Tomorrow

(Photo: Mr. Dickie - Smithsonian Postal Museum, Washington, DC, 30 Dec 2010)

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. (Matthew 6:34 (RSV) in Daily Guideposts -1990, 29 December)

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This morning I finished reading twelve books that I have been reading since the first of January. I read one page a day from each book. Three of the books were Daily Guidepost books. With the completion of these three I have read every Daily Guideposts book published except for the 2009 and 2010 volumes. I own a copy of the 2009 volume which I intend to read in 2011. I'll be on the lookout for a used copy of the 2010 volume. On my computer I maintained a little file (CSV format) of the books I was reading in 2010. I'll be posting the "date completed" to this file later on. I'll also be posting to my online weRead account that I finished these books. I already created a new reading list file on the computer for 2011 but I didn't post the titles to weRead yet.

Yesterday Cyndi and I took the Green and Red subway lines to Union Station. We went across the street to visit the Smithsonian Postal Museum for the first time. I purchased a sheet of twenty stamps, the Gulf Coast Lighthouses. I took quite a few photos. When I got home I used the camera to alter some of the pictures. I ended up with twenty-eight photos. Some are good and some not so good.

After we left the museum we walked up North Capitol Street for a block to the Government Printing Office. Cyndi went inside and asked them to contact our friend Keith O. who is on the police force. He came downstairs to meet us and then went with us to the food court at Union Station where we visited while Cyndi and I ate our lunch.

Mr. Dickie
31/Dec/2010 9:01

Year End

As you approach the end of the year, it's natural to look back and reflect on different events. Some memories bring smiles, but others bring regret. Now is a good time to clean house -- to confess your shortcomings to God, to apologize and make amends to those you have wronged, and then to leave the pain behind. Forget the failures of the past and move forward into the new year with expectation and excitement. (The One Year Mini For Men, 27 December)

It's almost scary when another year has slipped by. You wonder where it went and how it went by so quickly. That's why it is so important to do your best each day, in your work, in your relationships, in your walk with God, and yes, even in your rest. Be faithful to the responsibilities and the call that God has given you. Then, at year's end, you will have the satisfaction of finishing a job well done. And God will be pleased as well. (The One Year Mini For Men, 28 December)

"Let me first be sure what I intend and the reasons for my choices; this will guide my thoughts into constructive channels, and keep me from attempting the impractical or impossible." (Celebra Tueli in One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 28 December)

Happy New Year to Blogger and Facebook Followers

Mr. Dickie
30/Dec/2010 7:47

What Do I Care?

(Photo: Happy Hour in Nebraska - shared by my cousin, Fran)

If you want to spend an exhausting day, try to work out your circumstances leaning on your "human viewpoint." (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 376)

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Yesterday we got lucky and only received a small amount of snow. This morning there are high winds. It feels like winter, but people should still be able to move about if they need to be out and about. What do I care? I've got my love to keep me warm.

Mr. Dickie
27/Dec/2010 9:02

Responsibility

(Photo: Mr. Dickie - December 2010 Card Wall)

You cannot give your responsibility for your efforts to anyone else. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Real Magic, p. 302)
26/Dec/2010 7:13

Remember the Days of Long Ago

(Photo: Mr. Dickie - One of our two Christmas poinsettias - 2010)

Merry Christmas to everyone who follows Mr. Dickie's Blog.

It's been a lot of fun staying in touch this year with Email, Facebook, Christmas cards and letters and phone calls.

This morning I'm remembering many wonderful Christmases spent at the home of Grandpa and Grandma Carlson in the tiny town of Mead, Nebraska, west of Omaha, with maternal aunts, uncles and cousins. Little did we realize, at the time, that someday we'd only have our memories. Those were the days!

Mr. Dickie
25/Dec/2010 8:48

Business As Usual

Devote a few minutes to offering thanks for particular blessings in your life. (The Upper Room Disciplines - 2008, 13 December)

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Tomorrow Christians all over the world will celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The day is called Christmas which sets if off from all other days of the year. Last night, supposedly in remembrance of the day, many stores stayed open all night.

Was your church open for business all night too?


Mr. Dickie
24/Dec/2010 7:29

The Business of College Football

Happiness is a by-product of living the right kind of life, of doing the right thing. (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 14 December)

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Let there be no mistake about it, college football is a business. It's a business in which the principles, the players, have little say about what happens and in which they are not paid for their efforts or for putting their bodies and future health on the line.

Big winners in this exploitation, up to a point, are the coaches who are paid outlandish salaries to win games and fill stadiums with money spending fans. However, as soon as the win / loss ratio takes a turn for the worse or seats in the stadium remain empty coaches heads are going to roll.

As a case in point let's look at what happened at the University of Maryland in the last few days. After a winning season, with seats for many of the home games empty, the team received a bid to play in the Military Bowl. The game will be played next Wednesday afternoon. Who cares and who will watch it? I believe this is one of those meaningless Bowl games, played to bring in more money to the colleges. In a move that clearly illustrates that business comes first the head coach of Maryland and an alum, Ralph Fridgen, was fired. Not only was he fired, his firing was announced by the press before the coach was told he was fired.

The University of Maryland and their Athletic Director ought to be ashamed of themselves for this no-class move. If college football wasn't a business this probably wouldn't have happened. In this case there's a "coach in waiting" that they think they "just have to hire" before someone else makes him an offer. It's business as usual.

Write it down, so we won't forget. The next coach will be lucky if he can hold his job for half as long as Coach Fridgen did.

Mr. Dickie
23/Dec/2010 8:17

Opps, They Did It Again!

(Photo: Mr. Dickie - Great Hall of The Library of Congress, December 2010)

Are you on guard against wrong thinking?
(Twenty-Four Hours a Day, 30 November)

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Opps, they did it again!

Here we are, the 22nd day of December and time for a Christmas Congressional break. Once again the Congress has failed to pass the budget legislation necessary to keep the government running this fiscal year, which started on October 1st. To keep the country operating they have resorted to passing continuing budget resolutions with funding levels therefore still at last year's levels. Perhaps the Republicans believe this delay will allow them to have more influence after the new Congress is sworn in. In my opinion it's just another glaring example that the people we elected to run the country for us aren't doing their jobs. If corporate management and their boards behaved in this manner the stock holders would soon throw out the entire lot. Think about it.

Mr. Dickie
22/Dec/2010 8:49

Condition

The only way to improve the conditions of one's life is to improve one's emotional condition. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 29 November) 21/Dec/2010 8:18

Preparing a Christmas Letter

Words of wisdom inspire us, but they have value only if we can take them into our hearts and use them in our daily lives. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 6 December)

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I used a number of different tools to create, print, and send our Christmas form letter this year. I typed the letter using my text editor, EditPad Lite; I formatted the letter (centering and bold facing) using Google Docs; I used my HP PhotoSmart camera to take the poinsettia photo and to add the oval vignette; I created a PDF version of the letter by telling Google Docs to download the letter to my computer in that format; I printed the two-sided letter on my HP LaserJet 1020 telling the print program to print on both sides of the paper; address labels were prepared by typing forty-five lines (for forty-five labels) with the EditPad Lite in the Comma Separated Value (CSV) format; the CSV file was uploaded to Labelmakr.com on the Internet where the file was converted into a PDF file suitable for printing on two sheets of Avery 5160 labels of thirty labels per sheet; the free PDF file was downloaded to my computer where Adobe Acrobat Reader was used to view and print the labels; I used stationery and envelopes that I had on hand; there was a picture of earth from outer space on the stationery and Christmas artwork on the business envelopes; stamps were purchased on Sunday from the bank ATM machine.

Mr. Dickie
20/Dec/2010 8:30

Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas
and
Happy New Year
19 December 2010

Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Greetings to Friends and Relatives,

This year we are going to make even more use of technology to share our Christmas message. Some will receive this message via snail mail, some via Email, some via a blog posting to Mr. Dickie's Blog on Google and some via the Notes on Facebook. We hope no one will be too put off or offended by this approach. We enjoy keeping in touch with everyone and hope to hear from you again this year.

Melva continues to work three days a week at the Hair Cuttery in Crofton. She is thankful that many of her customers followed her from Bowie when the shop there closed. She attends quilting class at the Bowie Senior Center on Fridays. Quilting projects and other projects the teacher assigns keep her very busy.

Cyndi is the Marketing Manager for the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of the National Rural Electrical Cooperative Assn (NRECA) in Arlington, VA. She moved out of her apartment in Bethesda at the end of October because the building was under extensive renovation. At the same time she sold her car after an attempt to purchase a new car fell through. She sold some of her furniture and put the rest in storage. She has been living with us since the beginning of November. She can use the Orange line of the subway for travel to and from work. The station near us is a mile from the house and the station near her office is two blocks away.

