Biology and Brains

I am now in my second 8-week session of online college courses at Grand Canyon University.

My first session classes were Communication Theory and Biology.

Yes, Biology.

You can stop laughing now, although I understand why this would be the first response most of you would have. Just wait 'til I have to take math.

When I was in 8th grade (in the middle part of the last century), Algebra was introduced into our school curriculum. After a few weeks of my struggling in the class, the teacher, Mr. Bradley, took me into the hall and said, "Some girls can't do math or science. Just do your best and I will give you a passing grade." I never had another problem in math or science (literally!), even in high school. Mr. Bradley must have spoken with the science teacher, Mr. Davis, because he let me off easy, too. Or, maybe a note was put into my permanent record!

Yes, I am one of the women who was judged by my gender to be unable to learn math and science. Sadly, I seem to be perpetuating that myth to this day, but these 'modern day' teachers won't give me a break. (Dang it!) When I see my 8-year-old granddaughter struggling with math, it is all I can do to not make excuses for her. To this day, I don't know if my problem really was an inability to comprehend and learn it or if I was just written off and I believed it. Either way, I am still not good at math or science to this day.

The first biology lab required that we grow 12 green bean plants - 3 each under 4 different colored plastic filters for 5 weeks, then write a report. That was a cinch. The labs got progressively more difficult, though. To the point where we had to go by written directions (no visuals), take clay and yarn, put them together in different configurations to explain meiosis, mitosis, genetic traits and how they are passed from generation to generation.

The textbook was even more difficult. Don't get me wrong, I could read the words. It was just that when you put them together, they made no sense whatsoever. "A certain mutation in E. coli makes the lac operator unable to bind the active repressor. How would this affect the cell?"

See what I mean?

Individually, the words aren't that difficult, but in sentences, they are like Greek or Russian or some other equally difficult-to-learn language.

The Communication class was great. I had to write a paper each week and respond to discussion questions on the classroom site. If there is one thing I can do, it is talk - even in writing.

I think I did okay with that class... Turns out the teacher, who lives in Tennessee, is LDS, too. We kind of bonded. When one of the students began 'going off' on Mormons, she stepped in and talked about having "what Mormons call a Quad" on her bookshelf and that "they" use the King James version of the Bible along with their Book of Mormon. Of course, no one but an LDS member would recognize or use the term 'quad' when referring to the scriptures. When I called her on it in a private email, she laughingly confessed. Now that the session is over, we've become friends.

So, now I'm taking New Testament. GCU is a Christian college and religion classes are required. My religion classes from Ricks College (where I attended just after the Beatles broke up) transferred for credit, but they didn't fulfill all the religion requirements at GCU. Instead of the King James Version (KJV) of the Bible, they use the NIV (New International Version). One of our first assignments is writing a paper about 'John the Baptizer'. This should be interesting... Hehehe...

I am also taking The Arizona Constitution class. The teacher is apparently a stickler for honesty, which isn't a problem for me, but all of her students are required to submit their papers to a plagiarism-checking site when you turn them in to her. So much for the law and being innocent till proven guilty.

A lot has changed since the Jurassic Era...

Charity Never Faileth

"Let your heart feel for the affliction and distress of everyone."

~ George Washington

Suze Orman, financial guru, appeared on Oprah today. She is a no-nonsense expert on personal finance and I almost always agree with her, even when it challenges my own beliefs about money and makes me uncomfortable with the way I handle it. She has been appearing on Oprah for 10 years, as she pointed out on today's show, and took everyone watching to task for not following her advice, which has led to the condition of the economy and the problems we are facing.

People are losing their homes, their life savings and their retirement funds all over the country. If you aren't affected, I'm sure you know someone who has been or will be. I've been listening to news reports and analyses and carefully reading articles on the Internet for the last several weeks, trying to figure out who or what is responsible.

Ms. Orman says that WE - 'Main Street America' as pundits call us (as opposed to the professionals running banks, credit unions, insurance agencies, etc., and especially the current political administration...) - are responsible. We wanted things (i.e. homes, furniture, clothing, etc.) beyond what our incomes allowed and the so-called professionals - especially credit card companies, banks, loan companies - were willing to fund those wants for a price. Oftentimes, our credit scores didn't matter and we were approved in spite of our future ability to pay. Everytime we overextended ourselves and bought merchandise or homes using credit cards or loans, the stock in those holding companies went up and the CEO's at the top of the companies made more money, so, of course, they were more than willing to extend more and more credit. BUT, eventually, it all had to crumble, because, at some point, we found that using one credit card to pay off another, or to pay our mortgage, pushed us further and further into debt and left us with less and less expendable, spendable cash. In the last few months, it has all come crashing down.

