Mr. Dickie's Blog

Forgetting And Remembering

2012-02-11T10:02:00.001-05:00

Seat of Forgetting and Remembering

"They teach us to remember; why do they not teach us to forget? There is not a man living who has not, some time in his life, admitted that memory was as much of a curse as a blessing." (Francis Durivage, with a small change to the phrase, "why do not they" in Pulling Your Own Strings by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, p. 71) 11 February 2012

Pay Attention

2012-02-10T07:43:00.000-05:00

Whatever you put your attention on will grow stronger in your life. Whatever you take your attention away from will wither, disintegrate, and disappear. (Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, p. 70)

... getting a great idea without acting on it is like inspiration with no perspiration. Most people never make it past the inspiration phase. (Doug Sahlin and Chris Botello, YouTube For Dummies, p. 10)

Fight bravely, for habit overcomes habit. (Thomas 'A Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 21, p. 52)

Life thrives on possibilities and options. (Touchstones, 10 January)

******

I asked my Facebook friends for comments about Costco. I was pleased with the number of replies. Most wrote favorably about their shopping experiences. Our membership in BJs will expire at the end of this month. For a long time I have been complaining about the lack of open checkout lines. It's my opinion that a membership store that charges $50.00 a year ought to provide people to checkout the merchandise. Several times I've told management, "If I wanted to do checkout work I'd apply for a job."

I'm scanning a book about the WordPress blogger that I bought the other day at the library bookstore. It's very similar to the Google Blogger. I'm thinking about trying it out. I could use it to create a private journal that I would use for making some notes when I'm at the computer.

Mr. Dickie

10 February 2012

They

2012-02-09T09:30:00.000-05:00

They want it this way. They don't allow that. That's the way they do things. Etc.

Watch out for the magic "they," which pops up when victimizers want to give you the impression that some all-powerful authority has dictated the terms you are supposed to live by. If the speaker, can't tell you who "they" are, then for all you know "they" don't exist -- and you would be rather foolish to live by "their" rules!

(Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Pulling Your Own Strings, p. 89)

8 February 2012

Make A Contribution

2012-02-08T09:46:00.000-05:00

Have you realized that there is little likelihood that what bothers you, is a concern of anyone else? (Mr. Dickie, 8 February 2012)

The chronic irritability of urban life ... challenges the belief that being in touch with one's anger is an unalloyed good. (Ratey & Johnson, Shadow Syndromes, p. 148)

A person who is humble is always at peace, but a proud person carries a heart filled with envy and resentment. (Thomas 'A Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 7)

Knowing that our presence, our words, our willingness to listen to someone else has made life better for them makes it better for us too. (Karen Casey, Keepers Of The Wisdom, 28 January)

... get engaged with life, take time for reflection, learn to enjoy it where [you] can and try to make a contribution. (Touchstones, 19 January)

******

Yesterday Melva and I went to the Costco store about three miles from the house to conduct a survey visit. We are discussing whether we should change our membership from BJ's at the end of the month. I don't like paying a membership fee and then being asked to checkout my own purchases. Costco didn't have any self-checkout lines and they had a better selection of merchandise. Getting to the store was somewhat difficult but it is three miles closer to where we live.

There was a Facebook surprise this morning. There's a new, very nice, photo viewer. Maybe that's why Facebook was running slowly yesterday.

Mr. Dickie

8 February 2012

Being Rich

2012-02-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

Being Rich now means having enough money that you don't have to encounter anyone who isn't. ... The adjective public in public services has often come to mean inadequate. (Robert B. Reich, Aftershock, p. 22-3) 7 February 2012

Shortcuts

2012-02-06T10:28:00.000-05:00

... we have all had the experience of trying to take a shortcut ... and finding ourselves entangled in a mess we would have done well to avoid. (Harold S. Kushner, The Lord Is My Shepherd, p. 72) 6 February 2012

Justice For All

2012-02-05T11:13:00.000-05:00

... not only in its material standards, but also in its spiritual vitality, ... Western civilization [has] been falling steadily and with increasing rapidity into ruin and desolation. (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost Of Discipleship, p. 34)

Whether you like it or not, everything that is happening at this moment is a result of the choices ... [we've] made in the past. (Deepak Chopra, The Seven Spiritual Laws Of Success, p. 40)

If you are an average citizen, don't expect Washington to address your concerns. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 64)

... the omission of information is the same as a lie. (Iylana Vanzant, Until Today!, 21 January)

[People often] ... choose to distort information in order to use it as a weapon to gain power. (Craig Nakken, Finding Your Moral Compass, p. 69)

The way to correct distortions is to withdraw your faith in them and invest it only in what is true. You cannot make untruth true. (A Course In Miracles, Book 1, Chapter 3, II, 6, p. 39)

If you meet someone who claims to know "The Truth," turn and run away as fast as you can. Pretending that "my truth" is "The Truth" is dangerous at best, evil at worst. Those who claim to know "The Truth" are almost always looking for power and a way to control others. They want us to submit to them and "their truth;" if we do this well enough and completely enough, we become one of the anointed "knowers" with special rights and privileges. (Craig Nakken, Finding Your Moral Compass, p. 98-9)

Words, unless they come from the heart and soul and are followed by action, are pretense. (Daniel H. Mundt in The Upper Room Disciplines - 2008, 31 May)

On issue after issue, Washington politics back the special interests rather than broad public values. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 114)

Inequality is a way we seek to protect ourselves by placing ourselves in a superior position. Once one has fallen in love with the sensations of power this brings, inequality will easily be justified. Inequality works to preserve the "me" over the "we." This is the most dangerous element of inequality. Inequality creates separateness and marginalizes others. (Craig Nakken, Finding Your Moral Compass, p. 102)

Men will never listen to one who preaches endurance from the comfort of an easy chair, nor to one who preaches heroic courage to others while he himself has sought a prudent safety. (William Barclay, The Revelation of John, Vol. 1, p. 39)

... why should you run your life on the basis of what others say. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Pulling Your Own Strings, p. 48)

... admitting and embracing our failures is painful, the inability to face them can be lethal. (Johann Christoph Arnold, Escape Routes, p. 50-1)

Old habits are hard to break, and no one is easily led beyond his own point of view. (Thomas 'A Kempis, The Imitation Of Christ, Book 1, Chapter 14)

Progress and growth are impossible if you always do things the way you've always done things. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Pulling Your Own Strings, p. 53)

Eventually everyone begins to recognize, however dimly, that there "must" be a better way. (A Course In Miracles, p. 22)

... strength means being able to stop trying to get everyone else to feel what you are feeling, and stand up for what you believe. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Pulling Your Own Strings, p. 79)

It should be apparent that there will be no return to "normal," because the old normal got us into our present predicament and can't possibly get us out. So what comes next? (Robert B. Reich, Aftershock, p. 75)

If nothing is done to counter present trends, the major fault line in American politics will no longer be between Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives. It will be between the establishment -- political insiders, power brokers, the heads of American business, Wall Street, and the mainstream media -- and an increasingly mad-as-hell populace determined to "take back America" from them. Eventually the Independence Party, or its equivalent will prevail. (Robert B. Reich, Aftershock, p. 145)

[Fixing the mess we are in] ... is both an economic challenge and a moral challenge; concentrated income and wealth will threaten the integrity and cohesion of our society, and will undermine democracy. (Robert B. Reich, Aftershock, p. 65)

Enough is Enough (Mr. Dickie, 5 February 2012)

The Public Knows It

2012-02-04T09:16:00.000-05:00

These industries [finance, real estate, health care, and pharmaceutical] epitomize the destructive policies produced by the corporatocracy, and the public knows it. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 113) 4 February 2012

