"We cannot do great things on this Earth. We can only do small things with great love." Mother Theresa.
Am reading a report for the Department of Social Services called Family Networks Area Lead Agencies and Regional Resourse Centers. The proposal will be distributing 135,000,000$ to our area to agencies providing services for at risk families as well as for children in fostercare, specialized care, and residential.
After I read the proposal I will be meeting with a group of eight professionals to go over bids from various agencies who want to provide the services needed.
The Head of the Plymouth DSS asked me to be on this committee. Two weeks before DSS had called and wanted me to take a six year old retarded girl who had never lived in a normal home. I had to say no because, well because we already have ten people in the house and one toilet.
Its hard to say no to a child in need. Well it is for me. Apparently not for other people or there wouldnt be 25 kids a day sitting around in various DSS offices waiting for placement in Massachusetts. Nor would there be 4,300 children freed for adoption in this state still waiting for a forever family.
But there really is no room in the Inn. So I am sitting trying to decipher that math of these proposals and I am having a bit of trouble understanding what the numbers mean. I glance at the list of other people on the committee, they might be all smarter than me. Everyone of them is doing this as part of their job. They all work in Human Services.
So I think of the Mother Theresa quote. "We cannot do great things on this earth. we can only do small things with great love."
My small thing use to be a new foster baby every spring. 14 years and dozens of kids: sibling groups, special needs, 5 kids in diapers at once. I liked my "small thing " very much.
"You cannot save the whole world" Don would say if the court or the Department made the wrong plan for the children. And he is correct. He and Mother Theresa.
Therefore tonight I will pour over the statistics again and try a new way to help kids in need. I will plow thru the paperwork and statistics and make good decisions to help kids.
But it sure was more fun to hold a drug baby....HerMajesty
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Sunday, March 20, 2005
what's a little flirting amoung friends
I feel like this is a post from Carrie on Sex and the City. Do men and women mean different things when they flirt?
One day on a ride home from a rabbit show, Lil said the most amazing thing. She said that her Husband said that men and women do not mean the same thing when they flirt. According to Craig, when a man is flirting, at the back of his mind he thinks it might come true. He understands that it probably a fantasy, but when men flirt they mean it!
Well I could not even get my mind around the concept. It could not possibly be true, could it?
"Well I love to flirt," I replied with some consternation. "But of course I don't mean it, and neither do they."
But according to Craig, a part of them does mean it or they wouldn't say it. They only flirt with a woman who they might think of in "that way."
Well....
Naturally my mind raced to every flirty conversation I ever had with a guy. (And I remembered them all, beiieve me I have total recall:>) Could it possibly be true that a tiny part of the guys harbored the slightest hope that something could come about? So I blushed and I stammered and finally responded. "But Lil he cannot mean every man, and everytime, after all your husband is one of my most favorite flirty guys!"
Of course that silenced her! "Go home and ask him again and tell him I am blown away by this and I have to know if its true."
I lay awake that night thinking and thinking and thinking.
At the very next rabbit show a bunch of us, ladies, were sitting around chatting. Along came Tony and Neal two of the most greatest guys: Funny, warm, attractive....
So I cornered them between the carry cages and told them what Lil said that Craig said. As I recall Carl and a guy I didn't know were also trapped into this interrogation."Well, well, is it true? It cannot be true right? It isn't true right?"
Somehow those guys got away without ever quite answering the question! Pam and Lil claim that is an answer in itself....
Lil brought up the night at Convention when we were having drinks at the bar and horsing around. Afterwards a couple of the guys walked us back to the room. Which by the way, I thought was very nice of them. According to Lil however they assumed they were going in our room.
Now that simply boggles the mind....so the question of the week gentleman is: Is it true?
hmmmm maybe either lil is getting me INTO trouble or she saved me from a heck of trouble HerMajesty
One day on a ride home from a rabbit show, Lil said the most amazing thing. She said that her Husband said that men and women do not mean the same thing when they flirt. According to Craig, when a man is flirting, at the back of his mind he thinks it might come true. He understands that it probably a fantasy, but when men flirt they mean it!
Well I could not even get my mind around the concept. It could not possibly be true, could it?
"Well I love to flirt," I replied with some consternation. "But of course I don't mean it, and neither do they."
But according to Craig, a part of them does mean it or they wouldn't say it. They only flirt with a woman who they might think of in "that way."
Well....
Naturally my mind raced to every flirty conversation I ever had with a guy. (And I remembered them all, beiieve me I have total recall:>) Could it possibly be true that a tiny part of the guys harbored the slightest hope that something could come about? So I blushed and I stammered and finally responded. "But Lil he cannot mean every man, and everytime, after all your husband is one of my most favorite flirty guys!"
