October 2010

Happy Autumn Days Everyone.

Lordy I've been going hot and heavy this season in the gardens and canning everything for winter, but now that my days are getting just a tad more quiet, I figured it was time to concentrate and answer some of the questions that I'm getting about the books and my lifestyle.

I guess first is to let you know that our kidding season for the weather goats was grand. Right now we have 21 babies that are growing like weeds and are a handful, most of that work is up to Pete. My part of the bargain in deliveries is over and I sure am glad of it too. No more staying up all night listening for that pained call of labor or worry if the deliveries will be normal. They are usually a tad hectic but this year was easier. As of today we have 2 more does to give birth and I expect them the first week in November, if all goes right. If you are interested in learning more about our weather goat herd, you can go to their page and visit. Now ... back to the blog thingy.

Eating and television: This is a good topic, a commercial I saw just this morning for Crescents. Those are those packaged little rolls that are good, but have you ever really read the labels? I never did but I do remember when the dough-boy first started putting them in the grocery stores. Oh my foster mother had to get them, it was the quickest way to make a nice side dish but I can tell you when it came to important dinners like Thanksgiving, I was ordered to make them from scratch. She couldn't tell her guests that she make the ones from the package! Anyway, in this commercial, the mom rolled up some ham and cheese in them and served them as the main course for dinner. EXCUSE ME! Pigs in a blanket, ham in a crescent is not a main course. They are part of the grain that one is supposed to eat, MODERATELY at a meal. Do you honestly think the young ones at the table knew the difference? No, they eat what is put in front of them or freaking starve.

Moms of today's generation don't understand how to gather, prepare or serve food to their families and I do believe it is because of the fast food nonsense that started in the 1960. There was quite a bit more going on then flower children and hippies. Laziness and a quick fix took over more then anyone realized,so today the ability is not there nor the common sense of cooking.

Everyone is wondering why they are over-weight or their children are sick, slow and catch every single germ that floats by. Oh, I know some are un-avoidable but it's time for someone to get back to the basics and make sure our younger parents realize that as the world evolves, it's their job to make sure their own house runs well in the food department and what goes into their families bodies. I'm sure if you can figure out a computer you can figure out how to sow, gather and cook food!

There is no other way I have of telling you all, how to do things the right way, and it's not MY Way, but the way your family can look forward to more then home cooked food. The only way I can help is to let you see and understand just how I learned. Check out the receipt page every once in a while and try some of the simple things I've learned. Remember it is not what you eat and put in your body, it's how MUCH at each sit down, and I mean, sit down at the table and eat.

Here was dinner tonight for us. Sirloin Steaks were at the store and I got a mess of them. They were marked down $2 off of the sticker price making them $2.50 each. The expiration date was 2 days away so they are safe. The meat was nice and red, no fat on them, but we do need a little meat fat in the cooler months through the winter to keep warm. Well, I took the half of an inch thick cut steak and cut it up into 3" squares and stacked them up then tied it with kite string. Then put the lump into the Aluminum POT, not skillet, to sear (brown) on top and bottom. While I was letting that brown on a small flame or low on electric, I peeled potatoes, carrots and a few pieces of celery and threw it all in the pot around the meat. Next was enough water to cover half of what was in the pot. Then sprinkled a pinch of sea salt, black pepper, sage and basil then put the lid on so it would simmer for 2 hours. You can also do the same thing by putting this in a crock pot, on low for about 5 hours. The meat will fall apart and all of the other things will be soft and well seasoned. Did you know that it takes meat a very long time to leave your intestines? Well it does so make sure you take it easy on portions while eating it.

One more thing was needed to make this complete in vitamins. Something fresh and green. I chose broccoli with butter salt and pepper.Remember it's not what you eat but how much so take it easy on that butter. It's butter, not margarine or fake stuff, REAL butter. Expense wise, since you will be eating less you use less. It's better for you then some sort of concoction the food industry wishes to get you hooked on so you keep buying their product.

For our grains, I baked Texas biscuits, the flaky ones. Just eat ONE, there is no reason to make a meal out of bread, train your taste buds.

