My birthday gift to Jesus...a poem from my heart.
It's not much at all in the way of talent, but I felt moved to write something for Jesus after attending the Christmas Eve candle light service at my church.
It might seem silly to some, but I hope and pray it means a great deal to Him.
Happy Birthday, Jesus
You arrived in this world,
through Mary’s virgin womb.
knowing life would unfurl,
in omnipotent doom.
You are the Light of my life,
my Lord and Savior.
You were willing to die,
so I could stand in God’s favor.
My sins You’ve forgiven
my soul You’ve cleansed.
You’ve died and arisen,
for me and my friends.
I can never repay you,
except with my love.
Yet in all that I do
You wait from above.
How can it be?
That my love is enough?
What do you see in me?
I am sinful and rough.
You are the breath of my being,
The beacon of my soul.
You love me despite seeing
I'm an opposite pole.
I bow before you, My Lord,
with songs of thanks and praise.
And I try to move toward
Your magnificent Grace.
I long to be like you,
but know that I fail.
My soul you renew,
Your Glory, I hail.
With all of my heart,
I Love You, dear Lord.
I never wish to depart,
from the path of Your Word.
Thank you for loving me,
and blessing my life,
with hope of eternity,
through Your glorious light.
Happy Birthday, dear Jesus,
I offer my heart filled with love,
In hope that it pleases,
My Holy Savior from above.
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Friday, December 21, 2007
I'm here!
It's so nice to be missed, lol!
I've been out and about all day trying to take care of "stuff".
Is everyone ready for Christmas? I got a late start this year, and I'm still running behind. I went shopping with a friend yesterday and let her talk me right into getting a new pair of sleeping pants with a cute little matching camisole at Old Navy. My excuse? A girl's gotta look good while she's sleeping, right? Sheesh! Well, they were on sale. That makes it okay, right? Merry Christmas to me? *sigh* Okay, that doesn't work either.
How about I promise to save them until after Christmas? Actually, I haven't even washed them yet and I probably really won't wear them until after Christmas.
I did manage to purchase a couple of items that were on my son's wish list. You know, the one that's a mile long? Anyone with kids knows what I mean.
So, I told him the same thing I tell him every year. In this house, the meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ, and while we can celebrate with gifts to Christ, as well as to each other, there's no way he's getting even close to everything on that list.
His reaction? Surprisingly, something I've said over the years finally must have sunk in. He said, "I know." :)
Instead, he calmly asked me how much he had to save to get a Wii. I was so dumbfounded, all I could do was smile at him for a moment before I burst his bubble and told him he'd need to save at least a couple of hundred. Now we're making progress!
I haven't done any baking this year, and unfortunately, I probably won't. Today was "talk to spam day" over at Bailey's blog, and once I arrived to join in the fun I was overwhelmed by the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. I'm officially put to shame. :)
Seems I'm either too tired, or simply at a loss for anything other than babble at this point. Oy!
Have a wonderful evening,
Lee
I've been out and about all day trying to take care of "stuff".
Is everyone ready for Christmas? I got a late start this year, and I'm still running behind. I went shopping with a friend yesterday and let her talk me right into getting a new pair of sleeping pants with a cute little matching camisole at Old Navy. My excuse? A girl's gotta look good while she's sleeping, right? Sheesh! Well, they were on sale. That makes it okay, right? Merry Christmas to me? *sigh* Okay, that doesn't work either.
How about I promise to save them until after Christmas? Actually, I haven't even washed them yet and I probably really won't wear them until after Christmas.
I did manage to purchase a couple of items that were on my son's wish list. You know, the one that's a mile long? Anyone with kids knows what I mean.
So, I told him the same thing I tell him every year. In this house, the meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ, and while we can celebrate with gifts to Christ, as well as to each other, there's no way he's getting even close to everything on that list.
His reaction? Surprisingly, something I've said over the years finally must have sunk in. He said, "I know." :)
Instead, he calmly asked me how much he had to save to get a Wii. I was so dumbfounded, all I could do was smile at him for a moment before I burst his bubble and told him he'd need to save at least a couple of hundred. Now we're making progress!
I haven't done any baking this year, and unfortunately, I probably won't. Today was "talk to spam day" over at Bailey's blog, and once I arrived to join in the fun I was overwhelmed by the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. I'm officially put to shame. :)
Seems I'm either too tired, or simply at a loss for anything other than babble at this point. Oy!
Have a wonderful evening,
Lee
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Character building...Inside out or Outside in?
Who are the characters we read about? They are fictional, but who are they, really?
I've been asked this question many times. It's a natural question to want to ask a writer. I've often wondered about the characters in the novels I've read. How did the author create them? Are they based on anyone in particular? Who? Enquiring minds want to know. :)
One of my favorite authors, Linda Howard, manages to create strong, intelligent characters time and time again. If you can find the time to squeeze in Killing Time, it won't let you down. It was a fast and powerful read the entire way through the book, and the ending is fantastic! No spoilers here. Roxanne St. Claire, another favorite, and personal mentor (Go Rocki!), does a fantastic job too. Her characters are vivid, smart, and sexy. Rocki has won numerous awards for her talent, and I can honestly say she's truly a nice person who has a huge heart. Btw, Rocki also has a new Desire book out this month. Stop by her website and read chapter one. Or pick up Thrill Me To Death for another great read. I loved it! And how about Beverly Barton? How does she come up with those chilling killers? Have you ever seen Beverly's sweet smile, lol. And she really is as sweet as pie in real life too. You'd never, ever guess she could create these characters, but somehow she does, and consistently. Btw, Beverly won the 2006 RWA Award in the best-selling romantic suspense category for Close Enough To Kill, another one of my favorites.
