THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2023 - NATIONAL NEIGHBOR DAY

 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2023  - NATIONAL NEIGHBOR DAY

NATIONAL GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY - September 28, 2023 - National Today

It is National Good Neighbor Day.  

Let’s think about neighbors.

From the Bible - Luke 10:27

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 

The story continues as Jesus tells of the Good Samaritan. 

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From a top-rated children’s program.

The theme to Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood:

It's a beautiful day in this neighborhood
A beautiful day for a neighbor
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?

It's a neighborly day in this beautywood
A neighborly day for a beauty
Would you be mine? Could you be mine?

I have always wanted to have a neighbor just like you.
I've always wanted to live in a neighborhood with you.

So, let's make the most of this beautiful day.
Since we're together, we might as well say

Would you be mine? Could you be mine?
Won't you be my neighbor?

Won't you please, won't you please?
Please, won't you be my neighbor?

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And a familiar advertising jingle (in full)

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

Whenever you’re driving, And wherever you’re bound, On freeways and byways, The whole country round. You’ll feel better knowin’, Anytime, anywhere, That like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Your home’s where your heart is. It’s a feeling that grows: The house you live in and the love it shows. You’ll feel better knowin’, Anytime, anywhere, That like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. We all hope for the good times. Never leave us behind. We face our tomorrows With some peace of mind. No man has a promise Of a life without care. And like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”

From the National Today Good Neighbor text:

Good neighborliness defines how pleasant and comfortable our neighborhood is — neighbors can make or break your experience of living in an area. Being a good neighbor helps us build solid and long-lasting relationships. Neighbors are like umbrellas on a rainy day, lending a helping hand in times of emergency.

Previous generations tended to engage their neighbors in a lot of activities. They invited them to parties and balls, rode with them, worked on their farms, invited them over for dinner, and took care of their homes whenever they left. Nowadays, with busy schedules and technological advancements, we only really care about or show interest in the family next door. This is why people live next to each other for years and still aren’t familiar.

National Good Neighbor Day was first celebrated in the early 1970s by Becky Mattson, who wanted to connect with her neighbors in Montana. It officially became a holiday in 1978 when President Jimmy Carter signed a proclamation to establish the holiday. The Senate passed a resolution, as it was recognized that there was little meaningful communication among people, and there was a need to bring them together for them to interact with one another. The Senate believed human values and consideration for others were essential to the system of civilization and decided that being good neighbors to those around us was the first step toward human understanding. Thus, we celebrate National Good Neighbor Day on September 28, taking special time to care for our neighbors and form or maintain friendships.

How To Be A Good Neighbor: 6 Tips And Tricks

Being a good neighbor is one part of caring about your community. Here are some things you can do that will help you become a better neighbor and help curate a more positive living environment for all:  From  Rocket Mortgage.

1. Practice Good Neighbor Etiquette

Whether you have recently moved into the neighborhood or have lived there for an extended period, creating and maintaining relationships with your neighbors can be beneficial. Your neighborhood can be a reliable support system and should be a happy community. Using neighbor etiquette means treating your neighbors how you want to be treated.

2. Recognize Noise Levels

Be mindful of noise levels during certain hours of the day, whether it’s late at night or before sunrise. Keep your noise levels down during the early morning hours and after dinnertime. If you’re throwing an evening party at your home, it’s courteous to let your neighbors know if it runs late into the night.

3. Maintain Curb Appeal

Keep up curb appeal by collecting loose trash and leaves from your front yard. Maintain the paint on the front of your home and plant flowers in flower beds or pots during the warmer months.

4. Help Keep The Neighborhood Clean

An easy way to be a good next-door neighbor is to help clean up the community whenever possible. This also helps when potential buyers are looking into moving to the neighborhood. Shovel snow off the sidewalks, remove fall leaves off yards, or collect unwanted litter.