Of course that silenced her! "Go home and ask him again and tell him I am blown away by this and I have to know if its true."
I lay awake that night thinking and thinking and thinking.
At the very next rabbit show a bunch of us, ladies, were sitting around chatting. Along came Tony and Neal two of the most greatest guys: Funny, warm, attractive....
So I cornered them between the carry cages and told them what Lil said that Craig said. As I recall Carl and a guy I didn't know were also trapped into this interrogation."Well, well, is it true? It cannot be true right? It isn't true right?"
Somehow those guys got away without ever quite answering the question! Pam and Lil claim that is an answer in itself....
Lil brought up the night at Convention when we were having drinks at the bar and horsing around. Afterwards a couple of the guys walked us back to the room. Which by the way, I thought was very nice of them. According to Lil however they assumed they were going in our room.
Now that simply boggles the mind....so the question of the week gentleman is: Is it true?
hmmmm maybe either lil is getting me INTO trouble or she saved me from a heck of trouble HerMajesty
Friday, March 18, 2005
Tech-knowledgy
For Christmas the children got me a little webcam that hooks up to my laptop. It captures what it can see from its little shelf next to the computer and transmits it ...where?
Well that's just it. I am not sure where it tranmits too, or how. (Quite frankly I don't know the answer to why either. Why would someone want to see the view from the little shelf next to my computer?)
I would like to set up the webcam and play with it. I know it can take photos and then I can play with the microsoft photoshop with it. Maybe I can use the Hello photo thing with it too. I am not sure. I tried playing with it during Christmas time. But quite frankly sometimes I got it to do what I wanted and sometimes not. It all seemed rather random.
In my mind I was following directions exactly. But apparently I was not. Things either worked as they should or something unexpected would happen. There was even a brief hope that I had discovered how to make a mini film with it.
But it is all for not. Almost three months have gone by and I don't remember what I learned and what I forgot. Its all vaguely familiar...
All of this techno. has made me contemplative. I can use the answer machine on the phone to record messages. But I have no idea how to retrieve said messages from an outside phone.
My landline even has the capability to hold dozens of friends numbers in its memory. But my own memory cannot remember how to program the phone to begin with.
Confession time: Pretty much the only time I use the microwave is to reheat things. I always keep the washingmachine on large load and cold/warm. It never occurs to me to activate the cruise control on the van. And of course I have never ever figured out how to tape something with the VCR and now VCRs are passe.
However, I have my little laptop and am determined to discover all its secrets. I instant message. I have my favorite cartoon strip programmed into my "favorites" so each morning I can start my day with a laugh. (For Better or Worse, incase you too like comics.)
I have two email addresses and my own webpage with geocities. (Not that I have looked at it in three months!) I even have my blog, all of a week old!
But I couldnt install a counter on the blog without the help of all the computer nerds I know. I still cannot get my link thingies to look right. And although I did upload a picture, I am still fuzzy as to the details of the manuever!
I want the computer to be more than just a marvelous encyclopedia. Although finding out every obscure factoid I ever wondered about is certainly not a bad way to spend an evening!
I love keeping track of Mary via instant message. Also, how great is it to dash off an email or gmail whenever the mood strikes!
But I would feel a great success if only I could fix the link part of my blog. And wouldnt it be wonderful if the webcam on my little shelf could broadcasts its vision to , to , to wherever its suppose too! HerMajesty00
Well that's just it. I am not sure where it tranmits too, or how. (Quite frankly I don't know the answer to why either. Why would someone want to see the view from the little shelf next to my computer?)
I would like to set up the webcam and play with it. I know it can take photos and then I can play with the microsoft photoshop with it. Maybe I can use the Hello photo thing with it too. I am not sure. I tried playing with it during Christmas time. But quite frankly sometimes I got it to do what I wanted and sometimes not. It all seemed rather random.
In my mind I was following directions exactly. But apparently I was not. Things either worked as they should or something unexpected would happen. There was even a brief hope that I had discovered how to make a mini film with it.
But it is all for not. Almost three months have gone by and I don't remember what I learned and what I forgot. Its all vaguely familiar...
All of this techno. has made me contemplative. I can use the answer machine on the phone to record messages. But I have no idea how to retrieve said messages from an outside phone.
My landline even has the capability to hold dozens of friends numbers in its memory. But my own memory cannot remember how to program the phone to begin with.
Confession time: Pretty much the only time I use the microwave is to reheat things. I always keep the washingmachine on large load and cold/warm. It never occurs to me to activate the cruise control on the van. And of course I have never ever figured out how to tape something with the VCR and now VCRs are passe.