Where do writers find the inspiration to create such vivid characters novel after novel? (Can you tell I like romantic suspense?)
I've talked to a lot of writers over the last few years, and I've heard a variety of different ways that characters are born. Many pick a handsome celebrity and start dreaming. In fact that seems to be one of the most common ways to create a character. Tools, like collages and poster/story boards lend to the creative process. Though I can agree that there are lots of dashing celebrities to choose from, I personally don't use that method simply because it just doesn't work for me.
Although, on a recent visit over to my friends at the Pink Heart Society a couple of weeks ago, I spotted Pierce Brosnan in a post and found it quite ironic that he was one of the men chosen to grace the page in the Weekend Winddown post, Who Can Resist An Irish Boy.
The reason I found it ironic is because just a couple of weeks prior to spotting PB at the Pink Heart blog, I'd realized that someone I'd seen when I was out and about looks a bit like him, only more handsome...(Sorry, Pierce.) It's in the twinkle in the eyes, but the overall look and aura was even more powerful. Yes, really.
So, what is it that makes a man sexy? The classic handsome? The rough boy handsome? Incidentally, the Weekend Winddown post for today over at the Pink Heart Society is Tall, Dark, and Just A Little Dangerous. for anyone who likes that particular look. It's all in good fun.
What inspires you as a writer? Everyone is different. I'm referring to the process of getting started with your character, of course. We all realize that eventually, superficial qualities just don't cut it alone, but when you begin to build a character, where do you start? Does physical beauty trigger your imagination first? Or do you need to start with the inner beauty?
My brain travels on a slightly different road from the photos and celebs, but what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I can recognize that there are some definite beautiful people out there, both men and women, but I have a hard time starting from there.
For me, the elements that make a man extremely sexy start with that sparkle of intelligence and wit in the eyes of a handsome man that lights him from within. That grabs me first, and then it's a myriad of traits that get my attention after that--and keep it.
There's also that rare chemistry with someone that lets you know deep in your soul that things could be...sensational. (You haven't felt the full power of chemistry until you've felt the PURE ZAP brand, lol. Whew!) That's a great start too, but, even then, there's so much more that plays into the big picture. Like integrity, trust, respect, and then there's the ability to become friends as well as lovers--all the things that make a relationship truly worth having and holding onto over time.
What inspires me to create my characters? Well, it's all the things that I've just mentioned. The very things I would want in a relationship. Because I build from the inside out, I don't think I've ever used a photo of anyone, celebrity or otherwise, but I can certainly see the aesthetic beauty in some of those photos. Also, so far, I've never used any one person in particular for inspiration in a character I create (Though I reserve the right to change my technique in the future...), but rather, I've compiled traits from a pool of qualities.
I add all the personality traits for the foundation of who the person is, and then move along as he/she grows. Regarding the H, I get a good sense of who he is going to be in my story this way. I do this with the heroine too, but the h is often a bit easier for me to define. I think it's probably normal to feel more comfortable creating the same fictional gender.
So, I usually have a pretty good idea of who I want the H to be as a whole person, and I can make a fairly decent sketch of who he is by entrusting him with various qualities I believe an honorable H should have, but sometimes, as writers know, the characters talk to us, making strong statements about who they are from the very beginning, and if that happens, I listen carefully. In fact, I love it when that happens because the H comes out much stronger and well defined at the end of the process.
Once I have a good feel for who the H is as a person, I begin to give him physical characteristics. This is harder for me than creating the inside for some reason. I can never decide what he should look like. For me, whether the H has flowing black tresses, brown wavy curls, red locks, a blond mop , or a beautiful head of white hair, doesn't really matter as much as who he shines through as being from the inside out; however, I do try my best to give him qualities a girl can appreciate *wink*.
But, for both the H/h, I think it's more about how they perceive each other that makes them (and their relationship) come alive for the reader. If the chemistry is there between them, it should all be good to go, and I guess for me, though there is definitely a superficial physical element that plays a role, for the most part, that chemistry comes from within when they make a connection on a deeper level--even if it's in just a glance--by recognizing some deeper element within each other. Almost like one soul speaking to another. It's a beautiful thing that just happens naturally. Whether it's that one of them, or both of them are able to see some quality deeper within the other from the start, or whether it's after they get to know each other, it's still some deeper pull, at least for me. For others, I realize it's different. That's why I'm curious about this.
Also, as I've heard so many female readers say, they like to identify with the h by not having her too perfect. Likewise, I usually feel comfortable with not having all of my H's be muscle bound hunks with perfect teeth, but let's face it, if the h and H are truly falling in love, aren't they going to perceive each other as desirable? That's what's really important. That the reader feels the chemistry between them, and knows that, in the eyes of the H and h, there is no other person who attracts them as much as their partner. I believe that's also what allows the reader to invest his/her heart in the story.
I build characters from the inside out.
My question is: How do you build characters? From the outside in, or the inside out? Where do you begin?