Dick enjoys attending the twice-monthly meetings of the Bowie Senior's Computer Club. He assists with website maintenance helping to upload the meeting schedules, links to the minutes of the meetings, and information about classes the club offers. He has four Google blogs. Two he tries to update on a daily basis and two are used for genealogy when the mood strikes. In recent months he has been posting some of his genealogy on Box.net. Access to Box.net is by invitation. During the year he converted several of his genealogy files to work with the RootsMagic genealogy program. This program easily creates reports in the PDF format which he can share with others.

In early September Dick and Melva took a short vacation First they went to Virginia Beach, VA where they visited with friends from Panama, the Heafners and the Haines. The highlight of the visit was attending the birthday party of Hannah Heafner. Next they went to Raliegh, NC to visit Rich and Joy Ruhmann and their daughter, Annie. Rich is a college classmate of Dick's. They hadn't seen each other in many years. The Ruhmanns took them to visit the butterfly exhibit in Durham.

This year, for the first time since he retired in 1993, Dick attended the Christmas concert and retiree luncheon at The Library of Congress. After he arrived at The Library he learned that the data processing folks were also holding their party. He attended two parties as well as the concert and lunch. He had a great time and says he will probably attend next year.

Dick enjoys participating in social networking on Facebook. He's in touch with Class of '57 classmates from both Bellevue, Nebraska and Wichita, Kansas. Other friends include relatives in this country and Panama, Library of Congress friends (both working and retired), friends from AOL, other Henthorns, and friends he met through genealogy.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to stay in touch this year with phone calls, cards, letters, Email, Facebook and Internet photo albums. It's a blessing to have all of you in our lives.

Dick and Melva Henthorn
5403 76th Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20784-1705
Phone: 301-459-0535
Email: Dick.Henthorn@gmail.com

New Adventure

Each day is a new adventure...pointing the way to an ever-better way to live. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 8 December)
18/Dec/2010 15:57

Philippians 4:11

I have learned to be satisfied with the things I have and with everything that happens. (Philippians 4:11 in Grace For The Moment by Max Lucado, 9 December)

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I didn't post to my blogs for the last two days. On Wednesday I attended four Christmas events at the Library of Congress. Yesterday I went to lunch with former co-worker, Bill Hamilton.

There is a rumor that Yahoo intends to drop support for their social bookmarking site, Delicious. I am a user of this application. I suppose that many other free Internet services will be shutting down in the months ahead. When there is a strong possibility of marked reductions in spending for advertising it is inevitable that any endeavor that relies on advertising for revenue is going to fail.

It snowed yesterday during the day. Melva and I were out driving in the snow going to luncheon engagements. Driving was tricky. We both managed to make our trips without incident. On our way to Bowie we noticed several accidents on the in-bound lanes of U.S. Route 50.

Mr. Dickie
17/Dec/2010 7:37

Compassion and Forgiveness

...remember that many people are simply lost and don't know what they are doing. Though they may not deserve it, they still need your compassion and forgiveness. (The One Year Mini For Men, 9 December) 14/Dec/2010 8:59

Integrity

Integrity means knowing what you believe and living as though you believe it. (The One Year Mini For Men, 10 December)
13/Dec/2010 20:10

Learning

I still have much to learn...
(One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 8 December)
11/Dec/2010 9:18

Last night, from 9:00 to 10:00 p.m. I watch a very nice program about The Library of Congress on History International. I discovered the show by accident about three minutes after it started. I grab a tape and put it in the VCR in case I want to watch the program again.

I'm working with a floppy disk that has many "text" files about members of the "other" Henthorn family. Each file needs minor updates before I upload it to My Box where I can share it with other people interested in their genealogy.

Yesterday we brought all of the Christmas decorations down from the attic. Today I'll see if I can get the permanently installed lights to work. That's always the critical moment.

Mr. Dickie
12/Dec/2010 8:13

Miracles

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. (Margaret Mead in Real Magic by Wayne Dyer, p. 301)

Miracles seem to me to rest not so much upon faces or voices or healing power coming suddenly near to us from afar off, but upon our perceptions being made finer, so that for a moment our eyes can see and our ears can hear what is there about us always. (Willa Cather in His Miracles, Day. 343)
10/Dec/2010 7:13

Your Life

...your life should be worthy of imitation... (John MacArthur, Truth For Today, 29 November)
9/Dec/2010 8:02

Wills and Other Court Documents

If you are determined to simplify your life, you will need to ask yourself some hard questions... (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 342)

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I created a thirty-seven page document of thirty-two Wills and Other Court Documents and uploaded it to my Box where it can be viewed or downloaded by my collaborators. I used my MonkeyMerge program to merge the thirty-three files into one file I named, Wills.txt and stored on a floppy disk. It wasn't long after I'd finished the upload before one of my friends took a look. I know this because Box sent me an Email notification. Information I store on my Box is available by invitation only.

Mr. Dickie
8/Dec/2010 6:52

Pearl Harbor Day - 7 Dec 1941

Let us always remember that any society ...that cannot freely [admit and] correct its own faults must surely fall into decay if not into collapse. (As Bill Sees It, p. 65)

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The 69th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, 7 Dec 1941. If you are interested in reading a book about this event I recommend, "At Dawn We Slept." Donald M. Goldstein and Katherine V. Dillon compiled the book from the manuscripts of Gordon W. Prange. All were associated with the University of Maryland at College Park, MD.

The Army ROTC department at my alma mater, Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas is conducting a fund raising campaign to raise funds to build a new rappelling tower. I received a commission as a second lieutenant from this program. I wasn't exposed to rappelling until Ranger training at Fort Benning, GA.

Today we are experiencing a second day of very cold wind that is making the flags stand straight out. There is no sign of snow yet, but it's only a matter of time. Our planning is off, Melva's car needs gas. I'm ready for the task. I got my gloves, scarf and knit cap out of the dresser drawer. We also have a supply of new snow shovels to replace one that was stolen last year. I talked to two men from Riverdale who said they will come to do snow removal when the time comes.

Mr. Dickie
7/Dec/2010 7:57

A New Way Of Life

Some people don't know how badly they need a new way of life until disaster overtakes them. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 21 November)

New Photo Album

Constant dwelling on our troubles lessens our ability to see them clearly and make wise decisions. (after One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 16 November)

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Yesterday I set the mower blade as low as I could in order to cut the grass one last time before winter arrives. We gathered seven bags of clippings. Before putting the mower away I ran the engine until all of the gas was burned. It's my intention to not touch the mower again until spring.

Last night I created a new photo album on Facebook and uploaded fifty-one photos. The album is named, December 4, 2010. Any Facebook friend can see it. Folks who aren't on Facebook can request access and I can send a link to the album.

This morning I finished reading the book, "As Bill Sees It," written by Bill, one of the co-founders of A.A. I started reading the book, a page at a time, on the first day of the year. There weren't quite enough pages to take me to the end of December.

Mr. Dickie
5/Dec/2010 8:55

Who Are We?

Could the very things that make us rage reflect who we have become? (The Upper Room Disciplines - 2008, 24 November)
4/Dec/2010 8:36

Who Are These People?

... right attitudes and thoughts must precede right practices. (John MacArthur, Truth For Today, 26 November)

Wisdom preserves our lives from human pitfalls, and provides our lives with divine perspective. (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 335)

******

Who are these people, these people we elected to govern us? If they aren't part of "We The People," just who are they and what made us think that they would represent our interests in the halls of Congress?

Mr. Dickie
3/Dec/2010 10:01

The Great Dictator

There are so many ways to show your thankfulness to others - a word of thanks, a smile, a note, a meal, a gift, a prayer, a recommendation. To whom can you say thank you today. (The One Year Mini For Men, 26 November)

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A couple of days ago I recorded the 1940 Charlie Chaplin movie, "The Great Dictator." This was the first movie in which Charlie Chaplin spoke. He played two roles, the Jewish barber and the dictator of Tomania, Adnoid Hynkle. Paulette Goddard was the barber's girlfriend and the Italian dictator was played by an actor named Oakie (his first name slips my mind this morning). The film was shot in black and white. I thought the ending was confusing. At the end of the movie the barber, who looked a lot like the dictator, was mistaken for the dictator and he made a speech as if he was the dictator. Earlier in the film the dictator had made several speeches in what sounded like German. In the final speech the barber made his speech in English. I enjoyed the movie and found some of it quite funny. The movie has a three-star rating. I was somewhat disappointed with the ending. Maybe the dictator should have been tried for his many crimes and someone else besides the barber should have made the speech.

Mr. Dickie
2/Dec/2010 8:21

Kiss and Ride

We exchange energy with other individuals as we interact with them, touch them, hear them, look at them, even by reading their words. (Betty J. Eadie, Embraced By The Light, 27 November)

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Last night Cyndi was able to get her laptop computer working with my FIOS WiFi for the first time. I'm glad she had the experience and patience to figure out how to get it working. The signal in the basement was quite strong.