******

Mr. Dickie's - Chuck Mangione Playlist

Mr. Dickie's - Euge Groove Playlist

License

2012-02-03T09:12:00.000-05:00

The license to operate as a company does not include a license to pollute our politics [or our environment. And, it shouldn't give a company the rights of person-hood. (REH)] (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price of Civilization, p. 179) 3 February 2012

Something Has Gone Terribly Wrong

2012-02-02T20:59:00.000-05:00

There can be no doubt that something has gone terribly wrong in the U.S. economy, politics, and society in general. Americans are on edge: wary, pessimistic, and cynical. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 11) 2 February 2012

We The People

2012-02-01T09:11:00.000-05:00

[We have fallen into] ... a lazy habit: the unexamined notion that decisions made in Washington reflect the will of the American people and the public's underlying values. The public has its main say on one day every two years: election day. The choice is between two political parties that cynically ignore their constituencies the very next day in order to carry out policies aimed at the rich and powerful rather than the voters. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 106) 1 February 2012

Life

2012-01-31T15:49:00.000-05:00

Evaluate your life and set a goal that is realistic for you. (Linda Dillon, in A Gentle Spirit, 22 January)

... there is more to life than meets the eye! (Iyanla Vanzant, Until Today!, 19 January)
31 January 2012

Rose Garden

2012-01-30T12:42:00.000-05:00

I beg your pardon;

I never promised you a rose garden.

(Song sung by Lynn Anderson)

30 January 2012

Assumptions of Capitalism

2012-01-29T10:38:00.001-05:00

Photo: Miss Melva - Mr. Dickie at Kennett Square, PA

One of the basic assumptions of capitalism is that anyone paid huge sums of money must be worth it. (Robert B. Reich, Aftershock, p. 40) 29 January 2012

Over-consuming

2012-01-28T09:59:00.000-05:00

Tens of millions of Americans are repeatedly over-consuming today and regretting it tomorrow: whether by overeating, over-borrowing, over gambling, excessive TV viewing, or indulging in yet other addictions. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 134) 28 January 2012

******

Yesterday I noticed that the LDS have an Internet radio station with two channels and a couple of podcasts.

Mr. Dickie

28 January 2012

Vigilance

2012-01-27T12:03:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - The Great Pumpkin

... men can lose their country if it is represented by an anti-Christian regime.

(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Introduction to The Cost Of Discipleship, p. 29) 27 January 2012

Limitations of Power

2012-01-26T10:20:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Grotto of Lourdes, Emmitsburg, MD

Our blindness to the limitations of power [has] created great problems in our lives.
(Touchstones, 17 January)
26 January 2012

Choosing Leaders

2012-01-25T11:13:00.001-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Emmitsburg, MD

... in recent times we have seen persons elevated to high positions who were later discovered to have falsified their academic or professional records. Clearly the criteria that we human beings use to choose our leaders are imperfect and subject to abuse. (The Upper Room Disciplines - 2003, 27 May) 25 January 2012

Bill Of Goods

2012-01-24T15:27:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - one of our hydrangeas grown from a cutting

You have got to know what it is you want, or someone is going to sell you a bill of goods somewhere along the line that can do irreparable damage to your self-esteem, your sense of worth, and your stewardship of the talents that God gave you. (Richard Nelson Bolles in Touchstones, 24 January) 24 January 2012

Alan Greenspan

2012-01-23T09:57:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - in our side yard

The disdain for regulation led Alan Greenspan to believe that financial institutions would police their own risks, a blunder that ended up costing the world economy trillions of dollars. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 62 (see also p. 91-2)) 23 January 2012

Emmylou Harris 20th Anniversary On The Grand Ole Opry

2012-01-22T10:08:00.000-05:00

Emmylou Harris

A society of markets, laws and elections is not enough if the rich and powerful fail to behave with respect, honesty, and compassion toward the rest of society and toward the world. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 3)

******

Last night I listened to the hour-long celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Emmylou Harris as a member of The Grand Ole Opry via the streaming audio of WSM 650 am in Nashville, TN. They were performing in The Ryman. Emmylou invited lots of guest: Vince Gill, Rodney Crowell, Shawn Colvin, Buddy Miller, Kimmie Rhodes. While listening to the program I discovered that The Cracker Barrel website has an Internet radio station.

Mr. Dickie
22 January 2012

The 2008 Financial Crisis

2012-01-21T10:27:00.000-05:00

The 2008 financial crash resulted from a confluence of forces: deregulation, monetary mismanagement, and reckless irresponsibility by the top management on Wall Street, who lusted after profits with sheer disregard for their stockholders, workers, and clients.(Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price Of Civilization, p. 124-25)
21 January 2012

You Can't Do That!

2012-01-20T11:04:00.000-05:00

Old Cape Henry Lighthouse - Fort Story, VA

Most of the people who will try to tell you that you cannot, who will label your push to freedom "selfish," will turn out to have measures of authority over your life, and will really be protesting your threat to the holds you have allowed them to have on you. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Pulling Your Own Strings, p. 4) 20 January 2012

Public Opinion

2012-01-19T09:21:00.000-05:00

In America today, there is little systematic public deliberation, and the public's views are rarely taken seriously in the political process. One key policy decision after another is adopted behind the backs of the public, often in direct contradiction to public opinion. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price of Civilization, p. 179)
19 January 2012

Lessons Learned

2012-01-18T14:31:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Blackwater Falls, WV

The Great Depression ... taught the country ... the need for thorough financial regulation to curb fraud and excessive leveraging of risk. Yet the Reagan administration unleashed a process of dismantling that regulation. (Jeffrey D. Sachs, The Price of Civilization, p. 61)

******

Ask yourself these questions.

Did you see it coming?
If not, why not?

Mr. Dickie

18 January 2012

"The Price of Civilization"

2012-01-17T12:18:00.000-05:00

Thad G., a high school classmate from our days in Wichita, KS, recommended a book to me, The Price of Civilization - Reawakening American Virtue and Prosperity by economist, Jeffrey D. Sachs. I reserved the book at the library and took ten days to read it.

In my opinion, Mr. Sachs did an outstanding job of describing what went wrong with America. His suggestions for the changes that will be necessary to fix the mess are well thought out.

Here are three quotes from the book.

In fiscal year 2011, the federal government covered around 39 percent of its spending, roughly $1.4 trillion of $3.6 trillion, by borrowing. (p. 209)
There is no way to increase the scale of government if the government remains as incompetent and corrupt as it is today. (p. 210)
The quality of life is deteriorating because we refuse to pay for the public goods needed for civilized society. (p. 211)

I posted that I read the book to both, weRead and LibraryThing.

Mr. Dickie

17 January 2012

Happiness By Acquisition

2012-01-16T09:18:00.001-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - at Cumberland, MD Railroad Station

... "happiness by acquisition" only sets up a lifetime of wanting.
(Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 24 December)
16 January 2012

YouTube

2012-01-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Dry lock on the C and O Canal

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)

People who have no future hope have no motivation for life today. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 836)

Not everybody who asks for help should receive it. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 800)

True reconciliation is not cheap; there is a price to pay. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 810)

******

I learned how to add comments to the thirty-eight videos I selected for my Sampler playlist I created for Mr. Dickie's Channel on YouTube. There's a link to the Featured video page in the sidebar of this blog page. You do not need to create a YouTube account to watch the music videos.

Mr. Dickie

15 January 2012

Mr. Dickie's YouTube Channel

2012-01-14T09:34:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Old Bowie, MD

Don't simply make the best of it, make the most of it.
(after Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 764)

Chronic suspiciousness is a character flaw, not a compliment. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 16 December)

I will not yield to my compulsion to go on talking after I have made my point ... (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 1 December)

******

I continue to work on a project to create a YouTube channel for MrDickie1939. I've made good progress. I have it working with a Featured page which includes five Favorite videos. There's a link to the Channel in the sidebar of this blog.

