I now have a second and third tube of wood that make noise. Well, kinda. I've chosen to use two different specifications on them. Tube 1, which actually looks like a flute, is sitting in the bedroom with the rest of my flutes, waiting for me to make a fetish for it. I'm a little hesitant to start that project because I'll be using a new power tool. Anything with moving blades gives me pause.
Tube 2 I have decided follow traditional tuning methods. Right now, all six holes make a different sound. It is VERY sensitive to air pressure. In fact, the top three holes are next to impossible to not overblow. I want to shorten up the length of it before I try tuning it. That will bring it closer to a full traditional design.
Tube 3 is following design specifications from yet another flute creator. The north, or mouthpiece, end of mine is somewhat shorter than his specs, so I'm not sure how that affects the tuning. Here's the bizarre part. The bottom three holes seem to have absolutely zero effect on the sound. The top three holes change the pitch. I don't get it. Yet. Hopefully, when I shorten that one, there will be a change in its behavior as well.
The fourth and fifth tubes are sitting on the bench filled with glue and covered in clamps. The glue I use says it only needs about four hours to cure, but I like to let it sit for at least 24 hours before I touch it again. It'll be nearly 48 hours for these, since my hunny has today and tomorrow off. Better to be inside with her than out in the cold garage. :)
Come Saturday, when she goes back to work, I'll cut down 2 & 3, probably 4 & 5 as well, drill 4 & 5, then try tuning the whole group. The tuning process is time consuming because I am a bit of a perfectionist. I found a nifty app for my gadget that performs as an electronic tuner. Make a noise and it tells you what pitch it is. It, too, is VERY sensitive. How that affects the tuning is that I can see that the frequency of the note I want is less than 5 Hz (cycles per second) off. If I want to tune each hole accurately in relation to the others, I'll spend hours removing very small quantities of wood from the holes. Four flutes, six holes each. That will probably take most of the day.
In the meantime, I have plenty of deerskin with which to make medicine pouches. That process turned out to be relatively painless. I have a fair amount of deer leather thong to make drawstrings for them. I'll bring in my woodburning tools and choose a design or two to put on the leather. I have already tested the technique on the rawhide. I need to do a test on this thinner material.
I also have plenty of beadwork projects to tackle. I need to practice on wrapping "sticks" and putting designs on fabric or leather.
All the craft projects will be pointless if I don't get the web site design completed AND get the business license I'll need. Guess I better find out how much THAT will cost. Then there's shipping to explore. Oh yay fun.
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Country Blues
Sounds like a mix of Nashville and New Orleans, right? I almost went that way when I first read it. But then I realized where TMB is and how that could apply. You see, she is an urbanite. Part of her year she spends in Southern California. The other part she spends in Israel, and what she is experiencing is the lack of urbanity. I know, that's probably not a word, but hey, it's my blog.
I told her that I understand. Many years ago, I moved from Los Angeles, where I grew up, to the San Jose area. It was a change of pace. San Jose was a bit slower than LA. Then I moved, with my burgeoning family, to Sacramento. Yet again, a change of pace toward the slower side. After that it was back to LA for a few years. Then off to Georgia, where the pace depended, like California, on how close you were to the major metro. Three and a half years later, off to North Texas, and the Fort Worth area. Many people drawl Fort Worth together with Dallas, thanks to the location of the huge international airport, which sits smack dab in the middle, straddling the county line. Fort Worth is a whole different animal from Dallas. Much like the difference between Los Angeles and Sacramento. North Richland Hills, a little northeast of downtown Fort Worth is a pleasant community, with all the amenities you'd expect in an urban sprawl. It is, however, not dictated by the pace of the major metroplex mentality. I kinda liked it, except for the humidity combined with the heat. My last summer there, we had 46 straight days over 100. The humidity is generally around 60%. So, the next stop was Rhode Island. Specifically, moved into Warwick, VERY near the airport, which is called Providence Airport but is really about 15 miles from Providence, then to North Kingstown. Rhode Island is a state that is just over 1/3 the size of Los Angeles county. (Many of my Angelino friends just made a confused face.) It is also a place of extremes. NK is a pretty town (they're all towns, no cities) that is comfortably paced. Warwick, not so much. Providence I can't stand, never did, never hid that.