There's no right or wrong way to build, just different strokes for different folks, and I'm curious, so come on...don't be shy. Let me know what works for you.
Btw, I dropped my very last assignment in my professor's mail box yesterday afternoon. I'm officially on winter break, yay!
Also, remember the road trip I mentioned regarding my daughter's cats? Turns out the person in the Navy who was to notify the Japanese government that they would be arriving...never did.
That means I have to wait forty days, then go through the veterinary health certifications, reservations, and travel plans all over again, and hope that the temperature isn't too cold to fly them at the end of January or the beginning of February. Grrrr.
On the up side, the cats (Belle and Andi) are extremely sweet and no trouble at all to have here.
Have a wonderful day, and don't forget to share your answers on character building.
Lee
:)
PS
I finally found the other Christmas song I love by Vince Vance and the Valiants: Christmas Just Ain't Christmas Without You. I included it over on MySpace music bar. Feel free to stop by and enjoy the new tune.
And, of course, something just for fun... I got elfed with my children! This is me with Jesse, Allen, and Rachel doing a little Christmas jig. Come on and dance with us, lol!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1439093731
I've been asked this question many times. It's a natural question to want to ask a writer. I've often wondered about the characters in the novels I've read. How did the author create them? Are they based on anyone in particular? Who? Enquiring minds want to know. :)
One of my favorite authors, Linda Howard, manages to create strong, intelligent characters time and time again. If you can find the time to squeeze in Killing Time, it won't let you down. It was a fast and powerful read the entire way through the book, and the ending is fantastic! No spoilers here. Roxanne St. Claire, another favorite, and personal mentor (Go Rocki!), does a fantastic job too. Her characters are vivid, smart, and sexy. Rocki has won numerous awards for her talent, and I can honestly say she's truly a nice person who has a huge heart. Btw, Rocki also has a new Desire book out this month. Stop by her website and read chapter one. Or pick up Thrill Me To Death for another great read. I loved it! And how about Beverly Barton? How does she come up with those chilling killers? Have you ever seen Beverly's sweet smile, lol. And she really is as sweet as pie in real life too. You'd never, ever guess she could create these characters, but somehow she does, and consistently. Btw, Beverly won the 2006 RWA Award in the best-selling romantic suspense category for Close Enough To Kill, another one of my favorites.
Where do writers find the inspiration to create such vivid characters novel after novel? (Can you tell I like romantic suspense?)
I've talked to a lot of writers over the last few years, and I've heard a variety of different ways that characters are born. Many pick a handsome celebrity and start dreaming. In fact that seems to be one of the most common ways to create a character. Tools, like collages and poster/story boards lend to the creative process. Though I can agree that there are lots of dashing celebrities to choose from, I personally don't use that method simply because it just doesn't work for me.
Although, on a recent visit over to my friends at the Pink Heart Society a couple of weeks ago, I spotted Pierce Brosnan in a post and found it quite ironic that he was one of the men chosen to grace the page in the Weekend Winddown post, Who Can Resist An Irish Boy.
The reason I found it ironic is because just a couple of weeks prior to spotting PB at the Pink Heart blog, I'd realized that someone I'd seen when I was out and about looks a bit like him, only more handsome...(Sorry, Pierce.) It's in the twinkle in the eyes, but the overall look and aura was even more powerful. Yes, really.
So, what is it that makes a man sexy? The classic handsome? The rough boy handsome? Incidentally, the Weekend Winddown post for today over at the Pink Heart Society is Tall, Dark, and Just A Little Dangerous. for anyone who likes that particular look. It's all in good fun.
What inspires you as a writer? Everyone is different. I'm referring to the process of getting started with your character, of course. We all realize that eventually, superficial qualities just don't cut it alone, but when you begin to build a character, where do you start? Does physical beauty trigger your imagination first? Or do you need to start with the inner beauty?
My brain travels on a slightly different road from the photos and celebs, but what works for one doesn't necessarily work for another. I can recognize that there are some definite beautiful people out there, both men and women, but I have a hard time starting from there.
For me, the elements that make a man extremely sexy start with that sparkle of intelligence and wit in the eyes of a handsome man that lights him from within. That grabs me first, and then it's a myriad of traits that get my attention after that--and keep it.
There's also that rare chemistry with someone that lets you know deep in your soul that things could be...sensational. (You haven't felt the full power of chemistry until you've felt the PURE ZAP brand, lol. Whew!) That's a great start too, but, even then, there's so much more that plays into the big picture. Like integrity, trust, respect, and then there's the ability to become friends as well as lovers--all the things that make a relationship truly worth having and holding onto over time.
What inspires me to create my characters? Well, it's all the things that I've just mentioned. The very things I would want in a relationship. Because I build from the inside out, I don't think I've ever used a photo of anyone, celebrity or otherwise, but I can certainly see the aesthetic beauty in some of those photos. Also, so far, I've never used any one person in particular for inspiration in a character I create (Though I reserve the right to change my technique in the future...), but rather, I've compiled traits from a pool of qualities.
I add all the personality traits for the foundation of who the person is, and then move along as he/she grows. Regarding the H, I get a good sense of who he is going to be in my story this way. I do this with the heroine too, but the h is often a bit easier for me to define. I think it's probably normal to feel more comfortable creating the same fictional gender.
