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I had a stroke several years ago. I learned a lot from my stroke and I think it about it often. It's not that I'm worried about having another stroke. Rather, it was such a rich experience that I'm still chewing on it from time to time. It's not fear that motivates me; it's wonder.Language was the thing that was most impacted by the stroke. A few days after my stroke, I was moved to a rehab nursing home facility. They didn't work for people who had had a stroke, particularly. They did do some sp...

I was born at the right time in history. I am a computer-friendly person. I just get them.My first exposure to computers was in a high school class called "Data Processing", if I remember correctly. It was about card punch machines and how to sort cards and how to copy a deck of cards, even moving columns around on the new "copy". Except for all geeks like me, no one even knows what those words mean. That was 1974. A few years later, I was in the US Army, working in tech supply. We had a compute...

I'm worn out this evening. I've been doing PT for a while now because my knees aren't really up to the tasks I have for them. I'm doing PT to try to get to the point that I can do up and down curbs and small sets of stairs and that kind of thing, without it bringing lots of moans and groans. It's been an interesting experience. First of all, I find the human body to be a wonder. Just how it works. All the connections and interactions and everything working together... well, it's just a wonder.  ...

Well, in spite of my plans to help me to get my writing done every day, it's well into the evening and I don't have anything to post yet today. I've started a couple things, but nothing that will be done today. I don't really have any excuse. I got up at my regular time (and somewhat more promptly than I sometimes get up). I prayed and checked my personal email. Oh, yeah, there is a new devotional series that started today. It was time for me to get started on my regular work before I was done w...

To write something every day, the biggest obstacle has been setting aside time to write. I think it would work best if I would spend a few minutes in the morning thinking about topics or thinks that are running through my head. If I can get it down to one or two starting ideas, then throughout the day, I can let it percolate for a few hours without writing anything about it. If I can get a break in the middle of the day, I can spend half an hour or so writing an outline or a first draft.) When I...

I'm a regular Catholic. I show up at Mass on Sundays and on Holy Days. I put some money in the basket. I'll buy breakfast tacos or cookies when someone is selling them. I know the prayers and I know when to stand, when to sit, and when to kneel. A regular Catholic. I love to go to Mass. Days that I'm not working, I go to Mass. Sometimes I manage to go to Mass during lunchtime days that I do work. I make a Confession a handful of times each year. I prayerfully examine my conscience. My confession...

Today I went to Mass at a parish that is not my usual parish.The universality of the Mass makes me feel at home whatever parish I'm in. I've been in Mass where I did not know the language. I know where we are and what we are doing because it's always the same Mass. Usually when I go to a Mass in a language I don't understand, I knew ahead of time that I wouldn't understand the language. In that case, I read the scripture ahead of time or bring a missal with me so I can know the readings. If they...

I'm thinking about making a list of write prompts for myself, for those days that I can't think of anything to write about. That in itself will be an interesting exercise, but my thoughts have been a little sidetracked. I would like to come up with a writing prompt that I will go back to at regular intervals just to see what happens. I think weekly is too frequent for the kind of thing that I have in mind, so maybe something that I could visit once a month. That immediately makes me think about ...

Have you seen the bumper stickers that say, "There's No Place Like 127.0.0.1"? When I see them, I just shake my head and sigh.Nothing like a little geek humor, eh? Clever sticking in those numbers. Only the clueful with know that "127.0.0.1" is an IP address. Not those ignorant schlubs.For those who don't know, an IP address is made up of 4 integers from 0 to 255 inclusive, separated by dots (.) (If you're using IPv4, which almost the whole world uses.) So 127.0.0.1 looks like an IP address and ...

My first post here was a Joy Log. (Sometimes I add things to it.) I have kept a Gratitude Log in the past and I should probably start one up here, too. But gratitude and joy are not the same thing. Gratitude springs up from a recognition of a good thing in my life. My house. My friends. There are so many good things in my life. I need only raise my head and look around to see things that make me thankful. Joy is a different thing. It seems to well up inside, at the littlest things or nothing at ...

I'm not a very social person. I often find it exhausting just to be in the company of other people. However, recently I've been lead into spending with time with groups of other people. It's common these days for groups to be using some kind of technology. My participation in very limited in those things. It's not that I'm trying to stay aloof from the group. It's not that I'm "too old" to use it. It's not that I don't understand how to use it. It's because I understand what it enables other peo...

I have a friend who lives outside of town, and she has a neighbor who brings eggs from her chickens. If she has extra eggs when I go out to see her, sometimes she gives me some of the eggs. Each egg is HUGE (much larger than extra large) and each egg has 2 yokes. I love eggs. A couple scrambled eggs, sometimes with avocado. A couple over easy eggs on toast. A ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. I love eggs. I've considered getting a few yard chickens. I live in town, but chickens are considered pe...

"Body of Christ"? Really???In one word, YES.When Catholics receive the Eucharist, the minister holds up the host and says, "The body of Christ", and the communicant responds, "Amen."I'm a modern kinda gal. I recycle stuff. I have a computer. (Several, actually, but that's for another day...) I'm a telecommuting, high-tech worker. Who can take all that "real presence" talk seriously? I do.Now, I'll admit it's a far-fetched idea. It was a far-fetched idea when Jesus first said it. What did He say?...

I've decided to join the #100Days challenge. I'm not sure if I'll write everyday for 100 days, but let's see what happens. My interests are drinking pina coladas, walking in the rain, and adopting orphan ... Oh, wait! That's not me. I don't know if I've ever drunk a pina colada. Walking is good, with or without the rain. I don't adopt any orphan anything. What do I want to say about myself? Why do I have to say anything myself? Maybe I can talk about my own relationship to technology throug...

Joy LogSolving puzzles, especially making a living by solving puzzlesThe girl at Sonic, recognizing my car and me, and entering my order before I hit the button to order. (She had a joyous little laugh when I buzzed her.)Clouds in their infinite shapes and sizes and colorsThe look of “getting it” for something that has been a strugglePhillipPraying the Rosary with my grandson ...