tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71948758650068198352024-12-18T22:26:49.870-05:00The occasional ramblings of a full-time writer-editor-Mom-Gramma-photographer-seamstress-personal historian...not necessarily in that order.Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-26318887206805016022022-05-10T15:55:00.000-04:002022-05-10T15:55:57.347-04:00 I love tradition, but not just all tradition; not tradition simply for tradition’s sake. Why don’t more people question tradition? Some “traditions” have no clear purpose. It’s just doing something because we’ve always done it! That I question. Why do women wear heels? And men wear ties? Because fashion dictates it? Neither practice has any clear purpose. Women talk about the discomfort of heels, but they’re afraid to break “tradition” and not wear them to work or to an event. Events or work appear to demand a tie from men. Why? It’s a fashion! Not a necessity. Men once wore knickers and three-cornered hats…fashion changed and that’s no longer the norm. So why are men Still wearing ties? We can pull up old pictures, early 1900s or even as late as the 1920s, and men are wearing white shirts, sometimes with ties! And they’re sitting on a tractor or behind a horse and plow! Fashion is a funny thing. Why do people follow fashion dictates? That’s what it is a dictate! Someone, somewhere decided this piece of clothing is appropriate and necessary, but for no particular purpose. Fortunately, I guess, we can use those fashion dictates to determine what year that picture may have been taken. We can learn what era our ancestor lived or worked. I’ve collected books to help me unravel the mystery in those pictures. Then, of course, they end up on the shelves serving no purpose, because I lost interest in that particular mystery. What traditions do we faithfully continue without question? Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, of course. That’s more than tradition. That’s part of the calendar of life. That’s how we build memories and, of course, create and maintain traditions. But gift-giving? How often do we follow tradition or start new ones? Commercially, business promotes an avalanche of gifts for every holiday, not just the traditional ones. And do we follow suit? Of course, it’s a new tradition! Secretaries Day, Grandparents Day, gender reveal or sip-n-see (to introduce a new little one) Women’s Day, friendship day. Is there a neighbors day or cousins day, maybe co-workers’ day? Businesses are always looking for a new gift-giving occasion. It’s good business! But why do we follow along? And why do we need a suggested occasion to give a gift to anyone? Or wear heels or a tie? Am I the only one who questions tradition for tradition’s sake? You must have some suggestions. But have you ever questioned them? Or broke tradition or refused a new one? Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-40986886660091980382022-04-20T09:40:00.002-04:002022-04-20T09:40:53.492-04:00Saved again! Whew! The computer is Home again! Almost four days in the shop and you wonder if it’s coming back and if it will be fixed and not “compromised”. I can be a pack rat of sorts, or maybe that’s file-rat, when it comes to my computer use. There’re years of data on this and that’s copied from previous computers, too. And, yes, it’s All backed up….at least my service and an external hard drive say it is! What was wrong? We don’t really know unless a “replicating virus” caused a gltich that caused the keyboard to fail? And it only halfway failed. Meaning I (stupidly) have two identities saved on my computer…no I don’t know how I did that! But only one identity could use the keyboard. And, of course, that wasn’t my primary identity, but my apparent clone! Yep, there’s two of me, at least on my computer. All of this only proves computers (and also hackers and virus pirates) are getting smarter than the average computer user. My point in sharing this is simple…back up your computer or at least your most important files…and know what you’ve got---write it down! There are dozens of back-up methods and services. You can choose when and where you save your back-up. Carbonite, Back Blaze, Norton, iDrive, Nextiva and Dropbox come to mind, but I know there are others. In fact, I may be switching soon. A lot of services offer picture back-up, Google, Shutterfly, Amazon, iDrive, Flickr to name a few. And I don’t know how they all work, but some are free, some are paid or you can pay for more storage beyond the free-space. I was introduced to Forever.com for photos. It’s computer space you purchase, not borrow, like time share and you can (or should) protect it with a back-up manager (a relative or friend), so it’s not lost, if something happens to you. Forever, like some others offers services for photobooks, prints and gifts. If you’re like a lot of us, your whole life is on your computer and maybe some of your family history, too? But my point to all of these services is know what you’ve got, free or paid, temporary or permanent. Write it down, like you do your passwords ?? Computers can make things easier, but keeping up with them is still getting more complicated! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-47324939078149863592022-03-24T14:08:00.001-04:002022-04-01T10:55:31.349-04:00Patience! Slow down, you’ll live longer. You’ve heard it before, but have you thought of how to slow down and have more patience. A recent visit to a favorite shopping Mecca prompts my thoughts today. “Random acts of kindness” doesn’t take planning, and it shouldn’t. Smile at a store clerk. Help her find the UPC or put it where she can scan it quicker…it helps her. And it helps you…get out of the store quicker. Maybe he’s in training and you wait for him to correct his mistakes or to remember how to enter a particular item. Do you let people ahead of you with fewer items to purchase? Does any of that qualify as a Random Act of kindness? It shouldn’t have a name. It should be common sense. But for many people common sense is simply taking care of themselves…first. It can make a day easier, quicker…but a little less satisfying? Going through the day with a smile on your face, thinking good thoughts and knowingly doing good deeds isn’t stressful. It’s surprisingly easy…and healthy. It makes for a good day, likely for a lot of people and especially you. And in these unusual times more important than ever. Everyone has their own stressors. You’ve seen those Facebook posts, you don’t know what the person next to you might be going through, dealing with or hoping things will get better. You could be the one to make it better with a smile, a quick hello or just your patience. Put the grocery cart in a corral or in smaller stores run it back inside! Yes, it takes time, but don’t you feel better if you’ve helped the store or the poor kid that has to run around in cold or hot weather to corral all those carts or spare other drivers from hitting them. In a hurry to get out of a parking lot? Everyone is. But you don’t have to be first. You’ve got time so you can wait for an older couple trying to maneuver the maze, or a hassled young mother with a carload of screaming kids. If you take time, not hurry, you help yourself (less stress) and everyone around you and who knows maybe you’ll spare someone a fenderbender. Perhaps the operative word is patience. Plan on a little more patience. You’ll get your errands done just as quick and perhaps make it home with a smile on your face and energy left to tackle the next project on your “to do” list. Slow down. Life is a one-time gig. Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-89183644610901298632022-02-26T12:04:00.000-05:002022-02-26T12:04:03.441-05:00Who is your personal hero? March 1 kicks off Women’s History month. Most women know, without being told, that women contributed to the success of men throughout history. That’s a given. But who got most of the credit? The National Women’s History Museum is currently an online group planning on eventual construction in Washington, D.C. https://www.womenshistory.org/ But that doesn’t mean it has any less information about the successes and contributions of women throughout history. Finding it online was a great treat and read. I mistakenly went looking for its physical location because the concept was introduced to me a year or two ago. I thought it was under-construction. But like everything else with women at the center, we’ll have to be patient for that…and maybe work to make it happen. There are websites and posts suggesting how to celebrate Women’s history month, from reading the works of women authors to campaigning for women candidates or fundraising for the National Museum. And maybe you have a special women’s cause to support or further. Regardless, women need to support women. That is likely a given...or should be. If you are not currently fired up to support a women’s cause, maybe you’d like a quieter pursuit to honor or appreciate