Learned the news that another of one who I consider to be a mentor has reached his final reward. You can read the announcement at his website.
As for me, I'll keep reading, and keep the memories of the couple of times I met Calvin Miller in person--He never ceased to exude the aroma of Jesus to all who met him.
It is time now to say good-bye to one of the best, most endearing of the "Sweat Hogs"
It's National Cheesecake Day. Yes, I said "cheese" cake, not "beef" cake. So the question remains -- did you have a slice of heaven today?
Fans of "Keeping Up Appearances" will be sad to learn that Geoffrey Hughes past away. We are now short one more guffaw.
Click on the graphic below--it will take you to the home of Lulu.com, then follow the instructions on the code to buy my books (if you search for my name, you know--Benjamin Potter, you'll get a listing of all my books). Don't forget to use your code, or you won't get the discount:
Well, now that Goober has said, "Hey" in that final journey, Andy has reached his final reward so that he can say his last, "Hey to Goober!" Rest well Andy, Matlock, and all your Griffithness.
http://todayentertainment.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/07/03/12543460-report-americas-sheriff-andy-griffith-dead-at-86?ocid=ansmsnbc11
Have a happy Mother's Day! You deserve it.
And to all the rest of us out there . . .
She's your mother--honor, love and respect her
Especially today, and also every day.
May is a month chock-full of holidays (real or perceived), so I thought I'd just wish 'em all at once and get it over with:
Happy May Day! If you enjoy this Spring festival then dance and sing.
Happy Prayer Day! This Thursday people will gather all over the United States for the National Day of Prayer (find a moment to add your prayers for our nation if you desire)
Happy Mother's Day! This year it falls on May 13--so you still have time to do something special for your Mom (or in memory of her).
Happy Memorial Day! On the 28th remember all those who have made it possible to live in the freedom that we have in the USA by giving their lives for our freedom.
Since we're getting a jump start, for all my friends of Mexican extract: Happy Uno de Mayo! (daily you can add a number until we get to Cinco).
Have a happy holiday on whatever holiday you celebrate.
A new day,
A new way,
A new life,
A new strife,
A new dove,
A new love,
A new hope,
A new way to cope.
A new home,
A new place to roam.
A new sorrow,
A new tomorrow,
A new knowledge,
A new college,
A new hate,
A new debate,
A new run,
A new thing done.
A new pond,
A new far beyond.
A new sweeping,
A new reaping,
A new best,
A new test,
A new rhyme,
A new time,
A new reason,
A new, open season.
A new tom-boy,
A new bundle of joy.
A new cot,
A new pot,
A new pan,
A new can,
A new want,
A new taunt,
A new ability,
A new sightless visibility.
A new top,
A new time to stop.
A new toy,
A new joy,
A new glass,
A new grass,
A new pen,
A new sin,
A new forgiveness,
A new thought of newness.
A new realization,
Without new relation.
(from journal entry for May 8, 1980)
You put your head on my shoulder;
I put my heart in your hands.
Together we can brighten the world,
And spread peace throughout all the lands.
Friends, friends, friends,
We can be friends together;
I'll be your friend 'til the end.
Friends, friends, friends,
We don't have to worry 'bout the weather,
And forever I'll be your friend.
I don't mind if you cry on my shoulder,
If you don't mind if I open my heart.
I don't mind if you ask me to counsel you,
But don't use me and tear me apart.
Friends, friends, friends,
We can be friends forever
Yes, Earth's peace on us depends
Friends, friends, friends,
We don't have to worry, no, never,
And forever I'll be your friend.
(1980)
[Again, this is from my Junior English (III) journal. I later set the words to music, but can't remember the tune exactly. I would say that this was probably inspired by Michael W. Smith, but his song "Friends" didn't come out until years later.]
Children playing,
The first breath blown;
The man on the freeway,
The fist you have shown,
Cashier at the market,
Voice on the phone;
Dinner burning,
Tension has grown;
One last breath for screaming,
Ka-POW!
No more balloon.
(May 6, 1980)
[This is an excerpt from my high school journal.]