So, I usually have a pretty good idea of who I want the H to be as a whole person, and I can make a fairly decent sketch of who he is by entrusting him with various qualities I believe an honorable H should have, but sometimes, as writers know, the characters talk to us, making strong statements about who they are from the very beginning, and if that happens, I listen carefully. In fact, I love it when that happens because the H comes out much stronger and well defined at the end of the process.
Once I have a good feel for who the H is as a person, I begin to give him physical characteristics. This is harder for me than creating the inside for some reason. I can never decide what he should look like. For me, whether the H has flowing black tresses, brown wavy curls, red locks, a blond mop , or a beautiful head of white hair, doesn't really matter as much as who he shines through as being from the inside out; however, I do try my best to give him qualities a girl can appreciate *wink*.
But, for both the H/h, I think it's more about how they perceive each other that makes them (and their relationship) come alive for the reader. If the chemistry is there between them, it should all be good to go, and I guess for me, though there is definitely a superficial physical element that plays a role, for the most part, that chemistry comes from within when they make a connection on a deeper level--even if it's in just a glance--by recognizing some deeper element within each other. Almost like one soul speaking to another. It's a beautiful thing that just happens naturally. Whether it's that one of them, or both of them are able to see some quality deeper within the other from the start, or whether it's after they get to know each other, it's still some deeper pull, at least for me. For others, I realize it's different. That's why I'm curious about this.
Also, as I've heard so many female readers say, they like to identify with the h by not having her too perfect. Likewise, I usually feel comfortable with not having all of my H's be muscle bound hunks with perfect teeth, but let's face it, if the h and H are truly falling in love, aren't they going to perceive each other as desirable? That's what's really important. That the reader feels the chemistry between them, and knows that, in the eyes of the H and h, there is no other person who attracts them as much as their partner. I believe that's also what allows the reader to invest his/her heart in the story.
I build characters from the inside out.
My question is: How do you build characters? From the outside in, or the inside out? Where do you begin?
There's no right or wrong way to build, just different strokes for different folks, and I'm curious, so come on...don't be shy. Let me know what works for you.
Btw, I dropped my very last assignment in my professor's mail box yesterday afternoon. I'm officially on winter break, yay!
Also, remember the road trip I mentioned regarding my daughter's cats? Turns out the person in the Navy who was to notify the Japanese government that they would be arriving...never did.
That means I have to wait forty days, then go through the veterinary health certifications, reservations, and travel plans all over again, and hope that the temperature isn't too cold to fly them at the end of January or the beginning of February. Grrrr.
On the up side, the cats (Belle and Andi) are extremely sweet and no trouble at all to have here.
Have a wonderful day, and don't forget to share your answers on character building.
Lee
:)
PS
I finally found the other Christmas song I love by Vince Vance and the Valiants: Christmas Just Ain't Christmas Without You. I included it over on MySpace music bar. Feel free to stop by and enjoy the new tune.
And, of course, something just for fun... I got elfed with my children! This is me with Jesse, Allen, and Rachel doing a little Christmas jig. Come on and dance with us, lol!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1439093731
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Sunday Hello
Its been a quiet weekend here. I'm wrapping up the last of my school work for the term.
I've got one final exam on Wednesday, a research paper due Thursday and an essay due Friday. All of my lectures are completed so all I have to do now is take the final exam and get the other work turned in.
I'll be heading for the campus library tomorrow and Tuesday to do a little more work on my Personality Psychology research paper which is due Thursday. There are four areas I'm writing on, which include perspectives from the psychoanalytical, dispositional, behavioral, and phenomenological viewpoints. I'll be focusing on one psychoanalytical case study in particular that fascinated me after reading a book by Deborah Luepnitz titled, Schopenhauer's Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas. It touched me deeply and I'm enjoying the further research.
Have you heard of the Porcupine theory? It illustrates how we all crave intimacy, and yet we all have our limits. In a nutshell, the porcupine theory uses the example of how, in the winter time, porcupines are drawn to each other for warmth, and yet feel pain from their quills when they get too close. Sound familiar?
Click here and scroll down to read the brief Editorial Reviews at Amazon. They give the book a nice summary. You may even consider reading it yourself. Its a beautiful and easy read. Luepnitz, who is a clinical psychologist and also teaches at the University of Pennsylvania, covers topics such as transference, counter-transference, the Oedipal complex, and Don Juan theories.
Looks like it will be a road trip for me next weekend. I'm taking my two little kitty visitors to Dulles International Airport in DC where they will board a plane for Los Angeles and then fly to Tokyo, Japan where my daughter and her husband will pick them up from there and then drive back to Sasebo. What a trip the little darlings will have.
The Steelers play at 4:15 today... I'm there.
Hope you all have a great week!
Lee
PS
Here something just for fun.
I happen to be one of those saps who loves Christmas music... Here's a version of one of my favorite songs that comes with a cute video.
Its All I Want (For Christmas Is You), by Vince Vance and the Valiants. The voice is powerful and beautiful, the music is lovely, and the video makes me laugh. A clear case of how actions speak louder than words...For a gal who says she doesn't need expensive things, she sure seem quite comfy. And the expressions on the poor guy's face are absolutely priceless.
Btw, the sax music is awesome. Takes me back to my high school band days--only I used to play trombone (Hey! Did I hear someone laugh?).