Cyndi also copied the photos we took during our Sunday outing from the card in my camera. She uploaded them to an album she created on her Facebook.

This morning Cyndi had an appointment in Bethesda. The Red line of the subway runs to Bethesda. We decided that she should take the Green line from College Park to either Fort Totten or Gallery Place where she would transfer to the Red line. Because it was raining we decided to see if we could find the entrance to the Kiss and Ride area at the station. After they built a parking garage at the College Park station the Kiss and Ride was relocated on the ground level of the parking garage. When we arrived at the station it was still dark and raining heavily. I couldn't see any signs for the Kiss and Ride until Cyndi directed me into the garage and to the left. It's evident now why people are being dropped off and picked up out on the street. Now that I know how to get in and out of the drop-off spot it won't be a problem. Cyndi told me I should write them a letter about the poor signs instead of ranting about it.

Mr. Dickie
1/Dec/2010 8:31

Bonding

If you think you should be running the whole show, you'll probably end up with nothing to show for it. (Mr. Dickie, after As Bill Sees It, p. 320, 25 Nov 2010)

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Yesterday afternoon Cyndi and I took the Orange line of the subway to the Eastern Market station. We walked down 8th Street past all of the businesses. We walked past the Marine Corps Barracks before we stopping just before passing under I-395. We could see the Navy Yard at the end of 8th Street. Next we went to the outdoor flea market at Eastern Market. Cyndi knew one of the vendors who was selling t-shirts he had designed. He owns a clothing consignment shop in Bethesda.

Next we walked up Pennsylvania Avenue towards the Library of Congress and the Capitol. We stopped to eat lunch at The Hunan where I have attended many promotion and retirement parties in the past. It was Cyndi's first visit. They served us both a very nice meal. Cyndi brought food home for Melva to eat after work.

We took several photos with my camera at the Neptune Plaza in front of the Thomas Jefferson building of the Library of Congress.

When we were ready to go home we used the Capitol South subway station

I thought we had a great time doing some father / daughter bonding and getting in a nice long walk at the same time.

Mr. Dickie
29/Nov/2010 8:06

Bookmarking With Delicious

This is a brand new shining day and I have it in my power to make it a good one just by the way I think about it and what I do with it. (One Day At A time In Al-Anon, 23 November)

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I'm starting to gather the books I want to read next year in my daily reading program. I hope I can find the ones I stored in the basement.

Yesterday I added a few bookmarks to my Delicious bookmark collection. It had been some time since I added four bookmarks on the same day. These pointed to obituaries for members of my Henthorn family. I also included the obituaries in my RootsMagic genealogy file. If you are a member of my maternal or paternal family and have information about recent events that should be added to the genealogy file, I'd like to hear from you.

Delicious

Mr. Dickie
28/Nov/2010 8:52

If It's Broke, Fix It

Don't put up with something that doesn't work right.
(Daily Guideposts - 1990, 21 November)

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Yesterday I did some genealogy. I found four obituaries for members of my Henthorn family and included them in my genealogy file.

Mr. Dickie
27/Nov/2010 7:51

Priorities

Every once in a while, take a hard look at your priorities.
(Sortor and McQuade, The Word On Life, 21 November)
26/Nov/2010 8:11

Giving

Do not give, as many rich men do, like a hen that lays her egg and then cackles.
(Henry Ward Beecher)

Autumn Comes

Summer ends and autumn comes, and he who would have it otherwise would have high tide always and a full moon every night. (Hal Borland)

Humility

Those who travel the high road of humility are not troubled by heavy traffic. (Alan K. Simpson)

Running Errands

I recognize the energy that exists in all things, and acknowledge God's wisdom in His creation. (Betty J. Eadie, Embraced By The Light, 20 November)

******

We spent the afternoon out running errands for Melva. We took a long drive from our house to Odenten, then to Maryland City and finally to Glenridge near our house. We managed to accomplish everything Melva had in mind. We visited the new store Hobby Lobby in Maryland City before we stopped to eat lunch at the nearby Panera Bread.

Mr. Dickie
20 Nov 2010

Too Often

Too often our own limitations cause us to doubt God's ability to work through us. Too often people make excuses for why they think things won't happen instead of thinking about how they might happen... (The One Year Mini For Men, 1 November)

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I used the Internet to send an Email to the State Highway Administration notifying them that a traffic light was out on the way to the subway station. This made if difficult to left turn from Route 410 onto Ellin Road. Yesterday I received two Email messages from them in response. This morning when Cyndi and I went to the subway station we checked to see if the light was fixed. It was working nicely.

This morning we discussed going to the Pirate's Cove for Thanksgiving. That didn't work out. When I called to make the reservation they were booked. "The early bird gets the worm."

The guest speaker at the computer club yesterday was, Sandy Lundahl. She talked about the tools she uses in her consulting and teaching business. There was lots of interest in what she had to say. I was very impressed. She invited us to attend her senior center class today at 1:00 p.m. She teaches a SAGE class (senior classes through the community college). The title of the class is Stories for Mid-life Traveler. We can attend the class via our computers as distance students. She uses WEBEX.com to do this.

I'm listening to the Brand New Man album of Brooks and Dunn this morning. I really like the song, Neon Moon, written by Ronnie Dunn.

If you lose your one and only
There's always room here for the lonely
To watch your broken dreams
Dance in and out of the beams
Of a neon moon

Mr. Dickie
19/Nov/2010 9:56

Difficult Times

...remaining positive in difficult times requires a maturity that comes from experience. (Betty J. Eadie, Embraced By The Light, 10 November)

******

Last night and the night before I watched most of the two-part "Creating the World of Harry Potter," on the Biography channel. I thought they did a great job. I also watched some of the final episode of "Circus" on PBS.

Mr. Dickie
18/Nov/2010 8:16

Frankness Over Flattery

In the end, people appreciate frankness more than flattery. (Proverbs 28:23 in The One Year Mini For Men, 23 October)

Take Your Time

Avoid trying to set your whole life in order all at once. (As Bill Sees It, p. 308)
15/Nov/2010 10:48

90th Birthday

We should forget those things which are behind us and press onward toward something better. (Twenty-Four Hours a Day, 8 November)

******

I didn't post anything to my blogs yesterday. We attended the 90th birthday party for our next door neighbor, Wanda. It was held at the home of her daughter in Street, MD which is northeast of Baltimore and very near the Pennsylvania border. There was a nice crowd and we had a very nice time.

As of yesterday I have a new Facebook friend, Don Gardner, one of my very good friends from college days. I got a big kick out of seeing him on Facebook. I suggested that he make friends with four other college friends to help him get started.

I bought another nice book for fifty cents. It's a daily devotion book by Helen Steiner Rice - From The Heart. I'll use it during my daily reading time next year.

At the end of the week federal agents arrested the Prince George's County Executive and his wife and charged them with crimes related to "Pay For Play." He had about three weeks left in his second four-year term. At the beginning of November his wife had been elected to her first term on the county council. I sounds like there will be a very strong case against them. I believe they both face twenty-year prison terms.

Mr. Dickie
14/Nov/2010 8:21

New Books

The world is full of amateur tailors trying to make us fit into their patterns, even if they have to squeeze and push us into them. (Sortor and McQuade, The Word On Life, 8 November)

******

Yesterday we went to the 50% off sale at the thrift store. I had a very good day in the book section. I bought seven books with a retail value of $70.78 for $4.28: Conversational Italian; Helen Steiner Rice - A Collection of Blessings; Earnie Larsen and Carol Hegarty - Believing in Myself; Perennials; Edwin B. Williams - Spanish and English Dictionary; Karen Nitkin - Fun With the Family Maryland; Les Krantz and Tim Knight - The Book of Books.

I made post number 1,700 to my Arrow Prayers blog today.

In the evening I watched Conan O'Brian for the first time since he returned to television on the cable channel TBS. He still isn't funny. I guess I just don't get it.

Mr. Dickie
12/Nov/2010 7:46

Veteran's Day

There is a moral law in the universe. If a man breaks it he may be forgiven, but, nonetheless, he breaks it at his peril. (William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 54)
11/Nov/2010 8:08

Indoor Gardening

When something happens to upset you and you are discouraged, try to feel that life's difficulties and troubles are not intended to arrest your progress in the spiritual life, but to test your strength and to increase your determination to keep going.
(Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 10 November)

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Yesterday I spent about an hour watering all of the plants we have growing in the house. Melva brought all of the potted plants back inside a couple of weeks ago. Because the furnace is running and the air is dry it's very easy for the plants to wilt if we don't watch them closely.