It happened again today and so I said something. Probably shouldn't have, but I did. Let me start with my two "change pet peeves".
The first is related to my years in an after school job. I was taught to "count change back" to the customer. Clerks today think they are counting back change, but unless they are more than forty years of age, they are probably just counting back the amount of change their machine tells them the customer is supposed to get. Shall I educate the younger readers of this tirade? As a clerk it is your responsibility to count back the change (not once but twice). Here's the example: Your customer gives you a $20 bill for a sale of $12.27. Your computerized cash register will flash to you that you should return $7.73 to them in change (trust me the math is right). Your job as checker is not to take the machine's word for it, but to "count back" change. To do this you should start with the amount of the sale ($12.27) and count the change back to yourself from the till--pennies (28, 29, 30); dimes (40, 50); 2 quarters (thirteen dollars); ones (14, 15); and a five (that makes 20)--that's $7.73. Then you count (the same way) back to the customer, which shows the customer that (1) you know what kind of cash they tendered to you, and (2) that you know how much change to give them, without really needing the register to tell you more than the amount of the original sale in the first place.
Which leads me to my other issue (the one that happened today--at a national fast food joint that will remain nameless here). At the drive through window, the clerks have been trained (I assume, because they always do it this way) to tell you how much change they are supposedly putting into your hand and then stack bills, register receipt, and top it off with a fistfull of change. Why does this irk me so? Because stacking the change the way they do often causes the coin-change to fall between the window and your car. This isn't so much if there are only a few pennies, but if the coin change is the better part of a dollar, you don't want to have to try to retrieve it from the space between the building and your car.
So, I said something--probably shouldn't have, but I'm tired of it. It may save 2 to 3 seconds of time, but it aggravates me. Why don't you just give me the change, then do a second hand-off with the bills and receipt. Thanks for listening.
The empty room: open door
Ready to be filled with
Bright happy faces
Memories of events gone by
Souvenirs of places.
Shades drawn darkly --
Want for sunshine
Need for laughter . . . singing . . .
Someone kind.
To laugh, to cry,
To hope, to wish,
To live, to die
No one to talk to
No one to love.
Open the windows
Brighten with laughter
Open door; empty room --
Darkness prevails --
But why?
(20 October 1980)
Okay, so here's the deal. I have several shelves of books that I have accumulated over the years (many before I ever met the Blushing Bride). Some are even near and dear to my heart. At the same time our family is in need of some funds in a rather immediate fashion. A host of these books have been gathering dust on the shelves for more years than I care to admit. A mountain of them were even languishing in storage while we lived and worked overseas.
To make the two ends work together, I will be offering a great many titles for sale, but since it is a fundraising effort I can't let the books go for a song and dance. My pricing should be fair (but probably won't be competitive, again, the point is to get raise funds for our family need). My first blush out of the gate will be to list several of the authors whose work I have and will be parting with (some reluctantly). As time permits, I list individual titles--unless people are into just buying the author's work. Most titles will be first or second editions (book club editions will be priced considerably less), and many are signed (and/or inscribed) by the author.
To answer the main question--why not use e-bay or Amazon.com? Well, I am using those outlets for some general sales, but most of the titles I'm offering in this fashion would be more suited for personal contact from collectors and bibliophiles.
So, now to the authors included:
Steve Brewer (many early Bubba Mabry mysteries)
Bill Brooks (several western titles--these will go pretty cheap as most are paperback)
Sigmund Brouwer (I have many of his fiction titles for older readers, not too many children's titles)
Susan Rogers Cooper (many Milt Kolvak titles, several E.J. Pugh titles, and all of the Kimmie Kruse novels)
Bill Crider (I have almost all of his mystery titles, including Dan Rhodes, Carl Burns, Truman Smith, and Sally Goode)
Kinky Friedman (all but the last few of his mysteries)
James Grippando
John Grisham
Stewart Kaminsky (many of the Toby Peters titles--several of these are book club editions, but in excellent condition)
Lisa Scottoline
David J. Walker
I also have a number of short story collections to sell. Tune in often for more detail on the books that must go. If you like some of these authors ask for a particular title of theirs and I'll let you know if I have it.
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