Saturday, November 5, 2016

For Now, I'm Right Where I'm Supposed To Be...


Where I currently am is:

Anderson Public Library

Before long, I'll be on the evening Miller Bus returning to my current home, Gillespie Tower in Muncie, Indiana.

It's only going to be a little over a week until I turn over the key to my Muncie apartment and, a day later, will be picking up the key to my new Anderson apartment in the senior complex known as The Village At White River.

Election Day is exactly a week before I become a full-fledged Anderson resident again.

I won't be voting then, having already voted via an early absentee ballot -- and I believe that I made a really good choice in picking the best person for that position known (for short) as POTUS.

Here are what I think are fifteen good reasons for the choice that I made.  Actually, I cast my vote before reading these fifteen good reasons, so, I wasn't influenced due to reading them.  However, I think that this list I came across today just confirms to me that I made the best choice.

Here are a couple of POTUS-themed writings I did:

One for the present

and


I hope you'll read them and share them!

Anyway, I have so much more to share with you, but it's going to have to wait because the library will be closing soon, and I want to share at least this much!

Before long (as in the first chance I get this coming week), I'm going to be sharing some really neat people with you -- including a human angel who gave me a body-warming gift that will also be a very special housewarming gift for my new apartment!

Clue:  This is where she works! (of course, there are MANY people working there who fall under that description.  But the library is about to close for now, so I need to wrap this up and share what I have...

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Just Skip The Grave Decoration For Larry Part...


glitter-graphics.com

The issue of my medical and other decisions recently came up -- and, on the same day, a flashback to something I wrote a year ago came up on Facebook which might not have said everything but certainily said a lot.

There might be some things that will be dated in the future, but it's still pretty much an accurate description of my wishes should I become ill, get involved in an accident, or simply end up passing on.

Anyway, I told Larry sometime back that one of the places I'd like part of my ashes to go was in the soil over his grave.

He seemed pretty okay with that at the time -- or so I thought.

But he probably thought I was kidding around at the time and he kidded me back.

Anyway, I'm not sure if he even remembers the original conversation, and he definitely doesn't think that this would be a good set-up.

Therefore, when you read that part, just scratch it for now unless otherwise told differently.

But this is still pretty accurate -- at least, the important parts of it.

I wrote this in response to where, on at least a couple of occasions, people in my apartment building ended up passing away without making their wishes known without giving some idea of how to dispose of their belongings in order to ready their apartments for future tenants.

Also, I wrote this in response to making sure that people knew that I was a donor right down to even donating my face -- which, believe it or not, would be welcomed by somebody whose own face was accidentally or intentionally disfigured.

I put down some basic instructions for a graveside service for both my mom and me, if I passed on before getting the chance to lay her to rest myself.

And, of course, the disposal of my ashes.  If there were enough left after donating with at least an equal amount being laid to rest in Cunot Cemetery, I had other places I wanted some to be placed.  When you read this, you'll know where.

Also, it will become plain to you that I DEFINITELY don't want to be out-and-out euthanized (Don't even get me started on THAT one!!!), and I also want to have Full Code and none of that DNR stuff!!!

Anyway, more on that another time.  I'm now going to share what I wrote a year ago and what I recently said about what I wrote back then...

First, the recent response:
Here's something from a year ago today. Since part of my day has included what a power-of-attorney and others need to know in case I get unable to speak for myself in the future, either through being too ill or having passed on, I'd like to re-share this while I'm thinking about it and it's an apt time to do so.
These are my wishes at this time. The general trend of them will remain the same even if some things might need to be updated with the passing of years.
I'm DEFINITELY not in favor of DNR and/or euthanasia! It's NOT my duty to die before the Lord wants me to pass on! This kind of thinking, imo, has the danger of opening up all sorts of cans of worms.

In time, I'll elaborate more on this, but this is good for now.
God willing and the creek don't rise, I want to be one of those people who know what it feels like to have an age with three whole digits in it!!!