the women who made a difference in your life. I’m a writer so my choice is to write about women, to women and for women. I’ve admired a lot of women over the years who have made a difference, not just for me, but for generations. And it would be silly to try and list them all. You have your own list, of course. Mothers, grandmothers, aunts, friends and neighbors. But have you thanked any of them? I found that as one suggestion online. Send your personal hero a thank you note, a “thinking of you” card to let them know how and why you appreciate them. Maybe it’s someone older or maybe someone younger you just want to say thank you to or encourage in their life. My regular pursuit is collecting family and local history. I have a collection of “stories” about some of the women (and men) who have contributed to my life, who have made me who I am. It’s a lot of memories collected and recorded, because I believe they should not be forgotten. I haven’t forgotten and I want others to “know” them. Maybe you have a similar case. Someone in your family, neighborhood or town or someone famous you don’t want forgotten for their contributions to life, yours or others. Of course, you can tell us here or another public platform, who is your personal hero? Or maybe you want to post your memories or in a written format for circulation to those who may share your thoughts. If you don’t want anyone to forget, or a newer generation to know, Write it down! Write or record it in your favorite format to be sure their stories live on. Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-9667952149137135472022-02-08T12:35:00.003-05:002022-02-08T12:35:57.180-05:00Imagine my surprise when a book that piqued my interest showed up on my Kindle today. I was catching up on some reading, reviewing a book excerpt on decluttering. Who doesn’t need to declutter somewhere? My piles of junk mail, tax mail, statements, receipts were calling my name and right beside them are countless “I might need this…someday” items. I’ll bet you have something like that…somewhere. Guess that book caught my interest earlier and I had pre-ordered it. What can I say …great minds! So now, I not only have the interest, but maybe the time? And I’ll know just how to do it…if I can get this book read. I’ll let you know how that works out. But it also brings to mind some of my “failings.” Keeping stuff for the sake of keeping stuff! I now know I grew up in the shadow of the depression. No, I’m not that old, but my parents were and they didn’t like throwing things away, IF you (or anyone) might be able to use it someday. They’re the ones who kept piles of extra lumber or building materials, nails, screws, pipes, old towels or sheets and shirts for rags, mismatched dishes, empty boxes, even old magazines and out-dated books. Do you have a box of pieces of wire you “might” use for repairs? Scraps of fabric you might need for a quilt or a craft? Or a bag of bags, you might use? I’ve often lamented we live in a throw-away society. Toss it, if you’re not using it. You’ll buy another, IF you need it again or a newer version will work better. Or if, like a lot of us, you can’t find it when you do need it! In the meantime, we are living in stacks of boxes and bags of clutter with “things” that we’ve accumulated as we’ve needed them, wanted them or were gifted them…and you shouldn’t throw away a gift! Even if it doesn’t work or fit. It brings to mind a recent Facebook post, where an older family member was trying to downsize and having difficulty getting rid of “things”. The daughter couldn’t understand why it took so long, until she started listening…every “thing” has a story or a memory. It’s not the things we’re keeping, but the memories. And it fits my mantra…”write it down!” If you have gifts that no longer have a purpose, write down why you kept it in the first place. If you keep old dishes or special pots or pans, who used them and why? If you have a dull saw or burnt-out tool that might be fixed, why is it there and what was it used for? If you have pictures of forgotten family or friends, does anyone know or remember them? Tell their story, file a few pictures with them and can the duplicates or out of focus ones! Maybe it’s as simple as making a list of things or stories from or for the family. Maybe you can create a notebook, a scrapbook, a quilt, a renewed piece of furniture…you could even write a book. But you don’t need bags and boxes of stuff for another generation to plow through and wonder why is this here? This book starts out right. Don’t dive in with plans to finish today or this weekend or even this month. Understand it took time to accumulate “stuff” and the memories with them. It’s bound to take time to declutter. Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-35943662892299282222020-10-25T14:07:00.002-04:002020-10-25T14:07:43.176-04:00Thank You! There I heard it again... “somebody should do something”. There is a problem in the neighborhood, the town or the world in general AND somebody should fix it! How often have you heard it? Or said it? The point being IT needs to be fixed and an unknown someone should fix it. But who? Apparently not the person who said it. Fortunately, there are quite a few somebodies out there. You know them, firefighters, police, paramedics, nurses, doctors, teachers, councilors, selectmen/women, committee members, organizers, volunteers. We all know someone who stepped up whether it’s a job requiring an education or someone willing to stick his/her neck out to “fix” something or just to carry on traditional actions or events. However, IT doesn’t always have enough somebodies to do the job. I have stepped up as a volunteer, organizer, secretary, treasurer, even president or chairman of some projects or organizations. That doesn’t make me special or any different from you. It’s just “been there, done that”. The problem is when all the somebodies get tired, worn out, burnt out, or simply old! They’re not as willing or perhaps able to take on the next dilemma, issue or event. I write this not to pat myself on the back or ask for applause, but to thank ALL the somebodies who have stepped up. You know who you are. If you’ve given your time, talents, education or experience to fix something, take care of something, lead someone or complete a community task… Thank You! This year the “IT” is dealing with the pandemic and we All owe a big debt to anyone who kept on “doing,“ whether it was medical or many essential services …Thank You for what you do! But outside a pandemic, if you’re not on a list of do-ers or somebodies, is there something you can do? Can you take over the next project, help with a neighborhood, town or state dilemma? For some helpers, it could be cooking, sewing, babysitting, making or building, organizing an event or serving as a volunteer. I have always believed If everyone volunteered just once, we would never run out of volunteers...All the “ITs” would be resolved. One of my favorite singers put it in a song “ Do What You Can”. Jon Bon Jovi can’t perform during the pandemic. He said “If you can’t do what you do, you do what you can.” He was washing dishes at his charity restaurant! Beyond the pandemic, when things get back to “normal” or not, are you somebody? Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-63502847209426767732020-09-15T16:06:00.000-04:002020-09-15T16:06:37.813-04:00Remember your covid year Here we are in a memorable year and I have yet to blog about it or simply record my memories. I am not a faithful blogger. I mean to be, but it just isn’t happening. I will vow to do better! (at least I can try) Three years ago, my blog centered on “harvesting” your memories. It is, afterall, harvest season. I suggested you recall and perhaps re-create fall traditions of years past. Maybe it is as simple as harvesting your garden or canning or freezing a good supply from a farmer’s market, and letting newer generations help for the experience. You might kindle a new interest. Or perhaps your family had a tradition of a special fall gathering or followed a sports season. Whoops! That’s not in the cards this year! The purpose of my post is to encourage you to recall memories and traditions, and record them for your family or generations to come. I am a strong believer in collecting memories, memorabilia, photos and film to pass on to new generations that may have an interest. I know you have children and grandchildren who aren’t so interested in family history. But will another generation have that interest? Where will all the memories be? I’m not a scrapbooker, at least not in the traditional sense. I don’t cut and paste well, at least not physically. I prefer to work digitally. And our “covid-year” has supplied time and “fuel” to feed my digital efforts. Truthfully the last six months is a bit of a blur…. afterall wasn’t every day just the same. Same surroundings, same people, same tasks. Perhaps slightly different with the daily covid briefings, the numbers are up, the numbers are down, more in New York, Florida, California, and thankfully low in Maine. The point is Something happened this year! And on top of it all, it’s an election year! As if anyone needed a reminder. The ads are endless and pointless, he said this, she said that. I’ve said it before…. please! Don’t let a campaign ad decide your vote. Get the facts for yourself! I am a broken record with my opinions, I know. Just Write It Down! Whatever “it” is! Save your photos to a program or website. Write the information that explains them or simply identify the photo on the back, if it’s a hard copy. There are programs, apps and websites that will store your photos, help you organize your photos and make multiple products from your memories. Some are costly and some are free. Find what works for you. I’m trying out a new forever site for my pix now with plans to turn them into photobooks…just watch for the storage period…is it forever? I’ll let you know how it works out and I can send you a link, if it does. Whatever you do for recollection or preservation…save it. We use to use diaries for that…some people journal or still do digitally. If you’re posting your life on social media…save it for the day you don’t or can’t remember. Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-22057128804306898212020-01-25T14:17:00.000-05:002020-01-25T14:17:41.803-05:00I could be a professional complainer. When I start to do something, I assume it will be great! At least the best that I can do, even perfect! The reality is, of course, things don’t always go that way, not for me and I assume most people. Time runs out. Materials don’t work out. Tools don’t cooperate. Or imagine, the computer doesn’t cooperate! And that’s when the optimist in the bunch says…”that’s life!” Yeah, I needed that…Not! This is venting: If the expected guest would just show up on time...or at all! The material you bought for a project needs…just another inch, maybe a yard? The stapler is not where you thought you left it or someone else moved it? Oops, that’s the blame game...no time for that. The weather is starting to deteriorate or be better than you have time to take advantage of...today. The laundry isn’t done...washing, drying or is just waiting to be put away. It’s almost dinner time...everything is frozen or there are too many choices, and you have to do the choosing! There is a never ending number of topics, projects, chores, assignments and want-to-do-s. Is that really the cause...too much to do? And we want to do it all! Some people have a way of plodding through life doing what needs to be done, with patience to get it done. Never getting rattled if time, people or life interrupts. Where do you find patience? Sometimes you have to take time, sit back and vent. Rethink it. Start over. That’s why I’m writing today...rethinking, new focus, fresh approach…taking a breath. I can do this AND I can get it done! Today’s project may be sewing, cleaning, laundry or maybe it’s that long delayed project to get organized! One step at a time. One task at a time until they all add up to completion...dare I dream? The focus of my writing is often to tell you...you can do it! You can write, tell Your stories or preserve your lifestory or pictures. And I need to get to it, too! But only if we tackle it with a fresh outlook...why are you doing it? Not to simply get ‘er done! But to have that feeling of accomplishment of completing a “want-to-do”. One day at a time, one task at a time...everything can (and will?) eventually get done. What do you WANT to do today? You have my permission to “just do it!” Everything...cooking, cleaning, laundry or some other dreaded task eventually gets done...in your time! Today the message is be kind to yourself, understand your limitations and set Your realistic goals that allow you to finish what needs to be done...on your time. Good talk! Venting finished! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-89602623385585672182019-04-10T15:44:00.000-04:002019-04-10T15:44:42.105-04:00It's spring! at least according to the calendar. The Mounds of snow outside my door says something different. But a few days of sunshine and above freezing temps should take care of that. Everyone is lamenting the latest deluge of snow, but we all know that's just the way the conversation goes, and you go along with it. But really? Complaining yet again about the weather? That just perpetuates a negative mood ...and it's spring and your thoughts and actions should be moving on and not dwelling in the past. Of course, dealing with the past is part of my purpose, but in a moving forward kind of way...is that counter-intuitive? Say what? Yes, dealing with the past can allow you to move forward. Whether it's teaching your grandchildren how you did things in the past or finally preserving memories and traditions so future generations know what once was. There are stories and people in your past that need to be remembered. You know who they are and their stories. So what was spring like for you growing up? What about Easter? or May Day? Here I go again. Riding you to remember what the "good Ole days" were really like. Or were they? Is there a ghost haunting you about past springs or spring holidays? Is there a sweet memory that just came to mind? Do you need to empty a clouded mind or free yourself of negative thoughts? Or simply share a great memory. Writing it down is a release for me...empties my head of cloudy thoughts or melancholy "what ifs". When I grasp an idea about what to do next, I need to start fresh, with a fresh approach to an old habit or chore. Maybe there IS a better way to do something. I think Nike said it a few times...Just Do It! Stop thinking about what you're going to do When you're ready...you'll never be ready if you only think about it! Write it down, record it or Start! Even if it's just spring cleaning...that tends to rejuvenate me to start fresh on old chores or intentions. There are a couple of chores that need doing and I've thought about it too long...Just Do It! What's on Your List? Calling a friend or distant cousin? Writing a letter to ...who? maybe to the future? Maybe the closet needs cleaning or weeding. Maybe you're ready to plant, or prepare to plant...and maybe you remember the way someone from the past used to do it. Memories need to be shared, minds need to be weeded, seeded and shared.Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-71039887507776214582019-03-13T13:15:00.000-04:002019-03-13T13:15:20.047-04:00 Time for a Re-do! It's been six years since I posted this particular blog, but it bears repeating. It's something I'm always harping on, but I need to remind myself to get back to it occasionally...Now is the time! Did you have a good winter? are you planning for spring? or summer? did you lose someone this year? and along with it the stories or memories they could have or should have shared? So what's stopping you? I know, I know, YOU can't write, but you can remember...so write what you know or how you would tell someone what you remember. You can always have someone edit your memories...if they need it! But if you don't start, then when or who will tell the stories? Now what I wrote SIX years ago: So you “forgot” to write it down. Does that mean it’s too late? Well there’s an easy answer to that and I don’t need to tell you what it is. I can repeat myself often, but it doesn’t do any good if no one is listening. Your mother didn’t write her stories. Your grandparents didn’t write their stories. So if you don’t write your stories where does that leave the stories? LOST! That’s my real message. If YOU don’t write your family stories or the stories of your town, your friends or your school…who will? Somebody should! You know that. Always “somebody” should do something and too many people always waiting for somebody else to do what they know should be done. We read all the time about someone one who did something and got something done. Is it time it was you? This message can apply to a lot of things whether it’s changing a law or an ordinance in your town or the rules at your child’s school….somebody should do something! Well my message for you is simpler….write it down! That’s my message to everyone who loves THE family stories. Write them down before they are gone. Write yourself a letter, a memo, a blogpost…whatever it takes to preserve “history”. Your history. I am a broken record. I know. I have a collection of short memories. Stories that I’ve started I haven’t finished. But if I’ve started them, I’m closer than you are to eventually getting them done! I keep reading about writing. Reading about marketing, how to….and always looking to make it better, easier, quicker... That’s part of my procrastination, always thinking there is a better way to get it down and done. There is no easy way. There is no quicker way. It takes a block of time, a commitment to remember and write. So talk to yourself already. Talk to your family. What do they want to know or need help remembering? Who’s gone and what did they do in their lifetime? Do your grandchildren know your grandparents? Do they know where they lived, how they lived, or what they gained, or lost, during their lifetime? That’s part of your history. True that’s only family history, but if your grandparents or great-grandparents were leaders in their community, their church or just their neighborhood aren’t there likely to be more people who want to know about them and their contributions? Yeah, I know practice what you preach….I am! I am writing now! Can you say the same thing?Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-11118253649580051662019-02-26T11:40:00.000-05:002019-02-26T11:40:37.737-05:00“I'm in a hurry to get things done Oh I rush and rush until life's no fun All I really gotta do is live and die But I'm in a hurry and don't know why. ” Lyrics that I love, but I hate to live by. Thank you Alabama for setting it to music, but I didn’t need a reminder. Why is it we rush and rush and never seem to accomplish as much as we intend to? I have my “lists”, both mental, written and the unsaid and yes, even the bucket list. I’m never sure which is which. I keep trying to stay on task, but which task? I mean to record everything, to share everything and accomplish everything I’ve committed to, but then…life gets in the way. I make promises to myself to get X done before Y and then Z seems to be there before I’m ready. Let’s see when was the last time I committed to this blog? Not when I expected to. Is that disorganization or procrastination? That is too much to do! I’ve decided the best approach is to review what I’ve accomplished and simply put it in perspective for what I want to accomplish. Less stress there and frustration. I have written books, traveled, taken some Great pictures! Made some Great quilts and tons of crafts, and can pretty much complete whatever I’ve set out to do. So there I have completed a few things. Guess that means I can get the rest of my lists done, too. Good talk! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-74100897675250779552018-10-23T11:20:00.002-04:002018-10-23T11:20:21.101-04:00It’s “election season” and Halloween! What could be spookier? And annoying! I don’t like Halloween. I know lots of people lap it up. Dress up, decorate their houses and get all excited for parties and other Halloween events. I’m Not one of them. I’ve never liked people at my door in masks and costumes…really? Is that surprising? I’ve had friends try to spook me in costume or call to me from the dark street when their children are at my door. But who are they? Show me your face and maybe I’ll know who I’m talking to. I remember roaming the street with friends trying to collect a great cache of candy and yes, it was fun! But I never tried to scare or trick anyone. I certainly didn’t pretend to be someone I wasn’t or remain a mystery after someone answered the door. Yes, I’ve had people come to my door in costume with the “guess who I am” attitude and not reveal themselves. Sorry, I wasn’t amused. It’s no different with politics. The “real” people don’t try to tell stories. They state the facts and they don’t distort them. No politician can do everything they promise! So don’t tell me you will. Don’t point out the “flaws” in your opponent or I may come to question your real goals…more than simply to get elected. I’m more likely to listen to a Joe Friday…”just the facts, ma’am”. Tell me realistically what you “hope” to do or how you’re going to do it. Don’t waste my time telling me what your opponent can’t or won’t do. Yes, I will follow my party in my selections (that’s what I believe in), but don’t waste my time with all the mindless, insulting and yes, masked ads! I hope ALL the politicians pay their bills…they’ve certainly wasted a Lot of money on their publicity! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-73258384226771245122018-04-04T16:23:00.000-04:002018-04-04T16:23:01.263-04:00 Yup, it is like chalk on a blackboard to me. My apologies, I confess. I am a grammar nut. Years of working with words, trying to get it right has taken its toll. I had a Great foundation in English. The names of Elaine Daily and Peg Witham come to mind whenever I make that claim. That was followed by years of “feedback” with Ky Ayoob, a veteran Bangor Daily News editor-writer and coach, and a lot more assignment editors. And we were fortunate to be offered many workshops and classes as part of our training….and you thought we just winged it…right? While I was taking all those lessons, and writing Every day, I also found myself reading some great writers, great freelancers sharing their experience and great reporters offering advice. The Poynter Institute out of Florida was a great resource for working reporters not only with the proper grammar of writing, but “rules of the road” in conveying the news in an unbiased, but engaging way. There IS a difference in reporting the news and making the news. Making the news is choosing your words and subjects. Reporting is telling the story as it happens. Question that the next time a Big story breaks. With all that “training” and exposure to writing and writing advice, I’ve become sensitive to “correct” English…at least my way. I am constantly amazed at the people who can’t string a single sentence together or perhaps even complete one. Yes, you’re forgiven if writing isn’t your chosen profession. I understand. But more distressing is the way the digital world and social media have undermined our language skills, and perhaps sabotaged our youth. I’ve offered reminders to people who can’t tell, or remember, the difference between your and you’re or their, there or they’re. But perhaps that just makes me more of a nut. I know some people don’t know where to put commas and apostrophes or omit them…heck, I don’t always get it right. And, now, I’m sounding off on my frustration…just trying to explain why it’s like chalk on a blackboard to me when someone doesn’t see the obvious errors in writings, spelling, verbs or adjectives. And occasionally some of those choices are actually fun! Maybe I’m not talking to you, but maybe you know someone who doesn’t proof read what they write or heaven forbid even realize they need to proof it! Must be nice to have that much comfort in your own abilities. This is just, I hope, a gentle reminder there is a “right way” to put words together if you want to make a point or have someone hear your words and not question what you’re trying to say. Every time I offer some advice to proof what you write or choose your words or punctuation wisely someone takes it personally. I’m NOT targeting anyone. I’m just trying to explain where I’m coming from and why it might be important to get your words right. That’s why we have dictionaries and today we can check our choices online. …and I do. Someone once said to me “I’ll bet you proof read your emails!” Yup, guilty as charged. I’m a writer and I need to know I’m doing it right...if you’ve asked for my advice (as people do) , just know I try. Just my explanation while I’m getting that chalk off my mind. Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-43785176065791785562017-12-21T11:24:00.000-05:002017-12-21T11:24:30.323-05:00We’ve all heard about the “cloud”, an elusive storage service somewhere in cyberspace, and some of us use it regularly. But for the average person, who thinks about saving or sharing everything with the “cloud?” I was just introduced to a new concept…new to me and likely you, too. Share family photos with the cloud. Yes, we all share via Facebook , Instagram and countless other sites and programs. But keeping and sharing at the same time with family across the nation, around the world and…across time? That’s a new one to me. I’ve shared old family photos through Facebook and through family sites, but a whole program just for sharing new…and old photos. Well, there’s a project for the New Year. Everyone has countless albums and shoeboxes of old photos. The really industrious and crafty among us have dozens of scrapbooks, but what about putting those ALL on the computer? And in the cloud? Wow, suddenly all the old photos tucked away with the intention of sharing them with the rest of family suddenly got “do-able.” I really have lectured myself about getting organized, copying all the old photos and films to disc to share with distant family members. Or paying a service to do it for me. That way you’ve preserved the old photos, gotten them out of the attic or the deepest closet, and maybe simply taken them off the shelves where few people ever take the time to pick them up. Now there’s a better way? It was bound to happen. You, and likely your relatives, are on the computer, a tablet or phone every day. You can step back in time to see your grandparents, great grandparents or maybe just your younger self or grandchildren while you’re waiting for the repairman or the overbooked doctor or dentist. You know your children and grandchildren will sign on without hesitation just to kill some time or to take a break from the latest online game. Now all it takes is some time, and self-discipline, to share the best of those old pix. Truthfully, I’m just beginning to explore the possibilities. I’ve scanned some photos and they’re backed- up through Carbonite. But that only means I’ve saved them and we won’t lose them, but shared? That’s another program. Apparently we can share through Dropbox, Google Drive and some other programs like CrashPlan for Business, SOS Online Backup and SugarSync, all in the top five in sharing cloud websites. (https://www.cloudwards.net/best-cloud-storage-for-families/ ) And maybe there are more. Those are the ones recently rated and promoted…the key is the sharing element. Some are free, some have free trials, and yes, others have a monthly fee…but maybe you can share that, depending on how you hatch your cloud sharing plan. But moving forward, I think a lot of my photos, old and new, will be shared…somewhere in the cloud…not just on Facebook or on my phone…and may be you’re way ahead of me….do you already store photos in the cloud? On a shared site? It’s new to me….so sorry I didn’t think of it earlier! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-38502093700640124812017-11-29T10:05:00.002-05:002017-11-29T10:05:41.354-05:00Make a memory! Of course, always. That’s what I’m all about. But I heard that on morning TV in a spot about good gift giving. What a concept! They were talking about personalizing gifts….now we’re going in the right direction. But maybe you’re not a crafter or have lots of extra cash to buy personalized gifts or buy THE one thing you know someone wants or would buy, if they could. There is still room, and time, to make a memory. Maybe it’s as simple as making a special dinner, contributing something memorable to dinner or making dinner memorable. Keep thinking. We all buy special gifts and most of us put a lot of thought or decision into selecting gifts. But make a memory or recall something special for someone. Is there a special picture from some summer fun or special event this year? Maybe it needs to be enlarged, framed or even put onto a canvas. If you watch, often, the Canvas People or maybe something like Shutterfly offer canvas prints free or for the cost of shipping. You can order personalized note cards or stationary with special pictures included or a calendar. Or maybe you just need to write….yes, write in longhand (cursive), a memory from the year or past years that make that person special to you. Maybe it’s sharing a favorite recipe, new or an old family favorite. Of course, you should make it, then attach the recipe. A couple years ago, I discovered “The Family Cookbook Project”, a site for entering Your recipes and They make the cookbook. Even better this particular website allows you to download a PDF copy of your cookbook to print at a local shop. Locally you can print a spiral/comb-bound cookbook for as low as $10 a piece, depending on how many you have printed. Cooking not your “thing”? Is a collection of pictures more in line with your thought process? There are sites that put them together for you. I mentioned Shutterfly and I know there are many more..Snapfish, Blurb, Mixbook , Heritagemakers, Picaboo and more. But really all you need is your computer or maybe just an empty scrapbook or photo album and copies of your favorite pictures….send the pictures to Walmart or some other photo site, they’ll print the copies…for you to pick up! Walmart also makes photobooks! Of course, IF you’re ready a lot of sites will print your entire genealogy. I’ve done it, but I did it myself on my own computer, then had it copied at a local shop…less expensive...because that can add up! So here’s your challenge…don’t give just a gift….give a memorable gift! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-21264251850003854392017-10-29T12:41:00.000-04:002017-10-29T12:41:04.624-04:00 Some of my friends “have to write”. They are driven to write and be creative. I’ve had those feelings, but I get over them. I think I irritated one friend when I said, “I write because I can.” I’ve been blessed with an ability to put words together. It’s been nurtured over the years by some excellent English teachers, the kind that stressed grammar, structure, tenses, plurals and contractions…the basic foundation. Writing daily for more than 30 years helped and there was a writing coach for a few years…great help! I also read about writing. And I’ve read some excellent writers! But truthfully, I find it easy to set down and write out my thoughts. To be sure, I always edit, rewrite, correct and generally “fix” anything I write until it’s what it should be or at least what I want it to be. I’ve run into countless people over the years who claim they can’t write, they “wouldn’t know where to begin,” and are generally “clueless” about putting words to paper. Mostly it’s fear, but they don’t think it’s that. Afterall putting something, anything, down in print leaves you open to criticism. And few people relish that. But without writers where would we be? Writers are the reason we know how and want to read. We read to learn…about new things, lessons, activities, current events or history. There’s a whole new generation of writers now, writing for the Internet, many publishing their own books, blogs, columns. Every day people writing about every day things! They write to make their opinions known. They write to share what they know or in some cases, think they know. And some people write in response to other writers. Everyone has a reason to write, yes, everyone! There is something in your head you need to write down whether it’s your favorite recipe for family dinners or gatherings or maybe it’s your experience in just living. If you’re fortunate to have a good memory, you may need to pass on some of that memory to someone else...you know, so it’s not forgotten. Did you have a special profession or a great work experience or do you want to warn someone not to follow in your footsteps or make similar mistakes in their lives? Regardless of your reasons you have experiences to share, family and life lessons to pass on whether to the next generation or a far future generation you haven’t met yet. What I wouldn’t give to know why and how my great-grandfather built the house he did, where he did and for who, a first wife, the second? Did he do it himself? Did he hire it done? When was the addition built? How did his profession start? Why was there a first wife and then a second? We all have similar questions we wish we could have asked earlier generations. But no one wrote down the answers leaving us to depend on records to fill in information through birth certificates, marriages, deeds, town records. We can provide those answers about us or perhaps even earlier generations to subsequent generations. We can “write it down.’’ I keep trying to remember what I want future generations to know about me and the ancestors I knew. I write long and short stories and put them in a file on my computer and I print them off for a notebook. You may be one of those people who “don’t know where to begin.” Start anywhere. Did you take a trip this year? Did you remember a trip you took with your parents or grandparents? Did you make a memory with someone special this year, or last? Do you have a special memory of a place or person you don’t want forgotten? We all have memories and experiences someone in the future would like to know. You don’t need to write a formal story to be remembered. Write a letter to yourself, to a family member or an imaginary family member in the future. That’s family history, maybe local history, that’s writing it down, you know… so it’s not forgotten. Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-21068298933274876782017-07-19T07:40:00.000-04:002017-07-19T07:40:18.406-04:00Imagine your dream world. You know the place where everything goes Your way! I read a fun piece today “If Writers Ran the World” (https://thewritelife.com/if-writers-ran-the-world ) It included phone a famous author (for help), a calorie-burning keyboard, emails that write themselves, free coffee (caffeine!) for writers…lots of fun ideas. Imagine if all the words poured out of you, no stress, no writers’ block, no typos…everyone could be a writer! Of course, if you ARE a writer you can really imagine the beauty of this perfect world. But if you are just the average person who wants to write a story that’s “just in your head”…whether fiction or family lore, imagine what you could capture. Well, writers don’t get a choice…we write! Right or wrong, fact, fiction or speculation, we put words to paper because we have to. We have to apply words to our thoughts, to answer your questions, to tell your story or the story of the guy next door or across town and even on the other side of the world. For years, you have benefited from people who apply words to paper and screens so you know what’s happening or what happened years ago! I’ve heard so many people tell me “Oh, I could never do that!” Why not? It’s just words you use when you’re talking. You tell me a story. I write it down…that simple. And I still can do that for you, but not if you’re willing to risk doing it yourself. True some writers are well-trained. Most of us retained our grammar skills, sentence and paragraph structure. But most people don’t notice how well-structured your story is if it’s something they want to learn about. If you’re telling them about your childhood, theirs or their grandparents, they won’t notice a misspelled word or incorrect verb. They will hear You telling a story…maybe one they’ve heard before, but this is different. This one is recorded. It’s saved. Yup, I’m beating that drum again! Preserve your stories or your parents’ or grandparents’. I’ve heard so many great stories sitting around the campfire, the dinner table, by the shore at the lake…but they aren’t my stories to tell. So today, write a letter to your grandchildren tell them how you spent your day, or yesterday or the summer you turned 10 or 20. What was different about your day than theirs? Imagine if they are reading it 10 or 20 years from now…how different will it be then? It doesn’t matter if you mail it. Maybe just put it in a favorite book, the family Bible, yes, even in your junk drawer… in a well-marked envelope! I have My Stories on my computer and in a three-ring binder…and truthfully I’m probably not done. I had a friend who simply made a list of what he remembered about his hometown. A 100 years ago, one Maine town had the luxury of having a doctor write a book simply reporting where everybody lived or where they moved to in that town! Simple actions that report what amounts to local history. Local history buffs, genealogists lap this stuff up…I know I’m one of them. Thank you to everyone who decided to Write It Down! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-39587905614878497002017-05-05T16:41:00.000-04:002017-05-25T10:04:07.359-04:00 When I get an “itch” to write, I often have no idea what I want to write. Sitting at my computer, I am eager to record memories (before I forget again!) or urge someone else, to capture their memories and share them with the rest of us…or simply share with their own family. It’s May and finally there is some warm weather. The grass is beginning to grow green and flowers are peeking out of the soil. It’s a time for renewal, cleaning and generally sprucing up before a (hopefully) long, hot summer. A few things were dragged to the dump this week and a large stash of books hauled off to the library. I remind myself stacked or boxed books in the attic aren’t doing anyone any good, and especially me. I have more space and less clutter as well as less guilt over buying books that I never used to their potential. I had books on writing, quilting, crafting, photography….books dedicated to unraveling the mysteries involved in those pursuits. And for the most part, I learned a few things. But there they were sitting in boxes or on shelves not used and benefiting no one! And yes, there was some fiction in the cast-off collection. Now I know at least someone can gain some benefit, even if it’s just the library selling them off to another reader. I hate collecting junk. And I have my fair share tucked away in the attic. A few keepsakes to be sure, but why do we keep them? To fawn over in the future to remember an event, a person or a place? There is outdated furniture, knickknacks, cast-off pocketbooks and totes. I have a great stash of fabric just waiting for the right project. I have craft supplies and equipment including my sewing machines, cutting and storing tables. You know the kind of stuff you might Need! Yet there is still some stuff that is simply that…stuff! What do you do with stuff? My stuff includes boxes of pictures from several family collections and years gone by…some of which I wasn’t around for or even know about. I have a grand plan to organize them all, scanning and digitizing, and sharing some for future generations. But how many pictures of unidentified rivers, streams and mountains do you really need long after they’ve passed into memory and forgetfulness? Remember when we always got duplicates to share? Did you really share or are you like me and still have twice as many pictures as you actually need? That’s part of the grand plan to eliminate duplicates and multiple shots from the same event or trip. The online photo sites let you turn pictures into books, albums or maybe a coffee mug, a tote bag or even a blanket. But there it is again more stuff! My Yankee background forces me, urges me, to be practical. I have to keep what can be used or share it with someone who can use it or wants it. But I think I really need to change the parameters and ditch some of the stuff that no one wants, needs or even thinks about anymore. I don’t need to be the perpetual storage unit for all castoff memories! This column/blog is to castoff some of the guilt that goes along with being the person tossing some of the memories. I “write it down” IF there is something to remember. I’ll try to digitize pictures of lost generations. I’ve shared castoff pictures of long ago memories, but once the bulk of what needs to be shared is actually shared or recorded…what’s left is GONE! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-20739896207905974752017-04-23T16:33:00.001-04:002017-04-23T16:33:24.354-04:00 Remember May baskets? It’s almost May Day. Have you ever had a May basket or remember the tradition? I got my May baskets back in the 1950s. Not just decorated Dixie cups laden with a few pieces of candy, but elaborate crepe paper covered holders with woven crepe paper handles and streamers. I don’t recall ever receiving an actual woven basket. But that wasn’t the tradition on the coast of Maine at the time. The Burns boys would hang baskets on Cross Street. Their mother and grandmother made them! The tradition calls for hanging the basket on the door, ringing the bell, if there was one, and running away quickly. The recipient had to chase the gifter, and I think you were supposed to kiss him or her, but I don’t remember following thru on that part. There was supposed to be great fanfare in the chase, and equally grand embarrassment, if you couldn’t catch the gifter, whether male or female. But I do remember the chase. It wasn’t all meant to be romantic, all tho’ that’s the way some people choose to remember it. For some, it was just a neighborly thing to do on a singularly great day in May. The well-known basket artists had quite a business, if I remember right, at that time. They started weeks in advance, preparing the elaborately decorated containers, taking orders and delivering throughout the area, just in time for someone to fill it, and surprise a lucky recipient. Mrs. Burns and her mother or mother-in-law were the resident artists of the time. I know exactly where they both lived, and I remember seeing the elaborate baskets hanging in the window of the lady in Rockport. They hung there to mark “Her” house on the old Route #1 and the location of the best made baskets anybody knew at the time. I always dreamed of getting one of the really Big ones all purple or pink, with layers of crepe, pulled into delicate curls and fringes surrounding the opening or there may have been a longer “apron” to an elaborately-designed basket. They were not simple concoctions and were quite a prize for anyone lucky enough to receive one. At some point, I remember someone using wallpaper samples and crafting May baskets to take advantage of some nice floral prints. And people also would use Dixie cups or simply paper cones, but none of these fill the bill in my memory. I think they actually used saved oatmeal cylinders or something of equal size and shape. I’ve searched and there is little out there that compares to those elaborate concoctions that fill my memory bank. A quick search on Pinterest came close, but even they didn’t have the right combination, but close. When I moved inland, I was surprised and disappointed that the tradition wasn’t the same. They didn’t observe just May Day, but mistakenly (by my estimation) believed you could dole out May baskets anytime during the month. What fun is that? There is no special day, no anticipation, no fun-loving chase and capture. In recent years, many writers have lamented the passing of the May Day tradition, some tried to resurrect it with crafting tips or suggestions of what constitutes a May basket ( they’ve got it All wrong!) And then there are those that fear it will be brought back, but by some commercial operation with plastic do-dads and lots of commercial candy and gifts….sort of like what happened to Easter and every other holiday that might involve small gifts. REAL May baskets are committed to memory now, but if they’re in