Spending Time.....

 It's time for Tuesday 4 started by Toni Taddeo and kept up in her memory.. are you ready to answer some questions?  Its a great way to discover more about yourself and others, make friends and have topics to blog about.

This week let's talk about spending time

1.Are you currently reading a book you'd like to tell us about? Maybe a TV program you can recommend to us?

I am reading 2 books at the moment. One is my Bible that I try to read daily. Next is a book that I am reading for a class from church on Zoom. It is called Forgiving What You Can't Forget by Lysa Terkeurst. I also got Women of Grace by Francine Rivers but have not started it.

 

2. Are you a Jane Austen fan? So many seem to be. If you are what is your favorite book and who is your favorite character.  If you aren't a fan, is there an author you especially like to read? Favorite character..etc? I have seen a few movies that I have enjoyed like Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. I like to read series books. I have read the Left Behind Series and AD Chronicles. I have read the first 12 books. I just found out the 3 more were written and I plan to get those. Each book focuses on an encounter Jesus had with a character/s mentioned in the Bible.

3.  How do you spend your time during the day?  Do you set apart time to read, watch TV, study? Yes I do. I like to go outside to read my Bible if the weather is nice. I spend a few hours working on my Bible journaling. Right now I am putting together a Happy Planner for a study called Encampment on Facebook. It is a study o the Holy Spirit and based on Exodus 19:2. I will also be doing Camp Wonder through Illustrated Faith. It will  focus on friendship. I have done their "camps" since 2016.  I am also in another Facebook group. We just went through a "Journey through the Bible in 15 months. Now we will go through a more in depth look at certain books and we will begin with John. 

I do like to watch tv shows, ,I like to watch all the medical shows in the evening lie The Good Doctor, The Resident. New Amsterdam, Chicago Hope and Grey's Anatomy. There are a few hubby and I like to see together like 911 and Survivor. Most of my shows are ending for the summer which is good so I can keep up with all my camps!

4. Have your beliefs changed in your life time? New religion.. new politics? Or are they the same as they were growing up? Do you spend time thinking over the important things of life to take stock in your life? I have been a Christian most of my life. I find that spending time in the Word-Bible is very important to me. Bible journaling with my grands is also very important. I tell them that the only thing they will take to heaven is the Word of God we have planted in our hearts. I get a lot of questions about that and heaven. I do not like politics because it causes so much division. I believe that each person has the right to choose because that is what America is about. I also believe that my relationship with Jesus and Jesus taught us to love God and love one another. Each day I try to do that. I try to see the good in people and not judge them by race, religion or politics. God has shown me much grace so I try to do the same. I am far from perfect and in the end I will stand before God and be accountable for my actions. 

The Way You Look Tonight (1936)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) They lyrics tell us that no matter how low the singer feels, it will raise his spirits to recall the way his lover looks tonight. Share a special moment in your life that brings a smile to your lips, no matter what.

There are so many things that bring a smile to my lips. I would say hearing my grand kids pray.

2) This song was introduced by Fred Astaire in the 1936 movie, Swing Time. It won the Oscar for Best Song. What's your favorite movie song? I love musicals!!! The most recent song would be This Is Me from The Greatest Showman.

3) Though today Fred is revered as a Hollywood legend, producers had to be convinced to give him a shot. The initial notes on his screen test were: "Can't act. Slightly bald. Also dances." Tell us about a time when someone underestimated you. Our Marketing Manager for the USPS did not think I could do the Retail Specialist job as Vending Coordinator but I did until the program ended. Headquarters in DC, actually used my spreadsheet as an example for other Districts.  The top nine money producing offices were in our district. Number one was Grand Central Station in NY. The program had to be shut down by 2010 and then I retired.

 

4) Fred's legion of fans includes Jackie Chan. The martial arts star says Astaire's movies influenced the way he choreographed the Kung Fu fight sequences in his films. Mr. Chan is one of the most popular film stars in the world. Have you seen any of his movies? Maybe one a long time ago when I was dating my husband. That was 47 years ago!

