GenX

Duck, Cover and Recirculate

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment

Create an emergency preparedness plan.

I once told a friend that, in the event of a nuclear attack on Boston, my plan was to put the kids in the minivan, hit “recirculate” on the a/c, and drive west. Surely, “recirculate” would keep the radiation out of our air supply. She laughed.

By the way, I did not enjoy the film “Oppenheimer.” It’s too long and confusing and mostly about politics. I couldn’t keep all the white guys straight. I thought it would have been better as a miniseries, with new characters rolled out each week. The blast scene was cool though. Terrifyingly cool.

Get in the water at the beach

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment

What brings you peace?

I feel peace in the ocean. There’s something about floating on the waves that gives me a sense of perspective. You literally become part of the earth’s surface and know that you and your problems are but a tiny speck in a much bigger universe.

Living in New England, it can be hard to find ocean water warm enough to bring you peace. This website is good for checking ocean temperatures.

My children and me enjoying warm Rhode Island waters, August 2010

“I want to be a teacher” was everyone’s answer

~ MaryG ~ 3 Comments

What profession do you admire most and why?

As a girl growing up in suburban America in the 70s, I wanted to be a public school teacher and so did all my friends. We LOVED Mrs. Murphy, our first grade teacher, so much that she accidentally got called “mom” several times a day. We played school outside of school all the time.

My grandmother was a kindergarten teacher in Worcester for decades and she would bring me into her class for a day about once per school year. Her classroom, like many, was a magical world unto itself. I’m pretty sure that parents back then would never have dreamed of intervening with the teachers’ plans.

My daughter also dreamed of being a teacher for many years and frequently conducted “school” for her stuffed animals. My mother was briefly a teacher in the 60s, before getting pregnant and losing her job because teachers couldn’t be pregnant then.

It’s so sad to read how horribly teachers are mistreated and bullied by far-right conservative parents and politicians in many US states now. It really is the most important job in the world.

PS: I highly recommend watching ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” created by Quinta Brunson. In my opinion, it’s the best show on network TV now.

At my age, I wouldn’t open a shop, BUT

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment

If you were going to open up a shop, what would you sell?

Weren’t the old “penny candy” stores great? You could go in with a buck and get a paper bag full of sugar in various forms. From rolled bubblegum cigarettes, to candy bead bracelets, giant wax lips, wafer saucers with crunchy sprinkles inside or multi-colored candy dots stuck to something resembling cash register tape, the choices were thrilling!

You could pretend many things with with your candy props – from wearing fancy jewelry or taking communion, to smoking or making out. And the adults couldn’t have cared less.

I sing, I swim, I travel

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment

Describe your life in an alternate universe.

In an alternate universe, I’m an amazing singer with perfect pitch. I perform as a backup vocalist with big name acts from the 80s (Elvis Costello, James Taylor, Peter Gabriel, etc.) and this has allowed me to travel the world in style—experiencing adoring crowds and first-class hotels with anonymity. (Nobody recognizes a backup singer when they’re out on the street!) I am paid extremely well for this work and I use my extra money to buy a beach house with an in-ground lap pool overlooking the ocean.

Animal Videos

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment
Instagram giraffes sent by a dear friend

I was never one to spend time watching cat videos online. I knew people absolutely loved them and spent hours watching them, but I just scrolled right past. If someone sent one to me, I liked it, but was never tempted to re-share. I tended to focus on news, celebrities, and schadenfreude.

But I’m starting to understand why millions of people will watch a baby panda sneeze, a cat with an inner voice, or a cute snail enjoying a shower. A cute snail? The clips make you smile, or even laugh. And sometimes, they make you think of a friend or family member who might enjoy them.

When my friend Carla was dying in a faraway state, she didn’t communicate much, but occasionally she’d send an animal video. It was usually a baby giraffe, because she knew I liked giraffes. It was so moving to know she was thinking of me at that time.

So, I get it now. Animal videos make you smile, laugh, think about friends, distract from the news. They’re awesome.

Now please enjoy these ducks getting flower hats put on their tiny heads.

Cars and Crosswalks

~ MaryG ~ Leave a comment

What bothers you and why?

Some drivers don’t understand how intersections work. If traffic is so backed up that you’re going to have to idle in a crosswalk on the other side, don’t go. Wait until there’s enough room for your whole car, before heading across.

Last week I saw a blind student with a cane encounter a car blocking the entire width of a crosswalk in Boston.

I know—Boston—but I think it happens everywhere.

I asked AI to respond to this prompt and it’s brilliant

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment

List 10 things you know to be absolutely certain.

Here are 10 things I know to be absolutely certain:
1. The universe exists. I am writing this, so I know that something exists. I can also see, hear, smell, taste, and touch things, which tells me that there is a physical world outside of my mind.
2. I exist. I am the one who is writing this, and I am experiencing the world through my senses. I am also capable of thought, feeling, and choice.
3. Change is the only constant. Nothing stays the same forever. The universe is constantly evolving, and so are we.
4. There is no such thing as absolute certainty. We can never be 100% sure of anything. However, we can still have a high degree of certainty about some things, based on our knowledge and experience.
5. The future is not predetermined. We have the freedom to make choices that shape our own future. However, our choices are also limited by the circumstances we find ourselves in.
6. There is good and evil in the world. We all have the capacity for both good and evil. The choices we make determine which side we will ultimately align ourselves with.
7. Love is real. Love is a powerful emotion that can bring us great joy and happiness. It can also be a source of great pain and suffering.
8. Death is inevitable. Everyone dies eventually. However, death does not have to be the end. Our souls may continue to exist in some form after our bodies die.
9. There is something more to life than this. The universe is a vast and mysterious place. There is much that we do not understand about it. However, I believe that there is something more to life than what we can see and touch.
10. We are all connected. We are all part of a larger whole. We are all connected to each other and to the universe.

Yeah, no I don’t think so

~ MaryG ~ 1 Comment
Daily writing prompt
What do you think gets better with age?

Your ability to say “no” gets better with age. Pleasing people (parents, teachers, bosses) seems so important when you’re young, especially to oldest daughters. Being “nice” is paramount, and nice people don’t say no. The older I get, the more free I feel to decline that invitation to travel with someone who irks me, join a potentially contentious or time-consuming church committee, or even take on a work assignment that’s outside my job descripton. I’d rather be kind than nice, if you know what I mean.

Flowers I sent to myself