Memory

The first time a memory slides over us like a wave of warmth, we have turned the corner on our grief. When a once painful reminder evokes a gentle laugh, when we recognize the joy of the present in an image from the past, we have arrived at an important moment. Those memories are being transformed, unmistakably, into messages of hope. (Molly Fumia, Safe Passage, Day 154) (Memorial [Decoration] Day) 30 May 2011)

Crystal Cathedral Bankruptcy

A man can reach a stage when, ... far from controlling it, he can become a slave to some habit or desire. That way is the inevitable way to ruin, for no man can master anything unless he masters himself. (William Barclay, The Letters to Timothy, p. 217-18)

Few people are as well-rounded as they look. (Richard E. Henthorn after Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 20 May)

I will devote myself to overcoming my flaws of chacter and controlling my impulsive words and actions. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 8 April)

******

I didn't post to my two blogs yesterday. I did spend some extra time trying to catch up on my daily reading. I made progress but didn't get caught up. I'm using my short attention span and my vision issues as excuses.

I bought a "like-new" trade copy of "A Course in Miracles," for eighty cents yesterday. Maybe I'll pass this copy on to someone else. I own a hard bound copy of the book that I never read.

I read, with some interest, a couple of articles about what's behind the financial troubles and bankruptcy of the Crystal Cathedral Church of Robert Schuller. The property was sold at the end of the week. The amount of debt being carried by this mega-church is mind-boggling.

Mr. Dickie
29/May/2011 9:32

Learning Curve

Character building begins in our infancy and continues until death. (Eleanor Roosevelt in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 216)

... life involves direction, decision, and determination, just like walking a path. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 413)

Before we set out hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are, who already possess it. (La Rochefoucauld, The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 161)

Most people's lives are cluttered up with things: material things, things to do, things to think about. (Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth, p. 227)

******

Last night Cyndi installed the printer driver on the new computer. I changed the mouse pointer to the color black. Today I'm learning how to control the toolbars on Internet Explorer 9. The new laptop has a 64-bit operating system. We are trying to understand the significance of this, especially on whether it will have an impact on whether I can install older programs.

I discovered yesterday that Gmail was placing Email from Cyndi into the Spam folder. She was using a new address. I had trouble remembering how to access the Spam folder. Eventually I found the spot to click. Once I told Gmail that her Email address was Spam the missing messages moved to the inbox.

Cyndi wants to watch some DVD movies this weekend. She asked me to go to the library to see if I could find four titles. I located and checked out two. I also checked out two books about Windows 7 that I put on "hold" the other day.

I'm considering granting access to my genealogy information on Google Sites to more people. In the past access was by invitation only and very few people ever took the trouble to gain access.

I used both computer screens. On the large screen I opened Internet Explorer 9 and on the smaller screen I opened the copy of MS WordPad that came with the computer. I was able to copy and past from the web page to the word processor. This is a good example of how I plan to use the two monitors together.

Mr. Dickie
27/May/2011 11:04

Attitude

Our attitudes have a tremendous and powerful influence upon every part of our being - physical as well as emotional. (Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 123)

... right attitudes produce right effects ... (Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 124)

******

Yesterday I made a trip to the library bookstore to visit with friends, Daniel and Joan. I took along a big canvas bag of book to donate. I didn't count the number I took. The bag was almost full and almost too heavy to carry. I purchased one boik about JavaScript.

I spent quite a bit of time using my new computer. I made the large monitor the primary display and the laptop screen the secondary display. At one point I had Facebook displayed on the large monitor and WordPad on the laptop monitor. I also created two new photo albums on Picasa. One is for photos of quilts and the other for photos of molas from Panama. I moved or copied some photos into the new albums.

Cyndi gave me a mobile phone carrying case that I can use to protect and carry my Oasis music player. There's a clip for fastening the case to my belt. This will come in handy when I go out walking or when I want to walk around the house or yard while listening to the device.

Mr. Dickie
26/May/2011 8:29

Roland George Nelson

A Time To Say Goodbye

On Monday, 23 May 2011 long-time friend and co-worker at The Library of Congress, Roland George Nelson, passed away at his home in Amery, Wisconsin.

Roland George Nelson, 65

Roland passed away in the early morning hours on Monday, May 23rd, 2011 at his home in Amery, WI.