So coming to Fresno, city of my birth fifty-some years ago, was something I anticipated. I was only here for the first couple of years of my life. I don't remember any of it. All I know is we lived on Harvey. I looked at the map. Harvey has been broken into chunks now thanks to the 180 freeway. I don't know the street number, so I wouldn't have a chance of finding the old place anyway. But the pace here is a bit slower. Unless you're on West Shaw or North Blackstone on a Saturday. Then it's retail competition hell. You can find that anywhere though. Like Route 2 in Warwick.
So what was TMB asking for? How to cope with mom being a grump. She titled the entry "Time to Snow Some Love". There's apparently a sense of isolation and perhaps lack of "things to do" where she is. So how does one adjust from living in a place like LA/Orange Counties to living in "the country"? Here is how I replied on her blog:
I told her that I understand. Many years ago, I moved from Los Angeles, where I grew up, to the San Jose area. It was a change of pace. San Jose was a bit slower than LA. Then I moved, with my burgeoning family, to Sacramento. Yet again, a change of pace toward the slower side. After that it was back to LA for a few years. Then off to Georgia, where the pace depended, like California, on how close you were to the major metro. Three and a half years later, off to North Texas, and the Fort Worth area. Many people drawl Fort Worth together with Dallas, thanks to the location of the huge international airport, which sits smack dab in the middle, straddling the county line. Fort Worth is a whole different animal from Dallas. Much like the difference between Los Angeles and Sacramento. North Richland Hills, a little northeast of downtown Fort Worth is a pleasant community, with all the amenities you'd expect in an urban sprawl. It is, however, not dictated by the pace of the major metroplex mentality. I kinda liked it, except for the humidity combined with the heat. My last summer there, we had 46 straight days over 100. The humidity is generally around 60%. So, the next stop was Rhode Island. Specifically, moved into Warwick, VERY near the airport, which is called Providence Airport but is really about 15 miles from Providence, then to North Kingstown. Rhode Island is a state that is just over 1/3 the size of Los Angeles county. (Many of my Angelino friends just made a confused face.) It is also a place of extremes. NK is a pretty town (they're all towns, no cities) that is comfortably paced. Warwick, not so much. Providence I can't stand, never did, never hid that.
So coming to Fresno, city of my birth fifty-some years ago, was something I anticipated. I was only here for the first couple of years of my life. I don't remember any of it. All I know is we lived on Harvey. I looked at the map. Harvey has been broken into chunks now thanks to the 180 freeway. I don't know the street number, so I wouldn't have a chance of finding the old place anyway. But the pace here is a bit slower. Unless you're on West Shaw or North Blackstone on a Saturday. Then it's retail competition hell. You can find that anywhere though. Like Route 2 in Warwick.
So what was TMB asking for? How to cope with mom being a grump. She titled the entry "Time to Snow Some Love". There's apparently a sense of isolation and perhaps lack of "things to do" where she is. So how does one adjust from living in a place like LA/Orange Counties to living in "the country"? Here is how I replied on her blog:
Tech-Free
Another blogist of my acquaintance, PB, has asked if it's possible for us in the Facebook world to go tech-free for one day a month. She doesn't use the reference of "going green", but rather as a day to simply be and experience. Get simpler and go back to a time when people talked to each other in the face. Go for a walk, for crying out loud. Ok, some parts of the country right now that may not be a pleasant thought. Guess what, there are other things you can do!
One of the comments she got back went right to that "other things" side. With work schedules, travel schedules, family, children and all the demands put on us, it may not be that simple. Who says you can't plan for something like that though?!? One of the things I've been saying for some time now is that we move too fast. I loved the traffic jams in Rhode Island. It gave me a chance to look at the side of the road and see the wildflowers growing there. I had the opportunity to see wild turkeys roaming along the highway. You don't get to see that stuff when you're flying low at 70mph in the 55 zone. Stop and smell the roses has never been more important, in my opinion.
