WORD FROM LOREE (Kansas):
“Your segment (last week ... about the flying trip to the airport) had me in stitches. I honestly thought I was unique ... do you know how comforting it is to find out that I am not alone?!
“The very thought of driving on an interstate makes me cold enough to freeze up completely. I do not even do MAIN street! Normally, there are two lanes in either direction, but it's the blasted lights that always seem to change with me stuck behind some car making a left hand turn, thereby forcing me to go through the second half of the intersection on RED ... and that bothers me.
“Then there are the inconsiderate idiots ... if I'm in the righthand lane ... who decide they are ready to leave their parking space and try to back out just as I'm going past. They think they can trust me to do the right (and the polite) thing, which is to stop, motion to them to finish backing out, then give them a friendly wave, as they enter the stream of traffic.”
-S&G-
SHE CONTINUES:
“I stay off of US 77, which is a TWO-LANE, but over-loaded, main highway in my area. I can't help noticing how semis these days look twice as big as they did a few years ago, and they made me nervous back then!
“Over the past three or four years though, I have become an EXPERT 'back seat driver,' while riding co-pilot in the passenger seat! It's funny how much more observant and attentive I am, from the passenger side of the car! That's where I find my expertise, and do what I can to contribute to reaching our destination safely. But I get the feeling my efforts are not appreciated as much as I feel they should be ... for the great job I do!”
-S&G-
OH, LOREE ... if there’s anything that freezes me more than driving on the Interstate, it’s being a passenger ... even on a quiet country road.
It’s not that I don’t trust other drivers. I do. I’ve been lucky all the times that I’ve been a passenger ... usually in the front seat, because I find it difficult to fold myself into the back seat ... I’ve been with good drivers, thank you very much.
It’s just ... well, it’s just that I seem to relax a bit more when I have the steering wheel in my own hands ... with the possible exception of when I’m playing BUMPER CARS ON THE INTERSTATE on the way to the airport.
-S&G-
TODAY’S QUOTE: “I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.” - courtesy of TIL (Illinois)
-S&G-
TEST FOR OLD KIDS: After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, grateful citizens would ask, “Who was that masked man?” Invariably, someone would answer, “I don’t kow, but he left this behind.” What did he leave behind? - courtesy of HELEN (Florida)
-S&G-
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING: “My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60. Now he’s 97 years old, and we don’t know where he is.” - courtesy of RUTH (Florida/Ohio)
-S&G-
BOOK NOOK (with my apologies for having lost this ... and other items, it appears ... in the midst of recent computer ... and other, problems): KELLY (Colorado) shares ... I plan to read A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, by Michael Pollan. I did buy this book for its cover! It shows a small cabin in the woods, the size and style almost identical to the one I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. He calls it his ‘writing house’ - you can catch a glimpse here:
“Your segment (last week ... about the flying trip to the airport) had me in stitches. I honestly thought I was unique ... do you know how comforting it is to find out that I am not alone?!
“The very thought of driving on an interstate makes me cold enough to freeze up completely. I do not even do MAIN street! Normally, there are two lanes in either direction, but it's the blasted lights that always seem to change with me stuck behind some car making a left hand turn, thereby forcing me to go through the second half of the intersection on RED ... and that bothers me.
“Then there are the inconsiderate idiots ... if I'm in the righthand lane ... who decide they are ready to leave their parking space and try to back out just as I'm going past. They think they can trust me to do the right (and the polite) thing, which is to stop, motion to them to finish backing out, then give them a friendly wave, as they enter the stream of traffic.”
-S&G-
SHE CONTINUES:
“I stay off of US 77, which is a TWO-LANE, but over-loaded, main highway in my area. I can't help noticing how semis these days look twice as big as they did a few years ago, and they made me nervous back then!
“Over the past three or four years though, I have become an EXPERT 'back seat driver,' while riding co-pilot in the passenger seat! It's funny how much more observant and attentive I am, from the passenger side of the car! That's where I find my expertise, and do what I can to contribute to reaching our destination safely. But I get the feeling my efforts are not appreciated as much as I feel they should be ... for the great job I do!”
-S&G-
OH, LOREE ... if there’s anything that freezes me more than driving on the Interstate, it’s being a passenger ... even on a quiet country road.
It’s not that I don’t trust other drivers. I do. I’ve been lucky all the times that I’ve been a passenger ... usually in the front seat, because I find it difficult to fold myself into the back seat ... I’ve been with good drivers, thank you very much.
It’s just ... well, it’s just that I seem to relax a bit more when I have the steering wheel in my own hands ... with the possible exception of when I’m playing BUMPER CARS ON THE INTERSTATE on the way to the airport.
-S&G-
TODAY’S QUOTE: “I was always taught to respect my elders, but it keeps getting harder to find one.” - courtesy of TIL (Illinois)
-S&G-
TEST FOR OLD KIDS: After the Lone Ranger saved the day and rode off into the sunset, grateful citizens would ask, “Who was that masked man?” Invariably, someone would answer, “I don’t kow, but he left this behind.” What did he leave behind? - courtesy of HELEN (Florida)
-S&G-
ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING: “My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60. Now he’s 97 years old, and we don’t know where he is.” - courtesy of RUTH (Florida/Ohio)
-S&G-
BOOK NOOK (with my apologies for having lost this ... and other items, it appears ... in the midst of recent computer ... and other, problems): KELLY (Colorado) shares ... I plan to read A Place of My Own: The Architecture of Daydreams, by Michael Pollan. I did buy this book for its cover! It shows a small cabin in the woods, the size and style almost identical to the one I’ve been dreaming about for a long time. He calls it his ‘writing house’ - you can catch a glimpse here:
-S&G-
TODAY’S POEM: How many times I've wished I were a singer, if only for singing in the shower ... but that gift seems to have been taken from me forever when my voice changed.
I have become an avid listener, instead. It is from this listening that the metaphor for this poem arose. I do wish my voice might rise, realistically, not as a singer, but as a writer.
Even there, I am reconciled to the possibility that mine might not be a voice intended to be heard above the chorus of other writers' voices.
If that's the case, then, let my voice ... my writing ... remain steadfast, I say in this little poem:
IN THE CHOIR
Oh, that my voice
might soar like
a tenor's rising
as clearly as a bell
from the choir,
but if that wish
is not to be, then
let me remain
a faithful voice
among the many,
my song steadfast.
-S&G-
COMMENT? Feel free ... below, if you like.
Or if you prefer e-mail, that's fine, too ... especially for more detailed observations, to
... and it helps if you put "Squiggles" or "S&G" ... something like that ... in the subject line (just remember, no religion or politics ... please!)
-S&G-
UNTIL NEXT TIME ... take care ... see ya!
-S&G-
© 2009
Afterthoughts ... in response to your comments:
Thank you so much, This and That! Believe me, it's good to be back ... passing out a few chuckles along the way.
1 comment:
"ON THE IMPORTANCE OF WALKING" really tickled my funny bone! Thank you for that much-needed chuckle :)
Good to have you "back"!
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