Franklin’s 13 Virtues

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Quote of the Day:

“I love to work, although sometimes I can spend whole days doing nothing more than picking the lint off the carpet and talking to my mother on the phone.”

– Beth Henley

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After cruising many of the pages on Benjamin Franklin, I found this one where he attempts to keep track of being a good person every day. It’s interesting in that Franklin wasn’t any more perfect than the rest of us in the 21^st century.

“Virtues

We have divided Franklin’s thirteen virtues into personal and social character traits.

Personal

The eight personal virtues relate to your attitudes toward activities and their challenges. Good personal character traits will better your chances of success in achieving your goals.

Temperance: Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

Order: Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

Resolution: Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

Frugality: Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

Moderation: Avoid extremes; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

Industry: Lose no time; be always employed in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

Cleanliness: Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, clothes, or habitation.

Tranquility: Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

Social

These five social virtues that Franklin stated concern your attitudes toward people with whom you have dealings. Good social character traits result in other people wanting to do business with you or to have relationships with you.

Silence: Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

Sincerity: Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

Justice: Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

Chastity: Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation.

Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates.”

From:  “Benjamin Franklin’s Thirteen Virtues“

I find it interesting after seeing the show about Franklin and the birth of the “Declaration of Independence” the personal lives of the men who brought or tried to bring order to our country.

My feelings are if we attempt to follow these virtues or say the 12 Steps of AA or Al-Anon, our life would be more orderly.

I do know that spring has arrived. No more guessing. Why I say this? I say this is that Bailey’s hair is all over the place. The hair that comes off the bush when I’ve finished grooming him and.  .  . my clothes are covered in hair balls. As much as I like to wear black, gaaaah, the color black show cat hair like no one’s business.

Today, the psychiatrist that I saw prior to Medicare, called me upon my PCP recommendation and Michael and I talked about what is going on with me. Dr. P feels it could be an interaction between the medication I’m taking and the recently increased dosage of another one. I was instructed to back off by 100 mg and to see how I do.

Today’s Fun Kitty Story:  I was sitting in my chair watching television this morning. Max is sleeping with his head on my ankles which are on the ottoman. When I woke up later Bailey was sleeping in my lap stretched out between my legs and both cats were head-to-head. They slowly began to move around and change positions until finally they woke themselves up and headed to the litter box. Of the two cats, Max has the shorter hair but does he put out the heat. I like this since I run on cold. Bailey on the other hand doesn’t have the heat that Max  does but at some point, I feel toasty.

It is getting late and I’m tired, till tomorrow.

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Lisey’s Story” by Stephen King

“the NEW diary” by Tristine Rainer

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Psalms

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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Just Another Day

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Quote of the Day:

“We need a new way of thinking, a new vocabulary. We have nineteenth-century thinking, but technology is so fast. We have to change our brains. That is why I’m so for art, because art will give us a new kind of thinking.”

– Andrei Voznesensky

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The week and weekend has been a rollercoaster in weather. The beginning of the week it was hot and breezy. All windows and slider doors were open. The cats loved it for the fresh air and listening to the birds. It’s fun to listen to each cat chirp at the birds and sit up in attention with big eyes wishing to be outside. When the cats are lying still, the sun shows off the shine of their fur. It does pay off to groom them daily. Their fur is very shiny. We also had breezes which at times were disconcerting.

The worst of the week was someone in the neighborhood conducting a type of construction on their home and this was very aggravating.

Later in the week the temperature dropped and the meteorologists were predicting rain all the rest of the week. However, I never saw a drop of rain. There were overcast days, cool days and windy days. These days did not urge me to open the windows and sliders.

Today being Sunday has been sunny with some breezes. I do believe spring has arrived.

It was a visit to the doctor this week. With the medications I take, my PCP likes to see me every couple of months to make sure everything is cohabiting well. Although, I’m wondering: Dr. L increased one of my meds. I take it at night before I go to bed. So, last night I took my pills, watched a little TV and then got up and bent over to kiss Michael goodnight and the next thing I know, I’m wobbly in the legs and I’m heading for the floor, maybe the coffee table or Michael’s lap. Michael’s lap would have been the softest landing. Instead, the coffee table was the furniture that caught me. OUCH! Michael attempted to lift me up but no luck. I had to hold something and work with Michael to get me off the floor. My legs felt like spaghetti.