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1111254819&fr=
:)
I've got one final exam on Wednesday, a research paper due Thursday and an essay due Friday. All of my lectures are completed so all I have to do now is take the final exam and get the other work turned in.
I'll be heading for the campus library tomorrow and Tuesday to do a little more work on my Personality Psychology research paper which is due Thursday. There are four areas I'm writing on, which include perspectives from the psychoanalytical, dispositional, behavioral, and phenomenological viewpoints. I'll be focusing on one psychoanalytical case study in particular that fascinated me after reading a book by Deborah Luepnitz titled, Schopenhauer's Porcupines: Intimacy and Its Dilemmas. It touched me deeply and I'm enjoying the further research.
Have you heard of the Porcupine theory? It illustrates how we all crave intimacy, and yet we all have our limits. In a nutshell, the porcupine theory uses the example of how, in the winter time, porcupines are drawn to each other for warmth, and yet feel pain from their quills when they get too close. Sound familiar?
Click here and scroll down to read the brief Editorial Reviews at Amazon. They give the book a nice summary. You may even consider reading it yourself. Its a beautiful and easy read. Luepnitz, who is a clinical psychologist and also teaches at the University of Pennsylvania, covers topics such as transference, counter-transference, the Oedipal complex, and Don Juan theories.
Looks like it will be a road trip for me next weekend. I'm taking my two little kitty visitors to Dulles International Airport in DC where they will board a plane for Los Angeles and then fly to Tokyo, Japan where my daughter and her husband will pick them up from there and then drive back to Sasebo. What a trip the little darlings will have.
The Steelers play at 4:15 today... I'm there.
Hope you all have a great week!
Lee
PS
Here something just for fun.
I happen to be one of those saps who loves Christmas music... Here's a version of one of my favorite songs that comes with a cute video.
Its All I Want (For Christmas Is You), by Vince Vance and the Valiants. The voice is powerful and beautiful, the music is lovely, and the video makes me laugh. A clear case of how actions speak louder than words...For a gal who says she doesn't need expensive things, she sure seem quite comfy. And the expressions on the poor guy's face are absolutely priceless.
Btw, the sax music is awesome. Takes me back to my high school band days--only I used to play trombone (Hey! Did I hear someone laugh?).
http://video.yahoo.com/video/play?vid=1111254819&fr=
:)
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Wednesday fly by
I hope everyone is having a great week.
I hear from a little birdy that Accidental Fate is almost ready for release. Yay!
More good news to share...My son, Airman Allen B. Jones graduated from Air Traffic Control School at Keesler AFB today! I'm so proud of my young man. *Lee beams*
I wish I could have been there. I had two final exams today.
So, Allen is on his way home right now. I just talked to him and he sounds so happy. His wife is with him, and they're stopping to see a friend in Nashville, then another friend in West Virginia... I might see him by the weekend, lol.
Oh--did I mention my oldest son got hitched?
Both my two older children are married now. Allen and Carrie actually tied the knot back over the summer, but I didn't find out until about a month later. He's such a brat, but I love him anyway. :) It's great to have a daughter-in-law as sweet as Carrie, and I know they're both happy so that makes this mom happy. :)
The "real" wedding is in June.
And I thought I was pretty good at keeping life interesting... :)
In all seriousness, I'm truly thankful my family is growing with additions of wonderful, good people. I love it. Here's a photo from when they were home at Thanksgiving. Can you see the wedding rings?
I hear from a little birdy that Accidental Fate is almost ready for release. Yay!
More good news to share...My son, Airman Allen B. Jones graduated from Air Traffic Control School at Keesler AFB today! I'm so proud of my young man. *Lee beams*
I wish I could have been there. I had two final exams today.
So, Allen is on his way home right now. I just talked to him and he sounds so happy. His wife is with him, and they're stopping to see a friend in Nashville, then another friend in West Virginia... I might see him by the weekend, lol.
Oh--did I mention my oldest son got hitched?
Both my two older children are married now. Allen and Carrie actually tied the knot back over the summer, but I didn't find out until about a month later. He's such a brat, but I love him anyway. :) It's great to have a daughter-in-law as sweet as Carrie, and I know they're both happy so that makes this mom happy. :)
The "real" wedding is in June.
And I thought I was pretty good at keeping life interesting... :)
In all seriousness, I'm truly thankful my family is growing with additions of wonderful, good people. I love it. Here's a photo from when they were home at Thanksgiving. Can you see the wedding rings?
Allen and Carrie will spend their first Christmas as a married couple in ND. They will be heading out in two weeks and Allen will go through eight more months of further detailed training in Air Traffic Control. He will report for duty on Dec. 23.
I may have to tuck a little tree in their moving truck so they can have one to put their presents under when they get there.
Other tid bits...
My dear friend, Kathi, who lives in Colorado, sent my youngest son, Jesse, a beautiful advent calandar last year. We've begun the season with it again this year. My son loves opening the little doors and reading the Bible verses each day. Thanks Kathi, I love ya, Lady!
And speaking of friends. Another dear friend, Marilyn Puett, who is the "Playground Monitor" over at The Writing Playground, was featured in her local paper for the Red Hat Society. Here is the article. And here is her recipe for oatmeal cookies.
The term is coming to a close. I have one more final exam, a research paper, and an essay left and then I'm officially on break.