Next, the original post:
TY, David Moffatt, for sharing this story. I've just spent most of my time in library today writing this just-in-case kind of thing!
I need to also mention here that Larry is just (as of our last conversation last night) just 14,905 away from his 11,000,000th tab saved for Ronald McDonald House since 2003!!!
Here are the plain and simple instructions should I pass soon:
I want my resting place to be in Cunot Cemetery where my dad is already laid to rest and my mom's cremains will be, too. The latter are currently in storage.
Due to having to put lots of memories from a hurried move in a place quickly, there is a lot in front of a chest in my most southward unit.
There are already people authorized to go in there.
The chest is on the left in front of a table with photos and nik-naks on it. Inside are (among other things) a plastic container with a rectangular box-shaped "urn" in it containing my mom's cremains.
My cremains will be whatever is left over from body donation. Even if my organs can't be used due to being found too late (say, in a case like this), my hair can still be used to go towards a wig for someone who is losing hair from something like a chemo treatment, and I think my bones will still be usable as well.
Cremate at least part of me to be laid to rest in Cunot, even if most all turns out to be usable. I'm talking about face donation, too.
If there are enough ashes, scatter at least an ash or two in these three places: 1. Methodist Church inside of Mammoth Cave (Historical Tour Route) where there are wonderful formations of the face of Jesus, a cross, an angel, and a pulpit where ministers have actually preached to a congregation. 2. Mixed with the grass over the place where Larry "The CanMan" Van Ness will eventually be laid to rest. 3. In the waters of Lake Michigan on Kemil Beach (Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore).
My cousins and godchildren can go through my photos, home movies, etc., and pick what is meaningful to them.
Other items can be sold, recycled, etc. Aluminum products can be divided up between Big Dave (how I'll identify him here) and Larry Van Ness -- with pop can tabs all going to Larry. Newspapers that won't sell for some kind of value or without clippings anyone wants to keep can be divided up between Big Dave & Larry.
Auction for anything that isn't something needing to go to family (photos, home movies, etc.) with what's earned being divided between Ronald McDonald House Of Indiana; Rose Njilo for her work in Tanzania I've often mentioned; Snoopy Puckett for closing down places that are called boot-camps but are places where already hurting kids are being bullied; Indiana School For The Blind (where my aunt went for her high school); Country Music Association/Country Music Hall Of Fame (where my aunt also wanted more of her things to go after she passed); Indianapolis 500 (another favorite place of Aunt Kate's earmarked for use of Indy 5 activities for kids in Riley Hospital); research for better treatment for Retinitis Pigmentosa, Parkinson's, ALS, MS, & Alzheimer's. Food in my frig and pantry as well as things like cologne, soap, etc.donated to giving table in Community Room of Gillespie Tower (Muncie) and donated to Christian Center (Anderson).
Simple graveside service for both my mom and me with 23rd Psalm and Because He Lives; I've Been With Jesus; In The Garden; & How Great Thou Art.
Celebrate anything we (my mom, dad, and I) might have done to make a positive difference by paying it forward and giving the Glory To God!!!
Of course, I'm planning on seeing what it's like to turn 100 one of these days, but just writing this just in case.
One more thing: FULL CODE!!! No pulling the plug until I'm actually gone and DEFINITELY no euthanasia!!!

Next, a link to the original write-up that -- along with my observations after my neighbors passed -- led me to write this:
The Lonely Death of George Bell

Finally, a few more closing shares and thoughts:

Here's a longer account of Mammoth Cave I wrote that includes the miracle of seeing the face of Jesus at an area referred to as The Methodist Church.

This will tell you more about the part of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore known as Kemil Beach.

This shows the part of cemetery where my dad has already been laid to rest and, in the future, where my mom's ashes along with my own will also be laid to rest.

The picture of my folks together was taken in my kitchen when I was living in the converted barn on our farm just south of Anderson.

My folks were married on February 8, 1947 after a courtship that began with their first date on May 9, 1946 and a proposal that was given during an IU Homecoming Game later that year.

They were still more and more in love at the time when my dad passed (February 2, 2004, just six days before their 57th wedding anniversary).  My mom buried him with the anniversary card she was going to give to him.

Due to the weather, visitation wasn't until February 6 and his Celebration Of Life service the next day.  The ground was frozen hard, so he couldn't be laid to rest until Friday the 13th.

I'll share more of their love story one of these days (actually, I already have in the past, but it's always something beautiful to share).

Lillian Ainsley (nee: Jobe) & Raymond Woodford Phillips lived one of the most beautiful love stories I've known, and I've been so blessed to be their daughter!!!

Together and apart, we'll always be The Phillips (3)/The Three Bears!!!

  This is a page showing wider views of Cunot Cemetery.

(to be continued...time and time again)...



Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Just Because They're Sooooooooooo Cuuuuuuuuute...




I was (as I generally am when I get Online) on YouTube today when I saw #4 in this series about the things kids do just by being kids that make us feel all warm, fuzzy, and cheerful inside.

Anyway, I want to share the entire series (to this point -- as in Tuesday, October 25, 2016) right on this page to that both anybody else and I can go here when we feel like kidding around, so, here we go...

The funniest BABY & TODDLER & KID videos #1 - Funny and cute compilation - Watch and laugh!














I'm going to share three more videos with you at this time that aren't represented by Tiger FunnyWorks but, instead, by

Baby Popcy

Cute Baby Videos

&


Finally, CLICK HERE to view something that happens a whole lot, but you don't always have the chance to see it going on.  This wonderful video from safeernilamel lets you watch a much slower process in just a little over six minutes.  A beautiful sight -- and hope for the future!!!

Anyway, I now have a bunch of precious videos all gathered in one place where I can watch one or more of them whenever I have the time -- and you can, too.

This is one of the things I'm looking forward to doing once I have free WiFi right where I live and can tune in 24/7.


But, even though I can't watch a whole bunch of them at one time at this time, they're all assembled so that I can pick some and actually do things such as getting into discussions about them as well as choosing links to share with this or that person on his/her Timeline or in an email.

