War Is Not Just For Soldiers

 Every time we’ve turned to the news lately there seems to be a brand new conflict or disaster catching our attention.  We read about them, hear about them, and/or watch them every day.  Random shootings and earthquakes have become commonplace.  Wildfires and hurricanes wreak mass destruction.  Insurgencies and war are available for our evening viewing.  No longer can any of us say that we are not affected by the news because these events are far away. Far away is as close as the remote on our TV.

     I remember watching Walter Cronkite on the evening news giving us updates on the happenings in Southeast Asia.  Vietnam was the first war that we could see, and it was not pretty.  We saw the explosions, the bodies, the crying children.  We saw our soldiers, but we also got a glimpse of people we were fighting or protecting.  Did we always know the difference?  

     Just as young men went off to war throughout the ages, families and friends waited for their safe return.  For many of us, Vietnam was different.  These young men were our buddies from high school; football players, high scorers on the basketball court, members of the ROTC drill team, the school clown who put a fart bag on the principal’s chair at graduation.  They were sent far away, but we knew what they were doing and how dangerous their lives had become through the eyes of a journalist and a cameraman.

     The coverage of 9-11-01 has been burned into our minds forever.  The collapse of the twin towers, people running away, people crying.  The sight of poor souls covered in dust aimlessly walking, caught on camera.  Could we have envisioned the horror without the sights and sound presented to us by the equally horrified news crews?

Ernie Pyle spent his journalistic lifetime telling the stories of ordinary people and their struggles and accomplishments.  He traveled the world, sharing his experiences with the folks back home.  In 1940, when Germany invaded France, he knew he had to go see the front lines for himself.  He spent time in war-torn England, sending home his impressions of daily life there and of the struggles and determination of the people.  When Japan entered the war, Ernie followed the troops in North Africa, mentioning soldier’s names and their units and depicting the terrain and situations.  In April of 1945, Ernie went ashore on a little island off the coast of Okinawa.  He was riding in a jeep with an Army officer when a Japanese machine gunner opened fire.  He was shot in the head and died.  Soldiers thought that his columns gave the best depiction of what the war and the people involved were all about.  He was just forty-four years old.

     We turn on the news channel.  We see a man or woman standing in from of a burning building, a tornado-hit suburb, a flood ravaged coastline.  We see someone speaking to us holding a microphone explaining to us what happened.  Parents are anxiously waiting in a school parking lot to be reunited with their children after a shooting.  That same person turns the mike to a crying woman holding a baby or a person who has just managed to escape a burning building.  The person with the microphone may be wearing a helmet and the buildings behind them are nothing more than rubble; dust clouds can still be seen spiraling upwards.  Over the pictures we see; sounds of gunfire and bombs can be heard.  

     The next time we watch people reporting from dangerous areas we must remember that they may travel the world, see exotic locales, and eat foreign delicacies but... maybe they haven’t been able to wash their hair or shower for a few days or slept in a comfortable bed.  They have families at home that want them to be safe.  Some may be worried about the snakes in the flood waters they're standing in just to get a good shot or flying pieces of debris during a storm.  Some like Ernie, remain vigilant, knowing a bullet or bomb may be headed in their direction.  They are not standing there alone.  Someone is running the camera to get the best views for us to see the story.  There may be another person there setting up interviews or getting more information to pass on to us.  Just like any other occupation, some days are good, some days are bad, and some days could prove deadly.  These men and women deserve our respect.

Between 1995 and 2022,  1,668 journalists were killed

At least 15 journalists were killed since August covering the Ukraine/Russia war

As of October 15, at least 12 journalists were killed in Israel/Hamas war.  2 are missing and 8 injured

Sharon

An Author Bursting With Ideas

Many years ago, Jerry and I were fortunate enough to becomes friends with a young fan of our books,(always a good sign of a reader's remarkable intelligence), who aspired to become a writer.  He was always plotting out new stories and researching fine details to make them more interesting.  As for so many of us, life sorta got in the way and while he was still plotting them, the actual writing was put on hold.