Btw, is anyone coming to Pittsburgh for the RT convention in the spring? I'm thankful this year's meeting will be right here in Pittsburgh and I'm looking forward to seeing many of my writing friends. I'm especially happy because I'm going to get to meet one of my good friends, Donna Michaels, in person for the very first time! We've been chatting for over three years now--my how time flies--and I'm so looking forward to the opportunity to meet with her.
If you're headed this way that weekend, be sure to let me know. I'd love to meet you.
Nineteen degrees here. Stay warm and safe.
Lee
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Bodies...The Exhibit
BODIES...The Exhibit was very interesting, though I didn't realize there is actually a lot of controversy over it.
It seems that many people are saying that since these are "found" bodies, the scientists had no right to preserve them or display them in this manner. Though Dr. Roy Glover, chief medical director of the University of Michigan Medical School Polymer Preservation Laboratory, who serves as the spokesman for the exhibit, "... said that everything in the exhibit was done legally, ethically and respectfully." according to an article posted in the Miami Herald.com titled, "Controversial 'Bodies' exhibit looks into preserved cadavers" which was posted Sunday, November 25, 2007.
Wikipedia has this to say about the controversy.
Here is what National Geographic News had to say in the article Cadaver Exhibition Draws crowds, Controversy in Florida, written by John Roach in August of 2005.
In Crowds, Controversy Follow exhibits of Human Corpses, here is what Nancy Chandross reported for ABC News online in the Science and Technology section in August of 2005.
In Washington Post.com article entitled Anatomy of a Controversy that circulated in August of 2005, here's what Mitch Stacy, of the APS has to say.
In this article titled "Bodies Exhibit Causing Controversy" posted on nbc4.com on April 12, 2007, Glover is quoted again.
In the Miami Herald.com, here is the most recent article I found at a glance titled, Controversial 'Bodies' Exhibit looks into preserved cadavers, written by Robert Santiago and posted on Sunday, November 25, 2007.
There's plenty more to find if you simply "Google" the exhibit. I tried to present a balanced view, but--though I'll admit I've done the research at a glance--it was difficult to find information from both sides of the fence.
I invite you to read, research on your own beyond what I've posted, and make up your own mind.
I may see if my parents are interested in going so I can get their take on it. My mother has a nursing background, and my father, now a retired college professor, has a variety of interests in the science field. He attended a year of medical school before deciding to switch over to education, and then spent some time teaching high school chemistry while attending the University of Morgantown to earn his master's degree (I was born in Morgantown, WV, so I have a real soft spot for the place. :) ), and later attended the University of Pittsburgh for his Ph.D.
I remember how my dad talked about some of the experiences he had at all of these places, but the memory that stood out today was about how he worked with cadavers when he was in medical school. Later, when he was teaching at Slippery Rock University in the biology department, he taught courses such as Anatomy and Physiology, Cytotechnology, Cell Biology and others. I remember hiking along with him to collect salamanders at a creek in the country near where I grew up some thirty years ago so that his students could dissect them. I can only imagine what a stir that would cause these days. With everyone having an opinion on everything these days, I'm not even sure that would be legal anymore.
Anyone who took high school biology has probably dissected a frog. I did. I learned from it too. In my college chemistry class, we dissected guinea pigs. I learned again. I'm not equating human beings with animals--only the learning process that arises from exploration.
I also remember attending two autopsies as part of my training for lab work when I was a student years ago. I learned an enormous amount of information from the pathologists who dissected those bodies during those two experiences. I've never forgotten what the inside of an occluded heart vessel looks like, and I've also never forgotten the sectioning of a human brain, in the second autopsy, that revealed a stroke.
Incidentally, they have an example of a stroke displayed at BODIES...The Exhibit. Took me back a few years.
Anyway, the point is that people learn from discovering and exploring. Imagine all the lives that would be LOST if it weren't for research and experiments done on the human body. Years ago, before it was even a hot issue in politics, I did an essay on fetal stem cell research. If governed properly, there are huge benefits from this work. You may not even realize that you know someone today who is living because of the efforts and progress made in the medical research field. The key terms here, of course, are if governed properly. I'd like to make that clear because, although I believe there is good to be revealed from stem cell research, I'm not in any way shape or form condoning abortion. That's a whole different subject and I draw the line at opening that can of worms for this discussion, so I'll simply stress that the laws need to be governed properly.
So, who gets to decide the laws? Supposedly we have a voice, but in the end, its the politicians we elect whose beliefs are reflected in our laws. And who determines the meaning of the word "proper"? Again, the politicians we elect. Do you vote?
Well, in the case of the exhibit, we may be talking about global policies, but I believe the main point in the controversy over this exhibition is more about the way in which the bodies were obtained, rather than the value they hold as a learning tool. The issue can get sticky, but I encourage everyone to keep an open mind. If they were obtained legally, as claimed, and someone has a problem with the laws that allowed this to happen, then my belief is that the complaints should fall at the political doorstep rather than in the educational field.
Changing times and beliefs seem to often be responsible for revisions in laws. I mean really, if someone can get upset enough to strip Santa of his HO-HO-HO, then why can't the laws be revised to protect the rights of deceased human beings if indeed their rights were violated?
Anyway, its all food for thought and that's my two cents FWIW.
I'm getting back to my studies this evening. Final exam time is here. I hope everyone has a wonderful week. I'll see you next post.