The discussions that followed went two ways. She has it posted in two different locations. One thread was very positive, looking for all the ways to tune out the every day world and tune in to the natural world. Given that opportunity, I can tell you one of the things you'll find. YOU are part of that natural world. Go sit in a park for a couple of hours. Hold the hand of your partner. Spread out a blanket, if the weather cooperates, and lie next to each other staring at clouds and birds and trees. Don't talk about work or bills or schedules. Just breathe. Let go of what is expected. Let the unexpected come to you. It will!
The other thread is apparently populated with people who don't understand being unplugged, or are at least severely resistant to not "being in touch." PB suggested turning off the computer and the cell phone, at the very least. Someone asked if that included the television. PB, in her generous nature, said that it's a personal project and each should proceed with what is comfortable. For my part, television is out. Radio is out. CD, iPod, stereo, out. Gas and electric, well that depends on where you live. If you're in New England right now, definitely NOT out! Even the Central Valley of California would be a difficult place to stay without power right now. Now a place like Sydney, Australia, you might get by. However, you might need the air conditioner unless you can spend the day at a beach. :)
One of the ways that I'll be able to enjoy the tech-free day is my flute. It requires no power other than me and can create such a peaceful space in which to be free. If I'm lucky enough to spend this day with my hunny, which I plan to be, I know she'll enjoy the flute as well. Does this tech-free mean no books? I think it should. That's my view because part of the goal here is to focus on relationships. Whether with your mate or your family, get rid of the distractions. Board games, card games, sure! Those are things that can bring you together.
Do I despise technology and what it's done to our society? Yes and no. Technology has been my bread and butter for over 30 years. But I don't think it should be as important as it seems to have become to such a large portion of the population. Can I do without? For a day, yes. Maybe even a week. But the time is coming, I hope, that I will be dependent on it from a financial perspective. An online business is in the works. Why? Because if I manage it right, I'll have tech-free time, too.
Can you go tech-free for a day a month?
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
One of the comments she got back went right to that "other things" side. With work schedules, travel schedules, family, children and all the demands put on us, it may not be that simple. Who says you can't plan for something like that though?!? One of the things I've been saying for some time now is that we move too fast. I loved the traffic jams in Rhode Island. It gave me a chance to look at the side of the road and see the wildflowers growing there. I had the opportunity to see wild turkeys roaming along the highway. You don't get to see that stuff when you're flying low at 70mph in the 55 zone. Stop and smell the roses has never been more important, in my opinion.
The discussions that followed went two ways. She has it posted in two different locations. One thread was very positive, looking for all the ways to tune out the every day world and tune in to the natural world. Given that opportunity, I can tell you one of the things you'll find. YOU are part of that natural world. Go sit in a park for a couple of hours. Hold the hand of your partner. Spread out a blanket, if the weather cooperates, and lie next to each other staring at clouds and birds and trees. Don't talk about work or bills or schedules. Just breathe. Let go of what is expected. Let the unexpected come to you. It will!
The other thread is apparently populated with people who don't understand being unplugged, or are at least severely resistant to not "being in touch." PB suggested turning off the computer and the cell phone, at the very least. Someone asked if that included the television. PB, in her generous nature, said that it's a personal project and each should proceed with what is comfortable. For my part, television is out. Radio is out. CD, iPod, stereo, out. Gas and electric, well that depends on where you live. If you're in New England right now, definitely NOT out! Even the Central Valley of California would be a difficult place to stay without power right now. Now a place like Sydney, Australia, you might get by. However, you might need the air conditioner unless you can spend the day at a beach. :)
One of the ways that I'll be able to enjoy the tech-free day is my flute. It requires no power other than me and can create such a peaceful space in which to be free. If I'm lucky enough to spend this day with my hunny, which I plan to be, I know she'll enjoy the flute as well. Does this tech-free mean no books? I think it should. That's my view because part of the goal here is to focus on relationships. Whether with your mate or your family, get rid of the distractions. Board games, card games, sure! Those are things that can bring you together.