Mr. Dickie

14 January 2012

World Situation

2012-01-13T12:48:00.000-05:00

... life, economics, and the weather resist most of our efforts to control them. (Casey and Vanceburg, The Promise Of A New Day, 30 November)

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." (Albert Einstein in Wisdom Of The Ages by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, p. 222)

There are certain things in which a man cannot change his mind but must abide forever by the choice he has made. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 184)

I don't know how you view the world situation, but, it seems obvious to me that things are in a desperate state. (Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 354)

Mr. Dickie
13 January 2012

Judgment

2012-01-12T13:00:00.000-05:00

Self-absorption is the enemy of serenity. (In God's Care, 10 December)

Today demonstrate forbearance in your language, your actions, and your reactions. A calm, well thought out response has a soothing effect on others. (Helen Steiner Ricer, From The Heart, 5 December)

Judgment comes from experience and great judgment comes from bad experience. (Senator Bob Packwood in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 11 December)

[A] ... compulsive drive for perfection - an unrealistic idealism - can be a neurotic symptom as difficult to deal with as the alcoholic's compulsion to drink. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 23 December)

******

Last night I watched some of the weekly Wednesday night streaming video of the Music City Roots show from the Barn at the Loveless Cafe in Nashville, TN. There were some technical difficulties this week that seemed to grow worse as the program continued. The performer that I wanted to see was, John Cowan. He came on at beginning of the show. I hadn't heard of any of the other acts.

Mr. Dickie

12 January 2012

That Is The Question

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Doctor's Hospital, Lanham, MD

What prompts me to do or say things that cause trouble?
(One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 3 December) 11 January 2012

Existence of Mankind

2012-01-10T12:02:00.001-05:00

Some day science may have the existence of mankind in its power, and the human race, [may] commit suicide by blowing up the world. (Henry Adams, in The Promise Of A New Day by Casey and Vanceburg, 13 December) 10 January 2012

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Book Lovers Link

What Works

2012-01-09T11:18:00.001-05:00

When we do what works why are we so surprised that it works?

(Rev. David Stier in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 9 December)

******

Yesterday I ordered, downloaded and installed version five of the Roots Magic genealogy program on the new Toshiba laptop. Before yesterday there was no genealogy program on the new computer. In the days ahead I will be setting up the folders for the new program and moving the genealogy files from version three of Roots Magic on the old desktop computer. I'm looking forward to being able to once again share the work I did in the past. It's also going to be fun to try out some of the features of the program that I wasn't able to use in the past. If health and interest hold up in 2012 I should be able to accomplish some interesting genealogy projects. I'll keep you posted on my genealogy blogs.

Mr. Dickie

9 January 2012

Slogan Or Solution?

2012-01-08T10:37:00.001-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Cunningham Falls, MD during dry season

Our major obligation is not to mistake slogans for solutions.

(Edward R. Murrow in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 4 December)

8 January 2012

Grace

2012-01-07T09:40:00.000-05:00

A man may, in his lethargy, his thoughtlessness, his unawareness, his procrastination, miss the chances which grace brings to him. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 182) 7 January 2012

The Season of Epiphany

2012-01-06T14:46:00.000-05:00

Today, January 6th is Epiphany. Perhaps you are like me and need some help to remember what this is all about. I decided to submit a second post today with a link to a website I selected because I think it will help us out.

The Season of Epiphany:

'via Blog this'

The Way Through Life

2012-01-06T09:54:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie

Christmas Tree In The Great Hall Of The Library of Congress

I will not complicate the present by reviewing the past; nor will I dread what may happen. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 16 November)

The only possible 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)

To search out the reasons for my own [behaviors] is a voyage of discovery. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 3 December)

Start somewhere to unhook your mind from confusions, but don't do anything about your problems until you can see them more clearly. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 21 December)

There is no easy way through life. (The Promise Of A New Day, 19 December)
6 January 2012

Decisions

2012-01-05T09:58:00.001-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, KS

"We make our decisions and then our decisions turn around and make us." (F.W. Boreham in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p., 709) 5 January 2012

Who Are Those People?

2012-01-04T08:55:00.002-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Strasburg, PA

We should have much peace if we would not busy ourselves with the sayings and doings of others. (Thomas 'A Kempis, in The Promise Of A New Day, by Casey and Vanceburg, 2 December)

...the world is full of people who would love you to behave in whatever ways are most convenient for them. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Pull Your Own Strings, p. xiv)

"How rarely we weigh our neighbor in the same balance in which we weigh ourselves." (Thomas 'A Kempis, in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 731)

...comparing one person to another negates each person's uniqueness and is often insulting to each person individually, and comparisons will never lead you to self-knowledge. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom Of The Ages, p. 256)

Speculating on other people's attitudes and motives is a waste of time and effort. To search out the reasons for my own is a voyage of discovery. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 3 December)

Let them talk, whoever "they" may be. (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 27 December)

You don't get to judge what other people have or how other people live. (Steve Case, Everything Counts, 29 December)

One of the hardest lessons to learn is that for all our good intentions, we can still royally mess up other people's lives. (Steve Case, Everything Counts, 15 November)

We tend to emulate the people we admire, so be careful about the heroes you select. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 804)

It is easy to lose what you have gained by making friends with the wrong people. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 841)

We need to consider our relationships continually, and make sure we are doing our part to nourish them so they thrive. (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 16 December)
4 January 2012

Power

2012-01-03T10:43:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - "The Road To Paradise" - Strasburg, PA

When you combine political power with economic power and ... [religious power] you have a formula for controlling the whole world. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 856) 3 January 2012

Acceptance

2012-01-02T09:13:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Blackwater Falls, WV

For everyone at some time there comes something for which there seems to be no reason and which defies explanation. It is then that a man is faced with life's hardest battle - to accept when he cannot understand. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 152)

******

I maintained my interest in blogging throughout 2011. I plan to continue posting to my four Google blogs in 2012 as time and interest dictates. Here's a short recap of my blogging efforts.

Mr. Dickie's Blog - 347 posts
Arrow Prayers - 346 posts
Henthorn Website Obits - 21 posts
Henthorn Website News - 62 posts
Total - 776 posts

Mr. Dickie

2 January 2012

Happy New Year 2012

2012-01-01T08:23:00.000-05:00

In the time we have it is our duty to do all the good we can to all the people we can in all the ways we can. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 123) 1 January 2012

Closing The Year

2011-12-31T10:41:00.001-05:00

For Auld Lang Syne - BBC Symphony

Closing The Year

This is the day on which another year closes. It is a good time for a quiet, honest look at our personal progress. Has it been a good year, better than those which came before? Has following your day-by-day spiritual program brought you more serenity and acceptance of yourself, the unique individual you are?

If you have regrets for errors or omissions, review them quickly and dismiss them. In the new year, which lies ahead, there will be no time for futile regrets.

Resolve to live the coming year, one day at a time. Whatever comes, meet it with a serene mind.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God." (Romans)
(after One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 31 December)

Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change;

courage to change the things I can;

and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;

Enjoying one moment at a time;

Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;

Taking, as He did, this sinful world

as it is, not as I would have it;

Trusting that He will make all things right

if I surrender to His Will;

That I may be reasonably happy in this life

and supremely happy with Him

Forever in the next.

Amen.

Reinhold Niebuhr

2011 Reading Program

This morning I finished reading twelve books which were part of my 2011 daily reading program. In all I read twenty-five books this year. There were four other books on my reading list that I set aside and didn't complete. I also skimmed a number of books on computer subjects, Windows 7 in particular, that I checked out of the county library.