Lee
It seems that many people are saying that since these are "found" bodies, the scientists had no right to preserve them or display them in this manner. Though Dr. Roy Glover, chief medical director of the University of Michigan Medical School Polymer Preservation Laboratory, who serves as the spokesman for the exhibit, "... said that everything in the exhibit was done legally, ethically and respectfully." according to an article posted in the Miami Herald.com titled, "Controversial 'Bodies' exhibit looks into preserved cadavers" which was posted Sunday, November 25, 2007.
Wikipedia has this to say about the controversy.
Here is what National Geographic News had to say in the article Cadaver Exhibition Draws crowds, Controversy in Florida, written by John Roach in August of 2005.
In Crowds, Controversy Follow exhibits of Human Corpses, here is what Nancy Chandross reported for ABC News online in the Science and Technology section in August of 2005.
In Washington Post.com article entitled Anatomy of a Controversy that circulated in August of 2005, here's what Mitch Stacy, of the APS has to say.
In this article titled "Bodies Exhibit Causing Controversy" posted on nbc4.com on April 12, 2007, Glover is quoted again.
In the Miami Herald.com, here is the most recent article I found at a glance titled, Controversial 'Bodies' Exhibit looks into preserved cadavers, written by Robert Santiago and posted on Sunday, November 25, 2007.
There's plenty more to find if you simply "Google" the exhibit. I tried to present a balanced view, but--though I'll admit I've done the research at a glance--it was difficult to find information from both sides of the fence.
I invite you to read, research on your own beyond what I've posted, and make up your own mind.
I may see if my parents are interested in going so I can get their take on it. My mother has a nursing background, and my father, now a retired college professor, has a variety of interests in the science field. He attended a year of medical school before deciding to switch over to education, and then spent some time teaching high school chemistry while attending the University of Morgantown to earn his master's degree (I was born in Morgantown, WV, so I have a real soft spot for the place. :) ), and later attended the University of Pittsburgh for his Ph.D.
I remember how my dad talked about some of the experiences he had at all of these places, but the memory that stood out today was about how he worked with cadavers when he was in medical school. Later, when he was teaching at Slippery Rock University in the biology department, he taught courses such as Anatomy and Physiology, Cytotechnology, Cell Biology and others. I remember hiking along with him to collect salamanders at a creek in the country near where I grew up some thirty years ago so that his students could dissect them. I can only imagine what a stir that would cause these days. With everyone having an opinion on everything these days, I'm not even sure that would be legal anymore.
Anyone who took high school biology has probably dissected a frog. I did. I learned from it too. In my college chemistry class, we dissected guinea pigs. I learned again. I'm not equating human beings with animals--only the learning process that arises from exploration.
I also remember attending two autopsies as part of my training for lab work when I was a student years ago. I learned an enormous amount of information from the pathologists who dissected those bodies during those two experiences. I've never forgotten what the inside of an occluded heart vessel looks like, and I've also never forgotten the sectioning of a human brain, in the second autopsy, that revealed a stroke.
Incidentally, they have an example of a stroke displayed at BODIES...The Exhibit. Took me back a few years.
Anyway, the point is that people learn from discovering and exploring. Imagine all the lives that would be LOST if it weren't for research and experiments done on the human body. Years ago, before it was even a hot issue in politics, I did an essay on fetal stem cell research. If governed properly, there are huge benefits from this work. You may not even realize that you know someone today who is living because of the efforts and progress made in the medical research field. The key terms here, of course, are if governed properly. I'd like to make that clear because, although I believe there is good to be revealed from stem cell research, I'm not in any way shape or form condoning abortion. That's a whole different subject and I draw the line at opening that can of worms for this discussion, so I'll simply stress that the laws need to be governed properly.
So, who gets to decide the laws? Supposedly we have a voice, but in the end, its the politicians we elect whose beliefs are reflected in our laws. And who determines the meaning of the word "proper"? Again, the politicians we elect. Do you vote?
Well, in the case of the exhibit, we may be talking about global policies, but I believe the main point in the controversy over this exhibition is more about the way in which the bodies were obtained, rather than the value they hold as a learning tool. The issue can get sticky, but I encourage everyone to keep an open mind. If they were obtained legally, as claimed, and someone has a problem with the laws that allowed this to happen, then my belief is that the complaints should fall at the political doorstep rather than in the educational field.
Changing times and beliefs seem to often be responsible for revisions in laws. I mean really, if someone can get upset enough to strip Santa of his HO-HO-HO, then why can't the laws be revised to protect the rights of deceased human beings if indeed their rights were violated?
Anyway, its all food for thought and that's my two cents FWIW.
I'm getting back to my studies this evening. Final exam time is here. I hope everyone has a wonderful week. I'll see you next post.
Lee
Fly By
Just for fun, here's a survey I was tagged with. I don't normally forward these, but I did think it was interesting reading through some of my friend's answers, so I'll just post my responses here and you can read through or take the survey yourself if you like...
Heading out to see BODIES...The Exhibit with some friends at the moment. Will let you know how it is. I'm looking forward to checking it out.
The Survey:
How many keys are on your keychain? 4
If you were given a canvas and watercolors, what would you paint? Nature.
What do you consider the greatest threat to mankind? People
What are you thankful you are not doing right now? My Statistics final exam. It really scares me. I’ve never felt more stupid in my life than I have in that class. *sigh*
What is your favorite flower? Lilacs.