5. Be Responsible For Your Furry Friends

If you have a pet in your home, you should be especially mindful of others for their and your pet’s safety. If your pet is outside in the backyard, keep your gates locked to avoid your furry friend escaping.  If you have dogs - make sure you pick up after them (many parks and apartments have baggies for dog droppings. )

6. Discuss Issues Tactfully

It’s best to avoid partaking in neighborhood drama, especially if it’s between multiple neighbors. It’s better to remain neutral and avoid adding fuel to the fire. If the issue is unavoidable, you can set a meeting at your home to discuss the matters at hand. If necessary, offer advice on approaching a situation as a neutral third party.

LOVE WINS - AND IT STARTS BY BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR

LOVE TRANSFORMS - AND IT CAN TRANSFORM A BAD NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A LOVING NEIGHBORHOOD

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, SEPTEMBER 28, 2023

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 - TEXAS REPORT ON EXTREMISM

 WEDNESDAY. SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 - TEXAS REPORT ON EXTREMISM

(Today’s blog comes mainly from the Texas Tribune - an independent media outlet in Texas.)

“Texas continues to be a hotbed for extremism and antisemitism, driven by the heavy presence of racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists (RMVEs) and anti-LGBTQ+ groups headquartered or active in the state.

“That’s according to a report released Thursday by the Anti-Defamation League that examined nearly three years of “alarming levels of extremist ideology and activity” in Texas and suggested a handful of policies to combat the growing problem.

“Since 2021, the report found, antisemitic incidents in the state have jumped by 89%, and there have been six “terrorist plots” in addition to 28 “extremist events” such as training and rallies. Texas also led the nation in RMVE propaganda last year; had the most residents charged in relation to the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection; and, in March, saw a neo-Nazi and extreme misogynist gunman kill eight people at an Allen shopping mall.

“The report follows years of warnings that extremist groups have been emboldened by the Republican Party and its amplification of things such as “great replacement theory,” a white supremacist conspiracy theory that claims there is an intentional, Jewish-driven effort to destroy white people through immigration, interracial marriage, and the LGBTQ+ community.

“That conspiracy theory — and corresponding violence — has been bolstered by frequent depictions of immigrants as “invaders” by major figures such as Tucker Carlson and Gov. Greg Abbott. Before he set fire to an Austin synagogue on Halloween 2020, Franklin Barret Sechriest wrote in his diary that “no invader is innocent.”

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The article points out: “ a white supremacist conspiracy theory that claims there is an intentional, Jewish-driven effort to destroy white people through immigration, interracial marriage, and the LGBTQ+ community.”

Let’s get along, folks. 

And my Jewish friends are all behind this!!  (I can imagine the meetings - probably held in sacred parts of synagogues - “Heh, heh, how can we destroy white people  - let’s bring in some lesbians.  How about those weird transgender folks at the border?)  NO WAY!!!

From the Austin Statesman newspaper:

“Austin’s oldest Jewish congregation is celebrating its first High Holy Days at its Shoal Creek campus since an arson attack in October 2021.

And, I can almost imagine the white supremacist meetings (“Let’s torch a Jewish synagogue this week, and spray paint a swastika on their walls. We’re going to tar and feather a black man this month.”)  

Are those people at the Texas-Mexico border “invaders”?  It sure looks like there are a lot of families - not “invaders.”  From some things I have read, many people at the border want to escape gangs and discrimination where they currently live.  They are searching for the “American Dream.” 

Wikipedia says, “The American Dream is the national ethos of the United States, a set of ideals including representative democracy, rights, liberty, and equality, in which freedom is interpreted as the opportunity for individual prosperity and success, as well as upward social mobility for oneself and their children, achieved through hard work in a capitalist society with few barriers.

I have quoted the text on the Statue of Liberty frequently over the years.  Here it is in completeness: (Written by Emma Lazarus - a Jewish American)

“Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,

With conquering limbs astride from land to land;

Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand

A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame

Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name

Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand

Glows worldwide welcome; her mild eyes command

The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she

With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I like the statement - A mighty woman with a torch. And she (the Statue of Liberty) holds imprisoned lightning.  

YES - GIVE ME YOUR  TIRED, YOUR POOR, YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO BREATHE FREE!!!  