I maintained two lists of the books I was reading. I used the weRead application which I set up to work with Facebook. On my own computer I created a file with the CSVed program. Last night I extracted the following list of books read from the CSV file. I also set the "Read It" switch for all twenty-five books on weRead and "tagged" each one with the tag "2011." This was the first time I'd used tags with weRead. I was pleased that it allowed me to easily find the books read in 2011. I'm going to use LibraryThing to track the books I'm reading in 2012. I've already selected the books and done some of the work to set up the two files I'll use to track my reading program.

Andrews, Andy - The Noticer
Anonymous - In God's Care
Anonymous - One Day At A Time In Al-Anon
Anonymous (Casey and Vanceburg) - The Promise of a New Day
Barclay, William - The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians
Barclay, William - The Letters to Timothy, Titus and Philemon
Barclay, William - The Letter to the Hebrews
Case, Steve - Everything Counts
Copage, Eric V. - Black Pearls
Dyer, Wayne W. - Wisdom of the Ages
Franken, Al - Lies And The Lying Liars Who Tell Them
Graham, Billy - Hope For Each Day
Hughes, Selwyn and Thomas Kinkade - Every Day Light
Kushner, Harold - To Life!
Larsen, Earnie and Carol Hegarty - Believing In Myself
Magee, Mike - A Book of Choices
Martin, Iain C. - Worthy of Their Esteem
O'Toole, Ph.D., Mary Ellen - Dangerous Instincts
Rice, Helen Steiner - A Collection of Blessings
Rice, Helen Steiner - From The Heart
Thoreau, Henry David - Walden
Tolle, Eckhart - A New Earth
Tolstoy, Leo - The Gospel In Brief
Various Authors - Daily Guideposts - 2009
Wiersbe, Warren W- Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary

Mr. Dickie's Blog

Thanks to everyone who took an interest in Mr. Dickie's Blog in 2011 on NetworkedBlogs, Facebook or Google. I hope that once in a while I posted something that caused you:

to think,
to smile,
to laugh.
to learn.

It's my intention to continue posting to this blog and my Arrow Prayers blog on a daily basis in 2012. I hope you'll find my efforts worthy of taking some of your time to see what's on my mind.

Happy New Year

2012

Mr. Dickie

31 December 2011

A Monumental Task

2011-12-30T11:06:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Omaha, NE

Changing our whole way of thinking is a monumental task, not to be taken lightly. (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 16 December)

******

Yesterday, I spent some time learning about how the Apps on Spotify work. There were two pre-installed: Radio and 123 Top Lists. I particularly like the Radio app. You can have Spotify chose songs to play based on an album or an artist. It's a good way to get exposed to lots of new songs and new artists. I hope there aren't plans to force those using the "free" version of Spotify to convert to the Premium version.

Mr. Dickie
30 December 2011

Bellevue, Nebraska - Log Cabin

2011-12-29T10:25:00.000-05:00

Bellevue, Nebraska - Log Cabin

Relax, visualize yourself accomplishing one of your goals.

(after Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 16 November)

******

From time to time I've written about the fact that I lived next door to a log cabin while growing up on Hancock Street in Bellevue, Nebraska.

The cabin which had no indoor plumbing was occupied by Grandma Mountain. She lived to be nearly 100 years old (I no longer remember how old she was or the year she died.). For a while after her death the place was occupied by a nice couple with at least two children.

When we moved into our house we had two outhouses in the back yard, near the alley. One was in bad condition. My father didn't waste much time in tearing that one down and closing the hole. The other outhouse was a nice, well-maintained building with white siding. Dad was teaching high school and at Halloween the high school boys like to tip over the outhouse. Because the outhouse at Grandma Mountain's house was in a sad state of repair Dad decided to move our outhouse to her property and close the second hole at our place.

My father, Edward C. Henthorn, left Bellevue for Wichita, Kansas sometime in 1953. Prior to his departure he was a member of the Sarpy County Historical Society. If memory serves, Mr. Shallcross was the president of the group. The society decided to negotiate with the Mountain descendants, probably her son, in an attempt to purchase the property. I don't remember how much they paid for it or whether there was a fund drive. At any rate, they were successful and that's why now, nearly sixty years later this historical Nebraska landmark still exists for all of us to enjoy.

National Register of Historic Places (PDF)

Where Is My Little Cabin Home?

by Kathy Kallick

This song was number eleven on the Bluegrass Unlimited

Top 50 Count Down For 2011

I was asked by college friend, Jim Rowe, where he should look for photos of the log cabin. I found several that I'm using with this posting. Thanks to the folks who took the photographs.

Mr. Dickie

29 December 2011

This Is Life

2011-12-28T08:17:00.000-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Wall art in Cumberland, MD

This is life and I must learn ... [to live it.]

(Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 348)

28 December 2011

Self-Conceit

2011-12-27T10:20:00.001-05:00

Photo: Mr. Dickie - Blackwater Falls, WV

Part with self-conceit for it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn what he thinks he already knows. (Epictetus, in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 8 December) 27 December 2011

******

Last night I woke up at 1:00 a.m. I didn't get back to sleep until 4:00 a.m. I turned on the TV and watched an extraordinary two-hour program about the life of Canadian classical pianist, Glenn Gould, on American Masters shown on Maryland Public Television.

I spent yesterday morning getting paper copies of our Christmas newsletter printed on some Christmas stationary using my own printer. I went to the grocery store to buy stamps since the post office was closed. Putting these eleven envelopes in the mailbox should complete the Christmas writing project. I'm always glad when it's done. Thanks to everyone who stayed in touch this holiday season. We appreciate the effort you made.

Mr. Dickie

27 December 2011

The Nature of Things

2011-12-26T08:20:00.000-05:00

It is the nature of things that all earthly leaders must come and go. They have their part in the drama of life and then the curtain comes down. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 195) 26 December 2011

Merry Christmas - December 2011

2011-12-24T04:11:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas

December 2011

Have you ever thought about what has happened because Christ has come to the world? That Babe in the manger of Bethlehem grew up to become our crucified and risen Savior -- and the world has never been the same. ... If Christ had not come, this world would indeed be a hopeless world. (Billy Graham, Hope For Each Day, 19 December)

Kathy Mattea Singing - Mary Did You Know

******

Melva, Dick and Cyndi at the Alamo Restaurant

Cyndi and Dick have been busy upgrading computers this year. Cyndi bought Dick a very nice set-up to replace his old desktop computer which was barely functioning. It's a Toshiba Satellite C655 laptop with a Dynadock docking station and an external ViewSonic 1080p flat screen monitor. A friend at the computer club donated two external speakers to the project. This computer is running the Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. From a Library of Congress friend Dick obtained an ASUS netbook computer with an external CD drive. This computer runs the Windows 98 operating system. Dick added a roll-up USB keyboard he bought at a church yard sale. Cyndi has been using this one.

At a flea market Dick bought an external floppy drive with a USB connector. He also bought a case and USB connector for the hard drive from his old laptop computer which had reached the end of its life. He succeeded in getting both devices to work with the new laptop.

Dick and Cyndi thought it would be fun to see if they could communicate with friends and family using the Skype service. First they got the video and voice working between the two computers in our house. Later, Cyndi talked with her friend in Germany and Dick talked with a friend in Bowie, MD and his college friend, Don Gardner, in Missouri. They were somewhat disappointed when they realized that very few friends and family have Skype installed.

The new computer allowed Dick to do many things that weren't possible before. He's enjoyed listening to music videos on YouTube. Sometimes he listens to the streaming audio broadcasts of The Grand Ole Opry over WSM Radio in Nashville, TN. On Wednesday nights he watches the Music City Roots program from the Loveless Cafe near Nashville, TN.

Dick enjoys keeping in touch with family and friends via Facebook and Google Gmail. He's a very active user of Facebook.