Today, I'm going to see who on my friends list at Facebook has birthdays today and will make this blog-entry my present to them!

All I need to do now is to go to Glitter-Graphics and choose fitting ones to decorate the top and bottom of this blog-entry!  Of course, by the time you read this, those will be in place as well.

I love doing stuff like this!!!

Oh yes!!!  Here's one more cute kid video for you -- proving that you don't have to have a small amount of chronological years to celebrate the kid in you!!!

As for myself, I'm a little kid inside of a body that has been around for almost 64 years, and I'm loving it!!!




Tuesday, October 11, 2016

At This Time In My Life...



Today is Tuesday, October 11, 2016.

My maternal grandparents (George E. "Greeley" Jobe & Fayra Chambers) were married 105 years ago today.

In just two months and a day more, I'll be 64 years old  -- or should I say 64 years young, as I'm one of those people who hasn't quite grown up.  LOL

Anyway, I've told you about bits and pieces of my life here and there, but I just want to share with you where I'm "at" at this particular time.

For one thing, I'm now living in Muncie, Indiana and have been for a little over two years.  This was (at least, I don't believe so) meant to be something permanent, and I'm now getting several signs that it's time to move back to my hometown of Anderson.

Actually, Anderson wasn't really actually my homeTOWN for most of the time when I was growing up, as I only lived (once outside the womb) for a little over a year in the city of Anderson.

My folks and I lived in Apartment #2 in a large house on the northwest corner of Ohio & Bronnenberg Avenues.  At the time, it was owned by Chuck & Jane Atkinson (who also lived there).  Today, it sits empty.  Will it even be standing a few years from now?

The rest of the time, I grew up on a farm that, at one time, sat across from Ace Airport -- and now is across from Madison Park Church Of God's beautiful campus.

There has been quite a bit about our farm in the news as of late, what its future will be, and where I fit into it all.

As I was growing up, I assumed that this special place on the planet would always be part of my life -- however, on Monday, September 9, 2013, I became included in what is known as "the homeless population."

Thankfully, this no longer describes me, and even this challenge has ended up being used to bless both others and myself.

At one time, I had a working minivan.  Today, it's being stored at the farm of a friend until I can afford to get it repaired, licensed, and insured again.

There have been times when being able to drive would really come in handy.  However, I've gotten a wonderful education through having no choice but to either walk, use mass-transit, or (when available) getting from one point to another with thanks to this or that friend.

I've made some amazing discoveries while walking to and from the downtown library over here in Muncie.  I'll be sharing various ones of those with you very soon.

Anyway, I want to have you to go to something I previously wrote that will introduce you to people who can use whatever you feel led to give to them.

In some cases, what you give might actually be something material.

In other cases, it will be sending prayers, love, & positive thoughts their way as well as keeping their stories going.

Some of the people I'm introducing you to/reminding you of include:

A wonderful lady named Rose who has dedicated her life to helping to empower women and girls in her native Tanzania -- and who is going through some health problems of her own at this time.

An itty-bitty baby named Rilynn Michelle Tracy (with an adorable nickname of Princess Pickle) who, at this time, seems to be making wonderful progress in spite of the fact that she was only a little over a foot long and not quite 1 1/2 lbs. when she was born on September 6 instead of waiting until much closer to Christmas to make her entry into the world.

She's now up to almost 2 1/2 lbs.  Not sure how tiny she is now, but I know that she's grown at least a bit.

Anyway, her great-aunt, Michelle (who, as her godmother, I can remember back to when she was just a baby bump), has been doing a really great job of keeping everybody up on the progress of this little princess.

And, of course, there's my very special friend, Larry "The CanMan" Van Ness, who I met (or should I say RE-met LONG STORY ) three years ago this month.  I've been thinking that the day we re-met in 2013 was October 24.  However, I've since read things that make me think that it might have been even a few days earlier than that.  All I know is that it happened three years ago this month.

Anyway, it's getting close to time to call it a day for now.  I'll probably have 30 more minutes tops on here, but "God Willing & The Creek Don't Rise..." I hope to be writing here again come Thursday, October 13, 2016!!!

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Maybe Not With EVERYTHING, But This Blog-Entry IS Loaded!!!



There's so much that needs to be said on various topics in a limited amount of time.  Even now, I likely won't get all said that I'd like to today -- but, at least, I can get a good start on it.

First of all...Have you heard of Everything Bagels and Loaded Baked Potatoes?

Keep in mind that neither the bagels nor the baked potatoes are loaded with everything -- this only means that they're loaded with a lot.

Same goes with this blog-entry.

I'm not sure if I'll even get it done before Larry arrives at one-ish and *totally* distracts me.

If you're reading this before Larry arrives, that means that I got it all written.

If you read it after he leaves, that means that -- sometime between this beginning and when I write the last word before posting this -- Larry has arrived at the library.

Anyway, it's now almost 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.

I keep thinking that it's a day later, for some reason -- and I'm glad that it isn't...