 

5) Fred was always fascinated by new things. In the 1970s, when he was in his late 70s, he took up skateboarding and became so good at it he was awarded life membership in the National Skateboard Society. Have you been skateboarding? If not, is it something you're tempted to try? Yes I had a Red Derby skateboard when I was a kid in the 60's, maybe 1964. I have tried riding the new ones a few times in the 90's. I would not go near one now less I break a bone!

 

6) Fred's friends were amused by his passion for daytime soap operas. In the days before video recording, he would call home from the club house at the golf course and ask his maid what had happened that day on his favorite "story," As the World Turns. Is there a show you try not to miss?

Yes several. I watch General Hospital.  I use to watch All My Children and One Life to Live. I like to watch all the medical shows in the evening lie The Good Doctor, The Resident. New Amsterdam, Chicago Hope and Grey's Anatomy. There are a few hubby and I like to see together like 911 and Survivor.

7) In 1936, the year this song was popular, the US patent office issued a patent for the Zippo lighter. Beginning in WWII and for decades after, Zippo lighters were issued to our soldiers. During the Vietnam War, troops had their lighters engraved with personal mottos. What's something you have had engraved or personalized? What did it say? To Jr ♥ Susie on a ring I got my husband for our 15th anniversary. It has 3 diamonds, one for each of your kids.

8) Also in 1936, a killer tornado struck Tupelo, MS. Have you ever been in a tornado? How about a hurricane or an earthquake? Several earthquakes because I live in So California. Once when  was a kids and on that skateboard, the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake. I remember things falling off my shelves and my bed shaking because it was in the morning. The Whittier earthquake in 1987. The water was sloshing out if our spa, pictures fell off the wall, and lots of shaking! The Landers earthquake in 1992. It happened in the California desert and we felt it while we were in Las Vegas! Northridge in 1994.

 

9) Random question -- We're creating an action figure of YOU. What two accessories should we be sure to include in the box? My Bible, a cellphone and glasses.

Previous post has samples of my crafting and books that I am reading.

1. What are your interests and hobbies? .. reading? writing? collecting? I read my Bible everyday. I  am reading two books right now. One is called Forgiving What You Can't Forget by Lysa Terkeurst. I am in a lifegroup Zoom study with women and that is the book we are using. I also just got Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers. It talks about 5 Biblical women  and how they were in the lineage of Jesus.

I am a crafty girl and  belong to a Facebook group called Fussy Cutting Cuties. We gets lots of digital printable that we cut up and decorate pages for each month's theme.

I am in another group called Illustrated Faith. I am reading a Devotional book called 100 Days of Prayer. There is a daily devotion and then a page to journal your prayers and decorating your page. I will be starting a 7 week study on the Holy Spirit and it also includes digital graphics to illustrate your pages. So as you can see, I like to combine my Bible studies with creative art. There is a tab on the top that will show you more of my Bible journaling.

This is a page from my Lent study on repentance.

 This is a flip book. There are around 30 cards. I will use the cutouts to 

decorate the pages. I will add scripture verses and prayers. I got the digital

graphics at Illustratedfaith.com. There are also graphic shops on Etsy.

A page from my Digital Hawaii Cruise.

2 How much time a week/day/month do you devote to your interests? I read my Bible daily. I do my lifegroup reading once a week. Free time reading happens about once a week. I am doing some sort of crafting daily. Once a month I like to Bible journal with my grandkids.(See previous post)

3. Do you share your interests with anyone? Before Covid, I had a small group of women over to work on dex cards. Dex is short Memory Dex which is a creative version of Rolodex cards. I hope to start this back up in the next week months.

I have had a website for 20 years. I have blogged since 2002. I loved working on my webpages and I believe I have over 200 pages. I enjoyed creating the site using web graphics from some very creative graphic artist. Blogger is easy to use. My Website pages are written in HTML-computer coding. It allowed me to be really creative and that is how I met Toni and other women. I have a cooking site, Christmas site, Fall site and more at my Website called Susan's Garden of Friendship. Sadly with the advent of Facebook and blogger, people left their webhomes for the free and easier Blogger. Even blogging is being creative!

