Category Archives: writers

Uncategorized, writers

NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

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Black Hawk and his son Whirling Thunder.

Since 1990, November has been designated Native American Heritage Month.  How many of you even knew that?  Not entirely your fault if you didn’t, not much is ever said about Americas natural-born citizens.  You know about Black History Month, we hear about it everyday during the month, and the news media shares a black history story.  Not so with Native Americans.

I suppose Native Americans, if they wanted some notoriety could take some of their casino money and buy some airtime on the local stations, or maybe they no longer care what the nation knows of their history.   The media could give a brief history moment each day of the month, there would certainly be enough to show.  It would  be educational for all of us, not just the children, to understand more of our lands original occupants.

There is much to learn and to enjoy about the history and culture of our Native Americans.   It would be a shame not to take advantage of this month to become more acquainted.   We should not wait too long, never is a missed opportunity.  It is like having a great-grandfather when you were younger, you never spent the time to learn from.  Oh, the stories they can tell.   My great-grandparents were Indian.   My great-grandmother’s grandmother was the daughter of Black Hawk, the great Sauk Chief.   There are many generations between me and Black Hawk, but it is a heritage I am proud.

 

 

Uncategorized, writers

PAINTER’S BLOCK

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I have been an artist, for nearly 20 years now…..I’m 62 so started late.  I am a painter, oil being my medium of choice.   For the most part I am self-taught and was satisfied as long as I was improving.  Got to a point where I was stuck in neutral, I was no longer picking up on tips or tricks of the trade.  I met a lady who taught and charged a ridiculous $3.00 per 2 hour lesson; obviously not doing it for money.  I learned a lot from this wonderful artist.

I paint mostly landscapes; many with golf scenes.  My problem is if I can’t visually picture what I want to paint, I don’t put anything on the canvas.   I’ve tried just winging it, throw paint down and see what comes out, usually something ugly.   I normally have it in the trash shortly after I begin.  I can go days sometimes months and do not paint…….maybe a lack of creativity, or just painter’s block.   When I have an inspiration, an idea, I can put out some good stuff.   When I don’t, it looks like grade school work.

Suddenly it hits me, today after years working like this, when stuck in one place, take what you’ve done, give it a different perspective, new tone.  Take that painting of the moonlight shining on the green, with the shadow of the stick and flag from the Summer, redo into a late Winter with melting snow……birds preying for worms around the green.   We are always learning.

I also learned watching the late Bog Ross.

Uncategorized, writers

TOO MANY WRITING THOUGHTS

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Writing

 Is there a term, such as cluttered mind to describe having too many thoughts when attempting  to write?   Lately I find I have an idea for a blog/article and as I have my fingers on the keyboard it is difficult to begin, like I don’t know where to start.   OR  I’ll be in the middle of a paragraph and my mind begins thinking too far ahead…..and some of the thoughts should be another blog not the one I am currently writing.    It’s a bit distracting, and no I don’t have attention deficit.

Suggestions welcome.

sports, Uncategorized, writers

KC vs. STL RIVALRY

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KC Royal fans you have a great team.  You don’t get to the World Series being mediocre.   To be the best, you need to learn how to lose and win.

Whats with this obsession against the St. Louis Cardinals?  My son and daughter-in-law have lived in KC for nearly two years now.  They are Cardinal fans, they grew up in the St. Louis area.   They went to a restaurant/bar wearing their Cardinal jerseys during the Cardinals/Giants series in the KC area; they could not get served because they were Cardinal fans.   How grade school is that?  They both concurred the KC fans have a strong dislike for the Cardinals and Cardinal fans.   I guess I don’t understand that attitude, since St. Louis has consistently made post season play for many years and its been 29 years since Royal nation won anything.    It seems this dislike and negative behavior is from jealousy; KC wants what STL has built.  Good luck in your Series.

 

 

 

 

 

Politics, Uncategorized, writers

A WORKING MOM: TAKING CARE OF HER CHILDREN

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peace5divider

This past Wednesday evening while I was waiting for the Metro Link blue line train I was reading an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch about the autopsy of Michael Brown.  The same page of the paper shared an article of Officer Darren Wilson’s accounting of the shooting.  I was buried in the story when a soft female voice ask “So what are they saying today?”  I hadn’t even realized someone had set down beside me on the granite bench.

I looked up, turned slightly to face a young female black lady between the age of 27 to 32.  “I was just reading about the autopsy”, I said, not having to say “who’s”.   I had the paper open wide enough she could see the headlines.   I wasn’t sure how she would respond, and waiting for the train, she could have been from or near Ferguson.  She did not share an opinion, nor did I.   She then said without any hesitation, “I don’t even watch the news anymore.  I just want to go to work, go home and take care of my children.”  I ask the young lady where she was from, “St. Louis, but I grew up in St. Charles.”  For those of you not familiar with our area, St. Charles is a suburb west of St. Louis.   I told her I really liked St. Charles, she smiled and said “I do too and miss living there.”   I told her I lived in Fenton (another suburb, south-west of St. Louis).   “I have thought of moving to Fenton someday” she said…….”It’s quieter”.

Our conversation, while it only lasted about five minutes, left an impression on me.  I thought about her comment……”I just want to go to work, go home and take care of my children.”   I thought about her words for a while, with a slight grin I must admit.   She too has grown tired of all the noise, wants to take care of her family in peace.  I enjoyed our short chat.

Uncategorized, writers

Painter’s Block…….NEED HELP

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Need a little advice here, please!

Writer’s block/bloggers’s block, everyone gets from time to time.   It doesn’t last long for me, usually.   However, I am also an artist; landscape/animal portrait/still life painter in oil medium.   My problem is I don’t get out of the painter’s block (ideas for a subject) easily at all.   I haven’t in the past just thrown paint on a canvas, just for the sake of painting something, or for practice for that matter.  Maybe I should.     I need to have a clear vision of what I want to begin, even though I may improvise as I go.

I can actually go months without placing a stroke of color on canvas.  Any suggestions from you seasoned artists would be greatly appreciated.   The only answer I have is to just start painting, however, the results don’t usually come out well.  HELP!!!!

Thank you!

Politics, writers

HISTORY OF LIES AND CORRUPTION IN AMERICA

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The truth, please tell me nothing but the truth.  I am tired of hearing lies, nothing but lies.

The only people I trust anymore are those searching for the truth.  Those that share the truth when they find it…..or they at least believe it to be true.   My friends that share what they know to be true if they have doubts will say so.

One truth most of us agree as a whole is, we can not trust our government.  I am American, I am not living in Russia or China or North Korea.   We are lied to constantly, and we constantly keep these habitual liars in their offices or positions, knowing full well what they are.  Oh so your congressman speaks the truth and he or she is doing a good job so you vote and re-elect them….. When none of us can accept the fact we are being lied to by our man or woman, then history is repeated, constantly repeated.   We will continue down the same path…..  When we won’t accept the truth, we are  lying to ourselves.  We get what we ask for…..

So many, too many lies, it is hard to believe anything anymore.  We need a fresh start, a do over.   Would we get it right the next time?  Throw all the bums out.  There is always going to be a liar, dishonest, corrupt individuals………but we don’t have to accept them.  It is disturbing that we just come to expect lies and corruption to be the norm.   We deserve better or children deserve better.

We need to hold those responsible accountable.   We know who they are.