Now you can't have a meal like this without gravy so, take the left over juice from the roast and put it in a flat frying pan over the stove, med heat. Take a few tablespoons of it out first and mix in just enough flour to make a thick paste then pour that paste back in and stir it up good as you add a pinch of pepper and a tablespoon of cold left over coffee. This is called Red Eye Gravy. Tonight I added fresh sliced baby Portabella Mushrooms. If it gets to thick add water or milk, it thickens as it bubbles. This makes enough to just give a hint of taste to the meat so don't make so much that your get the dog fat when you give him the left overs.

The aroma in the house starts everyone to getting hungry but remember, train your taste buds. Don't fill up the plate to the max and if you are having trouble with what a portion should be, fill up a saucer instead of a plate and eat SLOW.

Tomorrow at breakfast, most of it is already done. I have left over biscuits. Those I'll warm in the oven while I cook an egg and some bacon then make a to go sandwich with just a hint of mayo and of course a 8 oz glass of water or orange juice, usually it's water around here and our pot of coffee. Yes there is milk and sugar in our coffee.

It's all about a mix of food that you eat in moderation but most important is how you burn it off with work. Around here, there is no problem since we have chores of cleaning and taking care of the animals but believe me, I don't do anything closely related to exercise my buns off and I weigh 132 lbs have a flat belly, no cellulite on me and stand at 5'4". I can't remember the last time I had a cold either. In case you didn't know or remotely care, I am 61 years old.

One of my tricks to eating is when I go to the grocery store, ONCE A MONTH for my menu's. I make the wish list then start crossing off at the store. There are no canned junk foods on my list except a can of pineapple when I make the upside down cake and cat food. All of that canned food is months old and full of nothing that is good for your body so don't buy it, get fresh or grow it and freeze it.

I do buy frozen vegetable and fruits at times when I can't find it in the produce section, but it's things like Okra that I don't grow myself. The gardening area to this blog will be coming soon, but I have a potted tomato plant in the house right now that will give me fresh tomatoes at Christmas time so if you don't have one, get on it.

Fresh herbs, basil, thyme, parsley, bay leaves, spearmint etc. all love to be in a sunny window of the house i the winter months and you just nip some off and throw in the pot as you cook. It's not hard but you have to get the gumption to do it.

I once asked one of my "Social Media" guru's exactly what a BLOG was. Her answer was to just talk through my fingers so this is my version of a Blog. If you have any questions, you can catch me on twitter MissMarty49 and I am also on Face Book. Search out Marty Rightmyer and then there is always email but you better put blog? in the subject or it will go to junk mail. Marty49fl@hotmail.com

Keep watching for updates to some helpful hints and I'll get that recipe page up soon. Rally yourself, eat what you want, but eat half what you did. Walk or run around the house, it won't take long. You'll feel better. lm xxx

June, 2010

PYTHIOSIS ALERT

(Pith-e-o-sis)

It really doesn't bother me that I'm writing a warning article about one of the nastiest micro-organisms on the planet but, as my mind races, one lone lightning bug flashing his green light, is on the Persian rug at my feet. Bugs are easy to eliminate. One spray of the bug killer and they're dead. That's not the case with Pythiosis.

Science is making slow process with this dreaded organism but very few,just a handful of people even know of it's existance. Case studies can be found online but I must warn you,some are old studies andvery scary. I'll have a few links here so you can go to a trusted and up to date site to help understand Pythiosis.

In this article, I'm not going to give you all of the tecnical names of this Organism, nor am I going to give you words you can't understand in the medications and treatments of Pythiosis. Through my own personal encounters with Pythiosis, talking of it andunderstanding this problem, hopefully I'll make it easier for the lay person to understand.Some horse folks have encountered Pythiosis so this is a warning of the breeding season for Pythium. It is also to make those that need to be aware of the micro-organism and how to prevent it from entering you, your children and your pets. Please read on, it is not an epidemic but it is out there and simple measures can prevent infestation.

Just what is Pythiosis?

As far as I know there area fewstrands of this micro-organism. Pythiosis is NOT a bacteria nor is it a true fungus, it is an organism that can be seen in 1ststages and teststhrough a microscope. In later stages, the Kunkers (houses) of the thing can be seen by your eyes.

This link is to a horse named Comet that battled and won over Pythiosis. The owners went through the war of getting their veternarian to test just for Pythiosis. Read their story and get some tecnical words here. There are some good pictures of the dammage but I must warn you, they are very graphic and not for the faint of heart. As I go along, Raz's link will also be here with his full story.

http://www.freewebs.com/pythiosis/

In a future article, I'll be explaining what conditions are needed to house the Pythium, how it is carried into a body and what it is looking forto colonize.