Moving forward, these stories are no longer on hold.  Don has been busily putting his epic tales in book form for our reading pleasure.  His first two books are the start of a diverse character driven military-style, Science Fiction series entitled FIRST GUARD. Lots of action!  But that's not all!  He is indeed bursting with stories to tell in many different genres.  Let me introduce you to author DON TOPE

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO BECOME A WRITER?

I started writing as a kid in school, writing short stories. Later I wrote scenes. Then I met Jerry and kind man that he was, he put up with me picking his brain, ‘how do you do this?’, ‘how do you do that?’, ‘How do I make this look like it isn’t?’ He patiently listened and walked me through it. Then I reached out to other writers and picked their brains. As I got older and raised a family, writing got put on the back burner, then one day I took it out and I finished something.  Several somethings later, I finished First Guard, which I started back in the 80’s and then mothballed it. Then I pulled it out and finished it.

GIVE A SHORT SYNOPSIS OF THE FIRST GUARD STORY

Fair warning. Spoiler alerts:

A benevolent empire,falling into corruption, loses a civil war with an evil confederacy. The queen and her family are trapped behind enemy lines. On the run they discover the survivors of an ancient race and a powerful creature.  Her personal guard are keeping her and her family safe while trying to get them home but there is an ancient prophesy that foretells all of this.

     In their effort to get home they become stranded on a back water world, staying out of sight, blending in. Her people back home are working tirelessly to track her down. Her rescuers find them only to have the direst part of the prophesy play out with them as participants while still having to cross a galaxy of enemy territory.

     This is an epic style story that follows the adventures of several groups of characters, showing how the paths of each of them plays out only to bring them all together again.

ARE THERE ANY SIMILARTIES BETWEEN TODAY'S COURSE OF EVENTS AND YOUR FICTIONAL STORY?

I wrote one of the opening scenes in the 80’s on a trip to Georgia. That scene would later become First Guard. I worked on it on and off over the years then shelved it for a long time, before taking it out and finishing it.

     The politics in the story are for the most part the same but today’s events seem to mirror some of it, with one exception, that being that today’s events are much more extreme than when I started the book. You see people being canceled and attacked for exercising free speech, and not agreeing with the left. You see attacks on people for their faith, and for people having the audacity to stand up for our country and traditional values.

THE STORY IS VERY CHARACTER DRIVEN.  ARE ANY CHARACTERS BASED ON REAL PEOPLE OR GROUPS?

My father was a medic in Vietnam, I have a lot of friends that are vets. I wanted to show what vets are up against, and show their struggles are real and there is hope.  I wanted to show various other victims of trauma in the story finding hope and a path to healing.  I have family members with ashburgers, what we now call neural diverse, and I’ve seen many times how they are treated. TV shows even openly mock them. That’s why I have a character that is neural diverse, and he stands up and does what’s needed despite the odds against him and what people think about him.

DO YOU SEE ANY OF THE TECHNOLOGY YOU CREATED FOR THIS SERIES BECOMING REALITY IN THE NEAR FUTURE?

In general, not really, with what the ships can do, they would need armor, or shields, or force fields or whatever you want to call them to keep from being destroyed at the speeds they travel. A single speck of dust can destroy a ship at close to light speed, not to mention faster. The energy alone needed to accomplish these things is well beyond our reach yet.  The same for the weapons, the power source is out of reach at this time.

     The closest thing I could see being developed today is the comms. The future version of the cell phone. You don’t see it much in the first book, but it makes it’s appearance a lot more in the next two. The comms are hand held in low tech areas of the galaxy, like they are on earth today, but in other places their comms are a piece implanted behind the ear, that can display on the eyes retina, and pipe sounds directly into the audio nerve. I can see that in the not too distant future.

HAVE ANY OF YOUR CHILDREN READ FIRST GUARD AND IF SO, WHAT DO THEY THINK OF THEIR DAD'S STORYTELLING?

No, I’ve asked a couple of them to read it and tell me what they thought. You’d think I’d asked them to clean the garage and write me a one page report on it. (I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND)

ANY MORE BOOKS YOU'VE WRITTEN, OR IN THE PROCESS OF WRITING, THAT WE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? 

