3+ good things (Veteran’s Day version) November 12, 2009
Posted by Beth in 3 Good Things.Tags: 3 Good Things
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1. My Dad- WWII
2.My Grandfather- WWI
3. My Great Uncle – WWI
3+. My father-in-law WWII
I am grateful for their courage to fight for our freedom, and for the fact that they survived.
(I am also grateful to Rational Jenn for the idea of this tribute.)
Addendum 11/13/09: Catching up on my reading, I came across the following excellent summary of “What We Owe Our Soldiers“:
What we owe these men who fight so bravely for their and our freedom is to send them to war only when that freedom is truly threatened, and to make every effort to protect their lives during war–by providing them with the most advantageous weapons, training, strategy, and tactics possible.
3 good things (A Day in the City version) November 10, 2009
Posted by Beth in 3 Good Things, Art.Tags: 3 Good Things
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Yesterday I went to the SF-MOMA special exhibit of the photography of Richard Avedon. What a fabulous way to spend the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall.
1) 3 good friends
2) A walk through Yerba Buena Garden memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr.
“And we are determined…to work and fight until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.”
3) The Richard Avedon exhibit itself. 3 of my favorites:
And a bonus:
In a display case, there was a book of Avedon’s portraits opened to a 2 page spread which I thought was rather prescient: Senator Obama on one page and Jimmy Carter on the other.
3 good things (rainy day version) November 6, 2009
Posted by Beth in 3 Good Things.Tags: 3 Good Things
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1. On rainy days, its so much easier to get motivated to do those in-door tasks that really need to be done–like laundry, and a letter to my Congresswoman.
2. Something about clouds and rain are oddly calming and contemplative—a nice rest from the usual frenzy.
3. It’s a great excuse to build a fire and eat soup.
3 good things (sunny day version) November 5, 2009
Posted by Beth in Uncategorized.Tags: 3 Good Things
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1. It’s November, 60 degrees, yet sunny and warm on my deck.
2. The wind is strong, and ocean’s the sapphire-brilliance is speckled white.
3. I actually have the time today to sit and listen to Yaron Brook’s lecture series “The Corporation” which UPS delivered yesterday.
Halloween Re-Cap November 5, 2009
Posted by Beth in Miscellaneous Musings, Personal.Tags: family, musings
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I had a great Halloween!
At the local thrift store, Twice As Nice, I stumbled on a spooky, fun and inexpensive find:
69 cent electric eyeballs that fade from red to blue to green to orange and back. Initially I bought 10 for my daughter’s birthday to give away as a party favor, but we forgot to give them out. The day before Halloween, I went back, expecting them to be all sold out but hit the jackpot. Nobody else seems to have discovered just how cool these eyeballs are–so I bought the rest, about 40 in all. I placed them all along the walk and the stairs up to our front door, and then around the corners of our front porch. Here’s a part of the effect:
The rest of the porch is “decked out” with a variety of ghouls, ghosts and skeletons which I have purchased through the years–almost always the day after Halloween at 50% off. The pirate head is sound-activated and drops down on a string then slowly ascends while calling out gruff and nasty warnings: turn back or face your DOO-O-O-O-O-M. etc. The bat actually flaps its wings and flies around in a circle. And of course there are the obligatory fake spider webs draped all over everything, conveniently sticking to the stucco and hanging potted plants. The more benign decorations are left over from when the kids were younger. It seems their fascination with ugly and dead has only grown through the years.
Just as last year, my kids had great costumes. This year, Eva was a 1940’s pin-up girl, complete in black and white. Ben was another anime character, this time Wolfwood from Trigun.
For the past few years, they’ve gone out on their own with friends while Jon and I get to stay at home and hand out candy, checking out all the creative costumes as the kids traipse through our neighborhood. For two hours, the doorbell is constantly ringing, and the street is flowing with trick-or-treaters. We probably had over 100 come to our door. I am always careful to buy lots of candy, saving all the good stuff (Heath bars, Reece’s cups, dark chocolate kisses) for last so if when I over estimate, it’s only another plus!
As a final treat for you readers, I link to an article that looks at Halloween as a lesson in economics: an opportunity to experience the value and benevolence of free trade!
Halloween and its Candy Economy
I know I sure got my share of enjoyment in exchange for the sweets I gave away!!
AisA Academy 