Maury Hurt's Early Work

Dave and I have colds but today we got ourselves off the couch and down to the Mennello Art Museum to see works by our hometown treasures, Maury Hurt and Grady Kimsey.

Their work is terrific so go see it. Two very different styles.

But I was a little disappointed as well. In the 1970s Maury Hurt's mother was a good friend. A kind and gracious lady, she lived in a large home in downtown Orlando. In the entrance way, just inside the front door was a painting by her son, Maury.

There is no way to adequately express how much I loved that painting. I made excuses to go to her house just to look at the painting. It always moved me.

He did many similar paintings through the years. Always of interiors, always with a crystal ball of some sort. I loved them as well. They always made me want to cry. I could always transport myself in the middle of those rooms.

Then he changed his style. His later works are wonderful - but to me, they're not magical.

If you go to the Mennello for this exhibit - and I hope you do - look a the painting just inside the door. (Just like at his mom's house in the 70s.) It's an example of the old work.

And I spied crystal balls in some of the others today as well.


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Travel Tips

We just returned from our annual Christmas trip up north. Dave was with his family in Chicago and I was with mine in Atlanta.

The round trip in the car to Atlanta is a long one. But we've learned to listen to books on tape from the library.

This time we had copies of the old radio show "Suspense."

Tales calculated to keep you in...Suspense!

We heard Agnes Moorehead in "Sorry, Wrong Number." She was so irritating and whinny that I could almost understand why her husband wanted to bump her off.

Also heard Cary Grant, Vincent Price, Joseph Cotton, Orson Welles, Robert Taylor and Lucille Ball as a "dime a dance" gal in trouble.

As a kid these episodes would terrify me but now they're just fun.


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What Interested You This Year?

All of the year end stats are coming out about what we cared about, worried about and thought was "hot" in 2010.


Remember, this was the year of foreclosures, bankruptcies and the oil spill. Not to mention our country's dismal education record.


In the world's most recognized standardized test for 15-year-olds, the Pisa, Shanghai ranked # One. The U. S. ranked 17th in reading comprehension and 37th in math.


But even though we didn't care much about reading and math - one of the people who interested us the most in in U.S. in 2010 was Lady GaGa. So here's a test for you. Do you know what kind of beef was used in Lady GaGa's famous raw meat dress?


Answer: Flank steak!


If only that had been one of the questions on the Pisa test.








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Two Attitudes

Yesterday when I was in the car I heard a snippet of conversation on one of those hateful talk shows. This one out of Atlanta. They were discussing being able to legally shoot people who inter your home and threaten your safety. I was "OK" with the discussion although I don't believe I would shoot a person for any reason whatsoever.

Then the host said that he thought it should be legal to shoot and kill robbers who are not a physical threat but just trying to get away with your stuff. I was a bit distressed by this.

Later in the afternoon, again in the car, I heard a snippet from NPR (my favorite station.) A man (the victim) was telling this story.

A robber accosted him on the sidewalk, in the snow, and took his wallet. As the robber was taking off the victim said, "Why don't you come into the restaurant and have supper with me. If you're going to be doing this all night you need to eat something."

Dumbfounded, the robber went with him. They talked. (I can't remember what they said but it was rich.) I do remember that the waiter, the owner and the busboy all came by the table to talk with the two men. The robber was impressed. When the bill came the victim told the robber that he didn't have any money since his wallet had been stolen.

So the robber paid the bill and then gave the victim back his wallet.

The victim thanked the robber, gave him $20, and they went their separate ways.

I don't know if I would, at my age, still have the courage to do the above - but I hope I would.


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Maybe It's a Mars and Venus Thing

Did you read about the Wisconsin mailman who delivered the mail to an office worker who was "stressed" and needed cheering up?

Let's see, he could have taken her some cookies or he could have said "How are you doing?" and really listened to her answer. He could have said a little prayer for her or taken her some herbal tea.

But what he did was he delivered her mail naked. He said he just wanted to make her laugh.

Let's give the guy a break. Maybe his heart was in the right place. And, after all, (as Minnesotans would explain it) he's from Wisconsin.


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My Friend Jim

Like thousands of others, I call Jim Armstrong my friend. I first met him in 1959 when he was the brilliant and handsome young minister at the then great Broadway Methodist Church in Indianapolis. One Sunday I told him I was worried about my dad, a struggling and perpetually depressed artist, who operated a little dry cleaners called "Fine Art Cleaners" in the inner city. The day after I shared my concern Jim visited my dad at the dry cleaners.

Jim is old, even older than me. But he remains the smartest person I've ever known. And that's saying something because I'm surrounded by brilliance. He's also the most liberal person I know. And that's saying something as well.

Jim remains controversial. He's had a wild and crazy professional and personal life. He's been a United Methodist bishop, president of the National Council of Churches, a professor at Iliff and is currently a professor of Ethics and Philosophy at Rollins College. His graduate studies were in psychotherapy and he's spent a lifetime as a professional counselor.

He was one of the people who helped keep me sane during my husband, Ken's, long illness.

