April 6, 2011

Twelve April Musings -- A Penny for Your Thoughts


I simply cannot focus on one big thought this morning, (I don't know why but I'm in, not a mental fog, but a mental collage) so here are lots of little thoughts....

1) In answer to the questions: Where is spring? Why is April coming in like a lion, when that is supposed to happen in March? How long till I can plant tomatoes? When will it stop snowing/storming/threatening to pick my house up and whip it into the nearest field? Midwest/Great Lakes U.S. Weather forcast for April from the Farmer's Almanac 4th-7th. Rain across the Great Lakes, then fair. 8th-11th. Squally weather for Ohio River and Great Lakes. 12th-15th. Clearing along Mississippi River. 16th-19th. Turning colder and unsettled. 20th-23rd. Heavy thunderstorms and squalls for Wisconsin, Illinois, and western Kentucky. 24th-27th. Big thunderstorms march east through Ohio River as well as the central and eastern Great Lakes. 28th-30th. Unsettled weather sweeps in from west.

2) I continue to join the community in mourning the death by murder of Summer Inman and am thinking about capital punishment.... I am also thinking about Guardian Spirit by Sarah Martin Byrd, a book I chose to publish last fall and which is about a woman who escapes her abusive husband. In the book, the woman has kept a diary musing on what is going on in her life. This past weekend the Columbus Dispatch printed an excerpt from Summer Inman's diary. I felt a bit sick to my stomach... Community Mourns Summer Inman

3) US Air. won't be running commercials on CNN anytime soon. CNN morning guy (6:20 a.m.) slams US Airways. Ouch! I usually fly US Airways and they've safely and promptly brought my son to visit me for 10 years now.

4) While I was waiting for the coffee to brew this morning, I looked over at the old water pitcher we throw our change in and noticed two very shiny pennies. I picked them up, looked at the back, and discovered that in 2010 a new penny was unvieled. How did I miss this? Lincoln Cent Unveiling

While this year’s cents were issued to celebrate the bicentennial birth of Abraham Lincoln and are minted for 2009 only, next year’s penny design has no specific end date. It could be seen by generations yet to come. Congress would have to marshal through new legislation for ANY change to occur. From: CoinNews.net

5) Kindle apps are everywhere. Various ebook apps from Kindle (iPhone, WindowsPC, Mac, BlackBerry, iPad, Android, Windows Phone

6) This is interesting to me professionally and personally... my husband's hardcover book The Prophet of Sorrow (Mark Van Aken Williams) is now available in paperback and ebook format, and it has been cool to see, practically in real time, the downloads for it. And, it's a finalist in Foreword magazine's Book of the Year Awards (stay tuned for May squeeing!)

7) I have CCN on (until 7:00 then I switch to ABC until 7:25, then I switch to BBC America while I read news)... Anyway, banner at CNN notes: "Gbagbo reportedly set to cede power: Standoff in the Ivory Coast ." I am struggling to remember who Gbagbo is, because to me it sounds like the name of a children's book character, but obviously it is not. "He's nuts." says announer, quoting source (I think). But here is what is frustrating to me, the mutitasker who is also purusing the web while CNN is on...I look up at the screen, start listening and for FIVE minutes there is nothing in the words or huge banner to tell me what country this is, though I know it's a "big exporter"...but they keep calling it "this country"... people "are suffering" and "for the US this is critical.." OK, what country is it?! Jeepers, am I supposed to know the countries of the Ivory Coast and the spellings and pronounciations of their leaders? Is "Gbagbo" the word she's pronouncing "gij zha bay"?

8) But don't worry, dear reader. I am going to be come more geographically/geo-politically literate. Thanks to the great discussion I had at book club last night with wonderful Sandy and Kathi, I've subscribed to The Wall Street Journal -- which I've always enjoyed in hotels, but did not realize I could get same day delivery here to our home. How can they pay someone to bring me the newspaper for $2.69 per week? Well, I'll let them worry about that, and just enjoy something with more substantial news that the Columbus Dispatch, which is boring me and not covering Lucky Press books ever anyway and our local paid newspaper which is so slight and still leaves me feeling uninformed about Athens (the free paper is more informative).