He was born on November 25, 1945 in Elk River, MN to Emil H and Mary A Nelson.

Roland graduated from River Falls High School in River Falls, WI and from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire campus, Eau Claire, WI.

Roland and Barb (Beer) were married on May 29, 1970 in Eau Claire, WI.

Most of his working career was spent at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

Roland was preceded in death by his parents.

At Roland’s request, there will be no funeral. His remains will be cremated.

He is survived by his wife Barb and their children: Amy of St Paul, Andy and his wife Amanda of Gypsum, CO, Brian of Baltimore, MD, and Ben of Cascade, MD. There is also one much anticipated grandson, AJ (Andrew Roland Jr) due to be born mid-Aug.

He is also survived by his brothers and sisters: Dennis and his wife Mary of Eau Claire, WI, Joan and her husband Dave Fish of Onalaska, WI, Valeria and her husband Norm Pakes of Edgerton, WI, Quentin and his wife Diane of Eau Claire, WI, and Gwen of St Paul, MN. There are also many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews, and many dear friends.

We request that all memorials be sent in Roland’s name to:

On Our Own, 740 Marshall Ave, St Paul, MN 55104

This is an organization that makes independent living possible for vulnerable adults like our daughter Amy.

My Comments:

Thanks to Lynn Brooks for posting the message from Barb Nelson on our Facebook LOC Group.

What a sad day. Roland and I had a relationship from my first months working for Jim Stevens at CDS. Much to my surprise I discovered that my project would have to go through the ASO Systems Assurance process. Roland was willing to guide me through the red tape. Later we both worked for Dennis Chin for many years. May he rest in peace.


A Quote:

Death helps us to see what is worth trusting and loving and what is a waste of time. (J. Neville Ward - Five for Sorrow Ten for Joy)


Mr. Dickie
25/May/2011 10:18

No Posts

If I'm quick to take offense, I will always have plenty to be offended about. (Larsen & Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 29 March)

Has an outburst of temper, with accusations and reproaches, ever improved the situation? (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 15 April)

******

I didn't post anything to my blogs for three days. I'm involved in other things that are more pressing. Cyndi and I are working on everything involved in buying and setting up a new computer system for me. Fortunately she was willing to become my Information Technology (IT) Department. As of last night most of the issues seem to be resolved. I'm certainly looking forward to having good color rendition.

For the first time in my memory the purchase of one bank by another bank worked to my benefit. Yesterday I was able to close a Certificate of Deposit that matured at Wells Fargo. Their home office is in Portland, OR. I have never been in Wells Fargo bank. Because they purchased the Wachovia bank I was able to go to a local branch a couple of miles from the house to close the account and get a check for the balance. There was lots of red tape and phone calls. I was there about one hour. The wait was worth it.

This morning I'm listening to a jazz album by the group Euge Groove. This album has some singing on it.

Mr. Dickie
24/May/2011 8:40

Make Yourself Necessary

Today appreciate the tremendous value of having an understanding friend. (Helen Steiner Rice, From The Heart, 24 March)

Make yourself necessary to somebody. (Ralph Waldo Emerson in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 153)
20/May/2011 8:03

Trip To Aberdeen, MD

Only if you resist what happens are you at the mercy of what happens, and the world will determine your happiness and unhappiness. (Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth, p. 200)

******

I didn't do any blog posting yesterday. I was too busy. I took the MARC train to Aberdeen, MD. the train left the station at 6:25 a.m. and arrived at Aberdeen at 7:45. I sat in the station for a while, making a new friend while I waited for high school friend, Thad Greb, to arrive from Pennsylvania. We located the Senior Center on Franklin Street. There was free parking on the street. We sat at a table in the dining room visiting until it was time to go to lunch. I was disappointed when we discovered that the New Ideal Diner was closed for repairs. We went back to the Senior Center where my new friend from the train station was working. He recommended to Thad that we go to eat lunch at the "all you can eat" buffet place across from the WalMart on Route U.S. 40. We enjoyed a nice meal and all of the visiting. I caught the 2:37 p.m. train back to New Carrollton. As I arrived at the train/subway station the T-18 bus arrived. I was getting off the bus at our at our corner about five minutes later. Before the trip I charged the battery in my Oasis player. I listened to music during the entire trip. I brought along a book but never opened it.

