Oh Happy Day

Today is a good day on so many levels. I closed my first sale and put the money in the bank. But not before heading out to birdwatch with Baby Sis. We saw stuff I'm going to need a book to identify. The birds experienced a "fall out" where the wind comes from the North and forces them to stay put until it blows from the South again. I saw several indigo buntings, hooded orioles, some orangy warbler, and two birds that had black and white mottled wings, one with a white belly and one with a yellow belly. There were also the tiny Lincoln sparrows and a little green thing I've not seen before. This is a great place for birding!!

Then, at work, I'm listening to my radio and heard a "muzak" version of "Sukiyaki." I don't know why, as I've already told a friend, but that song makes me happy...even the version of the guy singing the words in Japanese. I have to wonder if it's really about a plate of food or if "sukiyaki" means something significant in Japan. I don't have a special memory, it wasn't "our song", I just like the way it sounds and it puts me in a good mood when I hear it. So does "59th Street Bridge Song." "Summer Breeze" is my all time favorite for taking me to my happy place. Am I the only one affected like that? Am I just easily amused? Don't know and don't really care. I just know that today is a happy day!!

Conjugating Visits

I am a right/left brained person. Pick the one which means that I like English as I forget which side dominates that preference. I think that's part of the right/left thing anyway...I don't focus. At any rate, I used to love to conjugate verbs. I studied the parts of a sentence and to this day love to use the phrase "dangling participle" in a conversation. I've forgotten exactly what a participle is and why anyone would leave it dangling, but I love the phrase all the same.

I am curious though at some of the past tense verbs that you never hear anymore in articles, books or in speech. For instance, can you conjugate the verb "stink" or "swim"? Wouldn't that be stink, stank, stunk and swim, swam, swum? When was the last time you saw stunk or swum being used?

Anyone have answers? Inquiring minds, mainly mine, want to know!!

CAP TRAP

I've recently notice a phenomenon that probably isn't news to anyone but me. I've been busy lately so I'm not as sharp as usual...maybe that's it. I was reading the paper and happened to catch several references to Winter Texans...notice the capital letters. When I left the Valley nearly 40 years ago, they were snowbirds, lower case. Capitalization for both words is in order I guess since winter is not just an adjective but has been joined with Texans to describe the wonderful people from far away who come down to enjoy the mild winters here, In that case, it should be capitalized. winter Texan wouldn't look good in print. You might get the idea that we should also be looking for spring Texans looking for birds or summer Texans looking for a tan. Now, unlike TV's, CD's, & SUV's, we haven't yet shortened the Winter Texans to WT's, but check back in a few years.

Capital letters used to be only used grammatically for names, the first words of sentences, titles (like MD's), and in military jargon (GI Joe, JEEP). Then, they gained prominence for emphasizing words in a sentence when a point HAD TO BE MADE. From there the capital letter enjoyed a season of prominence as people could TYPE IN ALL CAPS, FINDING IT WAS EASIER AND FASTER. Alas, with the advent of email and a whole new set of etiquette rules, the use of all capital letters has fallen from grace as it's considered SHOUTING TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS! Who came up with that rule? Probably some soft spoken WT!

Symantecs

Baby Sis and I were out for our morning constitutional and were nearing the home stretch. Heading toward us were three young men all bright and smiley and ready to meet their day head on. I suggested to Baby Sis that we ought to suck it in as they approached so we'd look less like old dowagers out for an airing. As the boys got closer, I noticed one was holding a beer can in his right hand. It was 8:45 a.m.! The grinner greeted us with a friendly hello and proceeded to ask for our help. We stopped and heard that he "needed more beer and couldn't buy it himself...could we help him out?" I laughed and told him I didn't think he needed more beer. Baby Sis held up her cell phone and let him know his mama had just called and told her not to buy him more beer. He was out of luck as he laughed and continued down the street.

I mention this because it caught my attention that the young man didn't say that he wanted beer. His request was made because he "needed" beer. Not even 9:00 a.m. and he "needed" beer!! I don't think so!! I propose that we often use words totally out of context and we do it so often that it loses it's punch. I thought about the things I love...tacos, kitties & puppies, shopping. Yet to love something, according to Webster, it to attach great emotion to that person, place or thing. Loving spaghetti seems a mite strong although I enjoy it very much. I love my children and grandchildren. I love the looks of the new pair of shoes I bought. Love is used so often it's diluted by it's repetition. Same with "need." The boy said he "needed" beer. He might have wanted beer, but he certainly didn't need any, especially being underaged and considering the time of day. I "need" more money, I need to have my hair highlighted, I need to expand my wardrobe...or do I just want this stuff. Again, I use "need" so much that it's meaning is lost in a myraid of wants.

I'm going to watch my words a little more. Hopefully I'll mean what I say and say what I mean. When I say, "I love you," it will carry more weight than my joy over a new purse or dessert that I enjoy. My wants will be wants and my needs will be needs. I might just think before I speak...now there's a thought!

You Can Go Home Again

I went home to League City for a week and just got back to work. I was glad to go home, glad to come back, and I'm looking forward to the next trip back. When I moved back to the Valley, I referred to my move as "going home." It felt like home when I saw the first palm trees up by Raymondville. I'm thoroughly enjoying being back in my old stomping grounds. It was good to leave the Valley and it's good to be back. I noticed that when I began to talk about going back to League City that I told everyone I was "going home" for a week. It felt like home when I turned down Calder Road and headed for the house. Before I left there, I was telling all my friends that it was time for me to head home and get back to work.

They say that home is where the heart is. A piece will always be here in the Valley. Another is in League City. A big chunk is in Fredericksburg where my grandkids are. There's even a part in Heaven with my family.

Lucky for me, I've got a big heart!