Dick with the ASUS Netbook at the opening of Busboys and Poets

He uses the Spotify and the Google Music applications. He stores some of his data in "the cloud" using the 5GB of free storage on Box.net. The county library offers free MP3 music downloads from the Freegal application. Dick remembered most weeks to download the three free tracks.

Dick's alma mater, Pittsburg State University of Pittsburg, Kansas played against Wayne State University of Detroit, MI in the NCAA Division II Football Championship in Florence, AL. Dick watched the semi-final game over ESPN3 on the laptop computer and the final over ESPN2 on cable television. Pittsburg won. This was the fourth national championship since 1957. They won the NAIA championship in 1957 (Dick's first year of college) and in 1961. They won the NCAA Division II in 1991.

Pittsburg State University - Pittsburg, Kansas

During the year Dick has helped out with website maintenance for the Bowie Seniors Computer Club and the Monroe County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society. He also created a Page for the genealogical society on Facebook.

Dick continues to maintain four Google blogs. He tries to post to two of them daily. He feeds his Mr. Dickie's Blog to his Facebook page using the NetworkedBlogs service. The blogs, with number of posts and number of page views, as of 22 December 2011 are listed below. There is also some genealogy information available on a Google Site and a Google Group Dick created because he wanted to learn about how those free services work.

Blog Name - Number of Posts - Number of Page Views
Mr. Dickie's Blog - 1281 - 13480
Arrow Prayers - 2083 - 9121
Henthorn Genealogy Obits - 284 - 10000
Henthorn Genealogy News - 714 - 26311
Totals - 4362 - 58912

Dick shares some of his bookmarks on the public bookmark application, Delicious. There are bookmarks that would be of interest to folks working on genealogy and to people planning a visit to Washington, DC. Look for bookmark tags: "Washington" and "WashingtonDC."

In 2012 Dick plans to install a genealogy program on the new computer by upgrading to Version 5 of RootsMagic. He's looking forward to trying out some of the features he couldn't use on the old desktop computer.

Melva continues to enjoy attending weekly quilting class at the Bowie Senior Center. The ladies also get together for lunch about once a month to celebrate birthdays. This year the group set up tables at the Senior Center Holiday Bazaar and sold items donated by the class members. The proceeds were donated to Haiti through the church of the class teacher. Melva sent quilts to Panama for the first time this year. She made one quilt for her sister, Aura, and another for her brother, Olmedo. One day Melva found and purchased an unfinished quilt at a thrift store. During the year she completed the quilt, adding batting, a backing and border. At the quilting class Christmas party she won a prize of an unfinished Sun Bonnett Sue applique quilt. This will, no doubt, be one of her 2012 projects.

Thrift Shop Quilt Finished by Melva

The jobs of both Melva and Cyndi came to an end during the year. Both resignations were surprises and entail long stories. There was another reorganization where Cyndi worked. After working there for ten years she decided it was time to take a break and look for something else. Melva seems to be all right with hanging up her scissors except for an occasional job at someone's house.

Both Dick and Melva continued their program of daily reading. Dick tries to read a page each day from several books. This year he will finish eleven books on the last day of the year to add to the list of those he completed earlier. In November Dick selected a stack of books for his 2012 program. He plans to use the application, LibraryThing to track his 2012 reading program.

During the year we experience three encounters with Mother Nature. Twice during high winds we lost shingles from the roof. This had never happened before in the thirty-three years we have been in this house. The three of us were in different rooms during the earthquake that struck the Washington, DC area. The shaking was rather severe. Some CDs and Zip discs in the computer room fell to the floor, a door stuck for several seconds and the door of the china cabinet swung open. We haven't noticed any structural damage to the house but there seem to be new cracks in the driveway and sidewalk. It was the first earthquake for Cyndi and I. Melva had felt them in Panama.

In late November Cyndi went for a twenty-eight day visit with relatives in Panama. She returned to Dulles airport about 12:30 a.m. on December 23nd. It took about an hour to clear customs.

View of Volcan Baru from Melva's hometown of Volcan

On December 14th, Dick and his Library of Congress lunch buddy, Dave Naylor, road the subway downtown to attend the Christmas Retiree Luncheon hosted by The Librarian of Congress. Before going to the Christmas Carol Singing in The Great Hall they stopped at an Information Technology party on the sixth floor of the Madison Building. After lunch they attended a meeting of a small group of folks held in Conference Rooms B and C of Information Technology Services. It was fun to see retired friends, folks still working and three who will retire at the end of the month.

Main Reading Room - Library of Congress

In September 2012 Dick's classmates in Bellevue, Nebraska and Wichita, Kansas are planning to hold their 55th Class Reunions. The dates are on consecutive weekends. Dick has stated that he is interested in trying to attend both events. Both classes established Facebook pages where folks can communicate and share photos.

Thanks to everyone who made the effort to keep in touch this year via: Email, Facebook, Skype, telephone and cards and letters.

Happy New Year 2012
Dick, Melva, Cyndi
Henthorn

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T03:09:00.000-05:00

Photo by Mr. Dickie

May every heart and every home continue through the year to feel the warmth and wonder of this season of good cheer. (Helen Steiner Ricer, From The Heart, 12 December) 24 December 2011

Name Dropping

2011-12-23T09:05:00.000-05:00

I mustn't go on singling out names. One must not be a name-dropper, as Her Majesty remarked to me yesterday. (Norman St. John Stevas in Believing In Myself, Larsen and Hegarty, 2 December) 23 December 2011

Make A Pledge

2011-12-22T10:13:00.000-05:00

Today pledge to maintain all year the warmth of love and cordiality generated by this Christmas season. (Helen Steiner Rice, From The Heart, 12 December) 22 December 2011

Priorities

2011-12-21T09:23:00.000-05:00

It's a good idea for me to take a daily "think break" to reassess priorities. (Larsen & Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 3 December ) 21 December 2011

Silence

2011-12-20T08:06:00.001-05:00

We need silence in our lives

to think,

to work,

to create,

to rest.

(Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 24 November)

20 December 2011

Truth

2011-12-19T09:56:00.001-05:00

Photo by Mr. Dickie - Emmittsburg, MD

Truth is truth and that's all there is to it. Anything we can add to it doesn't make it better. (Steve Case, Everything Counts, 3 December)

It is a truth of life that in many ways it is easier to stand adversity than to stand prosperity. Ease has ruined far more men than trouble ever did. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 126)

"Truth is always strong no matter how weak it looks, and falsehood is always weak, no matter how strong it looks." (Phillips Brooks in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 841)

Fight for what's right. Fight for others. (Steve Case, Everything Counts, 16 December)

******

This morning I'm listening to the The Wronglers with Jimmy Dale Gilmore - Heirloom Music. I received this CD as a premium for supporting the PBS Internet radio station of WAMU - BluegrassCountry.org. For a while I thought the CD wasn't going to arrive.

Yesterday, Jim Mc. called to let us know he arrived safely in Gulfport, MS. We hope he has a wonderful time visiting with family and friends. In the evening I called Tom W. in Wichita, KS. Tom and I went to the same high school but didn't meet until the second year of college when he came to Pittsburg, KS.