The funny part was I woke up later in the night/morning, I find I still had my eye glasses on.

I wake up this morning aching all over. The only area that shows bruising, is my left elbow. I still have sore areas and Michael says it may be a couple of days before the bruising will show. All I can tell you, at any age and especially if you are over 50, don’t fall down.

Tomorrow begins a new week. My expectations are reading more of my books not that five books is too many. I try to do some work in the house and then take one of my books and read pages and then find other things to do in the house. I have no appointments for the week and this pleases me to know ends.

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Lisey’s Story” by Stephen Kin

“the NEW diary” by Tristine Rainer

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Psalms

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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You Would Not Believe It

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Quote of the Day:

“I woke up the other morning with a complete story in my mind – a story I’d never even dreamt of writing, never even thought of before. That can happen to anybody. You have to give yourself material, though. You’ve got to treat the human mind constantly with ideas. The human mind, itself, will make the comparisons, the connections, and the adjustments.”

– Louis L’Amour

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Around noon to 1-ush o’clock, we thought we heard a knocking on our gate. I didn’t hear it but Michael came down and said he heard something. He went out and looked at the gate. There were no notes, or church newsletters or a shut-off notice from one of our utilities. Although Michael said that he thought the man he saw returning to his small black car seemed to look like my brother KC Bob. It couldn’t be because he would have called us.

We went back to what we were doing and life settled down around the Fricia household. Later on we heard a very strong knocking on our gate. Michael we out and ask who was there. Much to my surprise, Michael called out to the door and sure enough it was KC Bob. What a surprise! Yakking began and a call went out for pizza, a salad for me, an order of spicy chicken legs and the best garlic bread.

I don’t believe the talking ever stopped. It has been a year since our wedding when Bob was out here last. My only problem was I was having neck pains from the arthritis I have there. This made me a whole lot of fun.

I certainly slept well last night and stayed in bed longer than usually. I even cleaned the stove and part of the counter. There’s more to be done but unless I get more motivation, I will finish the kitchen up tomorrow.

The fur kids are upstairs sleeping on opposite bed corners.

I hope your day went well. We have had sunny skies and breezes for the day. I’m glad we didn’t get the rain.

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Currently Reading:

“the NEW diary” by Tristine Rainer

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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Do I Have to Come Out From Under the Covers?

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Quote of the Day:

“The way a long work is completed is by daily tapping the first imaginative impulse. That’s got to be so strong that it never dies in the course of the whole performance.”

– Paul Horgan

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Okay, I have been seen about without the covers here and there. Only I end up being overwhelmed and head back to the bed and my covers.

I assume us Californian’s aren’t the only ones hit hard by this economic crunch. Because of my disability I receive coverage once a month from Social Security. Generally, I pay my bills and then the majority of the rent. This leaves Michael to handle everything else with his two small checks from unemployment which is about to run out soon.

So my chore today is to find either on-line or via telephone who I can talk to about Section 8 housing. So far we’ve been three months behind in payment but getting the landlord a month’s rent. At this point, I don’t know how much longer he’s going to tolerate this. We don’t even know if he would work with us on this Section 8 thing.

Yesterday and today so far have been good days, meaning no rain. However, rain is predicted for later today. With that prediction may explain my aches and pains; or, it could be the stress about everything.

I’ve been attempting to write in the morning. Only I have two cats who demand to be groomed and with treats before I do much more. By then my mind is off to other things than writing.

Another tangent about my cats, I groom them every day and quite a lot of hair ends up in the brush. My question is: Does anyone make their own yarn? Because I feel all this hair could make some good yarn and could be used for knitting or crocheting.

I’m going to close now but I feel good about writing to you today.

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Currently Reading:

“the NEW diary” by Tristine Rainer

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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The Wind Quieted Down

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Quote of the Day:

“When I was young, I was always amazed that out of such profound rage, one could end by writing quite calmly. One reacts rather strongly, but as a writer, one distills that down. If those responses were not strong, probably one would not be a writer.”