Mr. Dickie
10/Nov/2010 7:55

Your Objective

...when there is an objective to be gained - no matter what it is - it's vital to concentrate on your goal. (Sam Justice in Daily Guideposts - 1986, 18 October)

A Joyful Heart

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. (Proverbs 17:32 in Wisdom For The Way by Charles R. Swindoll, p. 295)

******

Yesterday, after I picked up Cyndi at the College Park subway station, we went to shop at the new BJ's which opened in Capitol Heights this weekend. BJ's is a membership store, similar to Costco and Sam's Club. There was a nice crowd and lots of shoppers. The store is just inside of the Beltway and about seven miles from our house. We stocked up on some needed items and some not-so needed items.

Mr. Dickie

Present Moment

What I do now, in this present moment, is what makes up my life. (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 25 October)
5/Nov/2010 7:46

Mountain or Molehill

Is this a mountain or a molehill?
(One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 26 October)
4/Nov/2010 7:55

This Day

This day is mine. It is unique. Nobody in the world has one exactly like it. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 28 October)
3/Nov/2010 8:10

Deal With It

[Strive to] ... deal with difficulties as they arise, instead of turning them into problems. (The Upper Room Disciplines - 2008, 29 October)

Thriftstore Shopping

The tragedy of life is that people who hold different views very often finish up disliking not each others' views, but each other. It should be possible to differ with a man and yet remain friends. (William Barclay, the Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 48)

******

On Monday we went to the 25% Off Sale at the thrift store. I found a book about creating webpages by Laura Lemay. Part of the book was about Style Sheets which interests me. Much to my dismay the price, written in grease pencil, had been rubbed off. I took the book to the area where they price the merchandise knowing full-well that they wouldn't price the book for me. Late yesterday I went back to the store to see if I could find the book. As I entered the store I was encouraged because there was a small sign by the door announcing that books and CDs were 50% off. I didn't find the book.

I bought five CDs and four books. The CDs I bought were: Santana - Supernatural (71 cents); Dvorak - Symphony No. 9 and Te Deum (71 cents); Tammy Wynette - The Best Of (40 cents); Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 (40 cents); Brahms and Schumann - Symphonies No. 1 (40 cents).

The four books I purchased were: Rick Steves - Italian - Phrase Book and Dictionary (40 cents), I needed this because I want to be able to read the Facebook postings of the Dalu family in Italy; William P. Young - The Shack (40 cents), I bought this one to replace a copy I gave to someone else before I read it; Mike Magee - The Book of Choices (71 cents); Thomas Kinkaide (71 cents), I may already have a copy of this one, my memory failed me.

While at the thrift store I dropped off three donation items that should have left our house long ago.

Mr. Dickie
27/Oct/2010 8:22

Ron Witt Honored

Commitment requires a decision of the mind followed by an act of the will that you will follow through regardless of the difficulty or cost. (The One Year Mini For Men, 19 October)

******

I didn't post to my two Google blogs from 22 October to 25 October. I was busy taking care of two pressing matters. First I took care of some banking business. Then I helped our daughter rent storage space and begin moving out of her apartment. I took the two back seats out of the minivan. This allowed us to move several items of furniture without damaging anything. She is supposed to be out of her apartment by the end of the month.

Congratulations to cousin-in-law, Ron Witt, who had a school administration building named after him on Sunday October 24th. Ron served the schools in Millard, Nebraska during his entire career. He started as a teacher and coach and rose to be superintendent of schools.

Mr. Dickie
26/Oct/2010 9:51

Talent in Government

The need for the best talent in positions of political responsibility is not only great, but mounts with each stroke of history's clock. (Dwight D. Eisenhower)
21/Oct/2010 10:07

Past Failures

Do not mis-spend time over past failures. (Twenty-Four Hours a Day, 13 October) 20/Oct/2010 8:44

Meditation

Meditation is, the quiet and sustained application of the mind to the contemplation of a "spiritual truth." Its purpose is to "deflect" our minds from the problems we are experiencing, to raise our thoughts above the grievances and discontent that color our thinking. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 17 October)
19/Oct/2010 8:33

Addiction

An addiction, once it becomes a habit, also becomes an obsession, a true insanity that condemns a person to continue using against their will. (after Bill in As Bill Sees It, p. 283) 18/Oct/2010 8:07

Lifestyle

...lifestyle is a pretty good heart indicator. (Sortor and McQuade, The Word On Life, 15 October)
17/Oct/2010 9:45

Hang Tough

Hang tough, when the going gets tough. (after Wisdom For The Way by Charles R. Swindoll, p. 282) 16/Oct/2010 8:06

Decision Making

Each of us has the right and the obligation to make our own decisions. It is character-destroying to usurp that right. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 11 October)

Stop Criticizing

Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37, in The One-Year Mini For Men, 8 October)
14/Oct/2010 11:40

******

I didn't post to either blog yesterday. I was busy at a long appointment with my doctor in the morning and a couple hours being a taxi for Cyndi while she took care of car title business at the MVA in the afternoon.

On the evening of October 13th I watched a very nice program on PBS MPT2 - When Worlds Collide, hosted by Ruben Martinez. The program dealt with the Spanish conquest of The Americas and the mining of the gold and silver belonging to the conquered native Americans. I highly recommend watching this show.

Mr. Dickie
14/Oct/2010 11:45

Grand Ole Opry

No man is great who thinks himself so, and no man is good who does not strive to secure the happiness and comfort of others. (Woodrow Wilson)

******

This morning Melva and I went out to spread the remaining four bags of mulch on the backyard flower gardens. After we got the mulch on the ground I continued working along the back fence digging out volunteer raspberry plants and poison ivy. I also trimmed the tops all of the iris plants. To finish the job we are going to need several more bags of mulch.

In the afternoon I watched a tape of the live GAC show Country Comes Home - the return of the Grand Ole Opry after the heavy flooding that took place in Nashville, TN in May. I thought Charlie Daniels and Montgomery Gentry stole the show with their rendition of The Night The Devil Came Down to Georgia. It's been a long time since I listened to any country music on either the radio or television. I knew the names of many of the performers but I wasn't familiar with their singing styles.

Mr. Dickie
12/Oct/2010 14:38

Falling Prey

How easy to fall prey to meaningless talk, cliche-ridden responses, and mindless activities! (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 280) 11/Oct/2010 7:05

You Can Bank On It

Of course you are at perfect liberty to handle this matter any way you please. (As Bill Sees It, p. 273)

******

Today is 10-10-10 Day.

I'm trying to redeem a certificate of deposit at U.S. Bank. I called them on October 1st, the day the CD matured. Yesterday, eight days later, I received a letter from them telling me that they are going to do what I requested. Of course, there is still no sign of a check from the bank. I'm planning to redeem all of the certificates I have at this bank. The idea of having to go through this process several times is upsetting.

Yesterday was a very nice fall day. I went for two walks. First I walked by myself in the neighborhood for forty minutes. When Melva came home from work (the boss asked her to work an extra day) we walked again.

Mr. Dickie
10/Oct/2010 9:10

Bonding

Of course you are at perfect liberty to handle this matter any way you please. (As Bill Sees It, p. 273)

******

Cyndi returned yesterday from Louisville, KY. She arrived at Baltimore - Washington International airport. She took the train from the airport to the New Carrollton subway station. She arrived at the passenger pickup area a few minutes after I parked. I was outside of the minivan looking at the new parking meters trying to understand when they require money. We all went out to eat supper at Plato's in College Park. She spent the night at our house. I'll take her to her apartment today.

Mr. Dickie
9/Oct/2010 8:46

What We Came To Do

Time slips. Days pass. Years fade. And life ends. And what we came to do must be done while there is time. (Max Lucado, Grace For The Moment, 7 October)

******

I didn't attend the computer club election meeting. Some business at the bank and post office took too long.

Yesterday afternoon we went to the 25% off sale at the double thrift store on New Hampshire Avenue. It was a good day for buying CDs. For $7.83 I bought eleven for myself. I also bought two Depeche Mode for Cyndi.

• Vince Gill - High Lonesome Sound
• Vince Gill - Souvenirs
• Vince Gill - I Still Believe in You
• Vince Gill - When Love Finds You
• Vince Gill - The Best of
• Alan Jackson - Don't Rock the Jukebox
• Suzy Bogguss - Aces
• Brooks & Dunn - Brand New Man
• Martina McBride - Wild Angels
• Lorrie Morgan - War Paint
• Bonnie Raitt - Luck of the Draw

Mr. Dickie
8/Oct/2010 9:00

Discipline

If you want to put a stop to mediocrity, to replace excuses with fresh determination and procrastination with tough-minded perseverance you need discipline. (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 272)

******

I went for a morning walk in the neighborhood. I was outside for about an hour. I stopped to talk to the next door neighbor for about ten minutes. The weather was cool. A great morning for a walk.

I'm still working on banking projects. I'm trying to learn more about TreasuryDirect which I think I can use to keep track of Savings Bond maturity.