The sequel to First Guard is out now, The Remnant Shall Rise.

     I have another book series that is Urban Fantasy called the Rise of the Fallen under the pen name T.D. Raymond. There are three books out now in that series. Jack Frost, Brimstone, and Apocalypse.  I am currently working on Volume 3 of First Guard.  All of my books are available as ebook and print.

     I have a few other projects in other genres I want to write. One is a sword and shield fantasy, and a spy thriller, and a few others.

Don tope lives in the Midwest with his wife, seven children, and three dogs.  In his life he has been a nurse, construction worker, packing house worker, and worked for a commercial honey producer.  He has spent over twenty years in Information Technology.  You can learn more about Don and where to find his various books at Haniel House Press. https://hanielhouse.com/ and https://books2read.com/u/mvqkKJ

Sharon

Everything is Going to Seed

Thousands of years ago our ancestors led a nomadic life, following the food chain and forever on the lookout for edible grains and berries.  Yes, some were lucky enough to live in areas where aquatic creatures were abundant, but many tribes, the hunter-gathers, had to hit the trail whenever stomachs started to rumble.  That all changed when one of the smarter ones (it must have been a woman) came up with the idea of starting permanent settlements where animals could be domesticated and cultivation of the land produced edible grains and vegetables.  One story told is that this became very popular when people learned how to turn grain into alcoholic beverages.  This could just be an early urban legend!

                The hunter-gatherers are still among us, searching the forests for wild mushrooms and other delicacies, as well as hunting wild game to supplement the family’s supply of meat. For the most part today, the majority of our hunting-gathering is done in local grocery stores.  All our dietary needs and beyond are in one location, food from all over the world is ready to be plucked off the counter and taken home. 

                The convenience of modern grocery stores is wonderful and I certainly wouldn’t want to be without them but…  How many of you have picked up a store-bought tomato with perfect skin and smelled it?  Nothing.  When you cut it up and added it to your salad, did you pour on lots of dressing because the tomato didn’t have much taste, and neither did the lettuce?

                Think back to those days when maybe your family had a vegetable garden in the backyard.  It may not have been much, but there were usually a few tomato and pepper plants at least, and perhaps some onions and watermelon.  I remember helping my dad pull out weeds and “accidentally” soaking myself while watering the plants and playing with the caterpillars.  Finally, the day came when the tomatoes turned red and were screaming to be removed from the vine.  Can you remember the tomato’s warmth from the sun and the aroma as the globe was sliced very thin and loaded onto white bread that was smeared with mayo? Heaven!!!

                For various reasons, many of us chose to leave that lifestyle behind and instead rely on food that we have no connection with except the financial transaction.  We didn’t have the time, the money for seeds, or the knowledge of the requirements for a successful garden.  There were always those folks who went against the norm and did keep gardens and were successful at providing food for their families and planned ahead for the next year.  They kept track of what grew best in their area and how to best battle bad bugs and blight while encouraging pollinators to increase their crop.  They dried the seeds from the best of their produce and kept them safe to plant the following year.  Those folks were out there but we didn’t hear much about them.  Then COVID came!

                Suddenly the world was on lockdown and we had nowhere to go. Our workplaces were closed as well as restaurants and movie theaters.  Masks were worn everywhere and we slathered ourselves in hand sanitizer. We became homebodies. Home improvement projects surged during this time.  Those now working from home needed a space as well as children who no longer attended school.  Then you had homeowners who had been putting off projects where time was no longer a viable excuse.  Since indoor space was being used now by more people, why not do more with the outdoors?  Decks were added as well as patios, and what would be better than some plants!

                Many of us had gardens long before COVID but it did create plenty of new converts. Information was important for gardens to get off to a good start. When you buy seeds at a dollar store, they are inexpensive but, where did they come from and will they grow in your area?  More expensive seeds can be gotten for your particular zone but that covers a pretty wide range.  What plant draws pollinators?  Do you know which plants should not be grown close together, and which ones should?  This is where a neighboring seed library comes in.  There are thousands of seed libraries around the world.