Do I despise technology and what it's done to our society? Yes and no. Technology has been my bread and butter for over 30 years. But I don't think it should be as important as it seems to have become to such a large portion of the population. Can I do without? For a day, yes. Maybe even a week. But the time is coming, I hope, that I will be dependent on it from a financial perspective. An online business is in the works. Why? Because if I manage it right, I'll have tech-free time, too.
Can you go tech-free for a day a month?
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
The Image of You
Most recent of the TMB thought nudgers, is a piece about the differences in perception. (Stay with me, it's not that bad.) The differences I'm talking about are the ones between the person we see in the mirror and the one "society" says we should be. This one always get me going. That's easily explained because I'm not on the list of "attractive and desirable" people. Ok, to some I am, but that's different.
Once again, she starts with a quote, one that works best if reproduced the way she published it:
The quote is from Rumi, undoubtedly one of the most romantic writers in history. No matter who it comes from, think about what it conveys. The quote runs down the side of the page next to a picture of a belly dancer. First, you have the image of the belly dancer in your head. Stop. Right there. How many belly dancers, I mean real belly dancers, have you seen that are stick figure women? NOT A ONE! They can't be! There is a great deal of muscle required to perform as they do. On top of that, they know that a woman is supposed to have curves. That's part of the culture from which they come. Then you have the tease and the reveal. If that doesn't get you at least a little bit tingly, check to make sure you still have a pulse.
She goes on to talk about how growth, age, and the rigors of womanhood change the shape of some of the parts. Obviously, I can't address those issues, other than as an observer. Tight pre-teen abs soften to allure giving way to the nurturing environment of motherhood. Some women refer to what remains as "baby belly." Some don't use the reference and just say they're fat. You know what? You're not fat. Just because the supermodel can return to her pre-pregnancy size and shape doesn't mean she should. It's not just the belly either. The hips undergo, what to my eyes is, a radical change. Your bones actually spread and widen to make room for that squirming critter crawling around your insides, and then to push it out! DAMN! Oh by the way, those hips you now have look pretty hot to a large number of men.
So now you look in the mirror, having just stepped out of the shower, and you make that face and that noise. The label? Disgust. Well, shame on you!!! You now have a body that has proven itself capable of sustaining and continuing life. Coded into the male is the primal urge to seek out such bodies. Once upon a time ago, males looked for females that could procreate. Those instincts still exist. There was a study conducted a few years ago that proved it. Shown silhouettes of various shapes and sizes of women, men overwhelmingly said those with wider hips and larger breasts were the most attractive! Now, I'm not referring to the gargantuan breasts of the surgical design, of course. Personally, I don't find fake boobies attractive. Ladies, if you lie on your back and your boobies are pointing at the ceiling, I want nothing to do with them. If they slide off your chest toward the side, I'm grinning! Oh and that sag you all hate so much. Think about this: Your man walks up behind you, slides his hands around your sides, under those sagging bits, and hefts them. Do you honestly think we don't enjoy that?!?
So where is this going? It goes to the adjustment in attitude that TMB has undergone over the years, as have some of my other friends. KS is one of those that I refer to as an Earth Mother. You know the ones. More round than straight. Not rolls upon rolls, but soft. EG is another. I'm very fortunate to know such beauties. My hunny has her areas of soft, too. Yep, part of why I love her. All four of these women will acknowledge that they are not supermodel material. But each, in her own way, is working or has worked through to a point of self-acceptance. Whenever I hear or read such an account, I am overjoyed! Even better is to see the smile on such a woman when she is loved and appreciated for who she is.
So guys, find that soft woman and appreciate her! Tell her she's beautiful and desirable. Tell her to put away that diet soda and drink some milk! As long as she is healthy, and not endangering her health with excess body material, she's gorgeous. If she happens to be a mother, then she's that much more beautiful.
