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Social Media Day

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  In our modern society, there is a strong drive to stay constantly interconnected with friends and family and to stay up-to-date with rapidly changing news events. This faux holiday was instituted by Mashable (2005) in 2010 to further push the social media trend. Social media began with the launch of Sixdegrees in 1997 (shut down in 2001). Various platforms have evolved over time, including Friendster (2002), LinkedIn (2003, business-focused), MySpace (2004), and Facebook (2004). In 2005, YouTube (videos) started, followed by Twitter (2006). The next big success was Instagram (2010). Facebook purchased its competitors Instagram (2012) and WhatsApp (2014). Snapchat (2011) turned down a potential Facebook acquisition. The newest kid on the block is China’s TikTok (2016): its USA fate currently hangs in the balance. Twitter was acquired by Elon Musk in 2022 and was rebranded as X in 2023. The trend has exploded over the past decade. Some people feel social media use has gone too far,...
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Time Off

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  I’m off on a long weekend trip and will miss the deadline for my usual Monday Musings blog. Just a quick note to let you know all is well. I will return next week. I hope you are enjoying your summer. You can follow the Author on her  Website  or  X .
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The Author's Books

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  It’s been quite a while since I’ve mentioned my books, but since this is my author blog, I will take the prerogative to remind you about my publications. I hope that one or all of them will speak to you. My first book,  Almanac: The Four Seasons  (2020), is a lighthearted journey through the year, with each section covering different months. The cover honors  The Old Farmer’s Almanac . Next,  Family Treasons  (2021) takes a serious tone as an autobiographical look at my experiences as a victim of child abuse and intimate partner violence. I am proud to be not only a survivor, but I also thrive. I dabbled in writing haiku over the years, but I’ve dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to writing short-form poetry since 2021. My third book,  Voyage: Vista and Verse  (2022), is filled with vista (color photographs) and verse (monoku, haiku, and senryu) derived from travel experiences. A fourth poetry volume,  KAR-KU  (2023, con...
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Remember

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  Memory is the foundation of understanding. We build our perceptions of ourselves and others on background knowledge. We weigh the importance of memories. It is simple to recall what we consider our “rights”; however, at times, our “duties” slip our minds. Sometimes, we incorrectly prioritize one over the other, electing the easier of the options. Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, ‘This is a misfortune’ but ‘To bear this worthily is good fortune.’  Marcus Aurelius Choose to accept and shoulder “bad luck” and search your brain archives for past facts or details which may redefine the experience. Remembering is a complex process, physiologically based on the connections between neurons. It can be short-term, lasting only 20–30 seconds, or long-term, for decades. A sensory memory may be vivid, typically triggered by a scent. An example is the  Proust Effect . Forgetting, or “failure to remember,” is a common phenomenon. ...
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Simple Gifts

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  A cascade of sharing began with a simple gift. This story began in early January with my donation of several bags of nearly new cold-weather clothing to the North Carolina victims of Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. A neighbor and her spouse stopped by to pick them up. The conversation turned to gardening. I placed a seed catalog in their mailbox. When I dropped in to visit several weeks later, the husband handed me flats of lettuce and broccoli seedlings. We’ve been enjoying lovely salads made with the lettuce, but now fast-forward to June 1st: the broccoli is fully grown. However, six large broccoli heads are too much for two people to eat. I shared a head with the next-door neighbor, and he walked back over with three lovely garlic heads. They are now drying in my greenhouse. He intends to cook the broccoli as part of a dinner for a friend with cancer. I drove down the mountain; my first stop was to visit a couple of part-time residents. They were thrilled to receive the fr...
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Memorial Day 2025

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  Today, we celebrate Memorial Day to honor those who died fighting in the U.S. Armed Forces. We remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The above phrase is attributed to Howard William Osterkamp, Korean War Veteran and Purple Heart Recipient. Billy Ray Cyrus wrote the song  “Some Gave All”  to emphasize the contribution of the fallen heroes. The link will take you to a copy of the lyrics and the song audio. Have you lost friends or family members in the service? Our thoughts and prayers are with surviving loved ones. You can follow the Author on her  Website  or  X .
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Plant Something Day

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  The goal of this day is to highlight the importance of plants to our environment and to encourage people to add vegetation to the Earth. Over 80% of original forests have been cleared and nearly 70% of plants are at risk of extinction. While there are more than 80,000 edible plant species, 90% of our food derives from about 30 plants. This varies with country and culture. Modern and traditional medicine utilize 70,000 types of plants to treat ailments. There are other health benefits: plants absorb toxins in the air and produce oxygen. Of course, you know I dug in the dirt today: I replaced an ailing Clematis with a healthy new specimen. I look forward to a proliferation of dark pink blossoms. I installed a watering system for a new 3'x6' metal raised bed filled with three types of peppers, eggplants, chamomile, and marigolds. This setup will also serve three other areas with asparagus, strawberries/rhubarb, and melons. In addition, I planted seeds in a 2'x20' raised ...
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