– V.S. Naipaul

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The sky is overcast and gray. The spring flowers are blooming and lawnmowers have been heard around the neighborhood. What’s nice is the wind has quieted down and we still have our roof. The night before, it was a strong wind. I thought we could have lost part of our roof or the sky lights.

The days are slow at the moment since I haven’t been feeling well. I’ve had a sore throat since early Sunday morning. I don’t really know if it is a sore throat or a pill that stuck to the side of my throat and stayed there to dissolve. Anyway, it’s a pain in the neck. Hehehehehe.

Well, here’s me going back to napping.

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Desperation” by Stephen King

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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You Can’t Eat Just One

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Quote of the Day:

“Writing songs is as exhilarating as ever. I get a very satisfied feeling that I never get in any other part of my life. But most of the time you’re walking around having little temper tantrums, waiting for it.”

– Paul Simon

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I know when Ostara/Easter is coming because Peeps have appeared in the stores. Mmmmm, I love Peeps. I could overdose on Peeps for I find them so tasty. I attempt to purchase as many as I can because once the season has passed. There shall be no more until the following year.

Yesterday, the wind blew as a battle cry of an advancing army. Our windows shook and I could hear the sand as it burst against the wood of the house. This is why the boards of our house are so smooth. Today the breeze is fresh as a spring wind ought to be.

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Currently Reading:

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Desperation” by Stephen King

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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Shopping and Birthdays

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Quote of the Day:

“I think we’re going to see in the world in a short amount of years a real transition. We’re entering the creative age. Everybody has creativity. If I were to teach young people I would find in each of them their potential. Creativity is after all the thing that makes us like God. You think of a god as someone who is creative.”

– Francis Ford Coppola

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For birthdays I’m proud to say that Lady C is celebrating today. How lucky she is and no I’m not going to tell which year it is. We have had some good birthday celebrations shared together. There are a lot of good years together between us.

Although she is babysitting her house due to inside flooding. Oh joy! I remember when the last house we lived in flooded due to saturated ground and the toilet not shutting off when it was last flushed. When I arrived home, Michael was not in a good mood.

Of all the holidays that are celebrated, I like birthdays best. That’s the one I like to go all out for gifts, cards and a luncheon. In this day and age, who can afford to spend that much? And, because of the Divine Mz. M I’m learning to make things for the birthday person.

For me, I’ve received plenty of gifts and a card is enough and having lunch with Lady C or other close girlfriend is plenty for me.

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I may have written this before but I am a catalog shopper. Going physically shopping visually overwhelms me. I buy to much, buy nothing, or buy clothes that when I arrive home and get them on – I look in the mirror and wonder what I was thinking. Then they go back to the store.

Sometimes what I do is take the catalogs I receive and cut out the photos I like. I take them to the stores where I shop and show the sales lady what I’m looking for and ask her to find an outfit that matches my photos. Sometimes this works and some times it doesn’t.

When I have purchased clothes from a catalog and I understand their sizing then that is where I shop. It’s a little more expensive because of the shipping and handling. However, now that I know the company, I’m not afraid to purchase clothes. The companies also note where the item clothing can be hand washed, dry cleaned or machine washed. These companies are also good about the need to return if something doesn’t fit or it just doesn’t work for me.

A lot of these catalogs I call my wish books. The catalogs are fun to see the different styles. There are times when I will cut out the photos that intrigue me and place them in my journal. So, even if I don’t buy it, I have it available to me. I save money this way too.

I would be interested in reading how you shop whether by store or catalog.

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Desperation” by Stephen King

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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Write Right

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Quote of the Day:

“When I’m not writing, I can’t make sense out of anything. I feel the need to make some sense and find some order, and writing fiction is the only way I’ve found that seems to begin to do that. Even if the story or the novel ends up saying there is no sense and there is no order, at least I’ve made that much of an attempt.”

– Alice McDermott

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One thing I’ve noticed about being a writer, it spoils reading for me. As I read, I’m critiquing the author’s style of writing. I believe this slows down my reading. However my reading makes me notice the turn of the phrase. The style the author uses.