The Secret Service speaker at the computer club meeting this afternoon will talk about identity theft. We have had similar talks in the past. They have all been interesting.

Mr. Dickie
19/May/2011 8:41

Self-Improvement

No one is too beaten down, too old, or too anything else to begin a self-improvement program. (Larsen & Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 20 April)

What one has to do usually can be done. (Eleanor Roosevelt, in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 226)

... {today] do at least one small thing toward improving [your] life. (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 12 March)

Attending to my own business will keep me from becoming a slave to a situation; that is why I will not get myself involved too deeply. This will set me free to work out my own salvation. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 23 March)

******

I found the back support belt I wear when I work in the yard. Actually, I remembered where it might be before I went to look for it. For some reason I'd left the belt in the back of the minivan, a place where I never leave it. Silly me!

Rain continues this morning. The weather forecast for the next four days calls for rain. There will probably me some local flooding in the low areas. This is always a dangerous time because some folks always fail to heed the warnings to turn around rather than try to drive through high water.

I'm behind in my volunteer work. The computer club meets on Thursday and I still haven't posted the latest meeting information. That's my morning project.

Mr. Dickie
17/May/2011 8:14

Grooming

Slovenly dress and grooming habits betray passive hostility to self and others. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 24 March)

On this day, I will do at least one thing that will help me advance toward one of my goals. (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 23 April) 16/May/2011 16:48

Putting A Damper On It!

Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it is impossible for anyone to accomplish. But whatever is possible for another, believe that you, too, are capable of it. (Marcus Aurelius in One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 24 April)

******

Yesterday I had plans to go to The Granite Hill Campground west of Gettysburg, PA to listen to Bluegrass music at their 62nd semi-annual concert. Rainy weather was predicted for our area and it looked to me like it would move north into Pennsylvania. Before I could make a decision about what to do I noticed that I had a headache coming on. Having been at Gettysburg in the past when it rained, I remembered that I'd promised myself I wouldn't do that again. Luckily my friend Dave, who was already up there with his wife in their RV, had his cell phone with him. I called to let him know I'd decided to stay home and nurse the headache. He told me they were dry and warm because they were in the RV listening to the music over a channel on the FM radio. That's cool. It's going to rain again today.

I continue to add more links to the genealogy society website. I added one to the Monroe County Historical Society website. I added two to the Monroe county area of USGenWeb, one to the homepage and one to a partial listing of the books in the county library collection of the Monroe County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. I'm now at the point where I can make changes to most of the existing pages without too much chance of getting into trouble.

This morning, while I'm typing, I'm listening to Kenny G on my Oasis player. I like the idea of being able to listen to music without disturbing anyone else.

Thoughts and prayers go out to the people who live along the flooding rivers and especially to everyone who will be impacted because they started to open the flood gates above Baton Rouge, LA yesterday.

Mr. Dickie
15/May/2011 8:46

The Game of Life

There's no virtue or joy in being a spectator of the game of life. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 23 April)
14/May/2011 8:46

Mind Over Matter

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so. (William Shakespeare in A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, p. 111)

Isn't it odd that no one ever taught us about mental hygiene? But good mental and emotional health habits were never mentioned, let alone explained. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 13 March)

How much simpler it makes living through even our most feared experiences when we have acquired the wisdom to know that the mind we carry into the moment, any moment, will be reflected in the outcome. (The Promise Of A New Day, 10 March)

It's not at all unusual for grown men and women still to be operating on the same emotional level as they did when they were twelve. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 25 March)

Being angry, being neurotic, having a less-than-perfect childhood do not excuse you from the obligations of the mentally competent. (Harold Kushner, To Life!, p. 187)

"This is my secret, I don't mind what happens." (J. Krishnamurti, the great Indian philosopher and spiritual leader in A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, p. 198)

"It's a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." (Mr. Dickie)
13/May/2011 7:42

Enough Is Enough!