Mr. Dickie

19 December 2011

Excuses

2011-12-18T06:44:00.000-05:00

Photo - Mr. Dickie - (Wall art in Cumberland, MD)

Most of us are much sterner with others than we are in regard to ourselves; we make excuses for things in ourselves whilst we condemn in others things to which we are not naturally inclined. (Oswald Chambers in Everything Counts by Steve Case, 5 December) 18 December 2011

Count On It

2011-12-17T09:32:00.000-05:00

Some decisions made by bosses, bureaucrats, other powerful higher-ups can wreak havoc on our personal lives. As carefully as we planned some things we counted on just aren't going to be. And some things we thought would never happen are laid squarely in our laps. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 16 December) 17 December 2011

Discarding Things

2011-12-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

There is in life an essential duty of discarding things. There may be habits, pleasures, self-indulgences, associations which hold us back. We must shed them as an athlete sheds his track suit when he goes to the starting mark, and often we will need the help of God to enable us to do so. (William Barclay, The Letter To The Hebrews, p. 172-73)

Seriously

2011-12-15T09:10:00.000-05:00

"The one important thing I have learned over the years is the difference between taking one's work seriously and taking one's self seriously. The first is imperative and the second is disastrous." (Margot Fonteyn in In God's Care, 11 December)

******

Yesterday David Naylor and I took the subway down to Capitol Hill where we attended all of the Library of Congress Christmas events we could. We went to the party on the 6th floor, we attended the carol singing in The Great Hall, we went to The Librarian's Retiree Luncheon, and we attended a "meeting" in conference rooms B&C in the ITS area. We enjoyed visiting with our retired friends, with those still working and talking to the three who will retire at the end of the month.

Mr. Dickie
15 December 2011

Unqualified People

2011-12-14T22:18:00.000-05:00

Sometime there are problems because unqualified people get into places of leadership or because places of leadership have not been filled. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 806) 14 December 2011

Keep Still

2011-12-13T08:12:00.000-05:00

To say the right thing at the right time, keep still most of the time. (John W. Roper in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 29 November)

******

I'm still on schedule to finish all of my 2011 reading on the last day of the month. I've been reading twice a day rather than once a day.

Melva started baking Christmas cookies last night. The house certainly does smell good during these projects.

As mentioned on Facebook I'm taking a look at whether we can cut back on our cable service. The issue is whether we will have to give up a few of our favorite channels. For example, I enjoy watching the Keith Olbermann show, Countdown, on the Currrent TV channel. On the other hand, since a person can only watch one movie at a time, why is it necessary to have twenty movie channels?

Mr. Dickie

13 December 2011

Present Moment

2011-12-12T08:27:00.000-05:00

Photo of the C&O Canal near Cumberland, MD

Perhaps the single most predominant feature of mental well-being is the ability to be in the present moment, fully and with no thoughts of being elsewhere. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom of the Ages, p. 243) 12 December 2011

Go Gorillas

2011-12-11T11:18:00.001-05:00

...take one concrete action - write a letter, make a call, look up an article - ... [further one of your goals.] (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 19 November)

******

Last night I watched the last three quarters of the semifinal NCAA, Division II, college football game from Carney Smith Stadium at Pittsburg State University in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Gorilla's opponent was Delta State from Mississippi. I watched the game on ESPN3 using my laptop computer. I don't remember when I last watched a football game of my alma mater. I know it has been fifty years since I attended a game at the stadium.

Pittsburg State University has a long history of fielding excellent football teams going all the way back to 1957, my freshman year. The school won the NAIA National Championship in 1957 and 1961. They won the NCAA Division II National Championship in 1991.

Last night they won the semifinal game, 49-23, after playing an impressive second quarter. They now move on to the NCAA Division II National Championship against Wayne State next Saturday, the 17th of December at 11:00 a.m. in Florence, AL. The game will be carried on cable on ESPN2.

GO GORILLAS!

Mr. Dickie
11 December 2011

Three Things

2011-12-10T07:58:00.001-05:00

Today, I'll remember three things:

I count;
I am alive for a purpose;
I am made to give and receive love.

(In God's Care, 19 November)

10 December 2011

Expectations

2011-12-09T09:33:00.001-05:00

Do I practice what I profess? Do I tell others what is right but then do what is wrong? Do I expect more of others than I do of myself? (Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 731)

Complaints and Grievances

2011-12-08T09:03:00.001-05:00

[Politely and tactfully let others] know that ... [you are] not going to be seduced into a discussion of their complaints and grievances. (after Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom Of The Ages, p. 221)

Pearl Harbor Day

2011-12-07T08:15:00.001-05:00

70th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; listen to others, even the dull and ignorant; they, too, have their story. (Desiderata by Max Erhmann of Boston, dated 1927, in One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 7 December) 7 December 2011

Grievances

2011-12-06T06:32:00.001-05:00

Remove yourself physically as subtly as you can from those who persistently insist on burdening you with their grievances. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom Of The Ages, p. 222) 6 December 2011

Tact

2011-12-05T09:24:00.001-05:00

"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy." (Howard W. Newton in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 750)

******

Yesterday, Melva and I began the Christmas decoration project. I brought some of the boxes down from the attic and set up the artificial tree and got the lights working as well as I can. We agreed that I won't set up all of my Christmas Village this year. There are several new buildings that we found in some of the boxes we brought down. We will display those.

Cyndi was traveling to Volcan yesterday. She called twice, once during the trip and then after she arrived at her destination. She will stay with her aunt, Yiyo and her husband, Alfonso. I hope she can use the computer of a friend across the street from her aunt's house.

I continued to work on my project to download some of the photos that friends have shared on Facebook. I also created an album on Picasa where I uploaded seven photos taken by Vic K. at the Bowie Seniors Computer Club holiday luncheon. I put a link on the website homepage to the photo album.

Mr. Dickie

4 December 2011

Travel Day

2011-12-04T08:08:00.001-05:00

Saint Elizabeth Seton window in the chapel at the Grotto

Emmitsburg, MD

I will strive to demonstrate spirit-filled behavior. (In God's Care, 9 November)

I will remind myself not to be too determined in my judgments and actions. (Daily Guideposts - 2009, 25 October)

******

Last night I used the computer to listened to some of the Grand Ole Opry on The Legend WSM 650 am from Nashville, TN. Suzy Bogguss came on about 9:15 p.m. and sang two songs. I particularly enjoyed the second song, Shenandoah, from her latest album.

This morning Cyndi should be traveling by bus to her mother's hometown, Volcan, in Chiriqui Province in the Republic of Panama. Volcan is near the border with Costa Rica. It's a long trip which takes many hours.

Mr. Dickie

4 December 2011

Goals

2011-12-03T11:15:00.001-05:00

... I will take five minutes to look for a piece of information that will help me toward accomplishing one of my goals. (Eric V. Copage, Black Pearls, 29 October) 3 December 2011

******

I've been doing some website updates for the Bowie Senior Computer Club and the Monroe County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogy Society (MCC-OGS). I enjoy the challenge of assisting the two organizations.

I started making some notes about topics that I might want to write about in the Christmas letter this year.

This morning I finished reading Wisdom of the Ages by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer. I recommend the book. It's one I bought used either at a yard sale or thrift store. I'm pleased that I finished the book before the end of the month as it was part of my daily reading program for the year 2011.

This morning I'm listening to the lovely Christmas album Joy For Christmas Day by Kathy Mattea. It's one of two Christmas albums she recorded. Both are great.

Mr. Dickie

3 December 2011

Obsession

2011-12-02T08:20:00.001-05:00

An obsession is a repetitive or persistent thought or idea which crowds into the mind and thus helps to relieve one's basic anxiety. (Selwyn Hughes, Every Day Light, Day 326) 2 November 2011

Journaling

2011-12-01T08:20:00.001-05:00

... describe in a journal what you are going to manifest into your life. ... your journal will not give you reason to doubt your dreams. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom Of The Ages, p. 217) 1 December 2011

Truth

2011-11-30T09:34:00.001-05:00

Truth is incontrovertible.

Panic may reset it;
Malice may distort it;

But there it is.

