Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #427 - How to write a Persuasive Essay, part one

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #427 - How to write a Persuasive Essay, part one

Hi Mom,

This code is all a bit wonky, but this is something I have been meaning to post for some time. A few years ago I took an HTML class, and I created a web site of my lessons on persuasive writing. The site is no longer hosted, so I am adding it to the blog in the hopes of directing students here. I will post a part once a week until I am out of text. The site had many pages, so this may take me a few weeks. If nothing else, it may increase traffic from my students to the blog and from students who are not mine but find this via Google search. Hello Google Searcher!! If that's you, bookmark me. Check back. Once I get them all posted, you can find the entire seat with the "persuasive essays" category.

Mom, I have some of my fondest memories of helping you write essays -- especially for your English class -- when you returned to school in the 1990s in the hopes of finishing your college degree. I know I already apologized to you for ever being short-tempered with you, exasperated, frustrated, or otherwise ill-humored. You know I love you, and you died knowing that I love you and that I was sorry if I ever did anything but help you and guide you and support you with my whole heart. But gee wiz, we edited and printed some of those papers close to a dozen times. Really. I am not lying. But I have fond memories of those times. If only all sons could help their mothers with their school in this way. You made me feel important and needed, Mom. I was able to give back to you with something I could give as away to thank you for all that you gave to me. I found all your essays and saved them from being thrown out in a purge. Maybe I will share some on this blog at some point.

Now with that written, dear reader, and Mom, here we go. The first installment of HOW TO WRITE A PERSUASIVE ESSAY. Enjoy.

Welcome

Welcome to christopher tower's ^© page devoted to the most important lesson of College English composition: writing the persuasive essay.

Call it what you will: a persuasive essay, an argumentative paper. It's all the same. Every semester, students are confounded by assignments from well meaning instructors.

Each semester students suffer sleepless nights of toil and anguish laboring at writing at least one persuasive paper assignment with often little instruction and virtually no guidance other than some half-baked textbook.

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NEVER FEAR, TRUE BELIEVERS!!

This web site is dedicated to guiding you step-by-step through the creation of the most common of all college beasties: the persuasion paper. Follow these simple steps to grand, academic success. The site also features several side topics that I loving call "stupidity revealed." There are many ideas that college professors pass off as "rules," which are not rules. There are also many conventions of APA format, research, and writing style that are quite stupid. I hope you enjoy my perspective on these issues, but beware employing my good ideas in other classes. Some instructors are unfairly, over-focused on quite minor elements of composition and format; you could be grossly penalized for following some of my advice on "stupidity."

Also, enjoy many links at the bottom of this page that are useful in creating the most important element of the persuasion paper: the thesis. Some of the links are just fun, as is the unlabeled "fun" link hidden somewhere on this page (though not well hidden as it's obviously a link).

WHAT AM I GOING TO ARGUE?

In the list below, you will find a PROCESS for conceiving, planning, and writing a persuasive for a College English composition course. This web site develops ideas about the process throughout its pages.

1.    CHOOSE A SUBJECT ¹

2.    CHOOSE A PROBLEM

3.    BRAINSTORM A SOLUTION

4.    IDENTIFY TOPICS TO INVESTIGATE

5.    CONSIDER AUDIENCE

6.    BRAINSTORM OBJECTIONS

7.    CREATE PARTS OF ARGUMENT = THESIS

8.    TOPIC SENTENCES = PARAGRAPHS

WHAT AM I GOING TO ARGUE?

I detail and develop the process of "What am I going to argue?" in the pages of this site (see menu links in the top left corner of every page). Following the process can help you devise a winning and successful persuasive paper about most any topic.

Though some persuasive papers for academic work can be written without arguing for a solution to a specific problem, many of the best arguments attempt to convince readers to implement a solution that will fix a serious problem after the writer describes the harms of the problem in vivid detail.

This process for developing an argument will employ strategies for creating a problem-solution paper, which is (arguably) the most common form of the persuasion paper in academic courses.

Navigate! Read on, intrepid users!

— all content by christopher tower & aka The Galactic Monkey Wrench

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Good Links about paper composition and form

1.    The Purdue O.W.L.

2.    The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill

3.    Indiana University

4.    Kentucky University

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Assorted Good Links that Chris wishes to promote

·         The Free Dictionary - best dictionary on the web.

·         ☞ Warren Ellis - a damn good author.

·         ☞ Boing Boing - best blog on the 'Net.

·         ☞ Pop Culture Safari - a fun site.

·         ☞ The Onion - because humor is important!