What and where is the natural habitat of Pythiosis?

For years, researchers have found the organism in tropical, wet, swampy lands. The old farmers called it " Swamp Fever" Swamp Sores" "Summer Itch" and a host of other names.

Heavy infestations were found in rice fields around the world, along river banks in Africa, South America, Panama, Costa Rico, Mexico and now the United States,but as with all things, the territories of this dreaded organism has spread. Now it can be found throughout our Southern States and I have found horses, in the last 10 years,with infestations in non-tropicalstates. My personal experiences have been in Maryland, New York, Ohio, Alaska, California and some in Canada.

Who and what are affected by Pythiosis?

There isn't an animal on this planet that Pythiosis will avoid. Fishermen, I'm sure you have heard of the Gill Fluke in fishes Gills. This is a strand of the dreaded thing. For years papers have been written on Sport dogs such as retrievers, hunting dogs and bird dogs with confusing sores that nothing would heal and eventually ate atthe animal until it had to be put down. Personally, I have seen the infestation in cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, racoonsand in the dealings of their loss, I learned Pythiosis.

Can people be infected by Pythiosis?

YES, especially children with their young immune system. There was a 9 year old boy that went swimming in a small pond in his back yard in Florida. 48 hours later, he was gone. A Pithium entered his ear and went directly to his brain. That casehappened inMY neighborhood. Was the community alerted and educated about Pythiosis? NO. A brief statement was on the news and then nothing more was ever heard again.

My own case history of Raz, an infected Quarter Horse rescue,is well recorded and you can see some of his history at: http://www.saddleuptack.com. His link is at the top of the page. Again, a warning,this is very graphic.

This article isa reminder to all livestock and domestic animal owners that breeding season for Pythiosis is beginning inthis hot summer month of June. You will not see a thing untila hard oruncurable leasion appears somewhere on the animal. A bump that oozes, sluffs and gets bigger by the hour.

There is one piece of knowledge I can give you. Pythiosis needs a small cut or scrape to enter the skin usually around the hooves, ankles and legs of an animal. Even a small scratch from a thorn or irritation from ants and fireweed is enough for the Pythium to get in and the same stands for humans. There was a lady in Seattle Washington that contacted me about her Pythiosis problem. She had the mess on her face and had about given up on life. Seems she vacationed on the gulf and the doctors assumed it entered through blisters from her sunburn.

Now that you are freaked about all of this, let me assure you that research has been excellent and has evolved and thanks to Dr. L. Mendoza in Texas, there is now a vaccine but it's for animals. This man is a true pioneer and is by far one of the only doctors to betruely dedicated tounderstand this micro-organism and the impact it has on animals and humans. He is working on the vaccine for humans and may have it by now, I have not heard yet. there is a vaccine for animals now, some work, some don't.

By sheer luck, I found a method of curing the horse Raz. He had so much swelling in his rear legs that my first thought was to put ice on him to get the swelling, that split his skin, down. This process I used was one of the early methods in treating Pythiosis. By getting the area cold, I actually put the organism into hybernation and the medications and treatments used, not to mention the bandages is what cured him. A few veternarians in Florida are now usinga freezing method to attack this organism with surgery following.

To this day, people call and email me on the process I used to cure Raz and I always give them hope, strength and my knowledge to fight each battle against the war of Pythiosis. Summer months are breeding times for Pythiosis. It is laying and waiting for a host to walk by around mud banks and near stagnent water or a pond. Even a childs pool in the back yard and the mud around it can hide Pythium. Please treat all scratches and bug bites on children and for goodness sake, MAKE THEM WEAR SHOES.

Facebook is new to me but I'll be posting for the horse folks and as always, I'm here to help answer your questions and give support to those that need it when dealing with this thing.

Here is a site to see what Pythiosis looks like under the scope. http://biotechnology.kaiserpapers.info/pythiosis.html

If you decide to google Pythiosis, please keep in mind that some of the sites are years old and the processes have since been upgraded.

email me @ Marty49fl@hotmail.com

Thank you for the visit. MissMarty

I'll be putting up the story of Raz and Petra, along with the treatments, medications and proceeduresused to fix them.