4.Tell us why you enjoy your hobby, pastimes or or interests. I am created to create! I like learning the Word of God in a creative way. I like meeting women who share this interest with me. I enjoy Bible journaling with my grands because I want them to enjoy Bible reading. Art makes it come alive. Everyone is created to create in their own unique way!

Saturday 9: Don't Get Around Much Anymore (1942)

Unfamiliar with this song? Hear it here.

1) In this song, our lonely Romeo shares how he amuses himself these days. Which of the activities that he mentions have you most recently enjoyed: playing solitaire, reading a book, or listening to the radio?

Bible journaling with the grands while listening to Christian music on Pandora.

2) The lead singer is tenor Bill Kenny. Which range is your voice: soprano, alto, tenor or bass? Alto.

3) When Bill was on vacation in Atlantic City, he entered a series of talent contests and won 21 of 22. This led to his first professional booking. Tell us about a vacation of yours that took an unexpected turn.

When my son was about 18 months old(He is 40 now) we drove to Utah to go camping. We had reservations at a campsite that was near a river. But as we were getting close, a huge rain storm hit. I was driving and it was so bad I had to pull over. Then a lightening bolt came down close to our car and our car was shaking. The bolt split in two in front of our car. My husband took over once the rain let up and just in time as the bank near us was filling up with water. We made it to our campground but our site was to close to the growing riverbank. We got to a hotel and all but the most expensive room was available. Luckily my parents had given us some spending money and were were able to pay for that room. Hubby bought some steaks and the nearby market and cooked it on the bbq that came with the 2 bedroom unit. We left the next day to the Grand Canyon and we had great weather there.

4) This song was composed by Duke Ellington. He received many honors, including a coin struck in his honor. In 2009, he graced the District of Columbia's commemorative quarter. Do you save coins in a jar or piggy bank? Yes I have a jar for penny's, quarters, and dime and nickels. We save them to fill the Easter eggs for the Easter hunt. 

5) In 1976, Stevie Wonder recorded a tribute to Ellington called "Sir Duke." What's your favorite Stevie Wonder song? Isn't She Lovely.

6) The lyrics were written by Bob Russell. When he began his career, he shared an apartment with future novelist and TV screenwriter Sidney Sheldon. Have you ever tried your hand at writing lyrics, a novel or a screenplay? I have written some poems.

7) In 1942, when this record was released, the federal government established a rationing system to conserve crucial supplies for our troops. Sugar was the first food to be rationed, followed by coffee and then meat. If you were around back then, which of those items do you think you'd miss the most? Meat.

8) Also in 1942, actor/singer Peter Tork was born. Without looking it up, do you know why Peter Tork was famous? Tork sounds familiar, but I had to look it up. Park of the singing group The Monkeys.

9) Random question -- Have you ever deliberately lost a game? Yes with my kids and grandkids.

I just worked on my devotion today in my 100 Days of Prayers. The verse is Psalm 51:10

Every day I have a choice to make. Do I want to please God or man? Are my thoughts and actions pleasing to Him or to me? Do I believe in the teachings of Jesus to be kind, to love others? Do I want to focus on the negative or what His Word teaches?

I try the best I can do do these things, but believe me, I mess up. I have to remember not to go by emotions, but by what the Word teaches. When I mess up, I know I can go to God to ask his forgiveness and keep going forward. It means that I need to think before speaking. Is it pleasing to God?

Today I am thankful for the Word of God. It is my guide to life.

I am thankful to own several Bibles and that I can read from it daily.

I am thankful that we can still buy Bibles freely.

I am thankful that my grands are learning the importance of the Bible.

I am thankful that God is having me focus more on Him daily.

I am thankful that I can share my thoughts here.

I am thankful that now matter my age, I can still learn what the Word is saying.

I am thankful for knowing that God is in control.

I am thankful that God is still calling out to His people.

I am thankful that my family knows God.

I am thankful for the internet to keep in contact with family and friends.

I am thankful to for another day of life!

My previous post was on Mother's Day with pictures. I am thankful for my parents!