This was the most down-to-earth, logical explanation I have heard or read. The word that she used to explain it all was GREED. We all wanted more - from Main Street (again, meaning you and I) to Wall Street. It was the 'American Dream' to have it all and have it all NOW.

Our parents were exponentially more well-off then their parents. They were raised during the Depression and saw their parents struggle just to survive and raise them. Our parents learned the value of work early and worked hard to have what they had. We were raised with nice things and we expected to have those things when we became adults. We didn't see how hard our parents had worked or how long it had taken them to accumalate the things we had and the homes we were raised in. We expected to have all the nice things immediately and we went into debt to achieve it - rarely realizing that this was a dangerous and foolish thing to do. Always with the hope and dream in our hearts that everything would work out all right. Americans are known around the world for our optimism. 'Looking at the world through rose-colored glasses' is a phrase that seems especially coined for us.

The one thing that Ms. Orman said today that I take exception to is that she has no sympathy for those of us in this situation. She has been advising us and warning us for 10 years and because we didn't listen and take her advice, she doesn't necessarily feel sorry for us. I agree with George Washington when he said, "Let your heart feel for the affliction and distress of everyone." This is the true definition of charity, as defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary: "a. benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity; b. generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering".

These are challenging times. The financial future of the United States is facing peril and could take a long time to recover. We can't rely on the government to buy our way out of trouble in the future. We have to learn from our mistakes. In fact, to become the most responsible citizens we can, we MUST NOT repeat our mistakes. We can't let this be our legacy to our children. By turning our lives around, it will be an example to them of living responsibly. We have to follow Suze Orman's advice and not rely on credit cards or live above our means. It won't be easy, and we probably won't be as comfortable for a while as we have been. We have to learn to be financially self-reliant.

Friends and family all around us are suffering not just from financial depression but emotional depression. We shouldn't be criticizing each other. We have to support each other. The time for benevolent goodwill toward others is NOW. The one thing we must have for each other is charity, because "Charity never faileth".

Busy Month

August is almost over. Since the wonderful rainstorm we had last night, the temperature was only 99 degrees today! WooHoo! What a month it has been! Really high temperatures, lots of rain, new jobs for some friends and family and several personal changes, too.

The boys' dad had to come to Arizona for surgery on his foot. He's had peripheral neuropathy in his feet and legs for years and, apparently got a small wound on his foot which didn't heal. He's doing much better since the surgery and the anticipated amputation didn't have to take place. That was a great blessing. He is going to move here in a couple of months, which will be great for the boys to have him near. He and I are at peace with each other, I believe. The final relief came when I heard the adage, "Not forgiving someone is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die." Wow! Deep, huh? It just wasn't worth carrying around all that pain anymore. And, to be honest, much of that pain was self-inflicted. Habits we acquire during marriage are often carried forward into singlehood and prevent our healing and progression until we examine them.

My mother told me, right after my divorce was final, that it would take half as long as the marriage lasted to be ready to move on. (Half of 22 years is 11, which comes to last year.) I have no idea where she got this information or if it was inspiration - which wouldn't surprise me, either - but it has proven to be true.

Stephen has a new job starting Thursday. Actually, it is the job he left a few months ago so he could pursue work in his chosen area - web development - and they've rehired him to do just that. Apparently there wasn't an opening when he left and there is now...whatever. He got a nice raise and is happy. He'll be able to see the M&M's more now that this semester is over because he doesn't have a Saturday class this time. I hope to have current pics of them to post soon!

Jared has been training with Truly Nolen - he now drives a yellow truck with antennae on it. So funny. He prefers the Volkswagon 'bug' they have painted yellow with large mouse ears and a tail on it. Good advertising for the company to have these vehicles on the streets. He, too, is happy and doing well. Yea!

Lucas and Scarlett are busy raising the Princess Boo and the happy Buddha. It is so wonderful to be near all my grandchildren. I am blessed.

-Long story, short -

My grandson was trying to be a good helper when his dad's cell phone began ringing. MAT tried to bring it to him. Unfortunately, being only age two, he doesn't understand the concept of unplugging the phone from the charger before walking away with it. When he did this, the plug didn't come out of the wall, it pulled the plug-in parts out of the phone, rendering it unchargeable.

I explained to my son, after I finished laughing, that there is such a thing as 'A Mother's Curse' - "May you have children just like you." He didn't quite see the humor. Oh, well...