What was your favorite thing about high school? Learning and sports
What are your favorite things about the beach? An early morning walk, the solitude, the rising/setting sun, a twilight walk, a moonlit walk with the man of my dreams... :)
What are your favorite things about the mountains? The silence, the crisp clean smell, taking a walk with the man of my dreams (did I say that somewhere already?) and enjoying the beauty of nature.
Have you ever loved someone so much it hurts? Is there any other way to love?
What is your favorite fruit? Mango
What do you need to get right now at the drug store? My thyroid medicine.
What song do you keep hearing over and over again? (Come on Baby) Give me a little more you, Little Big Town.
What was the happiest age of your life? So far? 18, 21, 36. The age I was when my children were born.
What is your favorite piece of clothing that you own? My bathrobe.
What two words describe you? Loving, Naïve.
On a scale of 1-10; how religious are you? 8
What historical figure would you most like to have a discussion with? God. I know that when I listen, he talks to me, but I would like to meet him and talk with him in "person", not just in my prayers, and preferrably not only after I'm dead.
What color looks best on you? Earth tones.
Tattoos, body piercings? No tattoos, tiny gold belly button ring.
What is your favorite thing about being sick? I get TLC—sometimes.
What commercial do you find most annoying? The cave men. I just don’t get it. *shrug*
If you had to spend the rest of your life in one place, where would it be? Anywhere with the man I love, as friends, partners, and lovers.
Fill in the blank; I am so much smarter than: I used to be
Where is the most beautiful place you have ever been? Pawley’s Island, SC.
What body part aches you the most right now? My back.
When is the angriest you have ever been? I choose to forget
On a scale of 1-10; how much do you trust people? I’m working hard to change it from 10 to, oh, say five. I’m sooo gullible. Grrrrr.
What aspect of your personality could use a little work? I'm sometimes too impulsive, but I'm told I keep life interesting.
What movies make you smile? Because I Said So, Sweet Home Alabama, lots more.
What movies make you cry? A Beautiful Mind, The Bangor Sisters, lots more.
What time do you usually fall asleep? Around midnight.
What hobby have you always wanted to pick up? Race car driving. Got the bug from my old 69 camaro some twenty something years ago—300/350 4sp, and I could catch rubber in all four gears. Ooooh yeeahhh. *what?* *blinks innocently* Okay, these days I'd settle for more talent with my oil painting.
Have a peaceful Sunday,
Lee
Heading out to see BODIES...The Exhibit with some friends at the moment. Will let you know how it is. I'm looking forward to checking it out.
The Survey:
How many keys are on your keychain? 4
If you were given a canvas and watercolors, what would you paint? Nature.
What do you consider the greatest threat to mankind? People
What are you thankful you are not doing right now? My Statistics final exam. It really scares me. I’ve never felt more stupid in my life than I have in that class. *sigh*
What is your favorite flower? Lilacs.
What was your favorite thing about high school? Learning and sports
What are your favorite things about the beach? An early morning walk, the solitude, the rising/setting sun, a twilight walk, a moonlit walk with the man of my dreams... :)
What are your favorite things about the mountains? The silence, the crisp clean smell, taking a walk with the man of my dreams (did I say that somewhere already?) and enjoying the beauty of nature.
Have you ever loved someone so much it hurts? Is there any other way to love?
What is your favorite fruit? Mango
What do you need to get right now at the drug store? My thyroid medicine.
What song do you keep hearing over and over again? (Come on Baby) Give me a little more you, Little Big Town.
What was the happiest age of your life? So far? 18, 21, 36. The age I was when my children were born.
What is your favorite piece of clothing that you own? My bathrobe.
What two words describe you? Loving, Naïve.
On a scale of 1-10; how religious are you? 8
What historical figure would you most like to have a discussion with? God. I know that when I listen, he talks to me, but I would like to meet him and talk with him in "person", not just in my prayers, and preferrably not only after I'm dead.
What color looks best on you? Earth tones.
Tattoos, body piercings? No tattoos, tiny gold belly button ring.
What is your favorite thing about being sick? I get TLC—sometimes.
What commercial do you find most annoying? The cave men. I just don’t get it. *shrug*
If you had to spend the rest of your life in one place, where would it be? Anywhere with the man I love, as friends, partners, and lovers.
Fill in the blank; I am so much smarter than: I used to be
Where is the most beautiful place you have ever been? Pawley’s Island, SC.
What body part aches you the most right now? My back.
When is the angriest you have ever been? I choose to forget
On a scale of 1-10; how much do you trust people? I’m working hard to change it from 10 to, oh, say five. I’m sooo gullible. Grrrrr.
What aspect of your personality could use a little work? I'm sometimes too impulsive, but I'm told I keep life interesting.
What movies make you smile? Because I Said So, Sweet Home Alabama, lots more.
What movies make you cry? A Beautiful Mind, The Bangor Sisters, lots more.
What time do you usually fall asleep? Around midnight.
What hobby have you always wanted to pick up? Race car driving. Got the bug from my old 69 camaro some twenty something years ago—300/350 4sp, and I could catch rubber in all four gears. Ooooh yeeahhh. *what?* *blinks innocently* Okay, these days I'd settle for more talent with my oil painting.
Have a peaceful Sunday,
Lee
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