My mom and I on Mother's Day 2007, she passed in 2010 from Alzheimer's

Saturday 9: Mom (2016)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Meghan Trainor's mom gets a vocal credit on this song ("featuring Kelli Trainor") because the audio of a mother/daughter phone call is included on the recording. Who is the last person you spoke to (not texted!) on the phone? My cousin Joanie. Her mom, my aunt turned 80 on Friday.

2) The earliest version of this song was a poem co-written by Meghan and her brother as a gift to their mom. Do you enjoy writing/crafting/baking  gifts for people? Crafting! I like to make cards.

3) Meghan's mom ran Jewel of the Isle, a jewelry store in Nantucket, MA. Have you ever visited Massachusetts? If so, where have you gone? I was on a New England cruise on 2008. We stopped in Boston.  We went to the Old North Church and Harvard in Cambridge. I also got some Boston Clam Chowder. 

At Harvard

4) Mother's Day is a big holiday for card shops. So are birthdays, weddings, and dozens of other special occasions. Hallmark sells greetings for everything from "Congratulations on Your New Job" to "Happy Retirement." Who received the most recent card you bought? My daughter Renee for her birthday.

5) While Crazy Sam was growing up, her mother used to scold her for leaving dirty dishes in the sink. Sam admits it: as an adult she still puts off washing her dishes. Are you more like mother or daughter? Do you clean up after every meal, or do you let the dishes stack up? I clean as I go along. It doesn't bother me to leave a few dishes. My husband does not like dishes in the sink. If there is anything left at night, I will finish them.

6) Mother's Day is for grandmothers, too. Sam grew up calling her grandmother "Grandgran." What did you call your grandmother? Grandma Louisa and Grandma Chona. My grands call me Mema.

7) The German word for "mother" is "mutter." What other German words do you know? danke for thank you and nein-no.

8) In the United Kingdom, Mothering Sunday is celebrated. It's on the fourth Sunday in Lent (March 14 this year) and in addition to flowers and cards, mothers are treated to Simnel cake. Are you going to indulge in any sweets this weekend? Probably. I would like some Cheese cake with fresh strawberrys.

9) To celebrate Mother's Day, Sam is giving away her mother's favorite: Hershey Bars! Would you prefer classic milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or milk chocolate with almonds? Dark chocolate with almonds.

Today I am thankful just to be alive and in fairly good health.

I am thankful for my family, they are blessing from God.

I am thankful for knowing I am loved by God.

I am thankful that I don't have to be "perfect" and I can be the real me.

I am thankful for the friends I have made in my life because they have all taught me something.

I am thankful for my new friend, both on and off line.

I am thankful for the opportunity to experience new things, even if it means going out of my comfort zone. Today I signed up to go to a crafty women's retreat. I will get to meet many women who enjoy the art of crafting. It means letting go of my insecurity of not being good enough. It means letting go of my fear of getting sick or getting hurt. I have osteoporosis and trying to safe can be so limiting. This retreat is not until July of 2022 but I signed up in faith that all will be well. I am ready for an adventure!

I am thankful to my daughter for encouraging me to go and I am thankful that my husband is also okay with me going. In fact he suggested I go a day or so early to have time to explore.

I am thankful for being comfortable to go back to church. I am thankful for the life groups I have signed up for. One will be with at a home and the other is on Zoom.

I am thankful that in spite of the ringing in my ears, I am still able to function.

I am thankful for the new study I will be doing on Facebook on the Holy Spirit.

I am thankful for staying hopeful. Life isn't what I thought it would be, but I am thankful for what I have. I miss my parents but I know I will seem them again. Covid and politics has put a damper on a few things, but I am trying to stay positive and remember that God is in control.  He is my hope and I give God praise for is eternal plan!

My last two post brought back good memories of my work History and pictures from Easter family shots. That is what I love about blogging. Remembering special moments.