(Sir Winston Churchill in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 683)

30 November 2011

Crisis

2011-11-29T06:48:00.001-05:00

In every crisis there is a message. Crises are nature's way of forcing change - breaking down old structures, shaking loose negative habits so that something new and better can take their place. (Susan Taylor in Black Pearls by Eric V. Copage, 22 November) 29 November 2011

2011-11-28T09:10:00.001-05:00

Blackwater Falls, WV (Photo: Mr. Dickie)

Let go of your attachment to responsibilities that others have given you without your consent. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom Of The Ages, p. 235) 28 November 2011

Manifestation

2011-11-27T08:07:00.001-05:00

Remove from your vocabulary statements about anything that you do not want to manifest into your life. Catch yourself when announcing your ailments, fatigues, or fears, and stay silent rather than radiating a self-fulfilling prophecy. (Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Wisdom Of The Ages, p. 221-22)

******

We accomplished a major Fall yard project yesterday. I trimmed the edges of the yard and then set the mower one notch lower before mowing to remove as much grass and leaves as possible. Rick offered us some of the mulch he had delivered to his house. I brought many loads across the street and Melva and I spread the mulch in the front yard. We worked until both of us were ready to drop. Maybe we will try to mulch the backyard another day.

While I was out in front of the house, Paul C., the real estate agent, stopped to tell me he sold the house on Hendricks where there have been issues since 1978 when we bought our house. If the deal goes through this house that's been vacant for a couple of years will have someone else looking after it by sometime in December. I wonder if someone bought it on speculation. That wouldn't surprise me.

I'm listening to Los Indios Tabajaras this morning. Thanks Bob R. for the speakers. This is music I downloaded from the Freegal application at the county library. Very cool!

Mr. Dickie
27 November 2011

History

2011-11-26T09:08:00.001-05:00

[Throughout history] Dishonorable, cowardly decisions invariably have led us to corruption and destruction. Honorable, visionary decisions have led us to creation and advancement. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 21 November) 26 November 2011

Daily Differences

2011-11-25T10:54:00.001-05:00

Blackwater Falls, WV (Photo - Mr. Dickie)

We must not ... ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee. (Marian Wright Edelman, In God's Care, 19 November ) 25 November 2011

Blessings

2011-11-24T08:09:00.001-05:00

Today be thankful for your blessings and share with those not so well-blessed. Be grateful for your talents. Use some degree of those talents to help those in need. (Helen Steiner Rice, From The Heart, 19 November)

******

I'm working on a project to organize photographs stored on a 4Gb thumb drive. My goal is to make it easier to find the photos I want. I'm creating new folders with more meaningful names. Then I'm moving the photos into the new folders.

The three of us celebrated Thanksgiving a day early. Yesterday we went to eat lunch at Pirate's Cove in Galesville, MD on the West River, south of Annapolis and about thirty miles from our house . We had crab soup and crab for the main course too. We arrived when they opened which allowed us to enjoy our time together without children or much noise from others talking.

Mr. Dickie

24 November 2011

Flawed Processes

2011-11-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

Flawed assessment and decision-making processes are what tend to get many people into trouble and bring them disappointment, resentment, failure, and severe negative consequences. (Mary Ellen O'Toole, Dangerous Instincts, p. 28)

******

Last night while channel surfing I found a very nice two-hour program about ventriloquist Jeff Dunham on Biography. I started watching at the halfway point. They repeated the program again immediately following the one I watched. I stayed with it in order to see the whole thing.

In Maryland, where we live, there are many state trust funds earmarked for specific purposes. For example, Chesapeake Bay Cleanup. Millions of dollars in taxation have been approved to obtain the money for these trusts. I watched a television report about how the lawmakers are diverting these monies for unauthorized purposes. Of course, there is little discussion because they don't want the public to be aware of what's going on. It's one more indicator of the fact that our government no longer works and that we have elected the wrong people. I'd venture to guess that this isn't a situation that is limited only to the state of Maryland. Enough is Enough!

Mr. Dickie

23 November 2011

Companions

2011-11-22T07:45:00.001-05:00

The quality of my journey is largely defined by the quality of my companions. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 9 November)

******

On Sunday and Monday night I watched the two-part documentary about Woody Allen on PBS. I thought the show was outstanding. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in the history of American film making over the last forty years.

Mr. Dickie

22 November 2011

Responsibility

2011-11-21T08:20:00.001-05:00

Sideling Hill on Interstate 68 in Maryland

... responsibility for the pain that accompanies poor choice is always our own. (Casey and Vanceburg, The Promise Of A New Day, 18 November)

******

Last night I was channel surfing when I noticed they were showing Part One of a two-part program about Woody Allen on PBS. One thing I liked about this program was that Woody Allen himself talked about many aspects of his life. Often this type of program relies on what others remember, rather than interviews with the featured person. They showed the program twice. That allowed me to watch the part of the program I'd missed before I found it. They talked about many Woody Allen movies I haven't seen. I was particularly interested in the black and white film, Manhattan. I was also reminded how much I enjoyed his movie Bananas many years ago.

Skype seems to be broken. It crashes when I attempt to view my own profile. This is the second time there have been problems running the program on my laptop. I'm getting frustrated.

Mr. Dickie

21 November 2011

Present Company

2011-11-20T08:47:00.001-05:00

Potomac River at Cumberland, Maryland

I am in the company of people who are important to me every day. (In God's Care, 13 November) 20 November

Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa

2011-11-19T07:42:00.001-05:00

The more we endure with patience and grace, the stronger we grow and the more we can face. (Helen Steiner Rice, From The Heart, 12 November)

******

Last night I attended a Bluegrass concert performed by Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa at the Baptist Church in Crofton, MD. I knew about the performance because Mr. Taylor posted an "event" on Facebook. The bass and mandolin players came down from Ontario, Canada and the banjo player came from South Carolina. There were other guests who also performed. It was a wonderful show of just over two hours. I took a few pictures during the show. This time I got up and went to the front. This made a big difference in how the flash worked. I enjoyed talking for a few minutes with each of the band members.

Just before intermission they passed the collection plates. During the break I purchased the latest CD of the band, "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Day" and the latest CD of mandolin player, Emory Lester, "Reminiscing Today."

Have you listened to any live music lately? It's a good thing to do.

Mr. Dickie

19 November 2011

Peak Experience

2011-11-18T07:51:00.001-05:00

A peak experience is more of an indication of what can be than a stable state of being. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 6 November) 18 November 2011

******

Yesterday morning, Cyndi and I attended the NARFE Health Benefit meeting at the Old Bowie City Hall. We spent quite a bit of time talking to the GEHA representative. We are both concerned about whether I need to make changes in the health coverage for Melva and myself.

After the meeting Cyndi dropped me off at the Senior Center where I attended the meeting of the computer club. Member, Bob Davis, gave the talk on three interesting subjects: making your own two-sided, colored, business cards, wireless earphones for TV viewing, and 3-D television. I thought he did a great job.

In the evening I used Skype to have a video chat with computer club member and Facebook buddy, Dan L. Cyndi was on the other computer at the same time having a video chat with her friend in Germany. That was fun.

Mr. Dickie
18 November 2011

Wanting Things

2011-11-17T08:00:00.001-05:00

Are you still wanting things that will be forgotten when they go out of style? (Steve Case, Everything Counts, 12 November) 17 November 2011

******

Yesterday Cyndi and I went to Bethesda to visit her storage bin. We dropped off her bike and a box of items and picked up some winter shoes and clothing.

As part of my project to remove clutter from the house we stopped at the thrift store to make a donation. We dropped off twelve cartons of VCR and cassette tapes I'd recorded over time. I considered about putting the boxes in Cyndi's storage. When I came to grips with the fact that this would just put those boxes "out of sight and out of mind" I realized it was time to eliminate those boxes from our lives.