your memory maybe it’s time to “write-it-down” so it’s not lost on another generation. Did you hang a May basket? Did you receive one and more importantly perhaps, did you catch the gifter and whatever happened to him or her? Maybe it’s a memory you share with someone else? Or perhaps you should before it’s lost along with those other remembrances you’ve been meaning to share. Brighten someone’s day hang a May basket or share your memories of an old tradition. To learn more about the May basket tradition check out: http://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/04/30/402817821/a-forgotten-tradition-may-basket-day Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-71617027343033179552017-01-23T18:39:00.000-05:002017-04-20T16:29:40.458-04:00The weather forecast calls for snow...again. What to do on a snowy day? If you're like me, you have stacks, boxes or pages of family photographs. But are they marked with identification? Have you poured through boxes of pictures from your family's past, and lamented that no one ever identified them? If you truly have nothing to do on a snowy day consider pulling out some of those old pictures and identifying them for your family. Let them know which one is Uncle Joe or Cousin Lulu. Better yet, tell the story of how you're related to this batch of photos. I'm not suggesting you start a scrapbook, but maybe that's your next calling. The point is, of course, someone needs to do it....why not you? You're actually accomplishing several tasks. Yes, you're identifying obscure photos so your family will know who is who years after you're no longer around, but perhaps you're also weeding out the duds, the misses and the unidentifiable! That chore could reduce the boxes of long-forgotten "stuff" in your attic or junk room. Haven't you said, several times, you've wanted to do just that? I had a mentor once who was fond of saying "inch by inch, it's a cinch, but yard by yard, it's hard." He was referring to writing your memoirs, but it can be applied to any task. The point is to simply start...somewhere. My suggestion, and the way I've done it, is to start with one box. Pour through and decide what needs to be done with ALL those pictures. Remember when we all had doubles printed? Do you really need two copies of Aunt Bea's prize rose or even one if she's gone and you don't like roses? Or maybe you need just one for your garden idea book? It doesn't belong in a box in the attic either way. How many pictures of your cousin's wedding from 1983 do you really need to remember the event? And who is that standing next to your mother? Will your children know or care in 10 years, or 20? Maybe you'll find a picture of the only trip you ever took to New York, or Europe, or maybe a local historical site. Why did you go? and what happened there? Maybe you can write a short description or explanation to file away with the picture. Or maybe there are a dozen pictures that really do need to go into a scrapbook or that empty photo album you found with the pictures. Maybe you’re into scanning your pictures to preserve them beyond their printed form. Consider it an assignment, with a deadline, the next time it snows. One box or two with each snowstorm could really get a bigger project a long way to completion and a sense of satisfaction for your to-do list and for preserving memories for your family.Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-86497496886738206882017-01-09T11:40:00.001-05:002017-01-09T11:48:45.808-05:00Today, I took a look back at some of the blogs/columns (31 on Blogger in nine years) I’ve written over the past few years. I had a lot to say. Sometimes repetitive... Sometimes insightful…sometimes seemingly random and disjointed, but I wrote. And I believe everyone should. Even if it’s only a letter to yourself or your family….everyone should write something down about themselves, their life or their family’s life. That’s history! I know the academics of the world will research the day away in old books, records, photographs or albums. They will carefully match world or U.S. history to local events, and their own experience, recollections or the stories of their ancestors. Great! But not everyone has that kind of self-discipline, and you don’t have to. Did you write a diary page or a letter to yourself about the trip you took to the coast last summer? Or the ride through the woods last weekend? That’s all it takes. One page at a time, one memory at a time and you’ve helped your memory of life and for your children or grandchildren. Believe it or not they will want to know how you spent your days before….whatever the latest technology may be offering. I remember my mother wheeling the wringer washer into the floor, filling the tub and winding a load of clothes through to take it outside to be hung on the line to dry….all four seasons! Now, I push a button to wash, move the load and push a button to dry. My dishes are done! I pushed another button. Now I have time to write again or maybe vacuum…or not. We all say “there isn’t enough time….” for anything, but that’s not true. A school administrator once told me one of the most valuable lessons he learned was from a custodian at the school. When he lamented, “there’s not enough time…” the custodian had the answer, “you’ve got all there is son.” We all have 24 hours in a day, seven days a week, etc. It’s how and where you use the time that makes all the difference. It’s okay to waste time after you push that button. It’s okay to enjoy the sunshine or snow whatever the season may be, but there is no more time. But time also passes…sometimes too quickly. Grab your computer, your tablet or even your phone or a piece of paper and start a page. Tell your grandchildren how you spent your day or your first day on the job. Tell them about the chicken you burned or the great steak you marinated. Tell them your memories of your grandparents, or paddling on the river or when you first met them. Just one page….and yes, even if you never do it again, but while you’re thinking of it. I know my message is repetitive and I sometimes have to remind myself to do what I say. But I truly believe everyone wants to know about their family, or their hometown, or childhood home or perhaps it’s a special family home in a distance place or memory. I have many fond memories of long-gone relatives that I wish everyone, my family, could know. How will they know if I don’t “write it down”? Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-69141532122632980122016-02-23T12:41:00.000-05:002017-04-20T16:32:18.823-04:00 Writing again. Someone once asked if I just “had to write”? Nope, but I write because I can. I’ve discovered I remember my English grammar lessons, and I can spell. So it’s a no-brainer for me…I can write, so I do. But I am not driven to write. I’m driven to collect data, information, history…memories. The only way to preserve all of that is through writing. Of course, I could record it or video myself talking to myself or some unknown audience, but that doesn’t do it for me. I need to “write it down.” And I need to encourage other people to write it down, so it’s not lost. You wouldn’t want your family to lose the memories of a favorite loved one or forget they existed or how they contributed to the family history…so write it down! I want my family to know the great love I had for spending days with my great aunts and uncles. I want them to know how special my grandmother was….at least to me. I want them to know some of the favorite pastimes of these people and how life has changed since they were around or when they were younger. It was such a simpler time their childhood and mine. No electronics to rob our time…just time to do ….things! My grandmother (Nannie) loved a card game called Flinch. I don’t know if it even exists today, but she taught it to me to play with her. And, of course, I’ve long since forgotten how to play or even what the cards looked like except that worn blue stack that she kept handy. My Great Uncle Gene loved to play dominoes with me. He is the only one I ever remember playing with, he and his wife, my Aunt Della. I spent whole days with them. They were well into their 70s. Uncle Gene would walk to town in Rockport with me to pick up some groceries for lunch…whatever I wanted. Pork chops were usually my favorite, but maybe we had fishsticks a few times. He liked to introduce me to the shopkeepers that he knew…there were grocery stores along Main Street in the 1960s. I think he was pleased that this 12 or 14 year-old girl had come to spend the day with them and actually enjoyed it! When I was even younger, he would go out and play baseball with me! And take me in his old truck to visit his Lincolnville garden at his cousin’s place, Colb’ Wiley. I later learned that it was Colburn Wiley named after his mother ‘s family. Uncle Gene kept ducks or geese under the buildings at 18 Park Street (Camden), and a garden in the backyard, but there was a bigger garden in Lincolnville. Colb lived at the corner of the Moody Mountain Road and Route 235…called the Hope Road now? Obscure memories now, but it’s this type of detail that is lost when we don’t write it down or capture it for a future generation. Did you garden as a child? Did you work with an elderly relative or a favorite cousin? Did they have strange or old customs that aren’t observed now? Do you want your children to know those people and how they lived and what they contributed to your life, and perhaps may be the reason you do some of the things you do? It’s simple….write it down! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-9923166577320529662015-09-02T14:52:00.000-04:002015-09-02T14:52:55.684-04:00It would be great to get that dependability bug. You know the one where you do what you're expected to do, or expect yourself to do, when you're expected to do it. In retirement that seems to have escaped me, even tho' I do get a bunch done. The last post to this page was in the spring, just before planting season. And now, here we are, and it's harvest season...not that I have to worry about that much...rotten garden results this year. One more year and if it doesn't get better, I'm done...back to the grocery freezer section or hopefully supporting local farmers' markets. Harvest season brings about many traditions and perhaps starts new ones for some. Is this the time you are harvesting or remembering harvests in the past? What do you remember, or how do you observe a harvest season? Is it something your family has always done or something you plan to share with your children or grandchildren? This year, I hope to revive our "boiled dinner day." If not in the same way or the same famiy members, at least to not let the fall pass without hosting a boiled dinner in the crisp fall air. In the past, our extended family would gather at the family camp (where we now live) to help us close up for the season. Many of them got to use the camp during the summer months, and this gathering was a way to gather more help for the many tasks, as well as celebrate the end of another season, sharing the new memories of the season, and perhaps seasons past. Harvest time can be a rich time of memory making whether it's an actual harvest, a regular fall gathering or multiple trips to fall sports events. What is it you want to capture from those memories and how will you do it? Do you need to do it? This is yet another fall if you haven't captured the memories of past fall events or an aging member of your family. This is a reminder, to me and hopefully to anyone else reading this to capture it....write it down, save or copy old photos, maybe tackle or update a scrapbooking project. If you haven't done any of this, maybe this is the year to start. It's never too late, if you can just get started. One memory preserved is simply that one memory, but it can snowball (sorry for the wintery reminder) and help you continue the journey. You can preserve your memories or those of family members or start a collection of family history for the next generation to share, simply....Write it Down. Like me don't worry so much about what you'll do for your next task, begin with this memory, this season.Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-81363176379353372872015-04-02T13:34:00.000-04:002016-02-23T12:09:37.265-05:00 Spring has sprung or so the date on the calendar says. Yet in central Maine there is still an abundant snow cover and the lakes are deeply frozen. It will be interesting to see if it’s weeks or a month or more before we actually see buds or blossoms poking through the soil. For the rest of the country apparently, it is spring. My friends are posting pictures of spring buds, talking about signs of green grass and thinking about preparing for planting. How soon do people actual start planning? I know die-hard gardeners plan ALL winter with diagrams, seed catalogs and research. I’m just not one of them. I think I feel obligated to grow, simply because I can. I was brought up that way. There was always a garden in the backyard. My family couldn’t get through a year without planning for fresh veggies, and spending the rest of the summer and fall preserving them. Did it really help the budget that much? Or was it just the pure love of fresh veggies? In part I think it was the ultimate bargain for my mother. A few cents spent for seeds translated to saved dollars on the weekly grocery bill. It filled the expensive freezer….which is still freezing MORE than 50 years after it was first plugged in! What did your family do for gardening or preserving vegetables, fruits or meat? Are there memories associated with that? I can remember hot summer afternoons and a few mornings spent on the sun porch “snipping” beans…pounds of them! Only to be followed by a long evening blanching them in boiling water and quickly cooling them in ice water to be bagged for the freezer. I think that memory contributes to my love of green beans more than any other vegetable, but cooked properly and thoroughly, as part of a veggie-laden winter meal. I don’t recall that we were often allowed into the garden to actually pick, but perhaps as we became more trustworthy and older. I remember a few times helping place the seeds into the row, but I wasn’t always careful enough to get that right and so I gather I wasn’t often asked. I remember digging potatoes in the fall, even getting my school clothes too dirty on one occasion because I failed to change when I got home…heading to the garden too soon. Extra veggies were always delegated to the "veggie stand" on the front lawn, that actually was an old table from the "play house" behind the barn and a folding lawn chair. I think we sold cucumbers at five cents a piece or six for a quarter. Could that be possible? Were they really that cheap or is my memory forgetting the real price? Either way the sale of veggies, tomatoes, cucumbers maybe beans or potatoes, and of course, corn, supplemented the back-to-school budget so we had funds for a new fall wardrobe. There was a science to it and I gather I absorbed it rather than “learned” it, because a lot of it stays with me today. I plant the way I “know” how just because it feels right. More recently I’ve studied gardening mostly to reassure myself I’m doing it right, I think. Then I don’ t remember what I know and what I’ve learned. Guess it doesn’t make any difference if the plants grow and produce. Then again I keep questioning, why I do this? Because I can or because I know what I’m doing or because of the memories it brings to mind. You must have memories of summer gardening and growing. Have you written them down? There's that reminder again....Write it Down! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7194875865006819835.post-78875482676811761072015-02-27T16:29:00.003-05:002015-03-31T13:14:12.893-04:00 It’s Refund Season according to a television ad! Get your billions back, I’m told. If only…. It’s never that simple and there is not always a refund. By the time you get all the right information together, you’ve earned whatever Might be coming back, if anything. Still we all scramble to get the numbers together, added up, all the paper that substantiates the numbers and all the inane questions answered to document Any change from the previous year. I’m sure younger people, more mobile people, have “stuff” to claim for change or refunds or whatever they may need. Maybe they can keep better track of it than I do. Maybe they are more like I used to be…organized. When did I become disorganized? Am I more disorganized than I used to be? Or do I simply not remember what I’ve organized? That’s always a worthy new year’s resolution: get organized! Well I’ll never call it a resolution, but it is a goal, if not for my financial well-being then for my mental well-being! It would help immensely if I could simply find what I forgot to organize and remember what I did organize. Is that aging? Slowly I’m clearing files, physical and digital. I’m finding things I didn’t know I had, and certainly not why I saved them in the first place. There are keepsakes, thousands of pictures, and just plain stuff you keep because someone said you should keep everything seven years or is it 10 or just three? Well we are double up on most of those years, so out it goes this year…this spring, if not this winter. And there’s not a lot of time left, if I’m to clear out the clutter or saved “stuff” from winter. And that’s the rule IF we haven't used it, needed it or remembered it in a year or more likely two years-plus, it can go! Sale-able “stuff” will be sold or donated. Other stuff that should be stuff for someone else to take care of will be going their way. The rest is likely just junk, and trashy junk at that. Does that constitute a resolution, a plan or just another annual rant? Time will tell. Wish me luck! Brenda Seekinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00582642469541561569noreply@blogger.com0