However, I have my little laptop and am determined to discover all its secrets. I instant message. I have my favorite cartoon strip programmed into my "favorites" so each morning I can start my day with a laugh. (For Better or Worse, incase you too like comics.)
I have two email addresses and my own webpage with geocities. (Not that I have looked at it in three months!) I even have my blog, all of a week old!
But I couldnt install a counter on the blog without the help of all the computer nerds I know. I still cannot get my link thingies to look right. And although I did upload a picture, I am still fuzzy as to the details of the manuever!
I want the computer to be more than just a marvelous encyclopedia. Although finding out every obscure factoid I ever wondered about is certainly not a bad way to spend an evening!
I love keeping track of Mary via instant message. Also, how great is it to dash off an email or gmail whenever the mood strikes!
But I would feel a great success if only I could fix the link part of my blog. And wouldnt it be wonderful if the webcam on my little shelf could broadcasts its vision to , to , to wherever its suppose too! HerMajesty00
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Saint Patrick's Day
Have to pick up the cabbage this morning for the St. Patty's dinner tonight. Will even make a green dessert to honor Celia and James Gibbons who came over from Ireland in the late 1880s. They met here in Massachusetts, married and had 8 healthy children. Their oldest Charles married Margaret Duffey (Nana Gibbons) and Charles and Maggie, as she was called, had Mary(Nana.)
Nana Gibbons was only 18 when she gave birth to her oldest. She wanted to name Nana Marie. But the elderly priest was appalled. "You'll not be bastardizing the name of the Holy Mother this girl is Mary, not Marie."
Maggie Gibbons had to give in and legally it was Mary Gibbons,. But all her life she was called Marie and in tribute to her own mother's act of rebellion, Marie named HER second daughter Marie. (my mom).
Marie's second daughter Susan (me) has Marie for her middle name, as does her second daughter Julie.
So we will do it up green in honor of those Irish forbears, known and as yet unknown. Maggie Duffey came from the Tewksbury Almshouse, why she was there is still a mystery. Her father was English and her mother Irish and she may have had a younger brother there with her. Did her own Irish mother succome to illness? was there insanity? abandonment? the mystery slowly unfolds as we go thru the papers of the past.
When we were kids we always went to the St Patrick's day parade in Southie where my grandmother lived. And had cornbeef and cabbage with lots of butter! But I draw a line at the Irish soda bread, with raisons. Ick that awful Irish soda bread. I swear thats how young Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland. He threatened them with that god-aweful soda bred.
Erin go bragh!!!! herMajesty
Nana Gibbons was only 18 when she gave birth to her oldest. She wanted to name Nana Marie. But the elderly priest was appalled. "You'll not be bastardizing the name of the Holy Mother this girl is Mary, not Marie."
Maggie Gibbons had to give in and legally it was Mary Gibbons,. But all her life she was called Marie and in tribute to her own mother's act of rebellion, Marie named HER second daughter Marie. (my mom).
Marie's second daughter Susan (me) has Marie for her middle name, as does her second daughter Julie.
So we will do it up green in honor of those Irish forbears, known and as yet unknown. Maggie Duffey came from the Tewksbury Almshouse, why she was there is still a mystery. Her father was English and her mother Irish and she may have had a younger brother there with her. Did her own Irish mother succome to illness? was there insanity? abandonment? the mystery slowly unfolds as we go thru the papers of the past.
When we were kids we always went to the St Patrick's day parade in Southie where my grandmother lived. And had cornbeef and cabbage with lots of butter! But I draw a line at the Irish soda bread, with raisons. Ick that awful Irish soda bread. I swear thats how young Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland. He threatened them with that god-aweful soda bred.
Erin go bragh!!!! herMajesty
Monday, March 14, 2005
discs and cds
My goal this week is to find the two or three computer discs that contain the copy of my novel. I cannot even remember if they are on two discs or more. Frankly I am still hung up over the fact that they are called discs at all. They are in the shape of squares anyway. And why floppy discs? They are rather firm.
But I need to burn a cd of the novel from the floppies. I wonder if the cds can then be edited like the floppies?
I have the three ring binder of the novel with all the spell corrections in it. I guess I shouldve done that on the floppies....and double spaced...and numbered the pages....and got a word count.
Well I am gifted with perfect hindsight. Think how many fewer mistakes I will make with novel number two.
So far I needed the computer help of Joe and Mary and Ahn just to get the Blog going- not to mention the moral support of Pj Margo and Donnie. Hopefully the training wheels for the blog come off in a hurry and I can go solo. lol A mixture of metaphors, but then I work nights and lose brain cells! herMajesty
But I need to burn a cd of the novel from the floppies. I wonder if the cds can then be edited like the floppies?