My relatives, to the best of my knowledge, were all immigrants. From the little I know of them, they were tired and poor.  No royalty in my background.  They came for a new life.  

And my Jewish friends were looking for places to worship - far away from the gas chambers in Germany.  

And the tired and poor blacks kidnapped from their countries to be slaves.  

I think we are getting better most days - but I’m not so sure sometimes!!!

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, SEPTEMBER 27, 2023.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 - WE ARE NOT ALONE!!

 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023 - WE ARE NOT ALONE!!

(Imagine the theme for Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, or some other eerie song.)

There have been discussions about aliens - is our planet being visited by aliens? Are there unidentified flying objects (UFOs) hovering over us?  

But that is not what I’m looking at today - we are not alone - this planet has mammals, insects, birds, reptiles, fish, spiders, amphibians, and more.

For example, scientists estimate there are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth – that’s 20 million billion.

We frequently go through our days without noticing other than people (unless we have house pets). 

*****

Recently, my community has been overrun by crickets. I don’t remember seeing many crickets over the summer, but the eggs may have hatched with recent rains and a little cooler temperatures.  

To my limited knowledge, crickets are mostly harmless. They eat aphids, larvae, seeds, and grasses.  

In particular, this month, crickets have invaded the Georgetown Recreation Center. The various pesticides have gotten a lot of them, but as I walk on the track, there are many. (I was going to say “hundreds,” but that might be high). In the ladies locker room, there are crickets. Many have been stepped on, but some are still hopping around. 

 Outside on the sidewalk, there are more. I had one that somehow made it into my apartment. I haven’t seen it for two days - so I suspect it might be under a table (dead, I assume).

Coming from “up north,”. We didn’t have cockroaches. I’ve had a few in my apartment - and I think they are ugly. They can climb walls, their antennae work separately, 

I am a “Fire Ant” - at least for my team name in Granny Basketball. I have been stung by fire ants, and it is not pleasant.  

I see wasps have started a nest on my porch. I did get a stray to knock them down.

Spiders are not insects, but I do have spiders in my apartment.  

Yes - we are NOT alone!!! We are being invaded (by insects and spiders - and who knows what else).

There there are things we can see that invade.  Things like COVID, E. coli bacteria, and Flu Germs.  

And we are being "invaded" (if that is the correct term - by WiFi signals, radio signals, polluted air, and more!

*****

Let’s go to the bigger picture.

I know very little in the big scheme of things (and sometimes I know less daily <grin>). 

So, okay, God, why did you make crickets? Or why did you make mosquitos? Or cockroaches? Or poisonous snakes?  

Or conversely, why did you make roses, lilacs, tulips, and other flowing objects so beautiful?  

And, if you take the Bible as a platform, it says, “You made man in your image.” If so, why are there so many hateful people worldwide? I picture you (God)  as loving - God Is Love.  

I’ve commented before that astronomers estimate over 8 trillion galaxies - each with millions of stars and possible plants - the UNIVERS IS HUGE!!

From the microscopic bacteria to giant galaxies - we are not alone. God, however, you view Him/Her/The Force/It/Utopia - far beyond me - and I want to follow Him/Her forever.

LOVE WINS - even with mosquitos, crickets and cockroaches

LOVE TRANSFORMS US - make us lovers, help us forgive, help us grow

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, SEPTEMBER 26, 2023

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2023 - THE REST OF THE YEAR AND TIME

 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2023 - THE REST OF THE YEAR AND TIME

Let’s plan out the rest of the year.

Three months from today is Christma, and a week later is New Year’s 2024. So, how will we end the year on a high note?

Along the way, we have October with Oktoberfest and Halloween; Veterans Day; Friendsgiving and Thanksgiving in November; and in December there are Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If you are working, you’ll miss at least two days (and probably three - two days at Thanksgiving and at least one - most likely two days at Christmas.) 

If you teach (college), you might lose an entire week at Thanksgiving and have final tests ending on December 15.  