Mr. Dickie
6/Oct/2010 13:13

Sanity and Serenity

...an honest appraisal of ourselves will open the way to improvement and start us on the upward climb to sanity and serenity. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 28 September)
5/Oct/2010 8:47

In The Muck and Mire

In the muck and mire of what we call life, there is death, and we have been in it so long we've grown accustomed to the stink. (Max Lucado, in His Miracles, p. 271)

******

Yesterday's highlights were trimming the edges of the lawn with my weed wacker and then mowing the grass. Late in the afternoon I went to Bethesda to pick up some items from Cyndi's apartment. She is moving out by the end of the month. It started to rain during the last two miles of the trip back to our house and then continued to rain all night long. I didn't unload anything from the minivan.

My high school friend, Thad, called in the evening. We had a nice visit.

Mr. Dickie
4/Oct/2010 8:46

Facebook

Be careful what you think because your thoughts run your life. (Max Lucado, Grace For The Moment, 28 September)
3/Oct/2010 7:50

******

Yesterday, Facebook friend, Noel G. posted that The Grand Ole Opry was reopening after being closed by the flooding of Nashville a while back. Noel posted that on Saturday night, the 2nd, there would be a two-hour grand reopening show on the Great American Country (GAC) channel. I intended to watch the program. I also put a tape in the VCR. Shortly after the show began another Facebook friend, Jim, called. We had a nice long talk and I never got back to watching the show.

Melva and I did some fall yard work yesterday. Melva spread the mulch while I dug up two azaleas and pruned a lilac bush. It was a perfect day for being outside.

Mr. Dickie
3/Oct/2010 7:58

Getting Started

You're not going to start at the top, but until you start somewhere, you're going nowhere. (Sortor and McQuade, The Word On Life, 28 September) 2/Oct/2010 7:57

A Valuable Truth

It has taken me seventy-five years to discover this most valuable truth; I am not in charge of my life - or anyone else's for that matter. (Marilyn Morgan King, Daily Guideposts - 2008, 23 September) 1/Oct/2010 9:24

Judging

What keeps us from being qualified to judge?

• We do not know all the facts.
• We are unable to read motives.
• We find it impossible to be totally objective.
• We lack "the big picture."
• We live with blind spots.
• We are prejudiced and have blurred perspective.
• Most of all, we ourselves are imperfect and inconsistent.

(Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 266)
30/Sep/2010 8:58

Joy and Peace

If you live your life as much as possible according to spiritual laws, you can expect your share of joy and peace, satisfaction and success. (Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 19 September)
29/Sep/2010 9:51

Supply Run

I need to be more understanding about how people see things and allow for different reactions to the same event. (Daniel Schantz, Daily Guideposts - 2008, 20 September)

******

Yesterday some bad weather passed to the north of us. I made a supply run to BJ's driving in the rain we received from being on the south edge of the storm. It didn't take too long to gather the items I wanted because I brought along a list. I got lucky at the checkout. The person in front of me was almost done when I arrived. They have those lines where you check out yourself, but I don't like to use them. I think it takes longer to check out myself because I often need to get assistance when the device can't read some item I'm trying to purchase. All new technology is not convenient.
28/Sep/2010 8:44

Candles

I like to think we can be candles. It doesn't matter if we're big or small, what color we are, or where we come from. It doesn't matter if our light is small. When we don't share it with others, we diminish ourselves, spiritually. Each time we feel we're not good enough or wise enough or we just don't care enough to try to help someone else, we put distance between ourselves and our Higher Power. (Anonymous, British Columbia, Canada, As We Understood..., Al-Anon Family Group, p. 24)
27/Sep/2010 9:54

Fall Gardening

Thoughts are the thermostat that regulates what we accomplish in life. (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 255)

******

Melva's busy spreading mulch on the garden. I'm busy making trips to the garden center to buy the mulch. The minivan can haul ten bags at a time without blocking the back window. So far I've purchased twenty-six bags. I think she used thirty-six bags last year. The other day Melva bought a couple of orchids at Loew's. She is going to attempt to nurse them back to health. I'm looking forward to watching the two poinsettias we nursed back to health outside this year. We had three and lost one.

Mr. Dickie
26/Sep/2010 8:06

Business

I have sometimes heard men say politics must have nothing to do with business, and I have often wished that business had nothing to do with politics. (Woodrow Wilson) 25/Sep/2010 8:31

******

During the recession our Chevy Chase Bank was bought out by Capital One. It's too early to tell whether this will be to the customers advantage or disadvantage. Recently the name change inside and outside of the bank's branches was completed. They also switched from the old bank website to the new bank website. This week I made the website cut-over myself and added a button for the website to my browser toolbar. It will take a while to adjust to the new pages. Not yet completed are the issuance of new bank cards and replacement of checks.

I also added a toolbar button to access the credit union website which I hadn't been using. I had to call to get help before I could get signed on.

Last night I worked for about an hour to gain access to the website of our insurance company. This is another website that I hadn't been accessing.

All of this is part of my effort to see if I can take advantage of having instant access to help me to better manage our family financial business. It remains to be seen if I will have the personal discipline to learn how each site works and then avail myself of the available services. I anticipate that some memory issues will have an impact on how successful all of these changes will be. I think that anything I can learn to use will be better than how I have been operating.

Mr. Dickie
25/Sep/2010 8:44

The Recession Is Over

When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger. (Epictetus in One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 23 September)

******

Recently the federal government announced that the recession has been over for some time. If you believe this you haven't done your homework. Consider this. If you have $15,000 to put into a bank or credit union how much will you have at the end of one year? Here are three results from a calculator I used on the Wallet Pop website. What does the bank mean when their employees say, "We want to help you out?" Would you be willing to loan me $15,000 for one year if I paid you back $15,008?

Bank savings account at 0.05% interest - $15,008
Bank Certificate of Deposit at 0.45% interest - $15,068
Credit Union Certificate of Deposit at 2.13% interest - $15323

For further information on whether the recession is over you might enjoy reading the September 23, 2010 column of Washington Post writer Michelle Singletary.

The Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/22/AR2010092205546.html


Mr. Dickie
24/Sep/2010 8:12

Management

For most of us, thought management is, well, unthought of. (Max Lucado, Grace For The Moment, 21 September)

*******

This morning I continued working on my project to simplify our banking business. This is necessary because most banks are no longer paying fair interest rates. In my opinion they are using our money almost for free. Many banks also declare certificate of deposit accounts as abandoned if we let them roll-over for several years. They don't do anything to confirm that that the customer has truly abandoned the money. I'm resentful of the way we are being treated and I'm determined to close such accounts as soon as possible.

Mr. Dickie
23/Sep/2010 14:26

Credit Union Business

A popular government is not a government of a majority, by a majority, for a majority of the people. It is a government of the whole people, by a majority of the whole people under such rules and checks as will secure a wise, just, and beneficent government for all the people. (William H. Taft)

******

Yesterday I was on Capitol Hill visiting the Library of Congress Federal Credit Union. I took the Orange subway line. I used the plastic Smartrip card to pay for the subway ride and the bus ride up the hill at the end of the trip. Riding the subway and visiting the Madison Building brought back many fond memories of the days when I worked at The Library. I was at The Library picking up a letter from Cyndi. Her place of work in two blocks away from the Ballston station, also on the Orange line. I took the train to Ballston and hand-delivered the letter to Cyndi in front of her office building. It was a perfect fall day to be out moving around in the city.

Today, I called the Credit Union because I needed help to get signed on to our accounts using the computer. This is part of my plan to consolidate and simplify our banking business. I was surprised when I learned that the lady helping me was located at their administrative office which is about a mile from the house. She told me that I can come to that location to make deposits. I think this will be very convenient as I shutdown some accounts with banks that no longer serve us well. It's important, to me, that whatever process I chose be simple and easy to negotiate.

Mr. Dickie
22/Sep/2010 13:28

Democracy

Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with reason and justice. (Harry S. Truman) 21/Sep/2010 18:08

Do Not Pollute

Do not pollute the land where you are. (Numbers 35:33 in The Word On Life by Sortor and McQuade)

******

Yesterday I went for an afternoon walk in the neighborhood. I walked two laps at the bottom of the hill, on Garrison Road. Most of the time I was the only one outside doing anything. I suppose most were watching the Redskins football game. Well, we all should follow doctor's orders and participate in some athletic activity.

I'm trying to devise a method of producing PDF documents using the output from my Descend genealogy report program that reads my PAF 2.31 files. The goal is to find a way to do this that doesn't require too many complicated steps and that allows me to keep the every name index. It appears that I can do it if I use the free TextMaker program to create the PDF.