 ☀  Chris Tower  ☀  The Galactic Monkey Wrench ☀  Kalamazoo, Michigan   49006 ☀ 

¹ The words "subject" and "topic" are used in two different ways in describing a persuasion paper and the process of completing it. "Subject" refers to the global content of the entire paper; "topic" refers to a specific element of the subject developed in a paragraph or paragraphs within the content, hence the term "topic sentence," which refers to a statement of the topic that leads a paragraph.

^© All text and some of the images are the exclusive copyright of christopher tower (who purposefully avoids capitalizing his name), also known as the galactic monkey wrench, located at the Eldorado Ranch and batcave in the heart of the Great Lakes. All rights reserved. All paronomasia intentional.

Link to the next post - How to Write a Persuasive Essay Part Two

Link to the category to list all post in this series (bakcwards) - PERSUASIVE ESSAY WRITING

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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 429 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1609.06 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #426 - Musical Monday for 1609.05

Martha & The Muffins, live at Spize – Farmingdale, N.Y. – May 3,1983

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #426 - Musical Monday for 1609.05

Hi Mom,

All Eighties today in honor my good friend Helene Dunbar's Twitter campaign #80sforbeth. I am stealing a few of her tunes.

Not much text on this one today as I am two days late and in a hurry. In fact, I am skipping my usual labels as you can see song names on the videos.

But a few remarks. I got the idea to feature all '80s music as I have seen Helene making daily posts for this Twitter event she created. Not sure why she created exactly, but every day she posts a new song from the 1980s and shares it with her friend Beth, It's a fun daily activity and social media thrives on daily events.

I decided to feature some of Helene's picks when I saw her post this next song by Martha and the Muffins called "This is The Ice Age" from their album of the same name from 1981. It's a great album from a little known but wonderful band from Canada. I wanted to share their track "One Day in Paris" from the same album, but I did not find a You Tube video for it. However, in searching for a photo, I found the site featured in the next link and a free MP3 of a live performance. It's awesome, though for some reason I cannot add it to my iTunes. I can play it in iTunes, but I cannot add it to the library.

Helene was kind enough to point out that I introduced her to a lot of great music when we met in college. For instance, she heard the Jam for the first time in my car (see a Jam video to follow).

So, this is a BIG '80s fest, ending with one of the greatest and best known '80s tunes of all time: Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight."

Liesel shared the mock up of "Dancing in Street" with me, and it's worth a look. It's hilarious!

The song by Talking Heads is one of my favorites by the band. I cannot claim it's my single favorite as there's too many good ones to choose from, but it's top five for sure. I featured it in my senior avant garde theatre project and had some cool people create a dance for it.

I am not as well acquainted with either Tones on Tail or Split Enz, but they were Helene picks, and I do recall them being played in the 1980s.

Of course, I needed to add a song by Kate Bush, one by the Police, and the Eurythmics. Of course, I could add more as the 1980s has tons of great music. But this is a good sampler for today (and two days late). Enjoy, Mom. Thanks for listening.

Such a cool site, an mp3 of a live performance of Martha and the Muffins from 1983.


"This is the Ice Age" from 1981



"ECHO BEACH"

Dancing in the Street // Silent Music Video

Split Enz - One Step Ahead

Talking Heads - This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Official Video)

Tones On Tail 'Go!' 1984

Kate Bush - Pull Out The Pin

The Jam - Absolute Beginners

The Police - Spirits In The Material World

Phil Collins - In The Air Tonight (Official Music Video)

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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 428 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1609.05 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #425 - More Y&R interviews and 11,000 celebration

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #425 - More Y&R interviews and 11,000 celebration

Hi Mom,

Here's some more videos from the Young and the Restless (Y&R) celebration of 11,000 episodes.

I wonder how many of those thousands we watched together?

The interviews were great (and the rest are archived here in addition to my previous post here for HEY MOM #418) and there's some other goodies on this page, such as the photo shoot video and the 11,000th episode promo.

There was a key moment when co-creator Lee Phillip Bell made an appearance, paying for Paul and Christine's dinner because they reminded her of herself and her late husband, which would be Bill Bell. The actress that plays Abby talked about how she and her Mom watched Y&R every day just like you and me, Mom. The performers gave their heartfelt thanks to all the fans.

I also included the scene in which Neil forgives his mother (played by Star Trek alum Nichelle Nichols), which aired in  the 11,000th episode on September the 1st, 2016.

Also, check out the penultimate video, The Young and The Restless 1973-2015 opening and closing themes with snippets. Some great vintage scenes in that one. Also, there's a complete cast list from the early 1980s. The video closes with some of the greatest fights in Y&R history. Cake fight! Enjoy!




