Do we agree on everything? Absolutely not. I almost gave him a stroke a couple of years ago when I told him I was voting for a local Republican. I have traditional Christian beliefs. He does not.

He has a new book out. I love it. You'll be reading quotes in this blog soon. He's full of wisdom.

The book is: Living & Dying With Purpose and Grace - Rider Green Book Publishers. You can find it on Amazon.

The forward to the book is written by one of Jim's other thousands of close friends, George McGovern:

...Jim Armstrong is not afraid to probe the depths of both religion and politics...he has toiled in a world of sin and virtue...I first heard Jim Armstrong more than forty years ago and believe he has been one of the most effective (speakers) of our time. His fluency and power have been a joy and inspiration to me and to thousands of others.

When Dave and I had dinner in Jim's home last week his beautiful wife, Sheri, prepared a beautiful meal. But the time before that when we ate in their home, Jim fixed the meal. That's kind of the essence of this man.

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Retirement Work

The title above sounds like an oxymoron. But many of my friends are doing inspiring things in retirement. I asked one the other evening about her volunteer work. She's a lovely, quiet, unassuming lady.

She started her career as a teacher. When she and her husband discovered that their daughter was deaf she went back to school for a degree in speech pathology and audiology and then spent the rest of her career in the public school system.

When she retired she did volunteer work in the hospital's thrift shop until it closed. Then what? Would she twiddle her thumbs?

She's at the hospital giving hearing tests to new born babies, some of them tiny preemies. We have the technology for this now. Wow.

Naturally, she needed many months of additional training for this volunteer job. I'm constantly amazed at what my friends are doing in retirement. What would we do without them?

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Cyber Self Diagnosis

Some doctors get really ticked off if you research your medical issue prior to your appointment - and arrive with opinions.

But the Internet has given us the ability to learn more than ever about our bodies. I'm not ready to take out my appendix but I did see a YouTube video recently on how to perform a vasectomy. It looked easy.

Seriously, stuff happens to us as we get older. In August my tongue started tingling and burning. I changed my diet, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss. No help.

Late in September, at my regular check up, the dentist found nothing wrong. In October my doctor found nothing wrong.

I was beside myself. Something WAS wrong. I finally found a web site that described my symptoms to a tee. It said there was no known cause and no cure but it happens to older people, usually lasts a few months and then goes away spontaneously.

That's exactly what happened. After four months of having my tongue on fire, it went away. But, in the meantime, what a relief to have that information.

I know absolutely that I prolonged my husband, Ken's, life by doing heavy Internet research on his condition. His doctors weren't one bit intimated. We were all on Ken's Health Team.


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Table Talk

We had lunch with my Oldies today.

They seemed so happy to see us but I honestly don't think Mr. Oldie knew who we were. Lunch conversation is getting harder and harder.

What would you talk about if you couldn't remember anything?

The last time we were there we teased Mr. Oldie about when he and his neighbor and fellow curmudgeon, Andy Rooney, lived in Connecticut, and rode into New York together on the train.

But now he doesn't remember the train, Connecticut or Andy Rooney.

When all of the memories go and we truly live in the moment, conversation suffers.

The two lunch choices were shrimp or Philly sandwiches. They didn't seem to know what either was and appeared to be overwhelmed when their Philly steak sandwiches arrived.

I'm so happy and grateful that they're safe and well cared for.

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Joy, Joy, Joy

I believe in the "perfectibility of human society" and have a confidence that humans can bring about the Kingdom of God. Heaven happens when people treat each other on earth as Jesus instructed - as brothers and sisters. - Reinhold Niebuhr

Last week I taught my Sunday school class. My two requests were:

Tell us about a time when you experienced a particular joy in your life.

Tell us about a time when you were aware of helping to provide joy to the lives of others.

Wow, what great responses ensued. The folks in my class are so positive and giving and open that the discussion was all that was needed to make my point.

One man said that he felt Joy the last time we fed the homeless together. I joked that, yeah, it is a joy except when you get stuck with serving the soup.

But I was just kidding. It's always a joy to help folks who need it.


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Is It a Myth?

As you probably have seen, American Atheist David Silverman has erected a billboard in New York of the Nativity with the headline "You Know It's a Myth."

H-E-Double Toothpicks has broken loose. The cable networks have gone crazy with it. A Catholic organization has erected a competing billboard on the other side of the street. Same Nativity but with the headline "You Know It's the Truth." When I saw a representative being interviewed he was hoppin' mad.

Is it a myth? Not for me it isn't. Well, some of the details of the birth story might be. The time line for those three Kings coming to the manger don't quite work out - but the basic story and the ultimate meaning of the story work just fine for me.

How do I react to Mr. Silverman's billboard? It makes me think and makes me reaffirm my faith.

How do I react to the wild, angry comments from Christian organizations and individuals around the country? I wish they'd read the Sermon on the Mount or at least a Christmas card or two that show Jesus as The Prince of Peace.

I wish they'd evidence a sense of humor and a little loving Christian tolerance and kindness.

You know, the way Jesus did.

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