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
Once again, she starts with a quote, one that works best if reproduced the way she published it:
Most poets are
like a belly
dancer
who never
reveals anything
below her waist
I won't tease
you like that
for I love when
your eyes get
e
x
c
i
t
e
d.
The quote is from Rumi, undoubtedly one of the most romantic writers in history. No matter who it comes from, think about what it conveys. The quote runs down the side of the page next to a picture of a belly dancer. First, you have the image of the belly dancer in your head. Stop. Right there. How many belly dancers, I mean real belly dancers, have you seen that are stick figure women? NOT A ONE! They can't be! There is a great deal of muscle required to perform as they do. On top of that, they know that a woman is supposed to have curves. That's part of the culture from which they come. Then you have the tease and the reveal. If that doesn't get you at least a little bit tingly, check to make sure you still have a pulse.
She goes on to talk about how growth, age, and the rigors of womanhood change the shape of some of the parts. Obviously, I can't address those issues, other than as an observer. Tight pre-teen abs soften to allure giving way to the nurturing environment of motherhood. Some women refer to what remains as "baby belly." Some don't use the reference and just say they're fat. You know what? You're not fat. Just because the supermodel can return to her pre-pregnancy size and shape doesn't mean she should. It's not just the belly either. The hips undergo, what to my eyes is, a radical change. Your bones actually spread and widen to make room for that squirming critter crawling around your insides, and then to push it out! DAMN! Oh by the way, those hips you now have look pretty hot to a large number of men.
So now you look in the mirror, having just stepped out of the shower, and you make that face and that noise. The label? Disgust. Well, shame on you!!! You now have a body that has proven itself capable of sustaining and continuing life. Coded into the male is the primal urge to seek out such bodies. Once upon a time ago, males looked for females that could procreate. Those instincts still exist. There was a study conducted a few years ago that proved it. Shown silhouettes of various shapes and sizes of women, men overwhelmingly said those with wider hips and larger breasts were the most attractive! Now, I'm not referring to the gargantuan breasts of the surgical design, of course. Personally, I don't find fake boobies attractive. Ladies, if you lie on your back and your boobies are pointing at the ceiling, I want nothing to do with them. If they slide off your chest toward the side, I'm grinning! Oh and that sag you all hate so much. Think about this: Your man walks up behind you, slides his hands around your sides, under those sagging bits, and hefts them. Do you honestly think we don't enjoy that?!?
So where is this going? It goes to the adjustment in attitude that TMB has undergone over the years, as have some of my other friends. KS is one of those that I refer to as an Earth Mother. You know the ones. More round than straight. Not rolls upon rolls, but soft. EG is another. I'm very fortunate to know such beauties. My hunny has her areas of soft, too. Yep, part of why I love her. All four of these women will acknowledge that they are not supermodel material. But each, in her own way, is working or has worked through to a point of self-acceptance. Whenever I hear or read such an account, I am overjoyed! Even better is to see the smile on such a woman when she is loved and appreciated for who she is.
So guys, find that soft woman and appreciate her! Tell her she's beautiful and desirable. Tell her to put away that diet soda and drink some milk! As long as she is healthy, and not endangering her health with excess body material, she's gorgeous. If she happens to be a mother, then she's that much more beautiful.
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
Inner Light
One of my Facebook friends is a prolific writer. Her work is published on the internet in several blogs. She regularly links to her blogs on Facebook. Talk about taking full advantage of the technology! My hat's off to you, TMB! Like a lot of people, I have Facebook friends about whom I know very little. Some I have taken the time to learn a bit about. Some people are friends from the real world, as far back as elementary school. From school to work and in between, it's the best way for a self-employment hermit to stay in touch. Now, TMB is one of those contacts that I happened to "find" on Facebook. I honestly don't remember how, but I think I saw a link to her blog on another page.
Since becoming a friend of her primary blog personality, she invited me to be her friend on her personal page as well. We've exchanged a few messages, both business and personal, and I can honestly say she is a person I would very much like to meet. She apparently splits her time between Southern California and Israel. As a result, she missed out on the torrential rains of December 2010. One of the best things about her is her uncanny ability to send my mind into overdrive. In fact, three of the four postings for today are because of her.