Anyway, for starters, I want to back up and link to the last seven entries I posted ( between August 2 and October 1) to this blog...


It's Happening In Tanzania...


Sharing A Generous Slice Of Aunt Kate & Uncle Don















This is what a blog looks like, if it's being kept up by somebody (such as myself) with limited time on the Internet -- or, at least, this is what my blog looks like.

Now that you've read them, you'll have a pretty good idea re: how I've spent my limited time online...

It's now 11:34, and Larry has just arrived!!!  Details later...

Okay!  Details about Larry...We had a wonderful visit, and I gave him the various items (mostly, tabs that I both got on my own and got from various other people -- AND the various ones of the other items that he likes to collect to recycle).

He wants me to be sure and thank everybody who has been helping him with collecting tabs for the wonderful work done by Ronald McDonald House of Indiana.

As you can read here, the good that this mission does has hit close to home!

As quite a few of you who are reading this probably know, I have a condition called lymphedema.  Although I had this condition for a few years before (mistaking it for merely edema), I was officially diagnosed with it in late May of 2009 when it became seriously-infected, requiring me to spend several days in the hospital.

My level of having lymphedema isn't quite to the place where my legs look as extreme as those pictured in what I've just shared -- however, it goes without saying that my legs still have an advanced enough form of it that they (get ready to groan...) stand out like sore thumbs.

But I want to tell you about the late evening when I finally went to the hospital.

My mom was at my place, because she was concerned about my being alone.

This was Memorial Day Weekend, and she had been concerned enough that she stayed with me instead of doing what she had planned on doing:  going with Pinky & Bud to decorate the graves of family and friends.

I kept telling her that I would be fine -- that I just needed to get my legs elevated so that the places where the skin had popped open would begin to heal.

However, I was having a lot of trouble lifting my legs up high enough to even get them on the low-level loveseat where I was sitting and watching the latest on a remarkable and talented woman who had just recently received much-deserved acclaim -- a woman with a message to share re: what our priorities should be when it came to our opinions of others/ourselves.

I was glad to have her home with me, even though I hated to think of her missing out on decorating graves -- but, as it turned out, she was getting more and more concerned that there might be at least one more grave to decorate the next time Memorial Day rolled around.

Many months later, I would read the symptoms of somebody about to go into a coma -- and they matched up with many of mine.

Anyway, my mom told me that I really needed to get to the emergency room to get checked over.

I told her that I didn't think that it was that necessary -- and that we might end up owing a lot more than we'd like to be owing, as I had allowed my health insurance payments to lapse, as I was starting to think that I was spending more on making the payments (which seemed to be increasing about every quarter year) than I was needing to be helped by them.

But I finally said that I would go to the ER to be checked over the next day but that I also had things to take care of first (e.g. getting bills paid, writing deadlines, etc.) in case I did end up in the hospital.

That was when she said something very profound to me:

"I have a couple of phone numbers and plan to call one of them tonight.  Which would you prefer:  St. John's Hospital?  or  Robert D. Loose Funeral Home?"

To make a long story short, I was soon to become educated re:  lymphedema and how to manage it.

To top that all off -- thanks to a charity foundation, I ended up owing under $500 (paid as slowly as it took) for my part of my hospital stay (close to two weeks).

Here in our country, there are a lot of measures put into place to make it easier to take care of our health.  We don't have the perfect system -- but it works far better than the one used by Rose Njilo, my special friend from Tanzania.  With her, everything is a struggle.

Right at this time, she's dealing with serious ulcers and vomiting blood.  She's a strong person, but even she has her limits.

This wonderful woman continues in her mission to empower women and girls to give them alternatives to becoming slaves to so-called husbands who aren't deserving of them.

As most of you know, I share news about what she does from time to time.  In fact, the first link I've shared in that group of seven provides information about how she and others are making a wonderful difference in the lives of these marginalized females.

After hearing about these women and girls, I've never taken for granted my own hopes and dreams -- where the relationship between males and females gets associated with things such as wonderful music like this instead of  female genital mutilation (still acceptable and not considered to be illegal abuse over in Tanzania) and domination.

I know that not everybody reading this will be able to donate cash -- either to help Rose's mission or to help her to get the medical attention she's needing now in order to keep on going in her quest to give women and girls in Tanzania a real chance at having empowered and full lives.

However, even when cash is tight, we can still send prayers, love, and positive thoughts -- AND we can get the word out in hopes that other people who are able to donate cash will be touched.

Therefore, with this in mind, I'm going to share a link to Rose's GoFundMe site.  You can earmark the donations so that one part will go to her mission and another part will go to restoring her health again.  If you can't personally do this, please suggest this as a possibility when you share this information.

Time is getting late, but I wanted to thank so many people who have made it easy for me to take care of what's been going on in my life and still not totally neglect what I need to do in order to manage my condition so that I don't end up in the hospital again.

I'll be giving you some shining examples in my next Blogger blog-entry -- hopefully done tomorrow.

For now, I'm going to be posting this so that it can start getting read, as I've covered a lot of important ground.