March 30th, 2010

Can you picture the Caveman sitting in his shelter around the new thing called Fire? Miserable times of cold were no longer in existance but keeping that fire going was a chore for the intellegent one of the tribe and was deligated to keep it going.

TheMighty Hunter of the Cave Clan also had to use his knowledge to figure out how to hunt, trap and kill food for his tribe, but I do believe in the very beginning, he just thought of himself. It was later that a new inspiration hit his early human brain. He needed help to get enough so he wouldn't have to work so hard to survive. I can see the wheels rolling now in this Neaderthal brain. Was he a tribeleader or was he really, a slick politician?

Ok, where did things change or did they? I watched the news this morning and saw teens that needed Plastic Surgery because they had problems on FaceBook and Cell phones with others that didn't like their looks and Bullied them. Who is supposed totake care of this problem?

Way back when, in my High School days, you so much as looked at someone like they wanted to fight or browbeat another person you were expelled for a time and if it got bad, you weren't allowed back. Seems now, the school tells the parents to call a Shrink, have a talk with their children, do whatever it take but don't put it off on them. Don't these School Officials know that Parents really put the trust of their kids in their hands each day? Or would you say, the Caveman of today, has deligated someone to take over as they go to work or do their own thing while the Children are in school? Would you say that a tribe has split in this generation? How did it just happen without the Parents even noticing the changes until it was to late?

I can tell you that as my son grew up, I was sad when he went off to his first school days andI personally taught himthe required skills needed to attend Kindergarten. He could tiehis own shoes, write his name, count and knew his address and this, was at four years old. What are the requirements today? Sometimes I think it's a BA in Science is what they are asking for. All in all, I took the daily freedom, while he learned and got into my on interests that lasted until he walked in thedoor each afternoon, then Mommyhood took over once again. We didn't have a name back then in the 1970's but there sure is one today, tis called "Stay atHome MOM." Even better, there is something called a "LatchKey" child. This one has a key and at 10 years old can go home to an empty house and wait for Mom to get home. With no direction at this tender age, what will they think of to get into and worse, what willthey thinkup and act on?

Could it be that this is one of the ancient practices, such as LatchKeythat has made our Children get out of hand, want to bully and worse for the victim toconjure up his/her own solution? Where in the world did a teen get the idea that a nose job would solve all of the problems with Bullies in School? AH DAH!

Is this called Vanity or Survival? It's hard to tell today whenwe have so many self centered Politicians in office that are trying to lead a bunch of Cavemen out to hunt so he can get more for himself,sit around a fire and give the kids acredit cardto get out of their hair. Oh, just go outside and Play, can't you see I'm conjuring!

Sure seems like a strange evolution to me!

March 9th, 2010

March Winds Bring in Thinking

Just what does one want to do during the winter months? Surely vacations aren't really planned unless it's to go to a tropical place for a short tromp through the palms.

Vacation, a word that isn't used on a farm since animals tend to tie you to the fencepost. Heck, even a trip to dinner and a movie is schedualed around them. You have to time the trip, so you can be back in time to feed up or lock in for the night. That is how it is here, and it's a way of life which I really thought was over for me.I wanted toquietly retire and live a life of peace and quiet. Ever have a DREAM like that? Ha Ha.

Like it or not, it comes down to responsiblity. If you have stock animals, depend on them for a small income, your STUCK, "down on the farm." You can go absolutly bonkers if you're not careful and I'm more then careful. Around here I just loose it, turn into a raving ancientfemale and take it all out on Pete. It was my idea to live on the mountain but, it's his faught! :)

Knowing all of this, winter is finding something to do and in my case, it's the computer with edits on my next book, naturally Twitter and surfing the net for information. Even all of this, at times is boring. Cooking, cleaning and going from day to day with TV channels gets old too, so when that first sign of spring finally arrive, the new chore of gardens start and that's what Im into now. Days are filled with dirty fingernails, swet, cow and chicken manure and worse then all of that, grass stains on the best jeans I own. Heaven forbid if I was captured by the neighbor in baggy jeans looking like Maw Kettle.