Mr. Dickie
20/Sep/2010 9:52

Tolerance

A generous tolerance can smooth out many rough places ... (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 16 September) 19/Sep/2010 9:39

Stop Reacting

A good way to "get out from under" some of our daily problems is to stop "reacting" to everything that occurs. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 15 September) 18/Sep/2010 8:24

Crumbling of America

When you are always focused on your own agenda and priorities, you will find yourself impatient much of the time because life rarely goes the way you want it to. (The One Year Mini For Men, 14 September)

******

Last night I watched part of a two-hour program, The Crumbling of America, on History International. The program dealt with the shocking deteriorating infra-structure in our country. One of the segments discussed the recent water main breaks in affluent Montgomery county, Maryland to our west.

I also watched the movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, because Mila Kunis had one of the two female leads in the movie. I seldom watch movies on television because I often perceive the commercial segments to be lasting longer than the movie segments. There were some funny scenes in the movie, but the ending was rather predictable and weak.

Mr. Dickie
17/Sep/2010 8:25

Keep Calm

Do not become encumbered by petty annoyances. Never respond to emotional upsets by emotional upset. Try to keep calm in all circumstances. Try not to fight back. Call on the grace of God to calm you when you feel like retaliating. (Twenty-Four Hours a Day, 4 September) 16/Sep/2010 10:35

******

Yesterday a county crew was here replacing stolen street signs and putting up two larger Stop signs and a new 25 mph sign. I don't expect the Stop signs will have any affect. The residents on the two streets involved were running the Stop signs again a few minutes after the truck left the neighborhood. In the past we have asked the police to give a few tickets for exceeding the speed limit and running the Stop signs. They have never done that in over thirty years. We are just lucky that there has never been a serious accident or injury.

Mr. Dickie
16/Sep/2010 10:39

Matters of Principle

In matters of principle, stand like a rock; in matters of taste, swim with the current. (Thomas Jefferson) 15/Sep/2010 9:11

The American People

No single branch or department of the government has exclusive authority to speak for the American people. (Rutherford B. Hayes) 14/Sep/2010 10:15

******

It took more than five hours to complete the men's tennis final at the U.S. Open in New York. There was a two hour rain delay in the middle of the match. Congratulations to Rafael Nadal on his great achievement of winning all four of the grand slam events.

Mr. Dickie
14/Sep/2010 10:20

Thomas a' Kempis

If you cannot make yourself what you would like to be, how can you expect to have another person exactly to your wishes? We want to see others perfect, yet our own faults go unattended. (paraphrased, Thomas a' Kempis, One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 2 September)

Home Sweet Home

...help me to value the humdrum periods of my life, which prepare me for action when it comes. (Patricia Houck Sprinkle, Daily Guideposts - 1986, 4 September)

******

We enjoyed a nice five day trip to Norfolk, VA and Raleigh, NC. While in Norfolk we saw the families of Melva's godson, Raul, and his sister, Linda. It had been five years since we were last in Norfolk when we attended Hannah's first birthday. In Raleigh we visited the family of my college ROTC friend, Rich. I'd been talking about going to see him for many months. We were surprised that it only took six and a half hours to drive back from Raleigh when we used U.S. Route 1 and Interstates 85 and 95.

I'm looking forward to resuming the project to share more of my genealogy reports via my Box.Net account. I'm planning to convert some files from HTML to PDF. This will allow me to once again share some of the information that used to be available on the AOL website.

We had trouble with Melva's GoPhone account. The online account summary showed a balance when the phone announced that no more funds were available. Yesterday I called their 800 number to see if I could get help. I was on the line about ten minutes while the person who took my called worked on the problem. They didn't indicate what happened. It's a good thing we had two phones on the trip.

I noticed that the feed of this blog to Facebook Notes isn't working again. I wonder if there is something I can do to fix the problem. I'll have to decide whether I care enough to try to get help.

Mr. Dickie
12/Sep/2010 9:26

Give Thanks

[Give thanks for] ...wise counselors, friends, acquaintances, parents, teachers, and mentors who have earned your love and respect through long years. (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 242) 11/Sep/2010 8:30

I'm Back

You don't have to take offense. (after One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 27 Aug 2010)

******

We took a five day trip to Norfolk, VA and Raleigh, NC to visit Melva's friends, Linda and Raul, from Panama and their families and my college friend, Rich, and his family. We enjoyed our visits with all of them. If you want to hear me rant, ask me about motels and malfunctioning fire alarms. We drove home from Raleigh yesterday. With stops the trip took six and a half hours.

On the trip I discovered that Facebook does a security check if you try to sign on from another computer. Because we were staying in motels I decided I didn't want to figure out what this meant. When I got back home I still had to go through the security process before I could sign on. I suppose this is a good thing.

Mr. Dickie
10/Sep/2010 9:34

Don't Forget Yourself

If you forget yourself in anger, the other person probably won't. (Richard E. Henthorn after One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 28 August) 3/Sep/2010 8:18

******

There was another explosion on an oil well rig in the Gulf of Mexico. What excuses will our government leaders and the oil company big shots offer?

I'm trying to remember how I converted my genealogy reports from the Descend program into PDF files in the past. Several new tools are available that may make it possible to improve the quality of the final product. If I can devise a method that works I will be able to salvage more of the information from the PAF 2.31 genealogy files.

Mr. Dickie
3/Sep/2010 8:21

Press Toward the Mark

You should not dwell too much on the mistakes, faults, and failures of the past. ... You ran a race, you stumbled and fell, and you have risen again, and now you press on toward the goal of a better life. (Twenty-Four Hours a Day, 20 August)
2/Sep/2010 8:50

What you are trying to be - not what you were - is all that counts ...
(As Bill Sees It, p. 234)

******

I continued to upload more genealogy reports to my Box account. I also extended access invitations to more friends. I was surprised when I tallied the number of pages of Conger information in the Conger folder. There are just over 540.

Most of the PDF files I'm uploading to my Box are coming from a PDF folder on my computer. It will probably take a couple more days to finish the review and uploads. There were 104 files.

Mr. Dickie
1/Sep/2010 7:31

Box.Net

I am not powerless over myself, and the way I act and react. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 25 July)

******

Yesterday I continued to work on my Box project. I invited more people to use the account. I uploaded at least eight more documents, to add another 134 pages to what was already there. I moved seven individual folders into the Marshall-Wetzel-WV folder. Access can be granted to a single low-level folder or to a parent folder and all the child folders.This will give me more control over how I grant access. I ran into a problem when I wanted to send a invitation to participate. There are several ways to do this and one of them didn't work. After several attempts I was able to find a way that worked. I think I noticed what caused the problem with the way that didn't work.

So far no one, who accepted an invitation, has reported any problems accessing the files. I can see them reviewing and downloading the files. A reviewed document doesn't stay on the reviewer's computer.

Mr. Dickie
31/Aug/2010 7:59

Weekend Report

It is difficult to overcome the habit of setting standards for our ... [loved ones], and expecting them to be followed. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 12 August)

******

This weekend I enjoyed phone calls with: classmate Thad, cousin Fran and genealogy friend Doug. The calls reminded me that it takes some effort to stay in touch.

I posted an article I wrote about Box.Net on my Google genealogy blog. I granted access to my genealogy reports to several friends who hold similar interests. I also posted the URL for the genealogy site created by Doug.

I watched all, or part, of many of the games in the Little League World Series. Japan beat Hawaii in the final yesterday.

Mr. Dickie
30/Aug/2010 7:59

Close Call

Thank you for not talking about recession, inflation, the weather or your health. (Daily Guideposts - 1990, 12 August)

******

Yesterday we went to Schrom Park for a fifty-minute walk. We walked four laps. We hadn't been there for many weeks. We were shocked to see how many trees came down in recent storms.

On the way home from our walk we came very close to being involved in a head-on accident. We were on Good Luck Road and we had some. As we neared an intersection a car coming towards us from the opposite direction crossed the center line and drove directly towards us on our side of the road. As he crossed the center line he was about two hundred yards away from us. I honked and started to slow our minivan. When a crash seemed certain I began to turn right onto the cross street and got our car stopped. As this fool passed in front of us I realized that he had control of his car. What he was doing was turning, at a high rate of speed, onto the same side street where I'd stopped. What he intended to do, by driving on the the wrong side of the street for nearly half a block was, cut me off. One of the reasons we don't often drive to this park is because I'm always saying, "There is too great a risk that some fool is going to try to kill us during the trip." We came very close yesterday.

It's time to admit that my laser printer is out of ink. Shaking the ink cartridge doesn't provide enough ink on the left side of the page. Today's my day to install another ink cartridge.

I converted a three-page HTML document into a PDF file. I used my HTML editor to strip out the HTML codes. Then I used Google Docs to reformat the document, add page numbers and generate the PDF file. Then I uploaded the document to my Box account where I can share it with other folks working on genealogy.