                A patron walked into our local library some time in 2019 and inquired about the feasibility of starting a seed library.  A seed was planted.  Librarian, Elizabeth Jones, researched the possibility and, the project took off.  Even with COVID restrictions a group of growers gathered.  Seed donations came from seed companies, individuals in the community, and from the library’s budget.  Meetings are held at the library where a Master Gardener may give a presentation dealing with matters relevant to our growing area.  Questions are raised and stories are told.  Seeds can be taken out during the correct planting time using our library cards and plant kits were assembled and distributed last year with everything needed for spaghetti.  I’m looking forward to what will be in the kit this time.  This year approximately 150 members are signed up with around 50 to 75 actively involved.  Not bad for a small town. 

                Elizabeth could have stopped at doing the basic requirements for maintaining a local seed library but with the attitude that education is the goal, she created a website where anyone interested in first time gardening or seed saving techniques could go for help.  There is a wealth of information that growers around the world can benefit from.  The site takes you from your first thought of beginning a garden to how to preserve the bounty you’ll receive from your labor.  Please check out this website at www.excelatgardening.com.  No matter where you live or how long you’ve been gardening, you’ll find something of interest.

                Elizabeth shared a website that was beneficial to her when she first started this project.  If you have an interest in a seed library near your home, you might want to pass this on to your local library http://seedlibraries.weebly.com/sister-libraries.html.  Different rules and regulations regarding the donation of seeds depend on where you live so that might be something to look into. There is a lot of work involved but it sounds like a great way to bring people together to educate them, feed them and give them bragging rights for the biggest Zucchini. 

Sharon

Long Live Tupperware!

Have you heard the terrible news regarding Tupperware?  After all these years of being a household staple, it looks like they may be closing their snap-top lids forever. The company has been losing sales, especially to the younger crowd, and stock prices are significantly down. A world without those containers will be a drab place indeed.  

Tupper, a chemist, developed the plastic originally for use in radar, and later came up with a much  broader use, selling his lightweight, non-breakable bowls in 1946.  Sales were reasonable but not fantastic as many prospective buyers did not understand the full potential of bowls that needed to be burped. The product was good but needed some interpretation.

 

  Along comes Brownie Wise, who was a 1950s marketing genius.  Keep in mind that the norm was that a woman's first priority was to cook, clean, and take care of the children and husband.  Brownie created the home party method of sales, and Tupperware became a household name. Women were given the opportunity to make their own money selling these useful products through networking family and friends.  They learned sales techniques and party games and knew that if they needed help, the Tupperware sales community had their backs.  Those invited to these parties had fun, refreshments, and the occasion to earn prizes for themselves and the hostess.  The ladies demonstrating the products received good money and incentives to attain goals for additional rewards.

  

  Did I personally attend any of these parties?  Yes, I was dragged to a few of them and have to admit they were fun.  1968 was my year of Tupperware overload.  Jerry and I were getting married and my mother attended a party along with one of my aunts, intent on supplying us with items necessary for a happy life together.  I was gifted with a plethora of products, some of which I still use like my canister set and juice pitchers; I think I still have a Jell-O mold as well. Oh yeah, some large cupcake holders are in the basement along with a cereal keeper that’s missing the top.  I do miss the plastic stick that I won as a prize that was used to clean the grooves in the Wonder Bowl covers.

  I do hope something can happen to keep Tupperware going. We’ve lost so many things that were  important to us when we were young.  Mini skirts.  The Beatles.  Movie theaters that charged less than a dollar admission.  Jell-O.  I say that only because it was a safe place to put pineapple and cottage cheese and it was fun to watch it wiggle. 

  

  Perhaps a number of us have lost faith in the future.  We look ahead and only see an unstable economy, the beginnings of a new Cold War, and increasing violence on the streets and in schools; sometimes it’s hard to find the bright side of life. Life in the heyday of Tupperware wasn’t perfect; no time in history was.  But, so many families all across the world knew that if you put your leftovers in a Tupperware container and pushed down on the lid, the burp you heard gave you confidence that the food would be safe in the fridge for another meal, another day. Maybe there’s still hope for the future if we just hang on.