Survival is FIND SOMETHING TO DO and I did it byreading about 20 Historicalromance novels, actually got into a few Vampire books too,historical of course and followed the lives of some of my Twitter friends. It was through one of those Twitter Folks that I had to reach deep inside to my old artistic self and drag out skills for painting and reviving a craft which is turning an Old Rocking Horse into a Carousel Horse. There's no way I can tell you just how many I have done in the past years but they have always gone over great, people simply love Carousel Fantasy Horses. At one point, I dearly loved themalso until I worked my fingers to the bone on the last one. Most of my creations were donated to the 4-H so they could raffle it off or to a Church and even some private charities. They simply made money for them. If I hadn't found that outlet, my house would now have a flockof these things in it. :)

Somehow as I was learning this new Social Media on Twitter, I ran across Scott Baio, you know him from Happy Days. A teenager we followed as he grew and I personally watched him until the show ended. Poofffff, he was gonefrom my lifein front of theTV and basically forgotten. To my amazement, here he was again, history to the present and I wanted to know what he was doing with his life, clicked on his website and boom, there it was, he was into his charity and it was plastered all over his pages. It wasn't just his charity, that got my attention,it was the tragedy and heartbrake he and his wife had to endure over information given to them when their little girl was born. Parents that craved more answers and didn't get them.

All in all, things finally came down to knowing about infant deaths that could be tested for certain problems but, it wasn't offered. Through his foundation, he and his wife are bringing the test to everyones attention and have the Charity for testing or whatever is necessary for the new infants born in our world.

Well if it's one thing I'm in favor of, it's the Infants, the children of the future. What a thought, it's a very small way for me toGIVE BACKso, this Carousel horse is for the Children. I have no clue as to how he will use it in a fundraiser but at least it is something and hopefully he will make a few $$ for what ever they need to further his charity.

So, what did I do this winter? I sat and read his plight with the chairty. My heart cried when I found out all of the Tragedy to infants that could be avoided and I painted the old junkie rocking horse that lived in the barn loft, for them.

If you have forgotten how to feel for the infants, or if you are all hung up on world events, please stop, take a few minutes to remember all of our babies. It's our job as adults to take care of them any way we can, somewhere, somehow everyones DNA is connected and it's called HUMAN.

Visit the www.baileybaioangelfoundation.com It will make you think real good so, open your heart.

Come watch Horsie evolve too at www.martyrightmyerbooks.com/horsie Keep up now, I'm almost finished.

November 24th, 2009

NAME THE BABY GOAT CONTEST

Two weeks ago, after a long wait, Bloomers one of our Boer Goats finally decided to give birth to her babies. No only were our nerves frazzled in the waiting we had to assist in the delivery.

Her first kid was a little girl that we had to pull out, but basically she was a normal birth with her tongue out and a yell before she left her quarters in mamma.

She was named, Bloomette. We select the names of the babies with the first letter of the mother. Hey, when you have 47 of them in two days, names get rather confusing. :) Anyway, back to the contest. The second little one was more difficult getting out since she was backwards, breech and I really didn't have much hope in her survival but, she made it.

With all of the fuss I made in the care of these twins, second girl didn't get a name and we are still calling her #2. This couldn't continue so since we couldn't come to an agreement on the name, I thought it would be fun to have this contest. Here are the rules, ONLY ONE RULE. Her name must begin with a "B".

Her mothers name is Bloomers, her fathers name is SB. She is the second born and that's about it. You can leave from here and visit the Baby Kids Pictures on the right and see her if you would like.

Contest will start as of today and run to the end of the first week in December 2009 with the winner being announced Live. The link will be put out in twitter in a few days but start sending me your names now. There are three judges that you will not know, I will not be judging for the names.

Fun is fun in a contest but I can also offer a prize. It will be both of my books, signed and sent to you.

Tonight I posted, on twitter of this contest and the names have already started. They are absolutly awsome and I'm glad I am not a judge.

Pass the word around about the contest and watch @MissMarty49 on twitter for updates. This is a real contest and I will not be giving out anyone's information but will retweet those that enter this naming contest. It should drive twitter bonkers but that's fun too. It will also help introduce everyone to each other in twitter. Join the fun and send me as many names as you wish. Help name the little kid girl. Oh, a kid is also known as a baby goat.

Remember, the name must start with a "B".

Have fun and have a Great ThanksGiving and Wonderful Holiday Season.

MM

November 6th 2009

Finding a TrueTreasure in Florida

Just when you think all is going as planned, something usually goes amiss or gets confused. Hey, I'm no different then the next person, but my visit to Florida last month netted me an introduction to a very fine Lady. It wasone of the most increadiable and heartfelt experiences, I've ever had.