How many things did your children break throughout their childhood? Is there any point in even trying to count?

I found a website called, "Buy My 'Tronics" : http://www.buymytronics.com/

They actually buy your used and broken iPods, cell phones and game consoles (check their list). Even if they only pay a couple of bucks for each one (and I understand the price is better than that) it beats packing and moving them again or shoving them into a landfill and polluting the earth even more.

-Speaking of moving -

One would think working for a realtor would be advantageous when trying to find a 3-bedroom apartment. Nope. Realtors deal with buying homes, not renting them. So, I'm looking diligently for a place between (or at least closer to...) my oldest son's family and my sister-in-law in East Mesa or North Gilbert. Nothing yet.

I did find something that will make the move itself easier. What is worse than diving into dumpsters behind Fry's or Wal*Mart looking for boxes you can use to pack your stuff? Gross! Costco has the solution. A box of boxes. It ships free - how cool is that? - and has bubble wrap and packing tape included. Nice...

Click on this link:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?ec=BC-EC6106-ProdID11091124&pos=1&whse=BC&topnav=&prodid=11045692&lang=en-US

-Summertime and the garden is empty -

Some people are actually able to grow gardens here in Arizona. I don't know what they do or how they could possibly prepare this sandy soil for growing anything, but I am craving homegrown tomatoes, warm from the sun. Of course, living in an apartment doesn't help my cause - patios usually aren't even big enough for container gardening. But, I think, when I get moved, I might try this: http//www.answers.com/topic/reviews-of-upside-down-tomato-planter .

Missing the Grandkids

My DIL took her two children - my youngest and oldest grandchildren - to the Midwest yesterday to visit family. They have been out of Arizona for about 36 hours and I miss them like crazy.

My oldest son, DIL's hubby, is flying out there in about 9 days. Till then he has my youngest son as his roommate. Middle son and I went over tonight and I fixed supper for the three of them - pork chops, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, rolls, corn-on-the-cob and, to counteract all those starchy, buttery dishes, a green salad. It was all comfort food. The boys loved it. But it didn't comfort me.

I don't remember going to #1 son's house without my grandchildren being there. It felt empty and quiet. My three sons, grown now, don't wrestle each other anymore. They aren't loud or discourteous. They don't argue or disagree. They get along beautifully and I take credit for that - deserved or not. Of course, it was a different story when they were younger. They fought and disagreed like all brothers do. But, they are 'mature' now, and even though they tease me and joke around with each other, there is an underlying respect there that fills my heart with joy. That, and the fact that two of them have given me grandchildren makes me extremely thankful. I think it was P. J. O'Rourke that said, "Grandchildren are our reward for not killing our children." There were times...oh, there were times. But now - peace and love abide. Amazing...

My granddaughter, Miss M, age 7, fills me with wonder. She reads better than I did when I was an eighth-grader! And, The Happy Budda, 7 months, melts my heart with his smiles and thrills me with his laughter and pleasant little personality.

How much will he have changed in two-and-a-half weeks? Miss M told me she missed me on the phone tonight. What new adventures will she have to share with me when she gets home? I can't wait. She becomes so animated when she tells me things.

I can't imagine living far away from them, or Middle Son's twins, age two, MAT and MiMi. The M&Ms are going to Cali for a week in July with their dad and mom and other grandparents. I will miss them just as much, knowing that they aren't a short drive away.

It is good for me, I guess, to experience some separation. If I ever re-marry, will HE want to live here in Arizona or move to Where-The-Heck-Are-We, Montana? Would that be a deal-breaker for me? I guess we'll cross that bridge when, and if, we come to it. Till then, I am going to bask in the love and appreciation I have for my wonderful, bright and precious grandchildren. And I'm going to count the days till they get back here and I can hug them and hug them.

Mmmm...Bacon

I laughed out loud when I saw this cartoon. It is SO true! Craig Ferguson, host of CBS' Late, Late Show, says he was a vegetarian for almost a year until one day he smelled bacon cooking and he quit the vegan life. I can totally relate to that.

There are few smells that compare to bacon cooking. One is coffee perking. I have never had a cup of coffee in my life (believe it or not), but I used to make my dad's sometimes and I loved opening the can of Maxwell House and getting that first whiff of ground coffee, and then, as it percolated in the pot, the smell would permeate the kitchen, and waft through the rest of the house. Mmmm... Good memories. I believe part of the reason I love(d) the smell was because it is so attached to my dad. When I was making his coffee, it meant that he was home from traveling, usually on the weekend. Mom didn't drink coffee, so the house didn't smell of it when Dad wasn't home. Such a sweet association. I still get flashbacks at the grocery store when I walk down the aisle where they have coffee beans and the coffee grinder. Starbucks just doesn't do it. It has to be the freshly ground coffee.