Mr. Dickie
29/Aug/2010 8:00

My Bad

"The horror of that moment," the King said, "I shall never, never forget."
"You will, though," said the Queen, if you don't make a memorandum of it."

(Lewis Carroll - Through the Looking Glass)

******

I found the Baker folder I lost in Box.Net. I have no idea what happened. Somehow I moved the folder and its three files into the Conger folder. I suppose it was just one of my many "senior moments."

Yesterday I called the county trying to find out if a bulk trash pick-up was scheduled for the eight mattresses, television and couch sitting in front of one of the houses where too many people are living. I found out that a pick-up was scheduled. They wouldn't tell me when. Afterwards I walked across the street to tell Fred that they were going to make the pick-up. He laughed and said, "They already came." Funny! Of course they didn't stop to pick up the junk at the house on the other side of the street. That's going to sit there for a while because that house is not occupied. We are involved in a constant struggle trying to keep the development from turning into a dump.

Facebook installed something that will tell others where you are located. They didn't announce the change and they set the switch to "opt in" rather than "opt out." The arrogance of the guy in charge of Facebook is nothing short of amazing. I guess he can do whatever he wants since he doesn't charge for the service. I think I found the place to turn it off. Since I don't use Facebook from a mobile device it probably doesn't make any difference to me. It's just the principle of the thing.

Mr. Dickie
28/Aug/2010 8:33

Dumbfound and Dismayed

...try to stop making unreasonable demands upon those you love. (As Bill Sees It, p. 230)

******

Yesterday I was working on my Box.Net account. I made notes about how I structured the folders in my file space and about what files I posted. I also double checked to see if I had recorded the number of the pages in the comment I wrote for each file. The "Baker" folder had three files in it and one of them didn't have the number of pages listed. I fixed the problem and saved the comment. Then, much to my dismay, I noticed that the entire folder, with all three files, had disappeared. I didn't see what happened. I didn't have any idea what went wrong. Whatever happened it was too easy. The Box application didn't ask me to confirmed that I wanted to delete a file or folder. Now I'm not certain I can trust the application. I'm dumbfounded and dismayed.

I borrowed Melva's little blue radio with the cassette tape player. I want an easy way to listen to the music on some of my cassette tapes. Today I'm listening to a tape I made of Tom Rush - New Year and David Mallett - David Mallett.

I checked last night to see if the county bulk trash pick-up came to get all of the mattresses and other furniture sitting at the curb in front of one of the problem houses in the development. No luck. To make matters worse there is a smaller pile of bulk trash in front of a vacant house in the neighborhood. As soon as one load is removed another shows up in front of another house. I suppose the county is overwhelmed trying to stay on top of the situation.

Mr. Dickie
27/Aug/2010 7:48

Living in the Fast Lane

Storing up grievances is more than a waste of time; it 's a waste of life that could be lived to greater satisfaction. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 18 August)

******

After supper I went for a walk in the neighborhood. I was the only one outside. This isn't unusual. Most of the time only a few children and I are outside.

I wrote about how to create friend "lists" on Facebook. They serve two purposes. You can use them to filter which postings display on the screen and you can use them to send a "group" mailing to only certain friends.

Today we are hopeful that a huge pile of mattresses (about ten of them), a couch, television and other items will be picked up by the county bulk trash truck from in front of one of the "flop houses" that have sprung up in "the hood." On the driveway, in front of the carport, there is one abandoned minivan and alongside of the house is a transmission. Under the carport is another untagged car which supposedly belongs to someone living in the basement. The county is slow to react to this situations and they soon get out of hand.

Are you coming to Washington, DC for the Glenn Beck event this weekend? Who does this guy think he is?

Mr. Dickie
26/Aug/2010 8:18

A Rough Day

...today's struggles will bring me the strength to face tomorrow. (Rick Hamlin, Daily Guideposts - 1986, 12 August)

******

I had a rough day yesterday. I was outside visiting with a neighbor. It was overcast and I was wearing sunglasses. It never occurred to me that there was a chance of getting a migraine headache. Anyway, something went wrong and I realized while I was still talking to the neighbor that I was going to have a headache. As soon as I got back to the house I took two Excedrin Migraine tablets and applied a bag of ice to my forehead. I laid in bed for five hours with my eyes closed listening to music on my headset. After the first hour everything was under control and I was reasonably comfortable.

Because I had to be still for five hours it was a good opportunity to listen to some of my music. I selected four CDs.

• Alicia de Larrocha - Spanish Fireworks
• Gray Morris _ Why Lady Why
• John Cowan - Always Take Me Back
• Berline, Crary and Hickman - Chambergrass

I particularly like The Wind Beneath My Wings on the Gary Morris album and In My Father's Field on the John Cowan album. I shouldn't wait for another headache before I listen to more of my albums.

Mr. Dickie
25/Aug/2010 10:32

St. Cyprian

In the third century, St. Cyprian wrote to a friend named Donatus:

This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden. ... But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out ... you know very well what I would see; brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheaters men murdered to please the applauding crowds. ...

Yet in the midst of it, I have found a quiet and holy people. ... They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are Christians. ... (Max Lucado, Grace For the Moment, 24 August)
24/Aug/2010 10:50

Mind Control

Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. (Philippians 4:8, The One Year Mini For Men, 31 July)
23/Aug/2010 7:42

West Virginia Friends

Wisdom is the God-given ability to see life with rare objectivity and to handle life with rare stability. (Charles R. Swindoll, Wisdom For The Way, p. 207)

******

Melva and I went to Union Station to eat supper with Vernon Anderson our friend from West Virginia. Vernon and I spent several years working on Yoho genealogy together. He reminded me that we never talked on the phone during the course of our project. Everything was done with Email and attachments. This time, to coordinate our get-together we used our cellphones. When it was time for Vernon to return to the bus we walked with him to the bus garage. He introduced us to Joe Henthorn and his wife. I believe this was the first time I ever met a Henthorn from the Ohio River valley face to face. If you are wondering if we are related, we aren't, at least not in this country.

I thought of another thing to learn about. I discovered there are programs that can convert webpages to PDF files. If that works it would come in handy. I could use it to salvage my HTML pages from the genealogy website I had on AOL for many years.

Mr. Dickie
22/Aug/2010 7:42

Daily Practice

Make it a daily practice to review your character.
(Twenty-Four Hours A Day, 13 Aug)
21/Aug/2010 11:59

******

I'm impressed with the functionality of Box.Net. I think it offers a good way to share some of my genealogy reports. I have about fifty reports already prepared. It's just a matter of creating appropriate folders and uploading. The drag and drop upload feature worked. I was somewhat surprised because sometimes things don't work on my old computer.

This morning we went to the big flea market at the nearby Catholic church. It was so hot I was sweating while standing still. I was glad I wasn't one of the vendors. I didn't find anything to buy. Melva bought a dozen movies on tape for $3.00. She is ready for winter.

Mr Dickie
21/Aug/2010 12:05

The Grass Is Greener

Have patience for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace, God is awake. (Victor Hugo in Daily Guideposts - 1990, 30 July)

*******

I'm learning more about the Box.Net application. They give each user 1GB of free storage. I signed up many months ago and hosted two PDF files for the Wichita Class of '57. I think this application has potential for genealogy sharing because I can control who has access.

Last night, just before it got dark, I trimmed the edges of the yard and mowed most of the front yard. Because of the recent rainfall the grass got too tall before I could mow it. It got ahead of me. Even with a self-propelled lawn mower it was physically stressful. It's time to admit that I need to hire help.

I discovered a Zip disk that I can't read. That's upsetting. There is no backup of the backup. As with lots of things concerning computers and printers I just have to accept what happens. It's really not a very good way to store anything you really want to keep.

Mr. Dickie
20/Aug/2010 7:38

War in Iraq Over?

Oh God, let this horrible war quickly come to an end that we may all return home and engage in the only work that is worthwhile -- and that is the salvation of men. (Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson in A Rainbow of Hope by Billy Janice Hughey, p. 257)

******

Last night, quietly and with little fanfare, the war in Iraq supposedly came to an end when the last of the combat units drove into Kuwait. Over four thousand of our citizens died in this fiasco. Around fifty thousand support troops remain which means our leaders declared the war over before it is over, just like the previous president did so many months ago. That said, I congratulate our current president and his administration on the progress that's been made. If the soldiers remaining in Iraq are lucky the people of Iraq will have the strength and determination to assume responsibility for their own destiny.

Mr. Dickie
19/Aug/2010 10:55

Online File Storage

Never promise more than you can deliver.
(Toni Sortor and Pamela McQuade, The Word on Life, 31 July)

*******

Heavy rain with local flooding was predicted for the early morning hours. I woke up at 7:00 a.m. to the sound of the rain falling. Some of the spots that typically flood we already causing problems. West of us more trees fell bringing down the power lines again. At the power company hearing yesterday they admitted that PEPCO has one of the worst records for power outages in the country. I think they admitted that they have been cutting costs by failing to trim the trees near the power lines. Now we are all paying the price.