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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 427 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1609.04

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #424 - Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

Margaret Atwood

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #424 - Handmaid's Tale on Hulu

Hey Mom, Great news!! A TV show of The Handmaid's Tale.

You may remember this. I was supposed to be reading Toni Morrison's Tar Baby for a class, but I picked up Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale instead. I could not put it down. LITERALLY. I walked around the house with it. I finished it in about 36 hours, as I took a break to sleep, and I read slowly.

The movie was unremarkable, but I am excited for the HULU TV show.

I am thrilled. An ongoing series of one of my favorite books of all time? And as an ongoing dose of episodic fiction? Oh, do not sing those love songs to me unless your'e serious!

This is the book that confirmed Atwood as my favorite writer. I had read Surfacing but that's it. I have two of her books unread as I did not want to read them all have nothing to look forward to. I guess, it's three now that she has a new one out and it's on my stack.

I know you never read Atwood, Mom. But if you're a reader and haven't, I recommend her highly. Star with this one, and then try Alias Grace or Cat's Eye.

The content I am sharing comes from the following two links.

http://www.tor.com/2016/08/24/joseph-fiennes-joins-hulus-the-handmaids-tale-as-the-commander/


http://www.indiewire.com/article/hulu-handmaids-tale-elisabeth-moss-margaret-atwood-book-feminism-20160430

Hulu Making ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ 

With Elisabeth Moss May Prove Its (Feminist) Balls

Hulu Making 'The Handmaid's Tale' With Elisabeth Moss May Prove Its (Feminist) Balls

Liz Shannon Miller

Apr 30, 2016 1:18 pm

 @lizlet

 
 
 
 

Hulu’s original series don’t just dabble in tricky topics — the streaming service’s
shows are firmly rooted on the edge. The comedy “Deadbeat” fully owns its
4/20 aroma. Drama “The Path” invests deeply in exploring religion and faith.
And if the upcoming “The Handmaid’s Tale” manages to echo its source
material, the series should be a searingly feminist work.

READ MORE: Elisabeth Moss Cast In Hulu 
Adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

Hulu gave a straight-to-series order on Friday to a show based on
Margaret Atwood’s brilliant 1985 novel. The show, adapted by Bruce Miller
(who, after writing for the CW’s “The 100,” is pretty familiar with
dystopian societies and complicated female protagonists) will star
“Mad Men” alumni Elisabeth Moss.

If you’re not familiar already with “The Handmaid’s Tale,” it’s time to fix that. 
In the book, Atwood depicts a dystopian society in which infertility is an 
epidemic, and women now live under brutal patriarchal rule inspired by 
specific passages from the Bible.

The government has assigned Offred (to be played by Moss) to be a childless
high-ranking couple’s vessel for a baby. But the character still remembers the
free world into which she was born, and the daughter from whom she’s been
separated. Offred’s desire to be reunited with her family conflicts with her very
real desire to stay alive in this dangerous time, making her a uniquely
sympathetic protagonist.

Offred isn’t a revolutionary willing to give up her life for the cause. She’s willing
to make the compromises necessary to stay alive, forcing us to confront the
fact that most of us wouldn’t make the brave choice in the face of death.
Most of us would choose to keep breathing.

It’s the sort of internal conflict that should make for fascinating dramatic fuel,
especially given Hulu’s approach to the project. This isn’t Hulu’s first book
adaptation — the J.J. Abrams-produced “11.22.63,” based on the book by
Stephen King, premiered earlier this year. But while “11.22.63” was
billed as a miniseries with a closed ending, this is meant to
be an ongoing series.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is actually well-built for this, because while it does have
an ending, it’s relatively open-ended. And while the series is (as the title might
suggest) one woman’s story, it takes place within a much larger universe —
one aimed directly at attacking the oppression of women on a micro
and macro level.

Ever since the book’s publication, “Handmaid” has often been held up as a
cautionary tale, a reminder that women should never grow complacent
about their reproductive rights. It’s not that people literally think the book’s
exact scenario would occur, should Roe v. Wade be overturned (or if ongoing
efforts to erode a woman’s access to abortions and birth control eventually
reach a critical mass). The nightmare scenario presented by
“The Handmaid’s Tale” is far more wide-ranging, depicting a world
where women have been stripped of every basic right.

But by taking that “what if” to the furthest possible conclusion, Atwood
captures something quite singular about the importance of abortion and
birth control as women’s rights issues, which is why the connection is often
made.

Though Atwood’s points go beyond feminism to a reflection of hard truths
about humanity. “There is more than one kind of freedom… Freedom to
and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are
being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it,” one of the collaborating Aunts
tells her handmaids-in-training in the novel. She presents the loss of choice
as a welcome escape, as opposed to an act that dehumanizes one-half of
the world’s population — and it’s an argument that one could,
conceivably, imagine to be convincing.

