Doesn't this look good to you? Have you tried any?

Today, I stopped by the Nashville Library and checked out a lame book about how to write short stories. The author recommended in thousands of words that I can write effectively by following the next 3 suggestions:

a. write out the idea or the facts;

b. then write the same incident again, but using the emotions I felt at the time; and

c. then note what meaning comes of it.

I think the author is a spiritual guru; but I can always learn from everyone, so let me give it a try:

a. Okay, these are the facts of this fiasco. After stopping by the Library, I reached for the Mocha Cappuccino Jif that was sitting on the end of the aisle at Walmart. I said out loud, "There should be a law against making this stuff." (note the photo) I picked it up with my left hand and Boom! I dropped it. The glass container went squash on the linoleum. ha! I found a lady who said she would send someone out to clean it. I offered to pay. She said, "Not necessary and smiled."

I kinda wanted to stick my finger in the gooey mess on the floor to find out what it tastes like, but I probably would have cut myself on the glass.

b. What were my emotions? Can I say that my emotions were embarrassment for being clutsey and humor at the same time. It looked like a pile of dark mud with a peanut-butter cap on it. ha! It imploded! Broken glass all over the heap of poo.

Do I feel like a writer yet?... well, uh...No!

c. Is there meaning? Humm...I would say that I will have to work on paying attention to what I'm doing and not staring at that good lookin' guy who walked by; and oh, I will have to work on strengthening my grip!

I bet you wish you had stopped after the 3 suggestions? jee!jee!

Fish on a Bulletin

You have to see the humor in this...

I am cleaning things out of my closet and I found this Edgefield Baptist Church bulletin dated July 1986.

Jeni was 5 1/2 years old.

I think she was bored... Haha!

Yikes, don't give chocolate to a parrot!

This is Tybee.

Years ago, the Veterinarian told me to give Tybee some of everything I eat. I have. His favorites are pizza, noodles, cheese, animal cracker, cookie, and even a chicken leg; but NO avocado, NOR chocolate. Okay. That has been easy, I've done it for 24 years.

Yesterday, I had just come into the apartment and was opening the cellophane on a large cookie! Tybee, my double-yellow Mexican parrot started yelling when he saw the food. That was usual. When I waved the cookie at him, he quickly shut up!

Ha! Works every time!

Tybee kept an eye on me until I gave him part of my cookie. It looked like an oatmeal raisin cookie which was safe; so I gave him a piece. But when I took my first bite, I realized it was a chocolate chip cookie! Oh no, the chocolate could kill him.

Panic! I quickly opened the cage door. With my hands inside Tybee's cage, I ruffled him to get the last piece out of his mouth/beak. No luck! You should have seen me fighting this dumb parrot! It was almost humorous.

I broke off most of the cookie, but Tybee was still rolling around a beak-full of something and dodging my hand. He was not giving in.

I knew what I had to do. I quickly distracted Tybee by giving him the peak of his desires...some peanut butter on a spoon. I knew this would work. Yep, Tybee dropped the cookie piece to take the spoon with his beak. Whew! I shot this photo after I gave him the spoon of peanut butter.

Well, today when I woke up, Tybee was alive. Apparently, he did not get to the chocolate in the cookie. Close call.

Which one was born in Mexico... Are you a Profiler?

This blond, green-eyed guy, Papá, who is grey-haired in the photo, was born in Méjico. Would he be arrested? No, not until they heard his Spanish accent. ha!

Would the Kid, who was born in the United States. have to go back to Mexico to live? No, because Papá became an American citizen before this Kid was born. Can't speak for the rest of their family. ha!

Yesterday, the Supreme Court shut down some of Arizona's [unfair] state laws that permitted officials to stop and jail, without warrants, anyone they thought or profiled to be undocumented.

As Alabama followed Arizona's lead, of course, the inevitable happened:

"Similar measures have been introduced in other states, including Alabama, which recently drew unwelcome attention when executives from German and Japanese car makers that the state had lured there were arrested for failing to produce immigration papers." Andrew Morse, WSJournal

Who carries documents to the grocery store???

...Out for Dip'n Dots!!!

We stopped by Walgreens for some Dip'nDots today...

We decided to shoot a timed photo for Jeanie Dollar, who has been ill.

Jeni put the camera on the back of the slick, recently waxed, car (potential problem) trying to move us into position so she click the photo (click, click, click) and run in between Ryan an me.... This was the idea. Right?

Well, Jeni kept moving us. She said, "About 2 feet to the right...no! make that 5 feet back...no...better 3 feet to the right." Finally, Jeni says, "I'm trying to get that Krystal sign out of the photo.

The first picture is her Mom, ME, asking,"What Krystal sign?"

The second picture below was finally a "Go!" Whew!

Then we went inside and got our Dots! Yes, very cold at -42 degrees Fahrenheit, right out of the freezer. They were quite good, except the ones that fell on my...well...legs in the car on the way home!

I cannot eat a Crawdad. They were my pets.

These beautiful little critters are also called mud bugs because they are harvested in the mud. Today, my Nashville family goes to a big crawdad "broil" and has a great eating time. Yuk!

The few live crawdads that I have had during my lifetime were not thrown into hot boiling water; but rather, into my aquarium. I would love to see them go after the fish. Haha! Zany!

My only problem was that I had to make sure the light hood was secure on the aquarium. One day when I walked in, I found one taking off across the floor. I had to catch it and it looked just like this photo. Kinda spooky!

When one would escape, he would fall and live. Then he had to hide from the cat who would eventually catch him, play with him for awhile, and eventually eat him. The few I had were always escaping... until there were none.

My Mom's family and movies... This is the Majestic Theater

The Majestic Theater was built in 1929 and designed by John Eberson. It seats 2311 people and is now owned by the City of San Antonio for the San Antonio Symphony. A machine projects clouds that move over the vast ceiling inside (always did). The Majestic has 3 balconies that were renovated in 1989 and are functional today.

Now that Jeni is working with the ABC TV show "Nashville", did you know our family Quinones has always been in the movie business?

My Grandfather, Daniel Quinones, was the projectionist of the Majestic Theater in the 40's-50's, etc.

My uncles, Dan Quinones (Multiplex Cinemas in North Star Mall in 1950's-60's) and Aunt Ruth's husband, Eliud Garcia (Texas Theater 1950's) and their son, my cousin Jimmy Garcia (don't know where) were all projectionists.

For the record, my interest in movies began early. My Granny, Lydia Quinones, Mom's Mom, used to take me when I was very young (about 5-7 years old) to the second balcony of The Majestic Theater in downtown San Antonio, Texas. The second balcony was free to my Granny and me because my Grand Daddy's being the projectionist.

However, during those years, the second balcony was designated for negro people. My Granny and I would sit right in the middle of all these great people and enjoy the movies. Even at that early age it seemed an injustice to me as my Granny tried to explain why they had to sit in the second balcony. This was one of those times I kept asking, "Why?" I am so glad that has changed during my lifetime!

As Woody Woodpecker would say, "That's All Folks!"

I just wanted you to know...