If you teach ElHi, you will lose a few days at Thanksgiving and at least five days at Christmas. (Plus, Halloween will not be a day off, but your students might be climbing the walls for a couple of days.

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So, what is on your agenda?

From your first-of-the-year goals, are you keeping up? Is your budget okay (especially with gift-giving season ahead)? 

How about your health? Are you still a few pounds over what you want to be? You’ve got two months until Thanksgiving - get some extra workouts going.

How about your social life? Are you like me - coming out of your summer hibernation? (I didn’t want to leave my air-conditioned cocoon in August.

Are you mentally challenged? (Doing a crossword puzzle or a word game or two).

And, related to that - are you mentally at peace? (“Peace of Mind”)

Are you spiritually awake? (or did that go into summer hibernation, too?)

Are you allocating enough time for the tasks before you?

*****

Finishing the year in a good way.  

I have friends who have deadlines ahead of them. One is making a sales pitch this coming week for her services; another has to raise investment funds for her cargo ship by October 1. 

In the past,  I tried to finish a few days ahead of a deadline to go back and review my work.  

During college, I knew students who crammed the night before a test. I never did that. I planned my review for final examinations at Thanksgiving time.  

*****

Aesop wrote a fable - The Ants and the Grasshopper.

One bright day in late autumn, a family of Ants was bustling about in the warm sunshine, drying out the grain they had stored up during the summer, when a starving Grasshopper, his fiddle under his arm, came up and humbly begged for a bite to eat.

“What!” cried the Ants in surprise, “haven’t you stored anything away for the winter? What in the world were you doing all last summer?”

“I didn’t have time to store any food,” whined the Grasshopper; “I was so busy making music that before I knew it, the summer was gone.”

The Ants shrugged their shoulders in disgust.

“Making music, were you?” they cried. “Very well; now dance!” And they turned their backs on the Grasshopper and continued their work.

Aesop’s moral was, “There’s a time for work and a time for play.

*****

Some quotes about time:

The two most powerful warriors are patience and time - Leo Tolstoy.

Time is money. – Benjamin Franklin.

Time waits for no one. – Folklore.

 It’s better to be three hours too soon than a minute too late. – William Shakespeare.

Lost time is never found again. – Benjamin Franklin.

The key is not in spending time but in investing it. – Stephen R. Covey.

Time is free, but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back. Harvey Mackay

The trouble is, you think you have time. Jack Kornfield

Time is a cruel thief to rob us of our former selves. We lose as much to life as we do to death. Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey

Suspect each moment, for it is a thief, tiptoeing away with more than it brings. John Updike

Time brings all things to pass. Aeschylus

*****

So, as we start our final three months of the year, are we planning ahead? Are we allocating time wisely? 

Ephesians 5:16 “Make the most of every opportunity “

LOVE WINS - WHEN WE TAKE THE TIME TO FULLY AND UNCONDITIONALLY LOVE

LOVE TRANSFORMS - BUT TRANSFORMATIONS CAN TAKE TIME

I CAN ONLY LOVE GOD AS MUCH AS THE PERSON I LOVE THE LEAST

KAREN ANNE WHITE, © SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

SUNDAY FUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

 SUNDAY FUNDAY -SEPTEMBER 24, 2023

WARM-UP

It is officially FALL - as of 1:49 a.m. yesterday!!!

And, three months to Christmas Eve!!

The next full moon will be on Friday, September 29, 2023, at 5:58 AM Eastern Time. This full moon is called the Harvest Moon. 

Remember the song”

Oh, shine on, shine on harvest moon up in the sky

I ain't had no lovin' since April, January, June or July

Snow time ain't no time to stay outdoors and spoon

So shine on, shine on harvest moon for me 'n' my gal 

We got RAIN - WOOOO!!!  

Days are still in the 90s (but not in the 100s) and overnight down to upper 60s/low 70s.

*******

JOKES 

Some of us might remember the elephant jokes from the 1960s. A little stupid - but stupid can be funny.

How many elephants can you fit in a Mini? Four, two in the front and two in the back.

How many giraffes will fit into a Mini?  None. It's full of elephants.