Through a friend, I met a woman that has started a foundation for children. ALL children are welcomed to her farm to relax and enjoy her horses and ponies. Being retired from the horse world, my interest was perked as we drove through the beautiful wooden gates and traveledthe sandy driveway through a magnificent Pine and Palm Forest.

My breath slowed as the sounds of birds calmed my entire being. Peace surrounded me as my eyeswatched Storks, Heron and Ibisglide from pasture to pasture in great flocks. Where were the horses? There weren't anyin the pastures with theirpristeenlypruned ponds. I knew we were at this farm to see if the owner would take in two retired steeds and I alsoknewthis Ladyhad the heart of a horsewoman but what I didn't knowwas that her heart went to children with disabilities.

Soon wooden fences guided us to an open Floridian stylebarn and a few horses trotted over tothe fenceas we turned the corner to park. These gallant horses had kindness in their eyes and we were of great interest. They watched us and talked to each other as ifwe were the latest gossip. Scanning the next field I saw a herd of miniture horses in every color you can imagine. They were so tiny and some with new babies by their sides and were just as curious as the big boys.

All of the stock was in immaculate condition beingbrushed, shining in the sun and pleasently plump. I felt my lips curl in a smile and couldn't help but wonder why so many mini's in one spot. The owner had to be a collector, I thought. Later I found out she was a collector but not for herself, she collected for the children that came to her farm to experience the horses, learn to ride and take care of the animals they sometimes call their own.

Well, I'm retired from horses and my personal warning lights went off. If I wasn't careful, somehow I'd get ropped into training or giving a lesson, so I thought as I stuck to the jeep and waited for Dee to talk to her friend. Time rolled on as I studied the grass, checked out a ditch with water and bugs in it, ate a pack of cigeretts and went to talk to a big horse with a bandage on his hoof. His pasture buddy was busy eating a palm frond when both woman finally came outside. I quietlyheaded for the jeep with the excuse of getting my iced tea.

Going for the jeepdidn't work, Dee called me and asked if I could help this Lady get her foundation off the ground with some advertising, maybe getting her on twitter so she could get a few donations for handi-capped bathrooms that were needed on the grounds.

It was the word handi-capped that did it and whenthe word children followed, my ears tuned in real quick.

In just 30 minutes, I got the jest of the farm, learned of her delima and of the programs that helped disabled children. I heard her story of the first time she had a few children out just to pet the horses and ponies and how they made her cry when she saw the love and understanding that passed between the animal and child. It is a very rewarding and eye opening experience if you have never had it. She saw the stars light up their eyes and Starbrite Foundation was born.

This magnificent farm can be seen on her web pages and all is in readyness for her to continue her work with the children, but special bathrooms are needed through out the farm in accordance to the Childrens Handi-capped network.

I can't say enough about this Lady and her farm, all I can tell you is it is real. All children are welcomed to come and enjoy the horses and the grounds. This Lady Cyndy is a wonderful woman and she is doing her part for the children. Go check out the site, see for yourself and hopefully you can find it in your heart to send anything you can to help our gifted little ANGELS.

If you know me, then you know a validation from me is real.

On Twitter : @StarbriteFound

Website: http://www.starbritefoundation.org/

September 14th 2009

Is this another evolution?

Goodness, it's not my imagination; it really is a new aspect of media evolution. The new baby that was on deck, has been born. It's newly appointed name is "Twitter."

Did it ever cross your mind as to how many people just might name their new born Twitter or Tweet? I can see fifty years from now the young generation saying,

"Oh yea, my grandma got named after some social media program on a thing called a PC."

It's not hard to imagine it, after all a music loving, barefooted; free spirited, long haired teen that managed to get to Woodstock is now called a "Baby Boomer."

How about these nicknames; Deniers vs. Frats or Hippy vs. Flower Child, Surfers vs. Greaser and my all time favorite, Jock vs. Nerd. These last two have made a total evolution, formed and combusted in the world right under our noses, but did we see it happen?

Jocks that have explodedin the Sports frenzy competitions, now make mega bucks, but the lowly Nerd, thejocks picked on in high school, made the first computers that have shot those jocks beyond imagination in a marketing cobweb of special clothing and other products that cost an arm and a leg.

It has happened in our lifetime. We're the first to reap the benefits, or are we?