"For us all, the world is disordered, and apparently ungovernable." (Anonymous columnist in Hope For Each Day by Billy Graham, 22 April)

... life on earth grows more involved with endless problems that can't be solved. (Helen Steiner Rice, A Collection Of Blessings, p. 122)

The things for which there is no control, what choice is left but acceptance? (Mike Magee, M.D., The Book Of Choices, p. 238)

We have not learned that a nation is more powerful when it unites in earnest prayer to God than when it's resources are channeled into weapons. (Billy Graham, Hope For Each Day, 22 March)

The entire country needs a major renovation, both physically and spiritually. (after Steve Case in Everything Counts, 15 April)

Acceptance of prevailing standards often means we have no standards of our own. (Jean Toomer in Black Pearls by Eric V. Copage, 19 April)

If fifty millon people say a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing. (Anatole France in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 230)

It is no use saying, "we are doing our best." You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary. (Sir Winston Churchill in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 163)

There are times, when simply, enough is enough. When we have worked hard enough, waited long enough ... [put up with the situation long enough.] (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 18 April)
12/May/2011 7:17

Bluegrass Music

How sad that, right before our eyes, we see history repeating itself... (Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 105)

******

I'm pleased that I was able to share photos I put in albums on Picasa with friends on Facebook. This allowed me to include links to the photo albums in both my Google blog and in Facebook postings. I received some nice feedback, so I know it worked.

I continue to enjoy reading the Facebook postings of many old and new friends on Facebook. It's great fun to be in touch with classmates from Bellevue, Nebraska and Wichita, Kansas days. I'm a member of the Facebook LOC Group created by my former boss, Jim Stevens. We have twenty-one members now.

Years ago one of my neighbors told me about Milorganite fertilizer. It's relatively cheap and it works well on our yard. One bag which costs less than $13.00 is enough to cover our entire yard if I remember to use the right setting on the spreader.

I'm planning to attend the Bluegrass Festival at Granite Hill Campground near Gettysburg, PA on Saturday. I'll meet the Naylors at the campground. I've been there many times. The trip takes about ninety minutes.

Mr. Dickie
11/May/2011 8:02

Money

(Photo by Mr. Dickie - azalea in our yard, Sprint 2011)
Link to Mr. Dickie's Spring Album

I can live for two months on a good complement. (Mark Twain in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 209)

I don't like money actually, but it quiets my nerves. (Joe Louis in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 51)

How tragic that so many people waste time, energy and money on things that amount to little or nothing. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p 388)

If a person gets his attitude toward money right, it will help straighten out almost every other area of his life. (Billy Graham, Hope For each Day, 6 March)
10/May/2011 7:29

Dick's Birthday 2011

Dick's 72nd Birthday Album on Picasa
(Click on the image to view the album.)

"Pain is a mighty fine teacher." (Lady in the Sauna by Julie Garmon found in Daily Guideposts - 2009, 2 February)

The first wealth is health. (Ralph Waldo Emerson in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 82)

Human beings are weak. Goodness and self-control do not come easily to us. (Harold Kushner, To Life!, p. 19)

... avoid "aimless" running around by living purposefully. (Larry Ousely in The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 13 February)

Is the past encouraging you or embalming you? (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 286)

******

Cyndi surprised us when she took her mother and I out to eat a late lunch at the new Elevation Burger in downtown Hyattsville. We didn't know that the mother's meals were free if their children brought them. The owner also gave Melva a beautiful rose.

After lunch we went to Linson Pool where we parked the car and went for a walk on the paved trail. We walked south toward Hyattsville and Blandensburg. This time we walked past Riverdale Road before we turned around. On the way back to the parking lot we used some of the exercise equipment. The park beside the trail was full of people. There were three baseball games and one soccer game being played. There were several large groups cooking and using the limited number of picnic tables. Most of the people were Spanish speaking. The walk took about seventy minutes and covered a little more than two miles.

After the walk I asked how many calories we burned during the walk. Then I suggested that we go to the YogiBear in College Park to replenish those calories with some frozen yogurt. I had strawberry and Melva had mango/peach. Cyndi tried two flavors.

Our final stop was the new Ledo's Pizza in College Park. Cyndi ordered a salad to take home. It took forever to get our order. I took a tour of the entire restaurant. Then I went outside and sat on a metal bench. Finally Melva came outside to tell me there'd been a problem with the order. They didn't get Cyndi's name right. They wrote "Linda" on the box. Good grief!

I uploaded the birthday photos we took to a new album in Picasa. Some of the photos are similar because I did some editing and cropping. The colored borders were added to the photos using the camera editor. I included a link to the album in this blog posting. I've been investigating methods of using Picasa and Facebook together. It appears that I could accomplish my goal if I had a new computer.

