A Memory of Paul Newman

When Paul Newman died last week, I cried. A great actor had left his mark in Hollywood and a good soul had left the world. I had always had a wee crush on him and one day, in 1983, I actually got to meet him. I was doing the clinical part of learning to be a unit secretary. It was at Broward General, a hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, and he was working on a movie called "Harry and Son", with Robbie Benson. Word spread around the hospital, that Mr. Newman was doing a scene of the movie in "our" hospital and the ladies and girls were all smiles and giggles, hoping to get a glimpse of this beautiful man. I was working in the obstetrics ward, and some of us had a break. Hearing he was on our floor, we started to look for him.
Not quite running or walking, we went through the halls to seek him out. As we sped by an alcove, and I saw him out of the corner of my eye. The others kept going and I stopped. He was just standing there . He was not very tall, was wearing a cabbie hat and just leaning against the wall. He was older than I thought him to be and not as big as he appeared on screen. I smiled at him and he smiled at me. Briefly, I thought about asking him to give me his autograph, but all I had with me was a package of instant cocoa. Now what?
I thought better of it, out of respect for his privacy. I looked into those clear twinkling eyes of his, smiled and said hello.
Suprisingly, he smiled at me and said hello back. I felt my face get warm and blushed. I said "Thank you", he smiled and I walked away, feeling like I was on top of the world . That feeling lasted me for a week. From then on, every time I saw him on screen, I remembered those few moments, got a gentle tingle all over, and smiled inside.
HE was a good and sweet man, and I will miss him.

Am I a happy camper or what?

Why is it that when you do not have any money, in order to go bankrupt, you must put out so much money to file and spend a fortune to actually Go bankrupt??

It isn't the filing fee that is costly, but the lawyers' fees and the classes you must take that can put you into a financial abyss! Then, if you cannot afford the lawyer, you have to face hearings and courts by yourself. Very Scary!! Being in a courtroom is frightening. I have been called for jury duty 3 or 4 times. Never got on one( possibly because every thought I have shows up on my "no poker face; or During a break,I was blowing bubbles on the courthouse steps...).
Who knows...I certainly wanted to serve,partiallyso I could see the legal system at work, do my civic duty, and get paid a whopping $15 a day(obviously I am unemployed). But nooooo...I remained unchosen. By the way, I NEED a JOB! Anybody want an ex-teacher who types 17 w.p.m.???????? I do have a good sense of humor and one of my friends refers to me as "Paulyanna". Now...Who wants to play the GLAD GAME??
God bless whoever is reading this...and God help me, too!

The 23rd Psalm Revisited

The Earth is our Mother; We shall not want.(How many are in need and left wanting?)

She maketh us to lie down in green pastures:(How many do we have left?)

She leadeth us beside the still waters. (How many are still unpolluted or fit to drink?)

She restoreth our souls:(With how much madness can We cope?)

She leadeth us in the paths of Righteousness for her name's sake. (How much Evil will block our path?)

Yea, though We walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, We will fear no evil: For She is
with us; (How long will We live.before She can no longer thrive?)

Her Atmosphere and her Order, they comfort us.(When will we clean Our air, So All can breathe?)

She preparest a table before us in the presence of Our enemies; (Do we know the Enemies are Us?)

She annointest our heads with oil; Our cups runneth over. (When will we stop fighting over what Little remains?)

Surely, Her goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of Our lives and We will dwell in
the House of the Earth forever. (That is, If we haven't been completely purged by Her!)


War, intolerance, natural and unnatural disasters, over-population, global warming, abuse of all resources, apathy, and self-interested politics all rip us and the planet apart.

For all our sakes, KNOCK IT OFF AND GROW UP!!