Let's talk about your job/former job

1. What kinds of jobs have you had in life? Enjoy or not? I was14 when I got my first job. I worked one summer and one Christmas season at Toy City. My mom was the manager of 9 stores in Orange County CA. I loved this job! I worked at a drug store for a couple of months and then got hired part time at the USPS for a one year student program. It ended right before I got married. I was off for a year and then got the job at the Treasurey/Target for for a few weeks.  Then I got a permanent part time job  while I was still  going to school full time. During my senior year I also worked 12 hours a week for the Department of Social Services, the field I was planning on going into. The cases really made me so sad. When I graduated in 1977, I decided I wanted to start my family but I hard a hard time getting pregnant. I was still working at the post office part time. My sister and I worked one summer as a Day Camp Counselors for 6 weeks, 9am - 4pm. Then 6pm-11pm at the post office. It paid for our vacation that summer. We went to Reno and Lake Tahoe, Nevada.  We also went to Yosemite, San Francisco, Big Sur and Santa Barbara. That fall I started working as a pre-school teacher across the college where I had been taking a few classes. I had to give up the preschool job after a few months because my infertility doctor said I was doing to much and I kept getting colds from the kids.

2.What duties did you perform on your job.. give us a job description if you please. When I worked for Toy City, Wagner's Drugs, and the Treasury,  I did basic sales and stock. When I worked for the Dept. of Social Services, I managed 4 cases under the supervision of a Social Worker. She went over the cases with me. I met with the clients and completed reports and turned them into the Social Worker. That job was emotionally draining and involved a lot of driving.(1977)  For day camp, each day camp counselor had to develop a weekly plan of activities for the kids. We had themes each week. We walked 3-4 miles a day. I was fit and tan. (1979). From 1975-1986 I sorted mail by hand. It was a bit physical, but it was easy and no emotional stress until I got hurt in 1986. From 1986-88 had a sit down job working with mail that needed special attention like return for postage or insufficient address. Sometimes we could look up the address. One year a plant crashed in our county and all the damaged mail came to us. In the summer of 1987 I took a computer class at college. A few months later I was asked to work in Marketing and sales doing computer input. I still worked in the evening.  In 1994 I went to days. I end up retiring from there in 2010 at 36 years. The following pictures show me at vending machines I stopped at while on vacation. I sure wish I had stopped at the Grand Central Station when I was in NY. They were the only office higher than the top 10 in our district.

Skagway Alaska Post Office, 2006

Honolulu, Oahu Hawaii, 2019

3. What training is required to do your type of job (and even a checker in a supermarket needs certain skills such as working well with people and being a bit technical.) A supervisor trained me on the sales job. They showed me how to stock, do inventory and even mix paint. my first job required I work on an old NCR cash register. It was a good way to improve my math! The classes from college prepared me to do the Social work and work with the kids. In order to get a permanent position at the post office, I had to memorize over 1000 zip codes for Southern Calif. I had 3 months to complete this task and be tested. I could only miss 5 our of a random 100. It was a best stressful because I was still going to school full time, married and working and the testing was at the same time as finals! I passed in time to work full time hours at the post office while on break from school. When I went upstairs, I got training from several people and also took more on the job training courses on the computer. Did I tell you I could not type well? I am pretty good now. It would take another page to write all the things I did. Did you ever buy postage stamps from a vending machine back in the 80's and 90's? That was the main program I was involved in. The last 5 years of my career I was the Vending Coordinator for our district. I did all the computer work uploading it to Headquarters. I worked with the Postmasters, vending clerks and supervisors. A few weeks after the program ended I had to go to another department. Then my hours were changed and I decided it was time to retire.

4.Is there a dream job you'd like to have or would have loved to have? Tell us about it, won't you? I really liked the medical field. I was afraid of the math so I changed my field. My degree was in Social Ecology, a combination of social and biological science. I think if I had better counseling and wasn't trying to juggle commuting, marriage and working, I might have ended up in the medical field. I almost got a job working for Planned Parenthood. They needed a counselor and I met all the criteria. But I  trying to have a baby and I could not counsel women to terminate their baby. My best job is being Mom to 3 kids and Mema to 4 grandkids! Oh and I still say the first 3 digit Zipcodes for cities in California and states when I visit cities and meet people. If we had stayed in Orange County, I would have got a job at Disneyland like some of my friends after they retired. They just got called back too!