9) Apparently the US Government is about to shut down. Will the Post Office be open on Friday? I sent a commissioned piece of artwork to someone this week. It went 1,986 miles in 3 days for just under $11, and was insured and tracked. Now that's a deal. Dear Postmaster General: I would pay $15 for this service, so if you need to raise the rates, go ahead. I love the post office (well, except for the long lines because there are only two employees and they ask me too many questions...).

10) "India Graduates Millions but Few are Fit to Hire" (see, I'm already enjoying the WSJ!) The chances I will be able to easily understand the next tech support person I encounter has increased, I think...

11) Kate and William are big news (so I won't bother with a link). The press release will be sent out at a specific time noting the design of her dress; like when she emerges from the carriage, or something (I wasn't listening that closely.) Okay, I'm thinking Kate and William should start a publishing company and get their people on it because the PR for authors would be incredible. On a sidenote, my son Bryce loves Princess Diana (for a few years he had a huge collage of photos of her on his wall). I bought him a pack of five VHS tapes in anticipation of the Big Event. But he can't get the tapes to record in anything but the slowest mode and this is causing anxiety and once again I realize this mom was not technologically savvy enough for this kid... (Don't ask my children about the time I tossed the VCR under the couch. "I can build a website and produce a book but I can't hook up the VCR (fast forward) DVD (fast forward) program your mp3 player with Pee Wee Herman videos!")

12) The 12th muse is you, Dear Reader. I take a moment to give thanks for you. Have a great day, a great week, and a greater weekend!

Janice

7 comments:

February Grace said...

<3 Too sleepy to comment well, but wanted you to know you've been heard!

Thank YOU for being a constant source of light, encouragement and inspiration to everyone you meet (especially dorky pink-shoe wearing Muppets like myself.) You're like a young and way hipper take on the whole 'fairy godmother' thing. Only you do it with art, wisdom, and books, making people's dreams come true. That's a very cool thing.

hugs
bru

PS I heard spring was cut out of our budget, Michigan can't afford it, apparently...

Janice Phelps Williams said...

Thank you, Bru... When you see something I had put aside to mail to you, you will laugh at the comment you made! That is a wonderful compliment. I always liked Glenda/Glinilda (what was that good witch's name on the Wizard of Oz?).

One day, many years ago, I went to a Goodwill store and purchased a white dress that had a plain satin top and a huge white net, many layered-skirt. It was the princess dress to end all princess dresses and I was over 30. I didn't care. I bought it for $15 and wore it to a party where there were small children. I sat on a couch, spread the dress out, and they all came and sat with me. I loved every minute of it! But, alas, passed on the dress to another, more appropriate, wearer....

Also, PS THANK YOU for the recommendation of trying Foxfire. It worked!!!!

Also Also... someone, several someones actually, made my dreams come true first.

Dina said...

Seconding what Bru so eloquently said.

#6 Wowwowwow. Foreword magazine. Awesome!

Dina said...

Oh, and that whole Summer Inman thing is so tragic and sad. Are you conflicted about capital punishment? Have to say I am firmly for it. We have so many checks and balances in place to ensure the person is really guilty that I don't really worry that an innocent is being executed. I mean I know it's happened but today with DNA, I think its far less likely to happen.

Okay now I'm feeling conflicted (again)

madeline40 said...

I thnk I'll take a page out of your blog -- what a great idea to write about your various thoughts and musings. I am the same way right now. I can't seem to focus on one thing at a time. Must be spring in the air.
Thanks for the permission to be unfocused and not be considered ADHD.

Janice Phelps Williams said...

Thank you Bru, Dina and Madeline.
Dina: No, I'm not conflicted. I'm against it. Life in prison, I think, is a worse sentence than death. Because I don't think when someone dies they are wishing they were still alive. But when someone is in prison, with no hope of parole, they are wishing they were out; the realize what they don't have. But I haven't had a child murdered, either.

Madeline, I need permission to be unfocused for a few more days! Let's be unfocused together!

ShaunaKelleyWrites said...

It's interesting you comment on the Ivory Coast because I saw a link, clicked, and read an entire article on it yesterday. Frustratingly, at the end of the article I was STILl wondering what the heck was going on.

Here's what I gather: Gbagbo was president of Ivory Coast (one country). There was an election and Outtarra was elected president. Gbagbo refuses to cede leadership, so the country has split into factions that are fighting (violently) to keep the new guy out or get the old guy out, depending on your side.

And I love this format! And a reminder that sometimes being a bit scattered in your thoughts can be artful.

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