I know when I began journaling on-line, I would write and when done, I would instantly upload to my site. Now, I do a spell check, then I read what I’ve written, check the spelling (even I know you can’t trust the spell check) and I get a second rewrite in before I upload. That is an improvement from the beginning of writing.

As I’ve written here it does make it hard to read because I am checking out style, words used and the tenses between sentences remain the same. That said I still like to read because I feel it improves my writing. But, you see, this is where Miss Perfection jumps in here!

In the last two weeks I’ve done two watercolor paintings and I don’t like either one. I think this Sunday I shall find a painting to use as a guide. The Divine Ms. M has suggested it helps to copy others to learn technique. So, I may give that a try or I’ll get out my crayons and work with them. I like the fact I am being creative on Sundays and it carries through the week without pressure.

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Desperation” by Stephen King

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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A Gray and Dreary Day

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Quote of the Day:

“I was still under a depressed state when I began to write with considerable gusto, and then it came back to me again, this thing that had dogged me all those years. . . a nemesis or something that haunts you. . . It’s a kind of counterdrive not to write.”

– Henry Roth

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and I feel depressed and not wanting to write. I don’t write because I don’t want to bore you all with my troubles. Then I feel that if I share some of my journey with you I will touch one of my readers who might be going through the same thing. I know more than one person has written in thanks for sharing my story.

I dealt with Medicare this morning. I received a notice from them that they were denying claim until after I had presented the bill to my primary insurance carrier. Duh! Back in October I was still covered by my employer’s healthcare plan. That was discontinued the end of October. Medicare was in force October 1 but I used my employer’s insurance until November 1 when the employer’s healthcare plane was discontinued. Then I used Medicare.

The first woman I spoke with was very delightful and easy to talk with. She did what she could but she couldn’t make the changes to my account. She suggested I call this other number, which she gave me, and said they would be able to assist me there.

The second lady was able to change my account but when I attempted to talk about non-bill I received, the niceness stopped. She went into hyper-drive and talked to me as though I was bothering her. I ended up not liking her very much.

What I felt like was a mouse in a maze. Okay, I’ve done all I can do here, now call this number, then call this number and they should help you.

Now I need to talk to my doctor about what has transpired.

It’s a lazy day around here. I did clean up the kitchen and wiped down the counters. The fur kids had been chasing each other around here like hell bent for election. At the moment, all is quiet. Everyone is napping. I napped earlier in the day so I’m ready to be a little busier. I guess this is why I am writing right now.

I haven’t seen the weather report today so I don’t know if rain is in order. It could be just a gray and dreary day.

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Desperation” by Stephen King

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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Staying In the Moment

Staying In the Moment

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Quote of the Day:

“When I’m writing a book, I’m writing out of my own search. . . What I get I get via intuition, feeling. I sit with a blank page. I try to focus my whole being on what it is I’m searching for. Then that becomes the focus of attention in my whole life.”

– Linda Leonard

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It pays to stay in the moment because then you don’t miss those precious moments.

My aaah moment came when I was meditating and Max, my older fur child, curled up in my lap and took a nap. Not long the sun came around and made it too hot for Max. It sure felt good though to have that little body in my lap. I know I had a smile on my face.

Another aaah moment was getting some house work done. To think, I don’t have to think about it again for another week. How easy is that?

Besides Max, the best part I kept to my painting on Sundays. Last week’s piece of art I completed yesterday. I feel disappointed about it because it didn’t come out the way I saw it in my head. Plus, I’m not sure the paint was working right. A little dust I don’t think helped at all and maybe even on my brushes. I may have to discuss this with the Divine Ms. M and read what she has to write about this.

But, I did begin another painting. Ideas are tumbling around in my head. When I look at it face forward, I’m not sure I like it. However, looking at it the mirror I see other ideas. So, who knows what will come out tomorrow?

mz. em

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Currently Reading:

“Loving an Alcoholic” by Jack Mumey

“Desperation” by Stephen King

“Walking on Alligators” by Susan Shaughnessy

“New American Standard Bible” – The Book of Job

“Hope for Today” by Al-Anon

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