So, on to this Inner Light question. I won't cross link to her posts without her permission. I haven't asked yet, but I will. Or you can find me on Facebook and get to them from there. I pretty generally share her posts. Recently, she asked, "I want to know how YOU are going to let your inner light shine in 2011?" She had prefaced the question with this quote:
As you can imagine, a few people chimed in with responses. It's a tough question! How many of us today even think about "spreading light?" We live in a society that is so inundated with darkness that it's difficult to see ourselves as being a source of light. Yet, according to your own belief system, if you have one, you are a source of light. If you have difficulty being the source of light, try being the mirror. At the very least, think about it.
Being the source of light is a pretty easy thing to do. The challenge is remembering it. My philosophy is a simple one. Love really is the answer. If I can keep that in mind, many of my challenges render themselves solved pretty quickly. The Christian version is "love everyone." It's a concept that is simple on the surface, but immensely challenging to implement. Bring the thought to the front of your thinking and it becomes easier. The Indigenous version is "respect all things." Equally simple, equally challenging. Respect / Love for everyone / everything is how you can be a source of light. Live your life following a simple philosophy and it will show.
"What if I just can't do it?!?" It's tough and it takes work. There are times when it's just too much to ask. Keep trying. An alternative is to be the mirror. This also takes work. In order to be the mirror, you have to be able to see and recognize the light. Here's a simple example. You see someone walking down the street pick up a candy wrapper and put it either in their pocket or in a trash can. Instead of thinking, "Weirdo," think "I can do that, too." It's a simple action, really. But it also shows respect for our environment. Like I said, that's a simple example, but I think it illustrates how easily you can be the mirror.
Here's a real challenge. Be both. Be the light that sets the example for others to follow and be the mirror that reflects, and by reflecting expands, the examples of others.
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
Since becoming a friend of her primary blog personality, she invited me to be her friend on her personal page as well. We've exchanged a few messages, both business and personal, and I can honestly say she is a person I would very much like to meet. She apparently splits her time between Southern California and Israel. As a result, she missed out on the torrential rains of December 2010. One of the best things about her is her uncanny ability to send my mind into overdrive. In fact, three of the four postings for today are because of her.
So, on to this Inner Light question. I won't cross link to her posts without her permission. I haven't asked yet, but I will. Or you can find me on Facebook and get to them from there. I pretty generally share her posts. Recently, she asked, "I want to know how YOU are going to let your inner light shine in 2011?" She had prefaced the question with this quote:
"There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it." - Edith Wharton
As you can imagine, a few people chimed in with responses. It's a tough question! How many of us today even think about "spreading light?" We live in a society that is so inundated with darkness that it's difficult to see ourselves as being a source of light. Yet, according to your own belief system, if you have one, you are a source of light. If you have difficulty being the source of light, try being the mirror. At the very least, think about it.
Being the source of light is a pretty easy thing to do. The challenge is remembering it. My philosophy is a simple one. Love really is the answer. If I can keep that in mind, many of my challenges render themselves solved pretty quickly. The Christian version is "love everyone." It's a concept that is simple on the surface, but immensely challenging to implement. Bring the thought to the front of your thinking and it becomes easier. The Indigenous version is "respect all things." Equally simple, equally challenging. Respect / Love for everyone / everything is how you can be a source of light. Live your life following a simple philosophy and it will show.
"What if I just can't do it?!?" It's tough and it takes work. There are times when it's just too much to ask. Keep trying. An alternative is to be the mirror. This also takes work. In order to be the mirror, you have to be able to see and recognize the light. Here's a simple example. You see someone walking down the street pick up a candy wrapper and put it either in their pocket or in a trash can. Instead of thinking, "Weirdo," think "I can do that, too." It's a simple action, really. But it also shows respect for our environment. Like I said, that's a simple example, but I think it illustrates how easily you can be the mirror.