How do you know there are two elephants in your refrigerator? You can hear giggling when the light goes out.

Why did the elephant wear tennis shoes? Because ninesies are too small and elevensies are too big.

What's clear on the outside and gray on the inside? An elephant in a baggie.

What's red and white on the outside and gray and white on the inside? Campbell's Cream of Elephant Soup.

How do you shoot a blue elephant? With a blue elephant gun.

How do you shoot a yellow elephant? Have you ever seen a yellow elephant?

How do you shoot a red elephant? Hold his trunk shut until he turns blue, and then shoot him with the blue elephant gun.

How do you shoot a purple elephant?  Paint him red, hold his trunk shut until he turns blue, and then shoot him with the blue elephant gun.

Why did the elephant paint its fingernails red?  So it could hide in the strawberry patch.

How can you tell an elephant is in the bathtub with you? By the smell of peanuts on its breath.

How can you tell that an elephant has been in your refrigerator?  By the footprints in the butter/cheesecake/cream cheese.

What time is it when an elephant sits on your fence? Time to build a new fence.

How do you know there are three elephants in your refrigerator?  You can't close the door.

How do you know there are four elephants in your refrigerator?  There's an empty Mini parked outside.

What do elephants have that nothing else has?  Baby elephants.

What is gray, has four legs, and a trunk? A mouse going on vacation.

What is tan, has four legs and a trunk?  A mouse coming back from vacation.

What has eight legs, two trunks, four eyes, and two tails? Two elephants.

What's the difference between an elephant and a plum? Heir color.

What did Tarzan say to Jane when he saw the elephants coming? Here come the elephants.

What did Jane say to Tarzan when she saw the elephants coming?  Here come the plums. (She was color blind.)

*******

SPORTS

It’s the last two weeks of the Major League Baseball Season.  Here are the standings:

Baltimore Orioles - American League East - 1.5 games ahead of Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Minnesota Twins - American League Central - 8.0 games ahead of Cleveland Guardians (It seems hard not to say “Cleveland Indians”)

Texas Rangers in first, Houston Astros are half a game behind, and the Seattle Mariners are one game back?

Atlanta Braves - National League East - 14 games ahead of Philadelphia

Milwaukee Brewers - National League Central - 8 games ahead of the Chicago Cubs

Los Angeles Dodgers - National League West - 13.5 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks

Karen’s biased World Series prediction:  Minnesota Twins over the Milwaukee Brewers.

*****

RIDDLES - answers at the bottom

A man stands on one side of a river and his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who crosses the river without getting wet or using a bridge or a boat.   How did the dog do it?

A grandmother, two mothers, and two daughters went to the cafe. They ordered one cup of coffee each. What was the total number of cups they ordered?

*****

NATIONAL CHERRIES JUBILEE DAY - September 24, 2023 - National Today

Okay, cherries with brandy (set on fire)  and ice cream in one dessert - pretty spectacular!! This dessert was featured for Queen Victoria and is definitely “royal” in taste!!!

*****

WRAP-UP

Granny Basketball  - Friday, September 29 - at Fort Worth against the Cowtown Heifers

The Bluebonnet Philharmonic Orchestra plays on Sunday, October 8th, in Pfluger Park, 515 City Park Road, Pflugerville, TX, at 3:00 p.m.  It is a fun concert: Raiders of the Lost Ark, American Salute, Liberty Fanfare, Seventy-Six Trombones (and three tubas), and more!!!

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RIDDLE ANSWERS

A man stands on one side of a river and his dog on the other. The man calls his dog, who crosses the river without getting wet or using a bridge or a boat. How did the dog do it?

It was January in Northern Minnesota - the river was frozen!!!

A grandmother, two mothers, and two daughters went to the cafe. They ordered one cup of coffee each.

What was the total number of cups they ordered?

Three cups of coffee.  Grandma (Anne) - is both a grandma and a mother.  The second person is Grandma’s daughter (Beth) - who is both a mother and a daughter, but also a mother of the youngest -  the third one is the daughter (Christy)