Mr. Dickie
9/May/2011 7:12

Mother's Day

All of us are hampered to some degree by our need to justify our actions and words. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 10 April)

Promises that you make to yourself are often like the Japanese plum tree - they bear no fruit. (Frances Marion in The Promise Of A New Day by Casey and Vanceburg, 15 April)

Nostalgia is a seductive liar. (George Ball in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 11 April)

Any life is an unfinished story. (Ron Palmer in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 5 March)

******

Happy Mother's Day!

Yesterday Cyndi took us to eat brunch at P.F. Chang's in Annapolis in celebration of my 72nd birthday and Mother's Day. Melva and I hadn't been to this chain before. There's a free parking garage across the street from the restaurant. After we ate we took some photos. Next we drove to the county seat at Upper Marlboro, Maryland where we attended the annual Marloboro Day held on Main Street. I bought three books at the library and Melva bought some plants in the nearby park. After supper Melva surprised me with a very tasty chocolate cake inscribed, "Happy Birthday Mr. Dickie." We took a few more photos before we cut and ate the delicious cake.

Mr. Dickie
8/May/2011 7:46

It's My Birthday!

It does not pay to get sour as you get old. I pity a man who lives in the past. He lives on stale manna. He gets stunted. (D.L. Moody in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 367)

******

Today is my 72nd birthday. I consider myself blessed to have lived this long. As I often say, "I'm in pretty good shape, for the shape I'm in."

This morning I finished reading "A Collection of Blessings," by Helen Steiner Rice.

A combined celebration of my birthday and Mother's Day is planned for mid-day at P.F. Chang's in Annapolis.

Thanks to everyone who sent birthday messages.

Mr. Dickie
7/May/2011 8:00

Who's Who?

We cannot all be famous or be listed in "Who's Who," but every person, great or small, has important work to do. (Helen Steiner Rice, From The Heart, 5 April) 6/May/2011 7:54

ABC's

Success is that old ABC - ability, breaks and courage. (Charles Luckman in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 163)

By waiting for the time instead of taking the time, "later" can become "never" in spite of our best intentions to the contrary. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 28 March)

... zero investment earns zero return. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 31 March)
5/May/2011 7:53

Make Something

It has been said that the only people who never make mistakes are the people who never make anything. To permit past blunders to keep us from fulfilling present duties is to make those blunders even worse. ... Depending on past victories is a good way to guarantee future defeats. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 230)
4/May/2011 7:01

Decisions

When you get one problem solved, another one comes along! (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 346)

It is our decision, as a nation, to keep things the way they are; that is maintain the status quo or to live radically and change things for the better. (after The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 14 March)

There are no perfect decisions because there is always room for doubt. Holding steady to a well thought out decision is a sign of maturity. (Mike Magee, M.D., The Book Of Choices, p. 190)

Most accomplishments ... require clear thinking. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 5 April)

Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. (Sir Winston Churchill in The Book Of Choices by Mike Magee, M.D., p. 163)
3/May/2011 8:31

Death of Osama bin Laden

Unhappiness is an ego-created mental-emotional disease that has reached epidemic proportions. (Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth, p. 110)

... complaining about our oppressions and indignities only makes them loom larger and more disturbing. (One Day At A Time in Al-Anon, 15 March)

For the sake of our mental and spiritual health, we must realize that any emotion that is buried within us is never buried dead - but buried alive. (Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 64)

Since we can control and direct our expectations why should we set ourselves up for disappointment? (after The Promise of a New Day, 14 March)

To face oneself is the most humiliating thing in the world. (William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians, p. 135)

*****

Today, almost ten years after the terrorist attacks carried out against the United States by the henchmen of Osama bin Laden, the President announced that he was located in a fancy compound in Pakistan and killed by US Navy Seals. Congratulations and thanks to all of the people who worked to bring an end to this evil man.

Mr. Dickie
2/May/2011 8:02

Democracy

... no democracy can ever be better than the people who make it up.
When citizens are selfishly motivated, the government will be inequitable.
When people are dishonest, the government will be the same.
When everyone wants his own way, someone is going to get hurt.
(Billy Graham, Hope For Each Day, 27 April)
1/May/2011 8:05