Ben Franklin, Henry Ford andthe Wright Bros, were just a few before our time but, werethey jocks or nerds? I'm not one to do a lot of look ups on past inventors but I did this time. The only conclusion I could come up with was the stigmatism ofa nick name. Maybe it was Adventurersvs. Geniuses for the generation before us.

Can you think of an in-between nickname for any set? Not likely there was no middle nameand don't think Religious vs. Atheist or Gay vs. Straight gets off the hook. They evolved along with the rest. Beatnick probably fit in here somewhere.Closets were opened and Politics got all scrambled up with religion and both, stirred up a fewdecades of hidden dust.

I really enjoy sitting back and testing my now, ancient memories that media gave to me but there is that nagging underlying question of what the new media is doing to our younger generations and I'm not just questioning children. Already there is a drastic change in our young parents with their values and knowledge of how life and family should work. I know a few have a clue as to what dependency is and I just hope they don't passto the negative side of technology.

Here's a thought for you. "Peacemaker vs. Warrior" Who's the Jock and Nerd in this pair? Guess I'll just have to go on the laptop, hook up to the satellites and ping twitter then ask around the world.

Rose never had any of these options. She just did as she was told.

http://tinyurl.com/nvth9u

September 4th, 2009

This past year for me has been, shall we say new, confusing and extremely exciting. Therewere and are stilla lot of firsts thisyear starting with the publishing of my first two books.

"I Did as I Was Told" & "Close the Door We Live in a Barn."

Traffic really started pouringinto my inbox the second the first book hit the market. Do you honestly think I was ready for those floodgates to open and jam up all of the waterworks?

At first all of the mailwas advice. I was bombarded with it. Granted it was all helpful but in the long run someone was always pushing to sell me something. Oh, I really hated to say no and their pitchsounded like a good way to promote the books andhow to sellthem, but I did say no, thank heavens. Now I find some people reading my books are looking for advice, low and behold, I'm selling something, my books.

Before I go much further, I need to tell you that I'm self published. This means that I not only had to write the books, I had to scrape the moneytogether to get it in book form through a company that self publishes for authors. (Put the finished product in your hands.) Next was pricing my Nobel Prize winning Masterpiece so folks could afford to buy them.

I'm not one to send out 100's of query letters in a brief hope that a publisher would pick up my work and pay me top money. Things have to happen immediately for me, they always have. If a publisher would ask for my work tomorrow, it would be some mighty hardwork for me since I'd have to research a little more on an agent, lawyer and try to figure out all of the percentages they'd want from the sales of an inexpensive book. What would you do?

In my early stages of writing the first book, I went by the rules of the industry and hired a Literary Agency to get advice on the process of getting published. All I can advise is that you don't search for one of those companies but get a referal instead. All of them sounded just heavenly and assured me that I didn't have a thing to worry about; they would take care of selling my book for me to a publisher, after they felt it was completed their way. To make it an even moreglorious deal, I didn't have to pay them a dime, until they sold the book. Oh I got their advice and the first tidbitwas that my work had to be critiqued and that cost money, not by them but by an independent that just happened to work for their office.

Don't be fooled by a critique like I did. All I got was, "Don't worry about spelling, we'll do that later," and they didn't put my writing down with corporate impatience, like the agency did,but I'll be danged if I wasn't charge for that one sentence. I fired that Agency and went through the confused depression that almost made me quit writing, but I learned.

Soon all of my thoughts and hard desires to write that first book all surfaced as the memories flooded to the surface, then something happened. An organization started to come alive as penciled letterscovered page after pagebut what to do with it all?Strange but one of the memories was of sitting in the Marriage Counselors office with my defiant X husband trying to work out our marriage problems in 1977.

"What would you like to accomplish in your life?" She had asked me.

"Write a book." I answered as my X laughed outrageously in his chair.

I did write and I wrote from the heart. "I Did as I was told," was born 33 years later and it seems, it has turned out to be a life's explanation of all elements and aspects of Trust, Love ,Family or lack of oneplus absolute survival, my way.

It's as the book says, "I will always welcome you with open arms in this space called life."

MissMarty49

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Email me.

September 5^th 2009

It's true, doing a blog is very much like a journal of your thoughts and I do find myself pondering on what subject matter to write about. Of course these thoughts pop up when I'm bored with daily chores or when I'm concentrating on a Story or Saga. It's when I find myself racing off to the computer to put all thoughts down that I realize, what might be termed an addiction, is being born.