This is just one of the fascinating concepts that Atwood finds a way to articulate
as a writer. Her genius ultimately lies in making political issues personal and
human. Even if Moss’s character is written out at the end of the first season for
whatever reason, the show could theoretically continue on. But it’s also not hard
to imagine Offred’s struggle driving several seasons worth of storytelling.
Especially if Hulu allows the show to explore the ideological underpinnings that
make a 31-year-old book still feel terrifyingly relevant.

Despite despite being in the game as long as Netflix and Amazon, Hulu has yet
to succeed in creating original shows that grab awards and attention. But
courting controversy is a way to solve the latter, and if the execution of
“Handmaid’s Tale” proves compelling, it’s hard to imagine that awards won’t be
on the table. “Handmaid’s Tale” won’t premiere until 2017, but this is the exact
sort of ballsy move necessary to stand out in the television world.

Consider this one at the top of our most anticipated list.

Stay on top of the latest TV news! Sign up for our TV email newsletter here.

THIS ARTICLE IS RELATED TO: Television and tagged Elisabeth Moss, Hulu,
Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale

• ON OUR RADAR

Joseph Fiennes Joins Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale as The Commander

Natalie Zutter

Wed Aug 24, 2016 12:31pm Post a comment Favorite This

Hulu’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale is getting its cast together before it commences production this fall. Deadline reports that Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare in Love, Camelot, American Horror Story) will play Commander Fred Waterford—the Fred in Offred, the name of the eponymous handmaid played by Elisabeth Moss.

As a Commander and founding father of the totalitarian Republic of Gilead, Fred both benefits from the fundamentalist system that puts women into various castes serving the state and men, and also bears the pressures of defending Gilead from spies and turncoats. He’s a surprisingly sympathetic character in Atwood’s novel, as—despite himself—he engages Offred in forbidden conversation outside of the fertility rituals that are supposed to be her sole purpose. Fiennes is a keen casting choice for a man who is both distant to a woman who is his property yet also plays illicit games of Scrabble with her.

Hulu has also cast Max Minghella (The Social Network) as Nick, the Commander’s driver, who is also drawn to Offred, albeit in more dangerous ways; and Ann Dowd (Leftovers) as Aunt Lydia, who trains and indoctrinates Offred and her best friend Moira at the Red Center before they are assimilated into Gilead society.

The major cast is almost entirely set; the last big role left to be filled is Serena Joy, Fred’s wife and Offred’s tormentor. The Handmaid’s Tale will premiere on Hulu sometime in 2017.

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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 426 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1609.03 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #423 - What I've Learned - Bowie

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #423 - What I've Learned - Bowie

Hi Mom,

I am in catch up mode as I have fallen a few days behind. Work kind of snuck up on me and bit me in the rear. So here's a cool article about Bowie I stumbled across.

It's a good one.

Thanks to David for these lessons from life.

David Bowie: What I've Learned.

Back in 2013, the late David Bowie agreed to share his life lessons with Esquire. Here we revist them

http://www.esquire.co.uk/culture/news/a3938/bowie-what-ive-learned/

With a suit, always wear big British shoes, the ones with large welts. There's nothing worse than dainty little Italian jobs at the end of the leg line.

Confront a corpse at least once. The absolute absence of life is the most disturbing and challenging confrontation you will ever have.

When I'm stuck for a closing to a lyric, I will drag out my last resort: overwhelming illogic.

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––

Lester Bangs, the raging rock critic of the Seventies, allegedly once paid his highest compliment to a band by saying, "You make me feel like a motherfucker from hell." I realised then that we were on different planets.

I don't expect the human race to progress in too many areas. However, having a child with an ear infection makes one hugely grateful for antibiotics.

I've always regretted that I never was able to talk openly with my parents, especially with my father. I've heard and read so many things about my family that I can no longer believe anything; every relative I question has a completely different story from the last. I seem to have half a dozen family histories.

Fame can take interesting men and thrust mediocrity upon them.

If I hadn't learned how to be a musician and writer, it wouldn't have mattered what I did.

I never knew too many rock people. I would get to a place, some nightclub or other, and see all these famous rockers bonding. And I remember feeling completely on the outside. I regret that sometimes.

I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for the visual in religious rituals, though, even though they may be completely empty and bereft of substance. The incense is powerful and provocative, whether Buddhist or Catholic.

The depressing realisation in this age of dumbing down is that the questions have moved from, "Was Nietzsche right about God?" to, "How big was his dick?" Make the best of every moment. We're not evolving. We're not going anywhere.