Cyndi and I ate lunch at La Madeleline on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. This was the first time I'd been to this place. The Washington, DC restaurant used to supply food for WAMU-FM during the fund raising campaigns. Two of Cyndi's girl friends arrived after we finished eating. I moved next door to the Caribou coffee shop where I ate a couple of chocolate cookies while I read a book about Google Chrome in have checked out of the library.

In the evening I watched the two and a half hour Wednesday night, streaming video show from the Loveless Cafe in Nashville, TN on Music City Roots. The show was a tribute to Tom T. Hall. His wife, Dixie, was also there. The hosts were Eric Brace and Peter Cooper. There were many other performers on the stage. I didn't catch the names of all of them. The ones I wrote down were: Buddy Miller, Gary Bennett, Lloyd Green, Matraca Berg, Duane Eddy, Tommy Womack, Fayssoux Starling McLean (married at one time to John Starling of the Bluegrass band, Seldom Scene). One song that made me laugh was, "Ain't He A Big Pig?" Tom T. sang several songs at the end of the program. He did a great job on "Old Dogs and Children and Watermelon Wine." This time I was able to post a clickable link to the performance on my Facebook wall. I wonder if any of my Facebook friends took advantage of it. During the show I kept thinking about how much more interesting this program is than the Grand Ole Opry shows.

Mr. Dickie

17 November 2011

Suspension

2011-11-16T08:05:00.001-05:00

To wait for someone else, or to expect someone else to make my life richer, or fuller, or more satisfying, puts me in a constant state of suspension. (Kathleen Tierney Andrus in The Promise Of A New Day by Casey and Vanceburg, 23 October) 16 November 2011

Troubles

2011-11-15T08:28:00.001-05:00

All the troubles of life come upon us because we refuse to sit quietly for awhile each day in our rooms. (Blaise Pascal in In God's Care, 12 November)

Priorities

2011-11-14T08:40:00.001-05:00

Maybe you will have to readjust your priorities. Maybe you will have to say "no" to certain activities or demands. Whatever it takes, make time to be alone with God. (Billy Graham, Hope For Each Day, 18 October) 14 November 2011

Realism

2011-11-13T08:12:00.001-05:00

To cope effectively with problems or to rise triumphantly to challenges may require courage, patience, sustained energy, and imagination, but it also requires something even more basic: realism. (Joan Bel Geddes in Believing In Myself by Larsen and Hegarty, 4 November)

******

My timing is off. I wasn't able to pick up my photos at Target yesterday. Cyndi stopped at the store too early. The photo shop wasn't open and the prints hadn't been made yet. I'll make a trip out to the store later today.

Last night I spent time playing with, and listening to, some of my music while I read ahead in the books I'm reading on a daily basis.

The visual quilting book Cyndi ordered for Melva arrived yesterday. The copy we have checked out of the library is due back at the library on Tuesday.

Mr. Dickie

13 November 2011

Emotional Detachment

2011-11-12T13:55:00.001-05:00

The purpose of emotional detachment is to keep myself from being drawn into crises ... [of other people.] (One Day At A Time In Al-Anon, 3 November)

Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T08:00:00.001-05:00

Veteran's Day - 11/11/11

War is the greatest crime man perpetrates against man.

(Zarathustra)

Integrity

2011-11-10T08:31:00.000-05:00

Integrity demands that debts must be paid. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 30 October) 10 November 2011

Skype

2011-11-09T08:16:00.000-05:00

Saint Elizabeth Seton Chapel at Emmitsburg, MD

(Photo by Mr. Dickie, 7 November 2011)

Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can. (John Wesley, in Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren W. Wiersbe, p. 680)

******

Yesterday, during a basement cleaning project Melva brought out three cardboard boxes that were stored under the stairs to the basement. These were boxes I lost track of many months ago. Near the top of one of them I found my copy of the 1870 census of Monroe County, Ohio. I'd been looking for this book for so long I forgot when I noticed it was missing. I wonder what other genealogy treasures I may find in those boxes. Melva also found the box containing the ceramic pumpkin we never seem to display for Halloween.

What fun I had last night. My very good friend from college days, Don Gardner, resolved a problem he was having with Skype and we were able to set up and enjoy a video talk between Missouri and Maryland. This was my first call outside the local area. It's a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to making many other contacts in the future. Cyndi has Skype working on the netbook too. She already talked to her friend in Germany.

After downloading some photos from Panama I discovered quite by accident that there is a program that came with the Toshiba laptop that can be used to write music files in either the CDA or MP3 formats to disc. I successfully tested the program by created two discs of Bill Evans piano music. I played the MP3 disc in the player in Melva's Toyota.

Aren't we having fun?

Mr. Dickie

9 November 2011

Don't Borrow Trouble

2011-11-08T07:48:00.000-05:00

When you borrow trouble you probably won't be asked to pay it back. (Richard Henthorn after Casey and Vanceburg, The Promise Of A New Day, 5 November) 8 November 2011

******

Yesterday Melva and I went to Emmitsburg, MD to visit the National Shrine Grotto of Lourdes. It was a beautiful day. The trees were still showing lots of color. We stopped to shop at two roadside stands. We ate lunch at the Cozy Inn buffet in Thurmont, MD. Thurmont is near Camp David, MD where the President has a weekend retreat.

I think the problem I was having with Skype disappeared when I turned off the screen on the laptop and just used the larger monitor. I added two more contacts. Cyndi got Skype working with the netbook computer and talked with her friend in Germany.

Mr. Dickie

8 November 2011

Charlie Byrd

2011-11-07T09:34:00.000-05:00

Today maintain an attitude of thanksgiving. Be thankful for all events in your life: sorrows and joys, failures and successes, the valleys and the mountains. (Helen Steiner Rice, From The Heart, 29 October)

******

I was trying to make Skype work with Facebook. That didn't go well. I have no idea what happened. Now I can't get Skype to pop out of the tool tray. I thought it was going to be easy to install and use Skype. It's beginning to look like I got ahead of myself. There's always something.

I'm listening to some Charlie Byrd music from his album - Brazilian Byrd this morning. Yesterday I copied some music from my Oasis device to the Toshiba laptop.

Mr. Dickie

7 November 2011

Writing On The Wall

2011-11-06T08:52:00.000-05:00

Just because you refuse to read the writing on the wall doesn't mean you haven't been warned. (Larsen and Hegarty, Believing In Myself, 28 October) 6 November 2011

Today Is

2011-11-05T18:13:00.000-04:00

Yesterday is a canceled check.

Tomorrow is a promissory note.

Today is the only cash you have, so invest it wisely.

(Warren W. Wiersbe, Chapter-By-Chapter Bible Commentary, p. 678)

******

When I ripped some music from CDs I saved them in the WMA format. Later I learned that it would have been better to have them in MP3 format. This format seems to work well with Google Music, Spotify and other things I like to do. I downloaded and installed a program called: Switch Sound File Converter from NCH Software. I used this program to convert the files from WMA to MP3.

I also downloaded and installed a file manager program called Double Commander which displays two file lists at the same time. This is very handy if you want to quickly selected and drag and drop files to copy from one folder to another. I made good use of this program during the music file conversions. One feature that was particularly useful was the ability to search for files with a particular file extension. For example: when I thought I was nearing the end of the file conversion project I checked to see if there were files with the extension "*.WMA" that I'd missed.

During the last week I installed the Skype program on the laptop. I added computer club member, Dan L., as my first contact. I received my first call this evening when Dan noticed that I had Skype running and called. It took a minute to get my bearings and turn off some music I had playing on the computer. We conducted a nice video call of more than thirty minutes. At the end we hung up and I practiced calling Dan back to make sure I could initiate a call from my end. I think we are ready to encourage some relatives in Panama to get Skype working.

Mr. Dickie

5 November 2011