Wiser on Wednesday - Four Women

Four Women - Nina Simone

My skin is black
My arms are long
My hair is wooly
My back is strong
Strong enough to take the pain
It’s been inflicted again and again
What do they call me
My name is aunt sarah
My name is aunt sarah

My skin is yellow
My hair is long
Between two worlds
I do belong
My father was rich and white
He forced my mother late one night
What do they call me
My name is siffronia
My name is siffronia

My skin is tan
My hair’s alright, it’s fine
My hips invite you
And my lips are like wine
Whose little girl am i?
Well yours if you have some money to buy
What do they call me
My name is sweet thing
My name is sweet thing

My skin is brown
And my manner is tough
I’ll kill the first mother I see
Cos my life has been too rough
I’m awfully bitter these days
Because my parents were slaves
What do they call me
My
Name
Is
Peaches

A link to the song...Thanks Rethabile! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yWOVrwe1Zw&feature=player_embedded

Two-s Day: Two Perspectives - One situation

Subject: Dear Diary

DOG'S DIARY ENTRIES...
8:00 am Dog food!
My favorite thing!
9:30 am A car ride!
My favorite thing!
9:40 am A walk in the park!
My favorite thing!
10:30 am Got rubbed and petted!
My favorite thing!
12:00 pm Lunch!
My favorite thing!
1:00 pm Played in the yard!
My favorite thing!
3:00 pm Wagged my tail!
My favorite thing!
5:00 pm Milk bones!
My favorite thing!
7:00 pm Got to play ball!
My favorite thing!
8:00 pm Wow! Watched TV with my master!
My favorite thing!
11:00 pm Sleeping on the bed!
My favorite thing!

Excerpts from a Cat's Daily Diary: Day 683 of my captivity:

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength. The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the floor. Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. The audacity! There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage. Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow -- but at the top of the stairs.I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released --and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded! The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. The captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe....... for now....

I'd rather be quilting... and the concept of Value

You may remember my entry about quilting back in August 2009 http://aclearerday.blogspot.com/2009_08_01_archive.html

My friend and instructor thought out loud that journaling about this quilting journey and process might be fun and certainly funny a year from now. So hear goes:

As I've mentioned my friend has tried for over twenty years to get me to quilt. So last year I started and when she and the videos and the books started talking about color value and intensity and shading ...well let's just say my first quilt was black and white! (we'll go into how that wasn't the true escape I'd thought it'd be another day)

So I am starting another piecing project - that's when you design and trace and cut the small pieces that you sew together to make the top (what I use to call the "quilt" - see I'm learning) Actually I use to call "piecing" quilting, but quilting is the small intricate designs you sew onto the top - okay yes I digress.
Back to value - so this new project I am pushing myself toward color. I had some various greens and found a lovely gold fabric for the background and I thought I was set. But what do I learn? that although each fabric was different in color and size of print the Values were too similar - meaning they were all dark and in the same color category (I think that's what it means) . So yesterday my friend pushes me to go to the local quilt shop and talk with the women there.

Well! they were nice but the colors they selected were so different. I mean I know they are experts and they knew exactly what my friend was talking about... but seriously the colors they selected were so pale! They were mostly white backgrounds and believe you me I don't think they "go" at all!

I told my friend this morning and she's laughing at me probably even now. She says to include them and see what happens. okaaay. she says send her a picture of the fabrics so she can see. okaay. and even though I began to see what they each were talking about as they selected fabric and I selected fabric... I'm still contemplating making a name for myself as the black and white quilting queen.! :-/

Wiser on Wednesday - December 2, 2009

PUNCTUATE the sentence below. Do not rearrange the words. Scroll down to see how it tends to shake out.


WOMAN WITHOUT HER MAN IS NOTHING

Perspective and experience is an amazing influence on how we understand and interpret our world. It affects how we read, how we internalize. This is an "icebreaker" I've used when I begin a group or bible study. It helps orient people to each other's differences and varying perspectives.

WOMAN! WITHOUT HER, MAN IS NOTHING. (women usually punctuate this way)

WOMAN, WITHOUT HER MAN, IS NOTHING. (men usually punctuate this way)

very in-ter-resting!