Here's a real challenge. Be both. Be the light that sets the example for others to follow and be the mirror that reflects, and by reflecting expands, the examples of others.
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.
Multi-Post Intro
Light Image Tech-Free Country Blues
That should stir a few brain cells! Those are actually four different topics some of my friends from the blogiverse have opened up in the past couple of days. As usual, they made me think. Then I had to type. Whenever a piece moves me, I do my best to respond. Authors like hearing from readers.
So what are these topics and why am I writing? I'm writing because I feel like it. It's a good day to stay inside and warm. Writing is a good way to do that.
Light (Light blog)
Talking about inner light here, folks. Do you have one? Have you found it? How are you going to share it?
Image (Image blog)
Not photographs. Not status. Self. What do you see in the mirror?
Tech-Free (Tech-Free blog)
This is one that has caused quite a stir. I'll explain and give you my take.
Country Blues (Country Blues blog)
I loved this one. I can relate. It's not about music.
On to the writing.
That should stir a few brain cells! Those are actually four different topics some of my friends from the blogiverse have opened up in the past couple of days. As usual, they made me think. Then I had to type. Whenever a piece moves me, I do my best to respond. Authors like hearing from readers.
So what are these topics and why am I writing? I'm writing because I feel like it. It's a good day to stay inside and warm. Writing is a good way to do that.
Light (Light blog)
Talking about inner light here, folks. Do you have one? Have you found it? How are you going to share it?
Image (Image blog)
Not photographs. Not status. Self. What do you see in the mirror?
Tech-Free (Tech-Free blog)
This is one that has caused quite a stir. I'll explain and give you my take.
Country Blues (Country Blues blog)
I loved this one. I can relate. It's not about music.
On to the writing.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Holidays and Missing Family
An acquaintance on Facebook, whom I admire for his dedication, is searching for his family and roots. He's encountered a road block that is all too common. In so many parts of the country, the document repository of the history of a town no longer exists. A great many of them were consumed by fire many moons ago. It's a sad thing really. So much of who we are can be found in where we come from.
I know this situation well. I have the same issues for my children. Some records of their maternal family history are lost to the smoke rising on the wind. On a positive note, those records go back at least a couple of generations, so they can get an idea of the last hundred years or so. Still, it would be nice to see where their tree branches in the history of this nation.
As for myself, I can only trace half my tree. My maternal tree I know has roots that go back to the founding of Washington, IL. I even got to visit there a few years ago. Nice little town, with a town square and our family name still appearing on some of the businesses. That's my grandfather's branch. My grandmother's branch is quite a bit more hazy, but I haven't done any formal research down that road. Maybe one day I will.
Sadly, I guess, that's all I have. I know I must have a paternal branch to my tree, because I doubt seriously my biological mother was an immaculate conception. More likely, I was the product of the uniform of the day. Ok, maybe the week. I don't know. I can't know. My biological mother seems have to have fallen off the planet. Her parents (my grandparents and the people I knew as mom and dad growing up) crossed over many moons past. I can't even ask her if she knows who my sperm donor was. So I am left with a family tree that leans heavily to one side. Must be pretty flexible because it seems to keep standing.
The prompt for this entry? The upcoming holiday. My oldest daughter and granddaughter are somewhere in the New York area and I can only hope they get to be together. They weren't for Thanksgiving. My middle daughter and her husband will be leaving Fresno to make what sounds like several stops in Southern California. My youngest and her husband are in SoCal and will probably be making appearances at both family sites. My oldest stepdaughter, her husband and their two children are two hours south of here and, well, I have no idea. My youngest stepdaughter is in Rhode Island. Because her "fiance" is still married, he'll probably be spending the day with his family, meaning she'll likely be alone, as she was for Thanksgiving. My stepson, the youngest of the bunch, will be two hours south. In fact, he'll leave this Sunday and spend three weeks down there. Gotta love a school system that needs a three week winter break.
My hunny is working the 24th and the 26th. It will be me and her and the ducks outside to celebrate. This will be our first year "alone". Should be interesting.
