Monday, November 28, 2005

Vipers

This is a very dark poem about wicked hearts submersed in the guilt of past sins and willing to repeat and/or to commit more crimes to hide the truth of their past. This is not one of my best spur of the moment poem, but it does strongly express my distaste for certain human behaviors.

 

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Vipers

                                

Vipers at the door, on the floor,

in the room, and underneath the bed.

 

Vipers, vipers everywhere,

vipers, vipers too blind and mad to care.

 

Vipers crawling out of long forgotten caverns

to strike a mortal blow to all who oppose or enjoy the glow,

striking with fear of evil past discovery foremost in mind.

 

Unwise, the vipers tries to repeat the original sin.

Never ever guessing how unforgiven and deeply despised

they are to the eyes.

 

Slithering everywhere without a care of the multitudes they

have harmed throughout the years.

 

Be gone damnation's pawns. Crawl back into your dark and soulless past.

Leave innocence to live in the light and the holy air.

 

Vipers at the door of clean souls no more.

 

                             Evelyn F. Altheimer-Fain© November 28, 2005

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Friday, November 25, 2005

The Circle

Evelyn here again,

This email is about love and friendship. It was originally sent by Sherry. Thank you Marica for sending it to me.

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A girl asked a guy if he thought she was pretty,


 

He said...no.


 

She asked him if he would want to be with her forever...and he said no.

 

She then asked him if she were to leave would he cry, and once again he replied with a no.


 

She had heard enough. As she walked away, tears streaming down her face the boy grabbed her arm and said...


 

You're not pretty you're beautiful.


 

I don't want to be with you forever, I NEED to be with you forever.!


 

And I wouldn't cry if you walked away...I'd die...


 

SO NOW I WILL SAY:


 

I like you because of who you are to me...A true friend. 


 

And if I don't get this back I'll take the hint.


 

 
Remember:


 



 

I am Proud to be your Friend!


 

Make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence, and don't skip ahead.


 

I've learned...that life is like a roll of toilet paper.


 

The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.


 

I've learned...that we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.


 

I've learned...that money doesn't buy class.


 

I've learned...that it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.


 

I've learned...that under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.


 

I've learned...that the Lord didn't do it all in one day.


 

What makes me think I can?


 

I've learned...that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.


 



I've learned...that the less time I have to work, the more things I get done.


 

To all of you...make sure you read all the way down to the last sentence.


 

It's National Friendship Week.


 

Show your friends how much you care.


 

Send this to everyone you consider a FRIEND, even if it means sending it back to the person who sent it to you.


 

If it comes back to you, then you'll know you have a circle of friends. <SPANSTYLE="FONT-SIZE: Arial? FONT-FAMILY: black; COLOR: 10pt;>


 

HAPPY FRIENDSHIP WEEK TO YOU!!!!!!


 

YOU ARE MY FRIEND AND I am honored

 

More from the Circle

This is from my friend Betty H. Her job takes her around the country, but she joins us whenever she comes to Florida.

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Jesus' Dad's Name

A Sunday school teacher asked her class, "What was Jesus' mother's name?"
One child answered, "Mary."
The teacher then asked, "Who knows what Jesus' father's name was?"
A little kid said, "Verge."
Confused, the teacher asked, "Where did you get that?"
The kid said, "Well, you know they are always talking about Verge n' Mary.''


***********

KIDS IN CHURCH
3-year-old, Reese:
"Our Father, Who does art in heaven, Harold is His name. Amen."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A little boy was overheard praying:
"Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it.
I'm having a real good time like I am."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the christening of his baby brother in church, Jason sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His father asked him three times what was wrong.
Finally, the boy replied, "That preacher said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I wanted to stay with you guys."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I had been teaching my  three-year old daughter, Caitlin, the Lord's
Prayer for several evenings at bedtime, she would repeat after me the
lines from the prayer. Finally, she decided to go solo. I listened with
pride as she carefully enunciated each word right up to the end of the
prayer: "Lead us not into temptation," she prayed, "but deliver us some E-mail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One particular four-year-old prayed, "And forgive us our trash baskets
as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A Sunday school teacher asked her children, as they were on the way to
church service, "And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?" One
bright little girl replied, "Because people are sleeping."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting
together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud.
Finally, his big sister had had enough. "You're not supposed to talk
out loud in church." "Why? Who's going to stop me?" Joel asked.
Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, "See those two men
standing by the door? They're hushers."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A mother was preparing pancakes for her sons, Kevin, 5 and Ryan 3. The
boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their mother
saw the opportunity for a moral lesson.
If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, 'Let my brother have the
first pancake, I can wait.'" Kevin turned to his younger brother and
said, "Ryan, you be Jesus!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A father was at the beach with his children when the four-year-old son
ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and led him to the shore
where a seagull lay dead in the sand. "Daddy, what happened to him?"
the son asked. "He died and went to Heaven," the Dad replied. The boy
thought a moment and then said, "Did God throw him back down?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


A wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to their
six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I
wouldn't know what to say," the girl replied. "Just say what you hear
Mommy say," the wife answered. The daughter bowed her head and said,
"Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

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Circle of Friends

Evelyn here,

This is a portion of a email that I received from my friend Marcia. It was originally sent by Patty. We have a growing circle of friends who regualrly send email to each other.  So, I share this with you.