It's really great to be able to get online several days in a row and for more hours than usual.  I'll take all of the time that I can get.

Maybe, I'll make the title of my next blog-entry:  How I Spent My October 2016 Vacation In Anderson.

Then, weather and other things concerned, I'll probably make another entry next week from the library downtown in Muncie called What I've Been Doing Since I Returned To Muncie.  Of course, I'm hoping to be doing an entry pretty soon called Getting Settled In Anderson But With A Big Piece Of My Heart Still In Muncie.

Hopefully, I'll be casting a vote for Gary Johnson from Anderson come November.  We shall see...

For now, it's time for me to shut my Cyber-piehole!!!  LOL


P.S.  In case you're wondering why it's probably showing that I finished this blog and posted it much earlier than so close to when it's time for me to catch the bus, it's because I posted it just long enough to test some links and, then, put it back into draft form again.

Just a little information to satisfy your curiosity, just in case you happened to notice and got curious.

On this note, I'm going to encourage you once again the keep sharing the link to this blog entry...


glitter-graphics.com





Saturday, October 1, 2016

The "Perfect" POTUS


People are always talking about how Barack Obama is our first Black President.  However, that's not really true.  He's not even our first President to have recent Black blood coursing through his veins.  That honor goes to ...  actually, that honor might go to several Presidents, though the one I've heard it said about the most is Calvin Coolidge.

It can truly be said, however, that Barack Obama is the one with the most Black blood in him to date.  However, we haven't actually had our first Black President yet (that is, where both parents are much more Black than White).

The accurate description of our current POTUS would be our first bi-racial President.

On the subject of color, I'd like to go off-topic for a bit to tell you about the time that I helped out with this class of preschoolers, and one of the little boys was Black.

He asked me what color he was, and I told him that he was Black -- to which he said, "No I'm not."

"What color do you think you are?" I asked him -- and he replied:  "I'm Orange!"

To that, I responded, "You know?  I think you're right...you ARE Orange!"

Anyway, let's think about a future POTUS.

As for this election, you can find out my choice (along with some general thoughts on the process of electing a President here in the good ol' US of A), by clicking HERE.

Having said that, let's get back to a future election and some of the things that seem to be important to some people (even though the most important thing should be whether or not this chosen leader is capable of carrying out the duties of his/her office in a way that will inspire us to reach high when it comes to what we value in live).

Anyway, this possible choice for POTUS has the following traits (and/or will if elected to this office):

Highly-intelligent & and very perceptive.

First Black President.

First Woman President (unless, of course, this gets done in the November 2016 elections)

A person who has gone from being someone from the wrong side of the tracks to being one of the wealthiest people in America.

And she's also a rape-survivor and an animal-lover.

This person is multi-talented and knows how to interact with people, whether in a one-on-one situation; before a large crowd; or somewhere in-between.

She seems to be very caring and trustworthy -- and has already made a positive difference in a whole lot of lives.

I'm sure she's not perfect, but she'd still make a very good POTUS in my opinion.

She's (as with us all) only human, and she has her faults.

In some ways, she's like an angel -- though, I'm sure not a perfect angel.  I have no idea whether or not she's talented when it comes to how she plays a harp -- but she's amazing with HARPO (which is actually her first name spelled backwards).

Need I say more!?!

Thursday, September 8, 2016

The Wasted Vote: One Of Our Worst Modern Myths


This year has been going by like a very fast plane, and it's not going to be much longer before it's time to vote with one of our votes going to elect the next President of the United States, if we've done what needs to be done to qualify.

Even if you don't agree with my personal views re: who should be in The White House next, I still want you to be out there voting!!!

Anyway, I'm going to give my personal views here re: this particular election (and -- most importantly -- what I see as helpful overall advice and observations when it comes to how to vote here in the USA) ...

1.  I refuse to vote for somebody who was determined to force an elderly widow to sell her home and the land it sat on (for the purpose of expanding his fancy-Nancy Atlantic City hotel) just because he was rich & powerful enough to do so (or so he thought -- fortunately, the presiding judge had enough of a clue to decide that he wasn't going to get away with that kind of crap).  I've always been under the impression that the power of eminent domain should only be used when absolutely necessary and NEVER for personal gain.  I also refuse to vote for somebody who seems to get some kind of jollies out of turning one group of people against another group of people based on such things as race, religion, education, etc.  Enough said...

2.  As for the other choice presented in the usual politics-as-usual "two-party system" -- I'm not sure whether or not I believe all of the rumors about her, but (unfortunately or for-the-best), there are enough people believing the rumors that it will interfere with how much of a trust factor there will be associated with her should she get elected.  Just not a good time for her to be assigned this role...

3.  My goddaughter suggested someone who seems to be a much better choice for our country at this time than either Choice #1 or Choice #2.

His name is Gary Johnson, and I'd like to thank you in advance for clicking on his hyperlinked name and learning more re: what he's about.