With the new learned blogging I'm able to define my books just a tad more since they have a point. By the end of this addition, "I Did as I was Told" will become more understood by everyone. Not just for the story it tells but for the evolution that might havehappened to our young children in today's society.

This morning, I watched a few cartoons. Not because I made a point to do that, but couldn't find the stupid flicker to change the channel. This particular cartoon really grabbed my interest since it was called Horse land and aimed at tweenies, 10 to 12 years old.

As per cartoon fantasy, the little horses were beautiful with long flowing manes and tails and about six girls were taking a lesson with their male instructor. Fascinating, I thought and continued to watch as he gave them direction and telling them some very complicate instructions for a leg yield.

Now that might not sound particularly interesting to you but to me, being a retired Dressage instructor, it was incredible that on a children's cartoon show, such intricate, pinpoint and RIGHT instruction was being given and I was astonished. I questioned the kids show. Would other children that didn't have a pony or horse understand this cartoon? Yes, I was hooked on this cartoon, but then the story line changed. Talk about a horse show came up amongst the little girl riders and about what they would wear to that horseshow. Eventually their talk went into designer riding pants and how they should match plus, who they would call on their cell phones to order a custom jacket to match their breeches.

All concentration was gone with their lesson which ended with others telling them that the clothes they wore didn't matter, it was their skills that would win the classes and get them a ribbon. Those tidbits of lines were quickly squashed in the script as both girls laughed and talked on their cell phones while they rode their horsesaround in the ringring and then theywere ANGRY because their Credit Card was maxed out!Now mind you, these were cartoon kids between 10 and 12 years old.

"Well, it doesn't hurt to look spectacular to the judge; she'll notice us because of our riding outfits more then the riding."

And off they went to the barn. THIS WAS A BLOOMING CARTOON.

To make matters worse and really get my damper up, was the commercial that followed.

Little Tweenies coloring on shirts with dolls andthey colored their clothes also so they matched, nothing wrong with that, I thought but then, it was quite evident the competition between those tweenies on who had the best doll and most sparkles.

Everything in the room around them was geared to commercialism and not one thing,that I could see, suggested anything to do with real life. Their talk was flippant like the old "valley girl" image and of course they were spotless and designer outfitted.

Would someone tell me just how these children are supposed to grow up in a world they have to cook, clean and have the ability to raise children in and SURVIVE?

Remember when young girls got the Susie Homemaker Oven for Christmas and took pride in making a mess cooking their little cake for Daddy? Today, young tweenies look under the tree for designer everything and that latest addition of iPod better be there. It's not their fought either, total blame is put on the industries targeting tweenies, be they girls or boys to make them want and want and want. They get and get and get because their parents learned "keeping up" and the rage of evolution continues with our children paying the price, without knowing a thing is happening to them. Now that is below the belt in Humanology.

Designer children and families evolved long before most of the in-debt families realize today. The little girl Rose, in "I Did as I was Told," wasto be adesign for someone. She was to keep an elderly farm woman company since her children were grown and had sense enough to move far away from her. It just so happened, that it was fashionable in the late 1950 to take in a foster child and get paid each month by the welfare system. This middle aged Farmers Wife would have hercompanion and her own mini slave to do hereveryday chores.

Many farm women became the saviors of "Needy Children" took them into their home and absolutely ruled them with their method of growing up. The old saying of Monkey see Monkey do, is deeper then you think.

Rose learned how to be exactly like her foster mother in all aspects of taking care of the house, cooking, garden and barnwork,but when it came to expressing herself, it wasn't allowed.

"Children should be seen and not heard." Now I know you have heard that one.

"Don't do as I do, do as I say!"

And the best one: "As long as you live under my roof, you'll do as I say."

There is a commercial on the TV. I know you've seen it. "There ROLL-OVER MINUTES," the mother tells her teen boy from the front seat of the car.

Oh how I want to smack her face off. With just one look, what did she teach that boy as she stares him down and even worse, what did she impression him to do with his own children when his time comes to be daddy?

Rose is just one little girl that went through her young life in hard labor with no love, but she grew andall of the skills to survive were drumed into hervery soul.

Learning how to live is just one part of life. Teaching is another part and if you can't or don't know how to change things, it's time to start learning yourself. It's never too late.