You're never who you think you are. Sometime in the Eighties, an old lady approached me and asked, "Mr Elton, may I have your autograph?" I told her that I wasn't Elton but David Bowie. She replied, "Oh, thank goodness. I couldn't stand his red hair and all that makeup."

They're never who you think they are. When I first came to the US, around 1971, my New York guide told me one day that The Velvet Underground were to play later that night at the Electric Circus, which was about to close. I was the biggest fan in the UK, I believe.

I got to the gig early and positioned myself at the front by the lip of the stage. The performance was great, and I made sure that Lou Reed could see that I was a true fan by singing along to all the songs. After the show, I moved to the side of the stage to where the door of the dressing room was located.

I knocked, and one of the band members answered. After a few gushing compliments, I asked if I could have a few words with Lou. He looked bemused but told me to wait a second.

After only moments, Lou came out, and we sat and talked about songwriting for 10 minutes or so. I left the club floating on cloud nine — a teenage ambition achieved.

The next day, I told my guide what a blast it had been to see The Velvets live and meet Lou Reed. He looked at me quizzically for a second, then burst into laughter.

"Lou left the band some time ago," he said. "You were talking to his replacement, Doug Yule."

I've always felt bemused at being called the chameleon of rock. Doesn't a chameleon exert tremendous energy to become indistinguishable from its environment?

Trust nothing but your own experience. 

Watch David Bowie perform the track 'Five Years' on the Old Grey Whistle Test back in 1972:

That video was removed from You Tube, but here's a version of "Oh, You Pretty Things" from the old BBC programme The Old Grey Whistle Test.

David Bowie - Oh! You Pretty Things (Old Grey Whistle Test, 1972) [HD Upgrade]

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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 425 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1609.02 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #422 - Talking again #7 - Throwback Thursday

Mom in ad for Merle Norman - August 1994

Hey, Mom! Talking to My Mother #422 -  Talking again #7 - Throwback Thursday

Hi Mom, It's me again. Welcome to the first day of September.

As usual, a variety of things today. Conversational stuff, but a bit more multimedia-focused than our phone conversations would have been.

It's weird. I had been reading Stephen King's Bill Hodges trilogy, which is like riding a narrative rocket. Consuming these as I was via audio made for an even more intense and narcotic experience. Once finished with the third and final book in the set -- and expect blog posts on this subject -- then I switched to an audio book of Between the World and Me because I am teaching it. What a hug transition!! Ta-Nehisi Coates' book is very good. This is my second time through it, and I liked it enough to select it for my class, but switching my mindset from the high-octane, super-fuel of the King's Hodges books was like being drenched with ice water when you're already cold.

For instance, months ago I took pictures of your cat wall and I have never shared them on this blog (as far as I can remember).

As for the picture at the top, you were asked to be in a newspaper advertisement for the Merle Norman shop. The ad appeared in the Kalamazoo Gazette in August of 1994. You were so very proud of this ad and of being asked to be in it. You were also a loyal and proud Merle Norman user.

It is now Sunday, and obviously I did not get very far with writing in this post. I have been grading like a fiend. The double Park classes kill me plus I was doing math and some WMU prep. As always, I am doing CTU stuff.

So not very exciting stuff today, but then our phone calls were not always the stuff of legend.

Maybe this is a reminder to get to the local Merle Norman for Super Lube, which you introduced me to, Mom. I love that stuff.

Dad has kept your cat wall unsullied or changed. And the last picture is your shirt in my closet where I see it and give it a kiss every day.

I am okay. I am grieving and suspect that I always will be, but the grief is not preventing me from living life. The days are full, jam packed, and wonderful. I just wish they were filled with a little less work and a bit more play. I am happy to report that I did stop working on what was for me yesterday (Saturday night) and what is the future to this blog entry and read the book I am reading (not audio) John Irving's Avenue of Mysteries on the deck in the waning sun while the Tigers game played softly on the radio.

Life is good. Life IS good.

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Reflect and connect.

Have someone give you a kiss, and tell you that I love you.

I miss you so very much, Mom.

Talk to you tomorrow, Mom.

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- Days ago = 424 days ago

- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1609.01 - 10:10

NOTE on time: When I post late, I had been posting at 7:10 a.m. because Google is on Pacific Time, and so this is really 10:10 EDT. However, it still shows up on the blog in Pacific time. So, I am going to start posting at 10:10 a.m. Pacific time, intending this to be 10:10 Eastern time. I know this only matters to me, and to you, Mom. But I am not going back and changing all the 7:10 a.m. times. But I will run this note for a while. Mom, you know that I am posting at 10:10 a.m. often because this is the time of your death.