4.  I'm now going to encourage you not to be afraid to color outside of the lines of the conventional two-party box...

(a).  Sure!  There's that outdated-to-the-max electoral college to consider -- but I wonder if it would be able to get its own way if enough people went for a third choice that it would result in a popular vote that would become a David reality to a Goliath myth.

(b).  How about that famous old wives tale out of New Hampshire!?!  Frankly, I think that it's high time that NONE of the voting results become public until every single one of the polls have closed down the night of the final May primary elections.

If, for instance, Mickey Mouse wins in the New Hampshire primaries, that shouldn't make us decide to give up on voting for Donald Duck, if we feel that Donald Duck (who -- as well as Mickey -- would be a much better choice for POTUS than that certain other Donald with the cotton candy hair and goofy expressions) would do a better job of running the country than Mickey Mouse.

(c).  Which brings me to the conclusion of this blog-entry:

There's no such animal as a "wasted" vote, so don't let anybody convince you otherwise!!!

Let me better qualify what I just said:

This statement wouldn't (except in a kidding way) apply to a vote for a cartoon character or somebody who, for one reason or another, doesn't meet the qualifications for serving in the 21st Century POTUS position (e.g. the skeleton of Abraham Lincoln; a three-month-old baby; Paris Hilton's chihuahua; etc.).

However, it would, for instance, apply to Gary Johnson, even though he's running on a Libertarian ticket instead of as a Democrat or Republican.

Right now, I'm in the process of preparing to return to Anderson to live, and I hope I'm able to do this in time for registering to vote in this very important election.

I know that somebody might be reading this who is already registered to vote but might be wondering if it's of any use to even go do it.

Don't think for a minute that your vote won't make a difference!

Look at how all of those tabs Larry has collected over the years have come together to make a difference to so many families who came to stay at Ronald McDonald House of Indiana -- and how he has been able to do this so much more quickly and effectively because of how so many individuals have helped him to do this!!!

The same principle can be made to work when it comes to voting for our next President, if we will only think of the quote that often gets associated with the late, great Robert Francis Kennedy:


"Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of

things that never were, and ask why not." 





Saturday, September 3, 2016

I GIVE UP!!!


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Read my previous post here, and it will give you some idea of what I mean by giving up -- or, at least, what has gone into inspiring me to give up...

Anyway, in my last post, I told you that my next post would be a sequel to what I had written before that.

The update to this is that I'll, hopefully, get around to writing that sequel, but life just keeps on happening, so I'm going to focus now on talking about what has happened most recently.

I'm not even going to do it in this post -- will just tell you that I'm going to be doing this with a minimum of a couple of posts (at the VERY least!!! -- before I get back to writing the sequel.

First off, I was running out of time in the library yesterday when I came across this incredible song collection.  I was able to start playing it yesterday, but I wanted to hear the whole thing, so I said that I would be listening it "tomorrow" (which is now "today") while I'm writing here.

That's at least promise I've been able to keep right on time, as I'm listening to it now!  I'm assuming that I'll be able to hear the entire collection before I get unexpectedly-distracted.

Anyway -- to make a long story short -- I'm going to give up to writing the sequel at this time and go with newer business.

Will I write the sequel today?  God only knows, and He's not telling!!!

Anyway  -- God willing and the creek don't rise -- I plan to write several different pieces today to post in various places, and I'll be sharing them with a Tweet (which gets simulcasted at Twitter and Facebook) as I get them finished and posted.

I'll probably also be posting other Tweets not connected to links of any kind as well as posting directly to Facebook.

Before I do all of that, I'm going to go ahead and post this blog-entry.

If you're viewing it, that means that it's been published!  LOL

Also, I'll be interacting at Facebook between creating posts.

In short, it's going to be a busy day.

It's now almost eleven in the morning, and the library is open until 5:30 -- but I'll only be online until a little before three in the afternoon, as the last bus of the day leaves the terminal at ten after three.

That will be the last time that I'll be online at the library until this coming Tuesday.

I've been sent a new (upgraded) version of my cell phone.  It's now waiting for me in my Anderson post office box.  I'm planning on picking up my mail on Tuesday and, then, taking all of the necessary steps to help my original version to pass the "baton" over to its replacement.

Already, I've copied my calling list onto paper so that I'll be able to easily get it displayed on my new phone.  Some things (e.g. my phone number, voicemail messages, minutes, etc.) will automatically travel from one phone to the other.  However, my address book isn't one of those things.

It sounds as if I'll be able to take pictures with my new phone and share them on social media sites, in email, etc., so I'm looking forward to that.

Even so, I'm not going to give up the old way of doing things.  Star Photo will still be getting my business when it comes to developing traditional pictures from film -- which brings up something that I have going on there.

Over a year ago, I asked the owners if something like this was possible, and they said that it was.

You see, I have several rolls of film containing pictures that I've taken but ended up not being able to afford to get developed.

So, what I asked was if something could be set up that would be along the lines of a wedding gift registry -- only it would be cash put on my account that I could use to get the rolls of film developed.

