Here's a funny one... (one of those multi-forwarded emails) I don't know who wrote it...

A woman on crutches came forward at the revival meeting. "Have faith and
you shall be healed!" shouted the evangelist. "What is your name, my
good woman?" he asked. "My name is Mrs. Smith," she replied, "and I've
been on crutches ove 30 years."
"Go behind these curtains and pray," the
evangelist instructed. Shortly, a man came forward. "my name ith Mither
Thamuel," he said, "and I have alwayth thpoken with a lithp." "Fine,
Mister Samuel," the evangelist said, "you join Mrs. Smith in prayer
behind the curtains."
A few minutes passed and the evangelist
proclaimed, "The time has come to witness these miracles of healing.
Throw one of your crutches out from behind the curtains, Mrs. Smith."
The gasping audience watched in amazement as the crutch sailed out from
behind the curtains. "Now throw away your other crutch." The crowd stood
and applauded wildly as the second crutch flew from behind the curtains.
Inspired, the evangelist commanded, "Mr. Samuel, speak to us in a loud,
clear voice that we all may hear." Samuel spoke, "Mitthith Thmith jutht
fell on her ath!"

The BEST Skillet Cabbage Ever!

From the Kitchen of Velma Menzen
With modifications by Kate Winner

Velma’s version:
1 head of cabbage (chopped) 2-4 cups
1 cup chopped celery
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped, OR 1 can stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 tbls. Sugar
2 tbls corn oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place cabbage, celery, onion, red and green peppers, sugar, salt and pepper in skillet with small amount of oil in skillet.

Cook on medium heat approximately 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Put lid on skillet, reduce temperature and simmer, covered, approximately 5-10 minutes.

Kate’s adjustments:
I always make a bigger batch; it keeps well in the frig and we like it cold, too.
I use olive oil.
We leave out the peppers, but add crushed red pepper flakes to heat it up. Do this to taste.
I use fresh tomatoes and only one.
I add Basil and Oregano (or try something different each time).
I add fresh garlic.
I use quite a bit more Splenda (sugar substitute). We like it sweet/hot!
I add about 1 cup of fat-free chicken or vegetable stock and cook it about 20 minutes, then remove the lid and reduce the liquid to concentrate the flavors.
As you can tell, the recipe is Very flexible and Very good. Try it for yourself. Enjoy!

This is a very low-cal, low fat recipe. I’m not a carb-counter, so I can’t comment on those. This is terrific!
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"People demand freedom of speech to make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." (Kierkegaard)

Interesting, huh?

It will soon be March 20th. There is much for me to consider about the world and my position in it as we approach the first (and hopefully the only) anniversary of the war in Iraq. I'm listing here some web sites that I have been reading to help me figure it all out. There are many, many others. Maybe you will be interested, too.

unitedforpeace.org
truemajority.org
cartercenter.org
oneworld.net

We have to form our own opinions. Individually. Be smart. Read widely, including (or perhaps especially) differing opinions. Check the source. If you are getting your news or information from forwarded emails, check out who is sending them to you, and click through to the source.

One thing that I know for sure is that I can build peace in my heart. I can learn to be the "soft place to fall" for my family and friends. I can practice elevating my own standard of integrity and model the behavior I want to see around me. And I can Vote. This is not the year to be casual about politics.
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"Anybody can become angry, that is easy; but to be angry with the right person, and to the right degree, and at the right time, and for the right purpose, and in the right way, that is not within everybody's power, that is not easy." - Aristotle |

What to do? What to do?
I'm about to go home. I've quit a corporate job and retired. I get to be a homemaker. I've always wanted to; I know I'll be good at it. But I want it to be about nurturing and nest-building, not about "housework". I don't really get excited about cleaning toilets, I just want it to be clean...all the time.

I also want my retirement to be about self-discovery, personal growth, honing and elevating my own integrity and personal standards, and modeling a higher standard of behavior.

So what's the quandry?
I saw a commercial yesterday for a toilet bowl cleaner with a disposable brush. Use it and flush it. ...sounds like more trash to me. Our growing love of throw-away everything has begun to concern me. How much trash can I put in the dumpster before I am damaging the planet (and my own integrity).
So, can I Swiffer, or must I wring out dirty dish mops? I want it to be easy, and yet, I must be responsible...
to whom? me? the planet? the neighbors? all of these?
More will follow on this, I am sure.
later...
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Good Morning. This is March 10, 2004 and the opening day of my BlogSpot. It is also the first Wednesday of my freedom from the "corporate man". Whew! What a relief!
I was prompted to open this spot by a desire for a platform ("soapbox" to some) that doesn't rely on email and therefore will be seen only by those who want to come here. I'll be back shortly to post some stuff, but am off to breakfast just now.
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Mmm-mmm Eggs Benedict!
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What follows here is an article that was sent to me by email. I went to the Times Herald-Record archives and confirmed that the article was actually published as follows and under the attributed by-line. I really like what Ms. Quinn has to say on this subject. After the article, you'll find a few of my own thoughts on the matter.

For the self-righteous: vow to quit meddling
By Beth Quinn Times Herald-Record

I was going to leave the gay marriage issue alone just to save myself some grief.

