Introspection

Moving Out of the Darkness

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Two of my friends have family members who have committed suicide.  I probably know more, but those are the two who’ve told me about their experience. Last year Karen walked in memory of Mo at the  Boston “Out of the Darkness” walk. This year Dennis will walk in memory of not one, but two brothers he’s lost to suicide.  I’ll let him say it best:

I am sorry you have to read about it here, but suicide is not something you talk about much, in fact most times I go out of way to avoid it completely. In 1983, while I was a junior at college, my older brother Mark committed suicide. And if the story were to stop right there, it would be sad enough, but in 1994 my younger brother Matthew did the same. Even while just typing these words I am overcome with tremendous grief. The pain of a suicide hits you at the weirdest times and it has the power to absolutely floor you. Now it’s time for me to get off the floor and help others.

If you can get off the floor and help by tossing a few dollars his way, you can donate online at his page. Karen’s walking again this year in New York; you can donate at her page too.

The money raised goes to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Beauty · Family · Travel

Home from the family reunion

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Last week we (Mom, Dad and I) spent five days with folks I hardly ever see – my Dad’s three sisters and three brothers. It was time for the Rust Family Reunion.

Dad, his brothers and sisters
All seven of Freda and Herman Rust's kids, gathered at the official reunion dinner at the Royal Fork Buffet in Sioux Falls. Dad's at back left, looking off camera.

We traveled 1,361 miles to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to meet up with everyone. Home base was the Best Western – actually a very lovely place to stay. They let us make our own waffles at the continental breakfast bar.

Sioux Falls
The city of Sioux Falls was named for its charming landmark.
Sioux Falls
Early morning light at Sioux Falls

One morning Aunt Ann and Uncle Bob, two enthusiastic amateur photographers, got up early to catch the morning light – the “golden hour,” as photographers call it.  I decided, why not? and trekked to Sioux Falls with them. I’m glad I went.

Why Sioux Falls? Since the majority of Dad’s brothers and sisters still live within a day’s drive of Sioux Falls, that’s where they meet. And since it’s been 25 years since I’ve seen most of these people, I decided to come too.

I got reacquainted with all my aunts and uncles, and several of my cousins, too, including my cousins John and Laura. We drove out to the Rust family farmhouse outside Adrian, Minnesota, about 45-50 minutes from Sioux Falls. John now lives there with his family, on the farmstead the Rusts bought in 1889.

The family farmhouse
The Rust family farmhouse, where Dad was born during a January snowstorm.

There was more sightseeing … here’s the gravestone for the first Rust to come over from Germany, Harm Rust:

Gravestone for Harm Rust
The old gravesite where Harm Rust is buried.

It’s late, so I’ll stop now and break this into multiple posts. But one thing I know: I won’t let another 25 years go by before I see my kith and kin again.

Cooking · just plain fun

Is this Heaven? No, it’s Leesburg

AuntGem1 Comment

…or as nephew Dylan says, “I’m living the dream!”

A trip to Shealy’s is always a treat.

Chomping down on Shealy's fried chicken
Even smart phones can't compete with Shealy's fried chicken

Ahh, contentment.

After a feast at Shealy's BBQ
The table is bare after a feast at Shealy's
just plain fun · Toastmasters

From earlier this year

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Earlier this year I got to participate in a musical presented at the Spring District 58 Toastmasters convention in Greenville.

 

On the Stage!
On the stage at the Spring Musical

 

The musical, presented at our Toastmasters convention, showcased a “mock” Toastmasters meeting. I got to give a funny speech which poked fun at the bad use of gestures. There I am flapping my wings like a chicken. The next song we sang was “I had a chicken”:

I had a chicken – No eggs would she lay – I had a chicken – No eggs would she lay. One day a rooster came into the yard – He caught that chicken right offa her guard.

Chorus:

She’s laying eggs now

Just like she used to

Ever since that rooster

Come into the yard!

And so on with additional verses which go downhill from there.

We all had a blast with it. The gentleman below is a father of eight, respected pastor, noted singer and championship speaker:

Henry takes the stage at the Spring Conference.
Henry uses all his talents in the Musical at the Spring Conference.

The Theatre in our time has known few such moments.

Cat · just plain fun

Early Start on “Caturday!”

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Who is that hiding above the frig?

Cat on a cool cabinet roof
Hiding out above the frig

It’s Pickles, Queen of All She Surveys.

Cat by a vintage Waring mixer
I climb up here to get away from her and she keeps snapping pictures....

That’s my Grandmother Shuler’s vintage Waring mixer, which I inherited.

Just one more:

Cat in the box
Woman, can't you see I'm trying to sleep?

 

Did you hear the one about the cat with insomnia? He was only sleeping 18 hours a day…yuck yuck.

just plain fun

All Shook Up

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We felt the tremors from the 5.8 earthquake even here in Columbia. Or at least my co-workers did. I was so intent on something I was doing that I thought it was just someone moving stuff upstairs. The first I heard of the event was when a colleague came by and said, “Did you feel the earthquake?”

If we have to have earthquakes, I suppose the best kind is one you don’t notice.

Here’s a little music to go with the shaking:

me · Tech

Cell phone woes

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If you tried to call me on my cell phone today I wasn’t there – because I lost the cellphone yesterday. Argh. And of course I had it on vibrate so I couldn’t just call myself.

Fortunately I have cell phone insurance. I put in a claim today and expect to get the phone TOMORROW — how about that?

In other news, I wore a pair of deep wine/brown loafers with black pants to work today. I didn’t even notice until about 10 a.m. when I looked down at my feet while in the bathroom. Aie yi yi…..

Oh – just got an e-mail from my credit card company asking me if the charge from the cell phone insurance company is fraudulent. Joy. Tune in tomorrow: Will Jennifer get a cell phone? Will her credit card be cancelled? Will she dress in the dark again?

Ah, well, tomorrow is another day…..

Introspection · me

I’m back!

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Between my computer being down for some time and numerous other things going on, I haven’t posted in … well, by internet standards, forever.

So today, for your enjoyment:

The first page ever posted on the World Wide Web (Aug. 6, 1991)

The logical conclusion

Cat · just plain fun

Please feed the kitty!

AuntGem1 Comment

My cat wouldn’t stop at rattling her dish. She’d start knocking books off shelves and bottles off counters.