Once I get caught up, I'd write another announcement at various places to let people know -- and any extra left over in my account would go towards helping other people in similar situations to get their film developed.

In my opinion, it's important that we preserve our history.

Anyway, if you ever want to put something on my account, just let them know that it's to go to the account of Ainsley Jo Phillips.

At this point, it's gone from being a little before eleven in the morning to being a little after it.

And it's time to quit "blabbering" -- this being a word I first heard spoken by the amazing Russell Thomas Hartsaw (now, deceased -- MURDERED!!!) about it here.

So, this should be posting very shortly just as soon as I put the finishing touches on it and send it on its way.

Speaking of Russell, there's a special tribute to him and the difference he made in the lives of at-risk youth that I've been inspired to write for a very long time -- and, especially, since December of 2014.

This coming week -- again, God willing and the creek don't rise -- I'm going to have the chance to get online at least some every day except for tomorrow and Monday.  Therefore, I'll, hopefully, get at least somewhat caught up...we can only hope....................



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Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Interlude/Intermission/The Bridge/Whatever...

Today (a.k.a. August 30, 2016) is the last day to be online here at the library in downtown Muncie before going over to Anderson for a visit that will last a bit over a week.

God willing and the creek don't rise, I'll be leaving on the afternoon Miller Bus on the first day of September and will be returning to Muncie on Saturday evening, September 10.  During my stay, I'm hoping to get online for several hours each day with the exception of September 4 & 5, as, even if the library is open on Sunday, the city buses won't be running to take me from one destination to another -- and, of course, Monday will be Labor Day.

Anyway, the last time I was here, I wrote a blog-entry called I've Got Your Number!  -- Or Do I!?!.......  and said I'd be writing the sequel to it the next time I was online.

Actually, I was expecting to be back online two days from then (weather permitting -- which it wasn't!).  I was definitely expecting to be back online yesterday, as I also had been invited to go to a presentation by Anthem that would include both a question-and-answer session and a free meal.  The timing was just perfect for getting both things done.  However, not only was it too puddly from heavy Sunday night rains, but I also had the squirts!  Best to stay home.

Actually, I only had one session of the squirts on Monday morning, but I wasn't taking any chances.  Besides -- squirts or no squirts -- there were still the puddles.

I have to be careful of what kind of punishment I put my current shoes through, as they're literally on their last legs:  MINE--because I doubt if anybody else would want me to hand them down to her or him.  What I'll probably do is to keep them for the memories (but more on the story of my shoes another time).

Anyway -- to make a long story short/shorter -- I'm going to write the sequel sometime after I'm over in Anderson.  You can just think of this as a kind of Interlude or Bridge -- or, you can think of it as Intermission time between Part One and Part Two.

First off, here's some new business on Lovable Larry:

For starters, the last time I reported his stats here, he was 756,530 away from collecting 13,000,000 tabs for the local Ronald McDonald House (something, as quite a few of you already know, he began doing in 2003 -- and he's very grateful to his ever-growing family who has helped to make this possible).

Today, I'm going to give you his latest stats:  729,935 away  -- at least I believe I remembered this correctly.  If not, no major problem, as, by now, the number has gotten even smaller!!!

Anyway, I have a little over an hour to be online now, and here are some of the things I hope to get finished today:

1.  Friend a very precious neighbor named Janice who told me that she's also on Facebook.

2.  Touch bases with at least a handful of my Facebook friends.

3.  Hopefully, actually make an entry in the blog I've created for him at my website -- but I think that this will probably be something I'll do when I get over in Anderson -- though it might be good to go ahead and do this, as I recently mailed a letter to Larry and wrote all over the back of it encouraging people (anybody in the post office who might happen to see all of the scribbling I did) to go to my website to find out more about him.  Hmmmmmm....Maybe, I'd better do this after Friending Janice...Decisions...Decisions...Decisions.............

4.  Anyway, I want to try to find the cute picture that this one lady posted of Larry where she told him to look pitiful so that people will send more tabs his way.  He told me that the problem was that -- while he was trying to look pitiful -- he kept busting out laughing!  LOLOLOLOL


On this note, I'll close...


Tuesday, August 23, 2016

I've Got Your Number! -- Or Do I!?!.......


I've always been good with stats.

The stats you've probably seen a lot of lately are the ones following the progress of Larry "The CanMan" Van Ness  (This video of him is priceless!!!).  As I posted yesterday on Twitter (which I've set to get passed on to Facebook), his last report to me is that he was 756,530 away from his 13,000,000th tab saved for the Ronald McDonald House in Indianapolis, Indiana since he began doing this in 2003.

Of course, he was planning to count even more tabs that very night (Sunday, August 21, 2016), and I'm sure that he's counted considerably more by now.

He hit the 12,000,000 milestone on Tuesday, July 12, 2016.  It would be neat if he could get to his 13,000,000th one by or before he goes down to Indy (likely, in early December) to the annual holiday open house.  Do you think that he can reach that milestone by or before Thanksgiving?

However -- as good as I usually am with stats -- I made a couple of mistakes here lately that need to be corrected.

