Making a Choice

Dear Readers,

 I've been writing more or less consistently for over four years now.  When I look back over my blog postings, I'm amazed at how much and how many times I've written, and the continuing struggle is always finding something to SAY.  My USU class last summer helped reinvigorate my writing tingle.  I'm honored by how many people read my musings.  Writing this blog has changed many things in my life.  Reflection has been good for my perspective, as well as giving this traveling life we do some framework.  It's a place to be serious as well as a place to be funny.  (FYI - serious is much, much easier!)  

Even more interesting are the connections the blog has forged with people I've met along the way.  Gone are the days when I meet someone, enjoy their company for a short amount of time, perhaps send a Christmas card or two and poof, they are gone.  After four years of writing about whatever crosses my mind, or painting with words pictures of where I'm currently residing, my readers feel as if I must live just down the street from them.  Today we spent the day with people we met by going to play bridge at a Senior Center in Anacortes, Washington three years ago.  This couple is no longer 'people we met'; they are our friends.  Why?  Because they read the blog.    

Another thing that happens when you write is you find unexpected depths inside yourself.  I'm very proud of my personal essays.  Looking back, those pieces are my diamonds.  My emeralds are my humorous essays; who can forget THE INTREPID PIGEON FIGHTER?  The rubies in this collection of words are the travel pieces, especially those with pictures.  I have a fairly sizable group of folks who only look at the pictures after they read a couple of paragraphs, and that's OK with me.  Picture taking is another blog offshoot something I actually work at now, so the folks who read the blog and can't travel can have a glimpse of some of the natural wonders of this great country.

Did you know that I've also turned into a fund raiser?  Some of you certainly do know since your name is on my very special list......my Donor's Choose list.  I have a friend...., yes, I know, I have lots of friends.  This one is very special; she's an elementary school librarian in a very non-affluent school.  A school whose library consists of books mostly bought in the 1980's - and that's AFTER she purged the ones even older than those.  Studies show that one of the many disadvantages that poor children struggle with is the lack of books.  Children without book access don't learn to read very well, and reading is the key to everything.  It's a very big key.  

So, back to the story - my librarian friend put up a project on Donor's Choose asking for money to buy a very detailed list of books.  This is a web site where teachers can put up 'wish lists' which are vetted to be real by the website managers.  A teacher posts a project on the website asking for money to buy equipment and books that she NEEDS in order to teach.  Here's a a big surprise to everyone who's not a teacher:  There's an expectation from every public school system that teachers will buy out of their own rather shallow pockets teaching materials that should be furnished to them.  In the case of my librarian:  books for her school library.  In the past six months, she's put up two projects on the Donor's Choose website - each needing funding of about $500.  Oh, my Donor's Choose list - pat yourselves on the back - we managed to get each project funded for her within three days of posting.  Raising that money has been an unexpected outcome of blog writing.  

Oh, and if you want to be on my Donor's Choose list, just email me.....we LOVE new members to our group.  The beauty is when a project is posted by one of my teacher friends, you can chip in as small of an amount as $5 up to 'wow, that's a lot', and we work hard to get the dollars donated 'matched' which doubles the contribution.  It's really fun to watch the amount needed drop, and drop until the magic words 'PROJECT FUNDED' appear.  My librarian friend is so very grateful for our support.  I don't know when she'll post another project, but we of this group are all willing and able to help.  This is one of those 'make a difference' deals, and has been something else initially driven by my access to my readers.

Guess what you all are asking for now?  Wedding plans and details.  I think it's going to require an emerald posting for this one.  I'm going to have to laugh so as not to cry or at least howl.  I've been wondering in my buzzing brain how saying "I Do" has gotten so complicated and expensive.  As soon as I've worked it out and find the laughter in it, I'll write.  

That's it for this one.  Much ado about nothing, but I needed to do a post because the natives get restless if I don't.