BTW  Brownie Wise would be fired from the company in 1958.  Mr. Tupper was selling the company to Rexall and was afraid her agressive sales techniques might disrupt the sale.  

Sharon

United We Stand, Divided We Fall

These words have been spoken by many orators over the years, some say as far back as the ancient Greek storyteller, Aesop, (c620–564 BC) and by Benjamin Franklin and, President Abraham Lincoln. They can be found in the New Testament as well as lyrics from a patriotic song from 1776.  I mean can you think of any more intelligent advice!  Perhaps the only other pieces of advice that come close would be to “Look before you leap”, or “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket”.  It’s hard to imagine how something so simple to understand has become so completely ignored.  

Maybe this is too simplified but, picture today’s situation as a game of Jenga.  All the pieces are organized in a manner that creates a stable structure, then the game begins.  A single wooden game piece is pulled from the tower of blocks and, other than a gap in the structure, the tower looks to be just as sturdy.  Then another piece is pulled out, then another.  The tower looks a little less structurally sound but still stands. Eventually, after more pieces are removed, the tower starts to sway.  Even by slowly and carefully removing the next few pieces, it’s evident that the tower is near collapse.  Which player will be the one to bring it down? Which piece is in that strategic spot that holds the tower’s last chance at stability, permanence?  

Unfortunately, life is not a game that, win or lose, can be put back in the box and returned to the shelf.  Our country as well as many others have been suffering from structural erosion over the years.   We are led to believe parts of our history need to be revised or forgotten.  Anger and mistrust run rampant.  Our money is being spent by our government on ridiculous projects at the expense of necessary ones.  Excuses have replaced common sense. So many people have become “special” and no longer have to play by the rules. Information from media sources is biased or filled with misinformation and, personalities who have no more knowledge of a situation than we do want us to believe that they know best. Yes, you have to right to say what you want but accept the fact that you also have to take responsibility for your words. 

Yes, America is not perfect but tell me of any place that is?  Instead of whining about it, try to make it better.  Don’t find excuses as to why you can’t achieve your goals, just try harder.  People haven’t traveled to this country to find excuses for failure; they came here to do better for themselves and their families and many have. It is still the land of opportunity for those who want to work.   If you want everything for nothing, things may not work out so well.  If you find that you don’t fit in with what this country stands for or that you are offended by certain words and beliefs, I am sorry.  Most of us do try to take into account people’s backgrounds and differences when dealing with them and try to stay polite and respectful but we are not ready to accept the fact that we should be ashamed of our country and our patriots and, our first responders.   

Our schools should not be asked to “dumb down” at the expense of our gifted or to teach our children edited history.  The people placed in government offices at all levels have lost control by catering to certain groups while ignoring others.  Everyone wants a piece of the action and nobody wants the responsibility.  

If you are one of those people who would rather have your own way and refuse to use common sense or if you hate this country and have no respect for its laws or flag, leave it.  If you hate living here, leave.  I’m sure there are plenty of places around the world that will be happy to have you.  You may have to dress differently or you may have to keep identification paper with you at all times.  Maybe you won’t have internet or electricity twenty-four hours a day or convenience stores nearby.  You might get good healthcare but your taxes might be higher or the waiting list longer. Those in charge may like your progressive ideas or, maybe not. I’m sure life will be wonderful wherever you choose to go.  Just GO. 

After two hundred and fifty years, the United States shows a little wear and tear; some cracks are showing and a few holes can be seen but it is still standing tall.  When this country was new our founding fathers did the best job they knew how to create a government to withstand the rigors of time.  Undoubtedly, they couldn’t have imagined the future, such as it is, but they tried. They argued and threw hissy fits and stormed off in a huff but then put aside their differences and came together to listen to one another’s suggestions, work out a compromise and to the best of their ability, come up with what would be best for the new nation as a whole.   

We have become a diverse country.  Diversity is beneficial for all of us.  Diversity can work at melding all of our views, to help unite us.  What we don’t need are those that insist on only their way or the highway.  When you get to your new “perfect country” send us a postcard and let us know how it works out!  We will be here standing straight and tall! 

Sharon