The first time had to do with a special friend for over 30 years (George Joseph "Joe" Armstrong) who passed away unexpectedly (to me, anyway) this past May 10.  August 18 would have been his birthday, so I did a Twitter tribute to him.  However, I listed him as being born in 1958 instead of 1957.

I'm going to repost my Tweet again here with the mistake corrected...

George Joseph "Joe" Armstrong August 18, 1957 - May 10, 2016 Very much missed and thought of a lot!

I added this video to it then and will do the same now...

On August 22, my goddaughter's older daughter and firstborn child, Macie, turned 20.  In her case, I aged her a year.  I'm going to correct that mistake now by putting up a copy of the Tweet with a correction...

Happy 20th, Macie! Married with little ones! I remember both your and your mother's early years. Time flies!

Here's a link to the video that goes with this wish...

And, now, I have at least two people I want to wish "Happy Birthday With Love!"

There's Sean who turns 23 today.  I can still remember the first Sunday after he was born when his dad, Dennis, -- who was our minister at the time-- left a message on the letterboard located on the landing of the stairs leading to our sanctuary:

IT'S A GREAT BIG HAIRY BOY

More on this wonderful family in a future post!!!

The other one is named Gary, and he's been special to me for nearly 46 years.  He and I dated for most of my senior year in high school and have remained friends.  There have been times when we've even gone for years without seeing each other -- though it usually isn't that many years at a time.  There are several songs that remind me of him, and I'm going to share a few of them and why...

We were fixed up as a blind date by mutual friends, and our first date began at a Wednesday night Youth Fellowship meeting at my church.  There was music playing in the background, and he mentioned really liking this one, and I told him that I did, too.  Then, he gave me a big hug.  After Youth Fellowship, we drove back to spend the rest of the date with his getting to know my mom and dad.

The next morning, he called me and told me that he wanted to dedicate a song to me, and this was it.

One of my pet names for him was "my sweetness."  I came up with it on my own, but, then, we noticed that it was in this song.

When a classic movie appeared on TV shortly after we began dating, we watched it together.  By the time that my senior prom rolled around, I realized that we'd be better off not ending up married to each other but, still, staying friends.  Even so, he wanted to be my prom date (and vice-versa) -- and that wasn't even discouraged by his having to shave his goatee in order to meet up with Pendleton Heights High School's dress code back in the spring of 1971.  I requested the band to play this two-song number from the movie, and we danced to it.

I was going to write a lot more, but I'm running out of time, so I'm going to continue this the next time I'm online.




Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Sharing A Generous Slice Of Aunt Kate & Uncle Don


What I'm about to share here is a copy of a comment I made on this page at YouTube.
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I not only love his music, but, also, I love his name. My uncle (the one married to my mom's baby sister who was BIG into the country music scene) was named Donald Wayne Williams. I don't know if that's Don Williams name or not, but Uncle Don went by Don Williams, so their casual names are the same. My uncle worked for the U.S. Postal Service as a mail carrier here in the Anderson, Indiana area for many years, and his co-workers gave him the nickname of Dandy Don -- probably, because he, likely, answered "How are you doing?" with "Just dandy." Aunt Kate -- Mary Fayra Kathleen (nee: Jobe) Williams -- was into country music from the time she was a very small child. In fact, if she and her family were out somewhere when it was time for The Grand Ole Opry to come on (so that they'd be missing part of it), she was known to pitch quite a temper tantrum. The same would be true if Uncle Finley teased her by adjusting the radio dial so that the program came in distorted. When Aunt Kate grew up, she continued to be involved in the country music scene. She was one of the charter members of The Country Music Association as well as being one of the first cash contributors to the building of The Country Music Hall Of Fame. She was the President Of The Hank Snow Fan Club as well as being the regional President Of The Marty Robbins Fan Club. I have so much more that I could share about this remarkable woman (and Uncle Don was also an amazing person with a wide variety of interests from tumbling rocks to art to writing to music and then some), but I'll wind this down for now. But I believe that it's important you know that Aunt Kate did all of the things she did while living with a major physical challenge: blindness due to a degenerative condition called Retinitis Pigmentosa! For her entire life, she was always significantly-blind to some degree but graduated from mainstream school at the eighth grade level and graduated from the Indiana School For The Blind at the high school level, the latter in 1950. Before beginning high school, she took the eighth grade over so that she could learn a new way of communicating: Braille. For at least the last 30 years of her earthly life, she was 100% blind. But that didn't deter her when it came to keeping up with country music, politics, and NASCAR racing with her favorite driver of all time being AJ Foyt. She also kept active in alumni activities of her high school as well as trying to find a cure for RP. Uncle Don passed away a couple of days after Christmas of 2002, and Aunt Kate will be gone for six years come August 13. I'm thankful to have the Internet to share remarkable people like Aunt Kate & Uncle Don with people all over the world.
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This won't be the last that you'll be hearing about Aunt Kate & Uncle Don -- two totally-amazing people who are, to this day, very much missed...