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Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures? Your last name stays put. The garage is all yours. Wedding plans take care of themselves. Chocolate is just another snack.

You can be President. You can never be pregnant. You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park. You can wear NO shirt to a water park. Car mechanics tell you the truth.

The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky. You
don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt. Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100. People never stare at your chest when you're talking to them.

The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.


New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet. One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.


You know stuff about tanks. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You can open all your own jars.You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. Everything on your face stays its original color. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades. You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life. Your belly usually hides your big hips. One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for
all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. You can "do" your nails with a pocket knife. You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Send this to the women who can handle it and to the men who will enjoy reading it.

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Happy Holidays

Evelyn Here,

Yesterday turned out to be a wonderful Thanksgivings Day. It was the first holiday (after decades of cooking) that I did not spend time in the kitchen. After mass, I spent the rest of the day with my son and we went to a restaurant that served the most delicious Columbian meals.

Our time together went by pleasantly and once we finished eating, we went to see "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" which is the fourth movie in the J. K. Rowling series and fifth stories in her books.  

I must admit that I did not like this fourth movie as well as the previous three, but the ending saved it with the return of the evil wizard, Voldemort, who killed Harry’s parents. Voldemort wants to kill all Muggles and become the supreme wizard of dark magic. Moreover, Voldemort wants Harry dead for surviving his dark magic and diminishing his name in the wizard communities, good, and evil alike.

This installment also has the problem of making the stars look and act like fourteen year-olds. Puberty has left its mark strongly of these actors, and I found it hard to view them as young teenagers. Nevertheless, I am still a great fan of series, and without a doubt, I will be among the thousands of movie goers seeking to know what will happen next to Harry and his gang.

Below are a couple of Harry Potter's links.

 

http://www.scholastic.com/harrypotter/

 

http://harrypotter.warnerbros.com/

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Freedom of Expression

Evelyn here,

I went to mass today, and I will be spending this turkey day with my son,  and since it is only the two of us, we will be going out to eat and to otherwise celebrates this beautiful Thanksgiving. 

As much as I hate to mar this holiday, I must say something to a couple women who, frankly, did not care about the significant of today or of the expression they made on me. This ladies I write for you.

Here's to "Freedom of Expression". Thank God we know that we can enjoy it without feeling that we must seek the approval of or ask for permission from another to express ourselves.  Unfortunately, my attitude seems to be posing a problem for you. I state this because your actions today suggest that you either fear my openness, are jealous of my creativity, lack the sense of confidence and freedom it takes try it on your own, or (and God forbid) you have something to hide. Furthermore, and I know to whom I speak, cut the crap, and try liberating yourself.

Personally, I like me.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Saturday, November 19, 2005

A Bit Of History From Merriam-Webster Collegiate Newsletter

Evelyn here again,

Here is a bit of interesting history from Merriam-Webster Collegiate Newsletter. Sometimes it is good to have a reminder of what has passed, so to continue to safe guard the future for all of mankind.

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November 2005 Word History of the Month: Jim Crow

The passing of Rosa Parks on October 24 brought the phrase Jim Crow back into many people’s conversation.  For those who wondered about the origins of this term, here's the story.

Jim Crow  Ethnic discrimination, especially against blacks by legal enforcement or traditional sanctions.  The body of laws enacted in the South after the end of Reconstruction in 1877 to enforce segregation of the races in virtually every aspect of public activity – in schools, restaurants, theaters, transport, parks, cemeteries, drinking fountains.  The purpose was to insure that blacks and whites would not meet as equals.  These laws were sanctioned by the Supreme Court in its decision Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896, with its “separate but equal” finding.  De jure segregation was not ended until the 1960’s, after long and difficult campaigns in the courts, in Congress and state legislatures, and in public facilities.

The term is derived from a song made popular by Thomas Dartmouth Rice.  Rice was a white man, an itinerant actor who caught on with a blackface song-and-dance act, “Jump Jim Crow,” first performed in 1828.  This act was the germination of the popular minstrel shows, in which white actors performed in black makeup.  Rice toured with great success in the United States and Britain, and the song was so popular that is was translated into French.

Jim Crow became a derogatory term for blacks and then served as the nickname for the segregation laws; it still serves as an epithet for both overt and subtle forms of discrimination and segregation.

From:  Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Allusions


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