I'm doing some review of online file storage options. I discovered that some options won't work on this computer because the operating system, Windows 2000, isn't supported. Months ago I tried out Mozy on the laptop that stopped working. It appears they closed my trial account. In February 2007 I signed up for 1GB of free storage on Box.Net. That account was still active. That's where I host two PDF files for the Wichita - East High Class of '57 group. Box.Net works well with Facebook. It's also easy to share the address of a file with friends. I uploaded a Stauffer / Cooley PDF and then sent the link to my friend, Vickie, and myself to test. You can purchase 10GB for $10.00 and 15GB for $15.00 a month. I'm worried about this computer failing.

Mr. Dickie
18/Aug/2010 7:49

Worrying

Worry me, worry you,
What good will worry do?
It will put you in a stew,
But never help you make soup.
(Mr. Dickie, 20 Jun 2010)

******

Last night I had trouble shutting down the computer. I finally just had to turn off the power. I suppose it has something to do with the fact that, on a whim, I decided to install the Google Desktop. This is not a good sign. My past experience tells me that this kind of incident is a warning of grief to come.

Last night I read the Wikipedia piece about Phillip Anshutz one of my classmates from the Wichita High School - East Class of '57. The article claims that he is one of the richest men in the world. He owns many businesses and made his first big money when a huge oil reserve was discovered beneath property he purchased. If you attend movies at Regal Theaters you patronize one of his businesses.

Mr. Dickie
17/Aug/2010 6:18

Evil

Evil is a stubborn reality.
(His Miracles, p. 214)
16/Aug/2010 8:58

Humility

Don't be humble. You're not that great.
(Golda Meir)

******

The grass turned completely brown once this year. It looked like the drought killed it. Now it's fully recovered, showing luscious bright green growth. For the second time I'm going to have a hard time mowing because it is so tall and thick. In all of the years we have lived here I don't remember it ever looking better. I'm my own lawn service, by the way.

Last night on the spur of the moment I installed the Google Desktop on my old computer. I think I installed it once before on a laptop. It took several hours for the software to index everything. I'm curious to discover whether it will be something I find useful.

I devised a new way to add people's names to the "Notes" in the GEDCOM file I am editing. I save four "tags" on the clipboard that I can insert in front of the current note. This method eliminates frequent use of the "shift" key.

There are now 41 members of the Wichita Class of '57 group on Facebook. Unfortunately no one is posting to the group. Perhaps interest in the group has run its course.

Mr. Dickie
15/Aug/2010 7:47

Home Improvement

A spirit of gratitude and praise change the way you look at life. (The One-Year Mini For Men, 28 July)

******

Yesterday it was cool enough to get in a 45-minute walk in the neighborhood. I stopped twice to visit with neighbors. There was a huge orange 'clean-up" citation on the front door of the rental house where all of the mattresses and other furniture sits at the curb.

We were very surprised to discover that the green chain-link fence, at the house on the corner and across the street, had been removed during the day. Rick also trimmed dead branches from the three trees in the front yard. After thirty-two years this is a big change and very welcome improvement. We remain hopeful that the rusty chain-link eye-sore directly across from us will one day disappear as well.

Mr. Dickie
14/Aug/2010 8:04

Passing Storms

A person who can't see the difference between good and bad is a corrupt person. (Toni Sortor and Pamela McQuade, The Word On Life, 4 May) 13/Aug/2010 7:13

******

The storm that passed through yesterday morning knocked out our power for seven hours. We were lucky. Montgomery County to our west took the brunt of the storm again. Many huge trees, three or four feet in diameter, came down knocking out power over a wide area and damaging apartments and homes. This morning some traffic lights in that county are still out. In many areas the power companies will be hard pressed to restore power by the end of the day. Another storm appear later in the day. This one just dropped a light rain at our house.

Mr. Dickie
13/Aug/2010 7:19

Trials Ahead

If we fail to perfect and enlarge our spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, we cannot survive the certain trials and low spots ahead. (After, As Bill Sees It, p. 188)
12 August 2010

Beginning to See

Finally, we begin to see that all people, including ourselves, are to some extent emotionally ill as well as frequently wrong. (As Bill Sees It, p. 203) 11/Aug/2010 8:39

******

Listening to the Patty Loveless album - Sleepless Nights this morning.

Good Advice

Discard the unsightly. Value the good. Clean the dirty. Tend the true. Bring in the fresh. Make room for a guest. (Evelyn Bence, Daily Guideposts - 2008, 25 July) 10/Aug/2010 7:31

Desire of Knowing

Leave off that excessive desire of knowing; therein is found much distraction. There are many things the knowledge of which is of little or no profit to the soul. (Thomas a' Kempis, in One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 20 July) 9/Aug/2010 8:08

Senseless!

Not all people are lovable, but when we find someone difficult for us to love, it is often because they remind us of something within ourselves that we don't like. (Betty J. Eadie, Embraced By The Light, 6 July)

******

Melva and I visited with Cyndi at her apartment in Bethesda on Saturday afternoon. For the first time we saw the replacement for her over-sized couch and chair that she sold before they built an a/c machinery cabinet near the door into her apartment. She also added a futon. Now two people can take a nap while watching the Redskins. We are pleased that she was able to put her apartment back in order.

The awful murder in Prince George's county, Maryland that you may have heard about on national television news happened at a rented house around five to ten minutes drive from our house. I didn't realize this until I looked at a little map in the paper this morning. As a matter of fact yesterday we drove on Auburn Avenue and passed the corner into the neighborhood. Two women and two small children were shot by a forty-three year old man and an eighteen year old woman from Texas over some kind of marijuana drug deal. There was no running water in the house and the house was full of trash and worse. Investigators wore hazmat gear. The two suspects are in custody. There is probably much more to this story than I'm relating here.

Life goes on, except for six people and their families.

Senseless!

Mr. Dickie
8/Aug/2010 9:08

Stopped by Technology

Be expectant. Constantly expect better things. (Twenty Four Hours A Day, 13 July) 7/Aug/2010 8:57

******

The county community college changed the enrollment procedure. They no longer enroll at the Senior Center and they took down the phone system. This leaves: 1) mail--in, 2) trip to the campus, 3) the Online OWL system. I can't even get signed on to the OWL system because I can't make the registration process work. At this point I've given up. I'm resigned to going to the campus on Monday. This time I am going to try to find someone who can help me make the OWL system work. It drives me nuts when the "new" way doesn't seem to be the "better" way.

Mr. Dickie
7/Aug/2010 9:32

Still Haunted by Richard M. Nixon

It's the debts of honor and respect that last a lifetime and require real work to pay off. (Toni Sortor and Pamela McQuade, The Word On Life, 19 July)

******

I attend the twice-monthly meeting of the Computer Club yesterday. I arrived a little early because I wanted to take a look at the PDF minutes of the last meeting on the public computers. I wasn't able to use the hot-links on my home computer. I didn't have any problems with the Senior Center computer. Apparently my older version of Adobe Reader doesn't work well with the PDF I created using Google Docs.

Eric, a club member, give a very nice demonstration and talk about Video Spin, the free video editor, from Pinnacle. The version they sell is called, Video Studio.

After the meeting I got back on the hallway computer. I copied 343 photos from my camera onto a CD that I brought with me. I'm thinking about clearing the photos from the camera card.

As club member Dennis and I walked to the parking lot it began to rain. The storm got worse as I got closer to home. Later, while watching the news I learned that the winds were severe in some areas, particularly Arlington, VA and Oxen Hill, MD. Many trees and power poles came down. There were widespread power outages again

In the evening I watched part of the Rachel Maddow program. She gave an outstanding account of how Richard Nixon and his henchmen let an Air Force General's reputation be ruined in the early 1970's. Nixon had secretly ordered the bombing of North Vietnam. There was a public outcry about the bombing. The Nixon administration needed a scapegoat. Melvin Laird fired and demoted the general, blaming him for acting without proper authority. Rachel Maddow played audio clips of many conversations, over a period of many weeks, between Nixon and his "crew" where the president lamented what was happening to the General. Of course, he never once mentioned directly that it was his fault or that he held the power to stop it simply by calling a news conference to tell the truth that he had given the order for the bombing. When listening to the tapes of Nixon and Johnson it is interesting to note how vague the presidents and their advisers are when they speak to each other. Often they don't speak in sentences. If you examine a phrase or sentence by itself you often must ask yourself, "What is he saying?" One would hope that the men and women working in such high places would be capable of speaking in ways that leave little doubt as to their meaning. If you think we aren't in trouble, just listen, observe and read.

Mr. Dickie
6/Aug/2010 8:19