal cousins in TWO cities now!
What an odd coincidence!

This trip will be a good test of my distance driving ability. Augusta is about 2 1/2 hours from here, one-way. That will mean a total of at least five hours of driving. I may try to split the drive over two days, by going to see our cousin Sharon tomorrow and possibly staying there overnight. I'll call her in the morning to see.

Again, Happy Easter, Tony!
Hope lives!!!

with much love,
Tina

university merger news for the eagle scout

Dear Scott,

Well, it turns out I was right again.
Here's the latest news about the merger of Armstrong into Georgia Southern.

"Also this week, President Hebert unveiled his plan to designate the Armstrong Campus as the “epicenter” of health sciences for the consolidated university. Georgia Governor Nathan Deal is expected to sign the FY18 budget for the State of Georgia in the coming weeks. The budget currently includes $22 million in construction funding to build a new interprofessional healthcare education center on the Armstrong Campus. "

That's from Armstrong's President Bleicken. She has been so very helpful during this stressful time, providing frequent updates to keep all apprised of the changes in the wind.
I truly am going to miss her.

So, as I had forecast back in January, Armstrong has lost its entire athletics program (such as it was) and GaSoU has transferred its nursing program.

I wish I had attended the Town Hall meeting on Wednesday. Fortunately, it's available on video at this link. I'll be sure to watch it soon, to see the reaction of the crowd to the news about the health sciences programs.

Time will tell whether Armstrong will continue to offer degrees in Chemistry and Physics.
I've applied for Limited Term Instructor of Chemistry position for next year...but it is ONLY for the one academic year.
Curiouser and curiouser.

Hope to see you this summer!

with my love!

28th smf, final views

The 26th Savannah Music Festival was the first one I served as a volunteer. I initially had only a handful of events, but I would check the listings every few days for changes as folks dropped out of shows they'd signed up to work. I ended up having six noon30 concerts, two days of opera, and twelve concerts, with two of those being double-shifts. Whew!

For the 27th Savannah Music Festival, I had again volunteered for only a handful of shows prior to its beginning. By the end of its run, I had worked a total of eleven concerts, with two being double-shifts.

This year, for the 28th Savannah Music Festival, I did not have any double-shifts. No one did. Those were not offered.
I also did not have any noon30 concerts this time around. Sadly, my schedule had not permitted that.
I worked a new venue for me, the Johnny Mercer Theatre at the Savannah Civic Center. (Doubtful I will do so again. Far too much alcohol being imbibed by others to make it much fun for me.)
I also worked two new types of events.
One was "Hospitality Monitoring", which I rather enjoyed. I was able to casually interact with the band members, without interfering with their practice session. I also got a lot of grading done and had a free lunch!
The other was standing guard for the Swing Central Jazz Competition. I had hoped to be able to enjoy some music from these high school students, as I had last year at the finale. I was incorrect. The function of Bill and I was to prevent anyone from entering the auditorium of the Lucas during the three-song set of each competing band.
I doubt I will ever do that again... but maybe I will.
No drunks to wrangle.
(smile)
By the time the music festival wound to a close on Saturday night, I was volunteering at my twelfth event.
Bruce Hornsby's concert was actually the thirteenth, though, that I had attended.
(smile)
There had been one event, that very first Saturday, that I had been very excited about. It had a favorite band from the 26th SMF, a Ukranian quartet, providing the music to a silent film from one of their countrymen. As I was not fortunate enough to gain "free" entry by being selected to be on its list of volunteers, I actually purchased a ticket.
Gasp!!!
Well worth it, too.
(smile)

I do hope my teaching schedule - or whatever work I am doing - will allow me the time to continue with these volunteer shifts. I have so enjoyed being introduced to music that I know I otherwise would not have heard.
i thank You, God, for these opportunities!

red rose to texas!

For St. Patrick's Day, my celebration of the wearing of the green included giving of the red.
(smile)
That made my 93rd pint of blood to the American Red Cross.

Today, I received this notification of thanks!

