Connect the blogs...

This is a blog I started about 2006, but it's been neglected at times. It's now 2019 and I started a Peace Seeker (part deux.) These posts began in 2007. So, look at the blog as two parts.

On the Second Night of Hanukkah

I participate in a community called Our Jewish Community Online a website (found at www.ojco.org.) which is based in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. Because Hanukkah (or Chanukah) started last night, I wasn't able to post before the online candle lighting (live last night due to Shabbat.) Subsequent candle lightings are being taped and put on the website as well as on Facebook where the organization also has a "Fan" page. I've noticed a few from my home state logging in. Hope you will check it out, too. Each night is being filmed at a different location. Past Shabbat services and Hanukkah candle lightings are archived for viewing. The first night is at the following link.

Losing Marbles?

I was watching an episode of "Dirty Jobs" the other night on the Discovery Channel network. Those who view the program regularly are familiar with the format. Mike Rowe takes on "dirty jobs" and they range in content to fairly straightforward to downright disgusting.

The recent episode I watched had a segment about the creation of marbles. It was the second time in the past year that the thought of "marbles" had rolled around in my head (sorry, couldn't resist the set-up!)

While watching the segment, I realized something that was mentioned. Does anyone play a game of marbles any more? Was my generation (the first post-World War II generation) the last to really play a game of marbles, or are they still played in some really rural areas, not distracted by cable television and the internet?

My older sibling and I played marbles when I was a child, and I confess that I was actually one who preferred just collecting them than actually playing a game with them. The latter hazard would occur if you played a game of "for keeps" with your agates or "aggies" "cat's eyes", etc. You also could lose those big shooters that looked like huge gumballs, sometimes referred to as "jaw breakers." (like the huge round candy of that era.)

One thing that was mentioned by the person who owned the marble making factory visited by Mike Rowe was that while marbles are still made, primarily for floral or aquarium art, the older marbles are collected. Some can cost up to several hundred dollars, depending on the material used (gold has been used) to create them.

I scanned a few Internet sites that discussed the game of Marbles, and discovered that the game originally started in the American colonies with boys using musket balls (hopefully, there were no fatalities from hard strikes!) Also, several people left messages bemoaning the fact of trying to teach their children and/or grandchildren how to play a game of Marbles, and those younger people found it reported more than once, "boring."

I'm going to have to look up information on the game of "jacks"--because I don't see that played too often these days, either.

Writing and NPR

Years ago, I could not see myself typing on a computer which was also providing a background of soothing music, but here I sit listening to an NPR program which has played both classical and meditation music during this particular time period in the evenings. This particular program is called Night Moosic by Bob Mooberry.

I've become quite the fan of NPR--National Public Radio lately. Not sure what to attribute it to. It's not like it is the first time I've listened to NPR in my life. I'm familiar with Prairie Home Companion, Car Talk, All Things Considered and a few other programs which are NPR staples, but tuning in one night, I came across this program hosted by Mooberry and have enjoyed it. It's a nice thing to end the day with, even when I'm not sitting at my computer. Another piece of technology, my iPhone has helped me link to NPR.

While it would be perhaps easier to catch the NPR feed from a station closer to where I live, that particular station is often filled with music related to the culture of the area where I live. I'm not a big fan of  the regional music, so that makes me look for stations farther afield to listen to so I can get my NPR fix.

SLING WORDS: National Book Awards

SLING WORDS: National Book Awards

National Novel Writing Month Continues...Time Marches On!

I haven't been blogging as much as I had intended because I'm deep into the National Novel Writing Month project. I don't see myself reaching that desired goal of 55,000 words but I've been astounded at how many words I've churned out. Sometimes, I have had problems because I've gone back and inserted thoughts that have come to me later, instead of just letting the whole process flow through me (as the organizers of this event encourage you to do. Sort of a "Don't think, just write...") Their email "pep talks" have been fun to read, and make you want to push on, even if you know you won't make that desired goal. After I quit fretting about that huge number, I started finding that I was typing slower than my thoughts were going.

Thank whomever for word processing on computers. While it is a sign that I no longer find myself writing things down in a creative flash like I once did, at least I can read what I've written. My handwriting has waned as my reliance on technical devices has increased.

Interestingly, a side effect of this month long project has been reconnecting with my creative side and inner voice (creatively speaking) I have been amazed at how poems are beginning to get out of my head and onto a screen, if not on paper. It's still tangible and not abstract when I've recorded it in my computer's word processing program.

One lovely thing about writing this way, as opposed to handwriting or even using typewriters (remember those?) is that I can now magically edit, either subtract or add words and phrases without scribbling, erasing or blotting out changes in thoughts.

So I've actually got a novella at this point! Who knew? My last long non-academic writing project--a short story--wasn't this long. I'm well over thirty pages at this point (longer than any academic papers I wrote,) even though with that goal of the 55,000 word count, I don't think I'll make it to the equivalent of 175 pages. But it's opened the floodgates!! I'm so happy I got involved in this project and hope to keep going after November ends!