Category: Share My World

WORLD SHARING IN A WET APRIL – Marilyn Armstrong

Share Your World 4-22-19

Was the last thing you read digital or print?

Digital and it was “The Mueller Report.” Otherwise, most of my reading (other than comments and posts ) are audiobooks with a little bit on Kindle. I don’t really have a decent reading light by my bed anymore. I’m used to reading Kindle with its own backlight.

Are you more an extrovert or introvert?

It depends on the situation. I’m not good with large crowds, but I’m pretty extroverted in small groups with good friends.

How is your life different from what you imagined as a younger person?

May flocks of Goldfinch follow you everywhere

I got OLD. How did THAT happen? Worse yet, all the people who I knew when I was young — they got old TOO. That’s just not fair!

Do you think about dying?   Does death scare you?  Why or why not?

I don’t worry about dying. I worry about staying alive.

Who has been nicest to me in my life?

That is a question I cannot answer. As a start, I can’t remember all the people in my life. If whoever they were, they were part of my much younger life, I don’t remember them. Sometimes, not even a footnote.

For another … how long do we remember people? I remember asking my Aunt Kate, who was in her 80s at the time, about “life in the Old Country” and she said, “Darling, I don’t remember. It was 75 years ago.”

Titmouse and Chickadee have a turn at the feeder

Anything much that happened in my 20s I’ve mostly forgotten with a few exceptions, but the memories are going fast! Unless I still KNOW that person and can share memories, they have just slipped away. I’m sure they are in that giant hard drive in my head, but I get a lot of notifications labeled “FILE NOT FOUND.”

For another thing, “nicest” is too vague. I don’t know what it means.

SHARING MY WORLD – Marilyn Armstrong

SHARE YOUR WORLD

QUESTIONS:

Guns?  Are you pro or con?  Explain your point of view.

I am so anti-gun I don’t even know where to start. I don’t object (in theory, anyway) to hunting as long as the animal isn’t about to go extinct. There are plenty of deer and probably enough venison for all who want some.

But people? All the kids who’ve been slaughtered? People in church? People just listening to a concert? It’s not okay in any way at all and please do NOT tell me that guns don’t kill people. No gun by itself kills anything, but put it in the hands of a killer and then, they kill. And without a high-powered military-style weapon, these murderers simply could not do the amount of damage they do.

Have gun will travelI don’t want to hear about “prayers” and “thoughts.” I want laws that keep the nut cases away from powerful military-style weapons. And yes, I WOULD take away their guns, those racist losers who think murdering people in churches, concerts, or schools is the cool thing to do. I would take away their guns and their freedom for the rest of their lives.

How would your country change if everyone, regardless of age, could vote?

I’m assuming we’re talking about lowering the voting age to 16 (or something like that). Obviously, infants can’t vote.
I have no proof for any of this, but my best guess is we’d see a big change in gun laws because many, if not most, young people favor sane and sensible gun control laws.

Voting

I think you’d see a big jump in the minimum wage. Kids are often the people trying to live on that pitiful money. I’m pretty sure young people would do something to fix the cost of student loans and tuition at state universities. The rest? I don’t know but I live in hope.

What’s your cure for hiccups?

Breathing into a paper bag. If that doesn’t do it, drinking water and swallowing without inhaling first.

What’s the coldest you’ve ever been?

Those mornings when I  had to stand at the top of the driveway waiting with Kaity for her school bus.

In January, it was often below zero and there was wind, too. And the bus was almost always late. Man, that was SO cold!

If you would like, share a story, a photo or some thoughts on you may be thankful for this week!

I’m still here. Still breathing. Still writing and taking pictures. The world has not improved, but mine hasn’t gotten worse. These days, when things don’t get worse, that’s the same as better used to be!

SHARING MY WORLD – Marilyn Armstrong

Share Your World 4-8-19

QUESTIONS

What does a successful relationship look like to you?
People in harmony with each other. It doesn’t mean no one ever gets mad or fights or squabbles, but overall, a sense of contentment and ease. Comfort.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, what would you have a good chance at winning a medal for?
Cooking meals while leaving nothing to clean up. Garry could win one for “The best folder of clothing. ” He’s really good!

What do you wish you knew more about?
These days? Ornithology.

What is better in your opinion – asking for forgiveness or permission?
I’ve done both. I don’t think one is better or worse. It just depends on what is going on at the time and which action is appropriate.

What’s the best thing about your life right now?
Not working for a living. I REALLY like retirement.

SHARING THE WORLD AT THE END OF MARCH – Marilyn Armstrong

Share Your World 3-27-19

Did this month go fast or what? I swear it just streaked by! I need things to slow down a little bit!

What is the best pick me up that you know of?  To shake you out of the blues?

A great book, a good laugh, talking with a friend, writing something special. Any of these can work for me. But usually, finding the solution to whatever problem or other is stressing me is the only real solution!

What would be the title of your memoir? 

“The 12-Foot Teepee.” It’s available in paperback or on Kindle from Amazon.

Where do you like to go when you eat out?

Japanese or other Asian food. But especially sushi! Yum!

Do you believe in luck?

Well, yeah. Good luck, bad luck, no luck. Luck is just life!

Aside from necessities, what is one thing you couldn’t go a day without?

A laugh.