But then I thought, what fun would that be? Somebody's got to irritate the self-righteous folks who tell the rest of us how to live, and it might as
well be me.

You know who you are, so get your writing implements ready because you'll want to damn me to hell by the time we're done here.

For me, there is one central question in the whole gay marriage controversy: What do you care?

What difference does it make in your own life if two gays or lesbians get married? It simply mystifies me that you feel threatened by this. What
possible harm could it do in your personal, little life whether the two guys living at the end of your block say "I do"?

I keep hearing the same pat answer from your prophets of doom - that allowing homosexuals to marry will "destroy the institution of marriage."

Well I gotta' tell you, a lot of gays and lesbians have been getting married in San Francisco lately, and so far my own institution of marriage
is doing just fine. I checked. When I heard they were lining up for licenses, I asked my husband if he felt our marriage was going downhill on
account of it. He just ignored the question and wanted to know what kind of perennials I thought we should put in this spring.

I took that as a good sign. Perennials are an investment in the future, so I figure he's sticking around despite what those homosexuals are doing.

So, self-righteous folks, I guess uess I'm wondering what's wrong with your own marriages that you feel so threatened by another couple's happiness. Are
you unable to sustain a good sexual relationship knowing that two gay guys are sleeping together in wedded bliss? Are you unable to have an intimate
conversation with your spouse because you're distracted by the notion of two women going off on a honeymoon?

Because if your marriage is that unstable, you should stop worrying about what others are doing and tend to your own problems before your divorce
contributes to the decline of the institution of marriage.

I've given this a lot of thought, and I've completely failed to come up with ways that gay marriage will have an impact on your life. It won't
raise your taxes. It won't cause the kid who shovels your driveway to quit. It won't make your laundry dingy. It won't alter the weather. It won't
cause your dog to start passing gas. It won't affect your relationship with God. It won't cause you to develop a tumor on your head.

Those of you who would talk about grand concepts like society and institutions and pillars and guideposts and moral fibers and whatnot, I say
this is just your excuse for meddling. And history has shown us that nothing good ever comes of meddling in other people's affairs. Every time
Christians showed up to mess with heathens, for example, we just ended up with a lot of unhappy heathens with syphilis and smallpox.

Those of you who would point out that the dictionary definition of the word "marriage" involves a man and a woman, let me point out that the dictionary is a living, breathing document that changes as word usage changes. If you
doubt it, look up the word "dot" in a current edition.

We the people get to decide what's in the dictionary. The dictionary doesn't get to dictate our societal conventions. Your hair isn't going to
catch on fire if the definition of marriage is eventually changed to read, "two consenting adults" instead of "man and woman."

As for the Bible, which is always the last refuge for those of you who want to impose your will on us savages, we're not all reading out of the same
book.

More fundamentally, the Bible is not a legal document. If it were, those who fail to love one another would be rounded up and thrown in jail. The
prison budget would go through the roof what with all the new cells we'd be needing for the neighbor haters.

I have only this advice to offer those of you who oppose gay marriage: Don't marry a homosexual.

If you're a man and you don't want to marry another man, for crying out loud, stick to your guns! That would be a terrible idea. You'd be miserable! Same for women. Marry someone of the opposite sex if that's your personal preference.

After all, no one's got the right to meddle in your private affairs.
***** end of article by Beth Quinn

more KateThoughts:
As a "domestic partner" the legal issues surrounding gay marriage are very important to me for primarily economic reasons.

J.B. and I have been together 10 years, now, and are "married" as far as we and our close friends are concerned. We had a wonderful ceremony at the Unity Church in Chicago, and another great service with another group of friends when we got back home to N.M. We are doing fine in our lives with two incomes. We can handle our bills, all of our real needs, and most of our "wants". We have made wills, and hope to establish a living trust within the next few months. However...

If one of us should die or become critically ill before some changes in the present laws take place, much is left in jeopardy. Visitation rights in hospitals as well as decision-making rights don't automatically fall to the healthy partner. The IRS will retain any Social Security monies.

The legal implications are large and we are only beginning to understand what they all mean and how we might protect ourselves. At the ages of 56 and 63, these issues seem more important daily, and we struggle to learn as much as we can as quickly as we can. Because we are a same-sex couple we have to hire lawyers to draw up special documents to provide each other with the same results that just naturally occur among "straight" couples. Interesting, isn't it?

And yet, we are married. Our relationship is solid. It's based on love, commitment, and a desire for mutual and individual spiritual growth. No law will (or can) change that.

All I want for myself and my partner are the same legal rights that are afforded to any other married couple in this country. Until I have those rights we are not "all created equal" and we do not have a "land of the free".

I have no problem with this church or that church saying out loud, "we don't sanction or approve or allow gay marriage in our church". I do have a problem with our U.S. government trying to adopt the dogma of religion as "law" in this land. We are not a religious state; at least, not yet.

So, as this issue grows larger in our country, I hope you will look at the issues with an open mind and an open heart. If your church says no, then consider whether you want your church to be the only one allowed here. What connection do/should we have between church and state. Consider what Solomon might have done. Consider what Jesus might have done. Consider how your life will be affected. Will your life be affected? Physically? Spiritually? Consider how your spirit may be affected. What kind of country/world would it be if we lived our lives without judgment or hate. Imagine it. What if?
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