Another smell: burning autumn leaves. I haven't smelled that wonderful, acrid smoke for decades, and probably never will again. Burning leaves like we used to in my youth has been outlawed because of environmental issues. But it was great while it lasted.

Those are some of the smells I recall from my youth. I am much more careful now about eating bacon - knowledge of carcinogens, cholesterol and bad fats have taken some of the fun out of it.

But, ahhh...the memories...

Plan Ahead for Memorial Day

May 26th is Memorial Day. If you are having a get-together with family and friends, as are many of us (Phoenix temperature predicted to ONLY be in the 90s for Monday, after a possibly rainy weekend and 105 yesterday and 110 today), here is a plan-ahead list to jump start the celebration.

Today: Invite your guests and plan your menu.

• Are you going to invite friends and family? Is now a good time for a neighborhood party




• What will you serve?




• Are you going to grill?




• Will you provide all the food or have a potluck?




• What foods are 'outdoor friendly' (a cake with whipped cream frosting is, perhaps, not the best idea)? A large bowl filled with crushed ice with a smaller bowl inside will keep a mayonnaise-based salad - potato, coleslaw,etc. - a little safer outdoors. Where IS that large bowl?




• Does Aunt Opal cook the best baked macaroni and cheese you've ever had? Can your brother fix a terrific pasta salad? If you are going to make potluck requests, call ahead of time to be sure they have enough time to assemble the ingredients and make the dish.




• Do you want to mail invitations or call everyone? It might be little late to use snail mail at this point, but don't wait 'til the last minute to call, either.




• Drinks: soft, hard, or both. Remember that this is one of the holidays when many cities use checkpoints to look for drunk drivers (I know this isn't the politically correct way to say it, but the truth is the truth) so you might want to set an early cut-off point for alcoholic drinks or be ready to offer rides to those who get a little tipsy. A bowl by the front door for everyone's car keys (Make a small sign that says: "Please park your keys here.") is easier than making someone give you their keys if they can get belligerent.




• How much ice will you need? Crushed ice for the large food bowls and the daiquiris, cubes for soft drinks, separate ice cubes for the coolers, an ice ring with embedded fruit for the lemonade, punch or Koolaid bowl, etc. Or try: Counter-Top Icemaker




• Veggie trays and green salads require salad dressings and dips - have a variety of flavors.




• Desserts - what will last outdoors (I mentioned the whipped cream frosting above)? Melon balls, jello cake, fruit pies, etc.




• Go 'green' with your plates and utensils. At least look for recycled paper plates and cups.




• Put out a separate trash container labeled for aluminum cans and/or bottles.




• Will you need citronella candles around the lawn or Tiki torches?




• Do you have folding tables for the food and enough chairs for seating? Rent them or ask friends.




• Will there be swimming, volleyball, badminton, horseshoes, etc.? What needs to be prepared for those activities?




• Last, but not least, utensils, bread machine mixes and gadgets for summer grilling and cooking: The Prepared Pantry
  

And finally, from a terrific blog about planning your outdoor get-togethers, a list of things to do ahead of time:

Rich's Home Blog The stuff that’s not so fun right now but once people are over, you are glad that you accomplished it all:

1. Clean the Grill-Manufacturers recommend that you wipe the exterior of your grill with an all-purpose cleaner, such as Simple Green. And after that our friends at Kalamazoo recommend a degreaser like Goo Gone Spray Gel for any difficult parts, putting in a little extra elbow grease as needed. Don’t forget the inside and check the booklet from your manufacturer for recommendations there. For my old charcoal Weber, I just use SOS pads on the racks, and then rinse them really well. You can also burn off any old grime on the racks.



2. Find your Utensils-Look for the long tools now, my friend. Last minute does not give you time to run to the store if you can’t find one that you need.



3. Mow the Lawn/Weed the beds-No instruction necessary here, right? Don’t forget to let the kids help. Water the flowers too and clean out things from the yard that look like clutter. Don’t forget litter and dog droppings (do this again right before your gathering) too.



4. Clean the House-Especially the bathroom, gathering areas and the kitchen. Divide it up over the next several days so it’s not so daunting and again, the family can help.

This blog is also posted at: http://aznewsblog.typepad.com/az_news/phoenix_quicktime_recipes/index.html