A DAY FOR SHARING OF THE WORLD – Marilyn Armstrong

World Sharing – SYW 3-11-19

I was feeling distinctly grouchy this morning. It is my 72nd birthday. My mother never made it this far, so I figure I’m already ahead of the game. From here on in, it’s extra innings.

I wanted to sleep late. I wanted a day off. I wanted …

The dogs were barking at 5, so I got up and gave them a cookie — and went back to bed. They barked a little more, then finally shut up. I thought I was home free, but then the phone rang. After which someone else called, and finally, one more call. These were real people, so I had to answer the calls. After each call, I drifted back to sleep, but after the final call, I realized it was futile.

No rest for the wicked.

QUESTIONS:

If you don’t think Heaven nor God exists, you might want to answer by saying something outrageous, just for fun!

And the great, deep, booming voice says: “Welcome, Marilyn. In this place, you will NEVER have to cook another meal. Ever. Unless you want to. We have our own chef who also cleans up!”

Thrown out of Heaven for the sin of pride. That first step is a long one.

And I say: “Wow. This really IS heaven!”

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

No coffee in the morning.

What do you think about when you’re alone in your car?

I’m never alone in my car.

How would you rate your memory? 

According to my neurologist, it’s fine. According to me, I want to know why I’m in the kitchen. At least I always know why I’m in the bathroom. That’s something.

What’s one song that always cheers you up, no matter how blue you’re feeling?

Pancho and Lefty. Something about the melody, the very cool lyrics — and that I think it would make a great movie.

SHARING MY WORLD – Marilyn Armstrong

SHARE YOUR WORLD – 2/25/19

Photos: (Mostly) Garry Armstrong
And here are the questions:
A gathering of Finches
What, in your opinion, is the point to life?

Honestly? To live it as best you can. That’s the whole thing.

Photo: Garry Armstrong

Do the best you can. Make the world as good as you are able. Make yourself the best version of you can. Within the limits of your physical, financial, and mental abilities, do the BEST you can.

No one can do more than that.

What was your most recent lie?  You don’t have to get really specific obviously.

I haven’t been doing much lying. I probably do the most — if you can call it that — at the doctor. I tend to say I’m fine when I’m not. But I see nothing to be gained by complaining. They know what’s going on. They know I hurt, they know the issues I’m dealing with and they are very sympathetic, so why make the visit harder?

Photo:: Garry Armstrong

Is this a real “lie” or is just avoiding making a problem worse? In some cases, it’s me trying to not waste everyone’s time explaining what everyone already knows. So I say “I’m fine” and everyone knows what I mean.

What do you think?

What country do you consider the most strange? 

I really think this is the most strange country in the world.

We aren’t one country. We are many countries glued together by a map. I don’t remember who said it — I think it was a comedian on Colbert the other night — who pointed out “where, other than the flag and possibly English, does New York have to do with Utah? Or Vermont have to do with Louisiana?

Photo: Garry Armstrong
Photo: Garry Armstrong

We are really a bunch of countries divided by huge rivers and giant mountains. We don’t share the same type of weather or speak English the same way. So of course — we don’t understand each other and that’s even when we are trying to understand.

We also have very different needs in various parts of the country. We live such different lives! Even the food we eat is different.

Photo: Garry Armstrong

We are supposed to be “one nation” but we aren’t. Various parts of the nations are shockingly different from one another.

Cities are more like each other than rural areas are. Wealthy areas are very different than poor ones.

We should be at least four, maybe five different countries. At least. Maybe more.

What’s your funniest story involving a car?

When I was learning to drive, my husband’s car was a “three on the column.” Not a four or five on the floor, but on a bar on the driver’s wheel. Since there was no fourth gear, first and third were in the same position. Up.

I had trouble remembering whether I had shifted from third to first. There were no markings on the shift, either. You couldn’t look and see where you were. You had to “feel” it.

I remember driving down the hill and thinking “Don’t forget to shift into first. Don’t forget to shift into first. Don’t forget.”

I forgot.

I stripped the gears and the transmission had to be rebuilt. Lucky it was cheaper to fix cars back then, isn’t it? Boy, did I feel STUPID!

WORLD SHARING – Marilyn Armstrong

Share Your World 2-18-19

House Finches in red
QUESTIONS:

If you didn’t have to sleep, what would you do with the extra time?

Pretty much what I already do. If I didn’t have to sleep AND I had more money, it would be a different question with more entertaining answers.

What job would you be terrible at?

I was the worst secretary of all time. I was really bad. I resented taking orders, resented being treated like a “second-rate” worker — and I quit after less than two weeks. I’m sure they were deeply grateful. Lord knows I was.

When was the last time you climbed a tree?

I wasn’t much of a tree climber even when I was a kid. The only time I remember, I stepped in a hornet’s nest which reduced my tree climbing enthusiasm by %150.

Do you count your steps? 

No.

Bonus question (just because it’s really silly)   What’s the dumbest way you’ve injured yourself?

Mostly by chopping off the tip of a finger while cutting up vegetables. I’ve done it SO MANY TIMES that I’m sure my house is full of traces of my blood. For a while, no one would let me hold a sharp object.

“PUT DOWN THAT KNIFE AND BACK AWAY FROM THE COUNTER!”

I have also slammed my finger in my desk drawer, car door, front door, and one really BIG fire door at school. There are lots more. I just can’t remember them all.