I know this situation well. I have the same issues for my children. Some records of their maternal family history are lost to the smoke rising on the wind. On a positive note, those records go back at least a couple of generations, so they can get an idea of the last hundred years or so. Still, it would be nice to see where their tree branches in the history of this nation.
As for myself, I can only trace half my tree. My maternal tree I know has roots that go back to the founding of Washington, IL. I even got to visit there a few years ago. Nice little town, with a town square and our family name still appearing on some of the businesses. That's my grandfather's branch. My grandmother's branch is quite a bit more hazy, but I haven't done any formal research down that road. Maybe one day I will.
Sadly, I guess, that's all I have. I know I must have a paternal branch to my tree, because I doubt seriously my biological mother was an immaculate conception. More likely, I was the product of the uniform of the day. Ok, maybe the week. I don't know. I can't know. My biological mother seems have to have fallen off the planet. Her parents (my grandparents and the people I knew as mom and dad growing up) crossed over many moons past. I can't even ask her if she knows who my sperm donor was. So I am left with a family tree that leans heavily to one side. Must be pretty flexible because it seems to keep standing.
The prompt for this entry? The upcoming holiday. My oldest daughter and granddaughter are somewhere in the New York area and I can only hope they get to be together. They weren't for Thanksgiving. My middle daughter and her husband will be leaving Fresno to make what sounds like several stops in Southern California. My youngest and her husband are in SoCal and will probably be making appearances at both family sites. My oldest stepdaughter, her husband and their two children are two hours south of here and, well, I have no idea. My youngest stepdaughter is in Rhode Island. Because her "fiance" is still married, he'll probably be spending the day with his family, meaning she'll likely be alone, as she was for Thanksgiving. My stepson, the youngest of the bunch, will be two hours south. In fact, he'll leave this Sunday and spend three weeks down there. Gotta love a school system that needs a three week winter break.
My hunny is working the 24th and the 26th. It will be me and her and the ducks outside to celebrate. This will be our first year "alone". Should be interesting.
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It’s also a time to prepare. Spring will come and the seeds of the new year must be ready for planting. The times of going out to meet friends again, whether from nearby or far away, will arrive sooner than we think. So we spend some of this time creating, to share of ourselves with each other. Some will create artifacts, some will share old family recipes.
As winter forces us to reduce our activity, we must remember that there are reasons and not forget to look forward as well.
I admit it's something I struggle with, too. It's tough to slow down when you've spent the better part of half a century running full steam ahead to be an American. Now is my time to be an Indian. On the powwow circuit, there is always a scheduled start time. The Grand Entry will be at noon. Or 11. Or 1. Those are the typical times. The real times are 12:05-12:30, 11:15-11:40, 1:00-1:20, on average. Why? Because, as it was explained to me, and is usually announced at the powwow, "We do things on Indian time." What does that mean? Not that we don't care about time. It means that things happen when they happen. Schedules are not part of the Indian way of life. We have things to do. They get done. Don't ask when, or set a deadline. Seasons come and go and we know what needs to be done in and for each. If it's a long term goal, it could take a day or a week. Sometimes, instead of taking an anticipated four months, a project takes just over two years. But that is an unusual situation that I was more than willing to wait for, and it was very much worth it.
Can we change modes, from city life to country life? Of course. It only takes time. How much time depends on the person. The longer you've lived as a city-dweller, the longer it will take to adjust. Usually. I say that because sometimes the adjustment is made easier by a change in the heart. That happened to me. When my heart changed to see things from a very different point of view, the hustle and bustle no longer held any appeal. Can my friend make the change? I'm sure she can. Eventually. I think her situation will make that difficult though. I believe she'll be headed back to suburbia before she can fully acclimate to rural life. If she stayed, I know she could. She's a strong lady, intelligent and wise. She also has a big heart that, I think, can accept the change and grow with it.
Can you do it? Have you done it? And which way? Either transition can be traumatic.
Blessings, Love and Peace to you all.