I have the three ring binder of the novel with all the spell corrections in it. I guess I shouldve done that on the floppies....and double spaced...and numbered the pages....and got a word count.
Well I am gifted with perfect hindsight. Think how many fewer mistakes I will make with novel number two.
So far I needed the computer help of Joe and Mary and Ahn just to get the Blog going- not to mention the moral support of Pj Margo and Donnie. Hopefully the training wheels for the blog come off in a hurry and I can go solo. lol A mixture of metaphors, but then I work nights and lose brain cells! herMajesty
Sunday, March 13, 2005
Getting started
Ok so I thought of being a blogger....then suddenly it became fashionable. But in my mind I had the idea first. I also thought of Poker and pants that changed into shorts but did not pattern my idea, sigh.
Mary set up my blog to surprise me and then I was off and running. Except for one small detail. How do you send your blog addy to friends? Well it would appear to be simple but it was not.
I frantically emailed Joe various addy's that I thought would work but he kept hitting a wall. (He may actaully have hit his kitchen wall in frustration with me but luckily I could not witness that in cyberspace!)
Finally he created his own blog http://kcil22.blogspot.com just so he could see the screen and steps required to tell ME how to send my addy to him. Sigh... he accuses me of creating this entire event just so I would have something to blog about. Which is completely untrue of course, but then again who could resist mentioning it?
So I am now blog ready, with just a few unanswered questions. How do I set up photos on my blog? And how do I create links for it? And most importantly, does anyone over the age of say 35 actually blog? Not that I don't love my young computer friends (hi Matt, hi Ali, how's it going Ahn?)
It seems like such a minor thing to have to come up with actual blog topics....Well I am going to head to Mary's cemetary blog and see if I can link her to me, then I can be smart by association! Her Majesty
Mary set up my blog to surprise me and then I was off and running. Except for one small detail. How do you send your blog addy to friends? Well it would appear to be simple but it was not.
I frantically emailed Joe various addy's that I thought would work but he kept hitting a wall. (He may actaully have hit his kitchen wall in frustration with me but luckily I could not witness that in cyberspace!)
Finally he created his own blog http://kcil22.blogspot.com just so he could see the screen and steps required to tell ME how to send my addy to him. Sigh... he accuses me of creating this entire event just so I would have something to blog about. Which is completely untrue of course, but then again who could resist mentioning it?
So I am now blog ready, with just a few unanswered questions. How do I set up photos on my blog? And how do I create links for it? And most importantly, does anyone over the age of say 35 actually blog? Not that I don't love my young computer friends (hi Matt, hi Ali, how's it going Ahn?)
It seems like such a minor thing to have to come up with actual blog topics....Well I am going to head to Mary's cemetary blog and see if I can link her to me, then I can be smart by association! Her Majesty
Saturday, March 12, 2005
? for mary
Mary I have a ? how do I make this my blog? How do I change the settings. I cannot seem to from my computer. It sent me an invite as if it were yuor blog not mine HEEEELLLLP I want my own blog. love mom
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Ta da!
Hello, Momma!
Welcome to the exciting world of web logging - blogging!
There are lots of sites that host blogs, but Blogger is a very common and easy to use one, so I've set up this account for you! You can now change the name and all your preferences, and after you've set it up as you like, I will remove myself from this blog - and it's all yours!
You can post pictures, like this:
You can update your blog as often as you like, and keep in mind that it is a public website - anyone can read it. But in reality, mostly only your friends who know about your site read it. If any of your friends are interested in blogging, you can invite them to join and you can all read each others. Its a nice way to keep up to date with people, especially if you don't have much of a chance to be in contact with them.
I personally use Blogger for a journal about my visits to cemeteries and use it to post my photos and research there. I also use it for some classes, where we discuss class topics with fellow students. Most people just use it as a daily journal space - as you can see, there's lots of uses for the blog!
Happy blogging =)
- Mary
Welcome to the exciting world of web logging - blogging!
There are lots of sites that host blogs, but Blogger is a very common and easy to use one, so I've set up this account for you! You can now change the name and all your preferences, and after you've set it up as you like, I will remove myself from this blog - and it's all yours!
You can post pictures, like this:
You can update your blog as often as you like, and keep in mind that it is a public website - anyone can read it. But in reality, mostly only your friends who know about your site read it. If any of your friends are interested in blogging, you can invite them to join and you can all read each others. Its a nice way to keep up to date with people, especially if you don't have much of a chance to be in contact with them.
I personally use Blogger for a journal about my visits to cemeteries and use it to post my photos and research there. I also use it for some classes, where we discuss class topics with fellow students. Most people just use it as a daily journal space - as you can see, there's lots of uses for the blog!
Happy blogging =)
- Mary
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