Dear FAUSTINA,
Thank you for giving blood with the American Red Cross on 3/17/2017. After first ensuring that local needs were met, your blood donation was sent to Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center in Houston, TX to help a patient in need. Your donation is on its way to change lives!
Every day, patients receive blood for a variety of conditions including life-threatening illnesses, blood disorders and traumas. Your blood donations are critical to helping save patients' lives.
On behalf of the hospitals and patients we serve, thank you for being a Red Cross blood donor.
Sincerely,
Mary O'Neill, M.D.
Mary O'Neill, M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
American Red Cross

How cool is that?
My blood even went to help a fellow veteran!
I just love that coincidence!
(smile)

What a treat to have found this waiting in my email when I returned from "Tina Tuesday" with Kevin!
He and I dined at Buffalo Wild Wings first.
Then, off to see "Ghost In The Shell"!
Very enjoyable on all counts!
Sure, he had already seen it with his pastry chef, but that was a fair turnabout from my seeing "Logan" with him two weeks ago. (That had been my second viewing of this very emotionally-charged movie about my beloved Wolverine acting as a caretaker and dealing with aging-family issues.)
Last week, he had to beg off to study for exams.
I had taken advantage of that lapse to see "The Case For Christ" and "The Shack". I only wish my first niece could have joined me for them. I really would have liked to have her opinion on them. I will say that I preferred the scientific approach in the first of the two and the personification of the Father (as a Mother), the Son (very realistic), and the Spirit (gardening fairy).
Would I see them again?
Doubtful... but I am glad to have worked them into my film schedule.
Will there be "Tina Tuesday" with the running bear next week?
I do hope so... especially if I ask nicely.
After all, as he himself said earlier today, "Lord knows Tina doesn't ask for much."
That was after I had asked him to see the science fiction movie - for his second time - tonight.
Very nice.
(smile)

sun shower on a seuss tree!

Honestly, one of the best aspects of teaching at Armstrong is the fact that I visit a garden every day.
This bloomin' tree is on the path to my communal office and, on this blue sky day, tempted my camera to capture it...
so it has been done!
Now, as it is posted here, the tree's image shall live on and on and on...
and I can visit and smile at this memory of a blue sky day in a Southern spring season...
and so can everyone else!
Long live the arboretum of Armstrong!

i thank You, God, for this glorious vision!

rock, paper, hook!

The Armstrong Pirates have their own version of the classic game.
I must say it isn't as snazzy as the rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock variety, nor is it as fair.

Hook crushes Rock.
Hook shreds Paper.
Hook breaks Scissors.

Hook always wins.

Always.

So, all someone has to do is to keep throwing Hook and they will get their way.

At least with the other game, there is always a chance that Spock will lose.
After all, Paper disproves Spock, and Lizard poisons Spock.

Nothing defeats Hook.

Unless you add Peter Pan...

(smile)

mandolin rain in Savannah

I do hope Bruce Hornsby is in good health.
He and the Noisemakers played the final gig of the 28th Annual Savannah Music Festival at the Trustees Theatre this evening, in front of a sold-out house.
I had the honor of serving as an usher, which meant I could enjoy most of the show and even dance a bit.
(smile)
I could tell that Bruce Hornsby was up there to enjoy himself, playing the songs as he wished, soaking up the accolades from the crowd!
But, something about the show tugged at the back of my mind.
It felt like a farewell appearance.
He did an Elvis song - "Train, Train" - that was spot-on and lively.
But then he played "End of the Innocence" at a slower pace than normal, striking a few discordant notes along the way.
Ummm... what?
He played a dulcimer later, accompanied by a fiddler and a washboard man, laying down some humorous tunes. I very much enjoyed "Black Rats of London", a "history lesson" about the traveling of the plague to the Americas. Very funny!
But when he returned to the piano, he seemed a little forgetful.
An old buddy, Chuck Leavell (of Sea Level) joined him onstage for one number. That was clearly a high point for Bruce!
Then the show ended and he and the band lingered during the standing ovation.
Afterward, he, alone, returned to the stage for an encore...
a solo encore...
playing "Mandolin Rain" as a wistful song of love lost...
and I almost cried.
It was done so beautifully, so lovingly...
as if he were maybe playing it for the very last time.
I do hope he is well.

kevin says forsooth

No Tina Tuesday today.
Mostly because he has a test tomorrow and still has dreams of scoring an "A" in the course.
(I would be amazed.)
Partly because the two cinemas in the Carmike chain have been bought by AMC and are still closed (since yesterday) for revamping with new software.
So, I stayed home and graded Test 4 of my Chem1152 class.
La di frickin' dah.

Just a moment ago, I received this text.

"Oy yea! Oy yea!
May it be known by all that Tina Tuesday surpasseth in mirth and feasting all equations of both hydronium and hydroxide persuasions.
Yea perhaps most general chemistry equations generally.
#forsooth
#I have studied myself shakespearean."

