MARCIA POWELL -- Blog article (#8) – August 12, 2012
Picking
up from my last blog of June 2nd (to read earlier blog articles, go to http://messagesfrommarcia.blogspot.com/),
the big (bad) news is the Midwest drought.
After watching the “What in the world are they spraying?” documentary, I
realized that this drought (and the Texas drought earlier) might well be a
result of “geo-engineering.” Oy
vey! (my favorite Hebrew term meaning an
exclamation of dismay). It’s very sad
seeing the crops die and the trees and bushes (all plants not being watered by
humans) all crying out for water. By
watering my yard garden, I am keeping most stuff alive, but some has not come
up at all.
Funny
incident last week… when my gardening consultant came by, I was about to ask
him when I could expect to see a beginning cucumber when he reach beneath the
foliage and came up with a 10-inch cuke!
How’s that for being a “green” gardener (play on words, ha, ha!)
I’ve
been passing out flyers in the neighborhood for months, and finally now have
five piano students—only 1 directly from the flyers, but hey! Outflow = inflow. Otherwise, musically, my cousin Beau and
completed rearranging “The Joy of Creating” so that there is an SAB (Soprano
Alto Baritone), as well as making the existing SATB version even better. I’ve assigned myself the hat of helping start
choirs in all the Ideal Orgs, so what is needed is music in SAB versions so as
to circumvent the problem of scarcity of tenors. I’ve purchased the Sibelius music program but
have yet to learn it.
My
old friend, Lea Frechette, and her husband and son came through on their way to
Indiana. I managed to put them up for
the night. Fun to visit with L.A.
friends. You’re all invited to visit the
Heartland.
West
Urbana, by the way, was recognized as one of 10 of the greatest neighborhoods
in the U.S.! http://urbanaillinois.us/posts/2012/08/west-urbana-recognized-great-neighborhood
The
head of the Libertarian Party here (a colorful lady with lavender hair) is
researching moving to Costa Rica. Her
reason (among others): “I don’t do
drones.” My plan is to talk her into
staying here and setting things to rights.
There
was this repeated ad on NPR radio by this Rosenstein guy who made a documentary
about a lady whose case went to the Supreme Court and changed the nation. Turns out back in 1965 I met Dannel McCollum
through a friend. In 2008 he published
his book entitled “The Lord Was Not on Trial” about the Supreme Court case
about prayer in the schools. It was his
mother who brought the case to trial (related to his brother) and prompted
Rosenstein’s documentary. Anyway, Dannel
remembered me, responded immediately to my email, and we had an hour meeting
the very same day. He was mayor of
Champaign for 12 years, so definitely someone I was interested in getting to
know.
Am
continuing to work with the local GOP.
Upgraded to a smart phone (finally!) so that I could download an app
that allows me to walk a precinct—the program gives you the order of houses—and
enter the survey data directly into the phone, and thus into the party’s databanks. Pretty nifty!
I gotta master it so I can then instruct my volunteers how to do
it. Also, I’ve met with the Sheriff, and
with the assistant to my Congressman; plus I’ve had a phone conversation with
my mayor.
Another
funny political incident … Mike Bost is a Representative to the Illinois State
Assembly. A vote was coming upon a bill,
and then he was told the Speaker of the House, Mike Madigan, had just sent down
a revised bill—20 MINUTES BEFORE THE VOTE.
When it was Bost’s turn to speak, he had a “meltdown”—i.e. a heartfelt
protest about Madigan’s shenanigans (hey, that was clever!). It was video’d and went viral on
YouTube. He came to Champaign-Urbana to
speak at a fund-raising event, so I decided to go and meet him personally (as
one of my goals is to take down Madigan, as I’m getting that he is a suppressor
to the State). I showed the video to my
daughter Ashley, who was visiting, and, knowing I was going to talk to him, she
said, “Mom, ask him if he’s going to get mad again.” “Get mad again.” “Get Madigan.” Play on words, get it? So clever!
So I told him, and he said, “Thank you, Ashley.” I hope he uses it.
Ashley
(28 now and a massage therapist in Portland) and her boyfriend, Ethan, came to
Illinois for a visit. His family live in
the Chicago area, so they spent a few days there, then came down here for a few
days. He teaches guitar and does sound engineering. Great guy.
We bonded when he found out I could sing most of “It Can’t Happen Here”
from Frank Zappa’s “Freak Out” album (1969).
I was amazed to find a young person who was familiar with it.
We
finally had time for Ashley to tell me about her trip to Southeast Asia last
fall. Enjoyed hearing about her numerous
adventures, and proud of her for confronting and dealing with various
things. Definitely a growing up experience. Her massage therapy practice is blooming—tech
plus all her positive vibes!
The
relatives from Southern Indiana came up, and we all spent a very hot day in
Jane’s pond. Checking up on my physical
condition, I dove off the pier at the north end of the pond and managed to make
it to the south end (about 100 yards)—not exactly challenging Michael Phelps’
record, but I was proud to make it.
If
you’re not already familiar with www.ThriveMovement.com,
I hope you will take a look at it. There
was no existing group in my area, so I have started one. What I called my “Survival Club” will now be
my Thrive Group.
Hope
you all are flourishing and prospering (thriving)!
Please
stay in touch.
Love
to all, Marcia (217)
607-0632 home (818) 552-2211
cell