Very nice!
I'm glad he didn't have far to go.
(smile)

the song in my head keeps me marching on

Dear Tony,
I blame the oak trees.
They have been blooming like there's no tomorrow and I can feel the yellow caking up in my sinuses. Ugh. Absolutely saps me of any strength.
That's not particularly good at this time of year.
The Savannah Music Festival has begun, as of March 23rd, and I had already scheduled myself for several of the shows. That first week, I was fine. Fresh off of spring break, I had loads of energy! The dancing usher? That's me!
Then, ever since Christina stayed with me on Wednesday night, when I ran the fan all night, I have felt like I'm breathing mud. And I had shows to dance to - I mean, usher at - for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and today!
Although I did enjoy sampling all the different music - old-style country, groovy jazz, rock ballads, and folk songs - I must admit to being glad to ONLY have school for these next three days. Then, I'll be back into the music scene for its final four days. Whew!
After I finish touching base with you, I'll write the test I'm giving my Armstrong class.
That test is scheduled for tomorrow.
Yikes!
Then, I'll need to write the test that I'm giving my Tech class on Tuesday.
Double yikes!
I've really cut it close this time!
At least I was able to get a lot of grading done during the four hours while I was minding the Green Room at Johnny Mercer for Jason Isbell and his band to have lunch. Hooray!
I was even granted to eat some of those yummy veggies! Squash, Zucchini, and red onions, cooked with what seemed to be orange marmalade. I kid you not!
Okay... time is marching on...
with much love,
Tina

of unicorns, superman, and rock music!

i thank You, God, for this incredible day!
I started the day - and finished it, too - at the Civic Center for the Savannah Music Festival.
This is my first year of volunteering at that venue for concerts... what a challenge!
I've now served as usher there twice... and will probably not do so next year. Far too many drunks for me.
The artists have been fabulous, with excellent music for dancing and folks on their feet dancing with me...
that part has been wonderful!
My first time was on March 23rd, opening night of the Savannah Music Festival, for The Avett Brothers. I had not heard them before, but lots of others are big fans, including my nephew Stephen. He says they give him "hope for the future of rock music".
They were here for their "True Sadness" album tour. Here's the title track!
"Is she not more than the curve of her hips /
Is she not more than the shine on her lips /
Does she not dream to sing /
and to live /
and to dance down her own path /
without being torn apart /
does she not have a heart?"
These lyrics truly speak to me, just like those of Keb' Mo' do. (Thanks, guys, for "getting" it!)

Back to today's events!
I was at the civic center to work a new type of volunteer position, created just this year: "Hospitality Assistant".
As it turns out, I was to monitor the luncheon for Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit.
For four hours, I was there to make sure the food stayed plentiful and to allow the fellows to have time for themselves.
That's all I had to do for them...
so I graded lab papers for me!
I had been told to "bring a book or magazine", but was allowed to bring "homework" instead.
Woohoo!
I sat outside the Green Room, but not looking in, so allow them privacy.
After my shift, Tony Clarke (former drummer extraordinaire of Eat Mo' Music, now keeping the beat for the SMF) allowed me to partake of the food.
What a nice bonus - free lunch! I had three helpings of the sauteed vegetables!!!
Then, out into the sunshine...
back to my prime parking space...
with several hours on my hands until my evening shift at the concert.
Determined to allow my car to stay put, I opted for art...
Good call!
The Jepson still had the Nick Cave art exhibit and I wanted to go! He's not simply a visual artist, he is also a performance artist, designing his Soundsuits for him - or anyone - to wear. He's my age, an avid recycler and repurposer, as well as Southern-born and raised, like me. And, like me, believes acceptance of others begins with looking deeper than skin level. Hence, he created his Soundsuits, which not only mask the identity of the wearer, but also insulate the one inside from the harsh reality of the outer world.

This suit (same as above) is my favorite!
It has both the unicorn for me
and Superman for my friend Sam Johnson,
always on my mind at this time of year.
One of my favorite parts of the exhibit?
I didn't have to keep my hands in my pockets!
Touching was actually encouraged!
My other favorite thing about the art displayed?
Photo-taking was encouraged!
That meant my camera didn't have to stay in my pocket, either!
(smile!)
Thank you, Nick Cave!

Soon enough, it was time for the concert, so back to the civic center I went.
What a fabulous concert!
What an unruly, hard-drinking crowd!
One guy even got thrown out for lighting an e-cigarette.
Perhaps I'll forego any future volunteer positions at that venue...
but I am grateful to have seen both The Avett Brothers and Jason Isbell.
I had heard very good reviews of their music from past years.
My thanks for the opportunity this year!

i thank You, God!