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It’s only words, and words are all I have, to take your heart away. . . .*

by Jane Goodwin | Jan 24, 2013 | Education, General, Jane's Life, Writing | 1 Comment

Time Machine Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is?” –Frank

I’ve always liked that quotation. I also believe it is absolutely true. I think about it whenever I’m feeling particularly cowardly. It helps me overcome it. Words help me overcome it.

I’ve always stood in awe before the power of words.

With words, simple words, we can delve into the past and the future, and all the various time blends that scientists must use big words to explain, but which writers can explain simply by using one or two of the helping verbs Ol’ Miz Roberts made us memorize back in seventh grade.

Time machines in stories show the blending of times with numerals and fast-motion, whipping past the window of the machine, or by numbers going backwards or forwards on a dial.

Writers just use a helping verb or two.

Scientists discuss the concept of time, past time, present time, future time, using diagrams and equations and big, big words.

Writers just stick a “have” or “had” or a “will” in front of a plain old verb to show the same thing.

Past and future are the easiest to measure. They are also the easiest to understand, or comprehend.

“Already happened” and “not happened yet” are no biggie.

It’s the present that’s the most difficult to comprehend and measure, because even with all of our scientific knowledge, inventions, devices, equations, whatever, the present is too fleeting to measure. The actual ‘present’ is so fleeting, we can’t even realize it ourselves. By the time we do, it’s already gone. Blink, and it’s past. Breathe, and it’s past. Sit still; each beat of your heart is in the past, because by the time you are aware, it’s too late, it’s gone.

Look at your children. They’re in the present, sure, if you want to call it

that. Watch them sleeping. Each rise and fall of the covers is already part of the past. History. It’s already happened.

And it will never happen again. Not that particular breathe. Not that particular heartbeat. Watch them play; this moment will never come again. Every smile, every raised eyebrow, every missing tooth, every song. . . they’re all in the past before they’ve even finished in the present. Which is already past the very microsecond you comprehend it.

So often we say that we can’t WAIT for a particular phase or week or school year, etc, to be over with. Be careful what you wish, my dears. . . . When it’s gone, it’s gone.

The actual present can’t be measured, not by us, not yet. Use it carefully, for once you’re aware of it, it’s already part of your history.

And your history, and mine, are, of course, part of the history of mankind.

Ah, the power of words, that we can so clearly express the elements of time with just a few simple helping verbs.

I wondered about it. (simple past: one-shot deal, it’s over.)

For many years, I have wondered about it. (present perfect: I was wondering in the past and I’m STILL wondering. Two times are represented here, one in the past and one in the present.)

I had wondered about it before I said something. (past perfect: both actions are in the past, but one is more recent than the other. Two times are represented; both past.)I have always enjoyed teaching this concept, and with adult students, it’s even more awesome. I’ve had students weep, during this lesson.

Words are powerful. A pen in the hand is power. Magic. POWERFUL magic. Use words carefully, and properly. Choose them wisely.

Remember, there’s a big difference between a wise man and a wise guy. And which would you prefer: a day off or an off day?

*”Words” sung by the Bee Gees, written by Boyce & Hart

The Time Is Always Right To Do What Is Right – Martin Luther King, Jr.

by Jane Goodwin | Jan 21, 2013 | Education, Jane's Life, Writing | 19 Comments

Dr. Martin Luther King Mamacita says: Why is this day a holiday in most communities? (This community has only just recently started acknowledging MLK Day as a holiday; for years, none of our schools closed.) (They still don’t close for Veteran’s Day.)

However, intelligent, sensitive, educated people understand that today deserves respect because a man who dedicated his entire life to peaceful means of acquiring freedom for all people fully deserves to be recognized, and there are still, shamefully, communities that do not consider this of any importance. Making it a holiday forces people to look at his name on their calendar, if nothing else.

If he had advocated violence, it would have been different. Violence does not deserve recognition. If he had advocated “something for nothing,” it would have been different. Bums do not deserve recognition.

But Dr. Martin Luther King advocated equal rights for all people, not just for whites and not just for blacks and not just for whites & blacks. He dedicated his life to gaining equal rights for EVERYONE.

And I can’t help but listen to a speaker with such beautiful grammar. His grammar enhances his message.

May we all have this same dream.

Careful, grammatically-correct language and an almost poetic speaking style will always get my attention. It’s an assumption on my part, of course, but I associate good grammar with people who actually know what they’re talking about.

Martin Luther King, Jr. definitely knew what he was talking about, and he knew HOW to present it.

The Typical Southern Indiana Winter

by Jane Goodwin | Jan 10, 2013 | Jane's Life | 3 Comments

Mamacita says: If you don’t live anywhere around these parts, you might think this is some kind of joke. If you live in southern Indiana, you’ll know it for the truth that it states.

The Typical Southern Indiana Winter

@ +70 degrees
Texans turn on the heat and unpack the thermal
underwear. People
in Indiana go swimming in the Rivers.

@ +60 degrees
North Carolinians try to turn on the heat.
People in Indiana plant gardens.

@ +50 degrees
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Indiana sunbathe.

@ +40 degrees
Italian &English cars won’t start.
People in Indiana drive with the windows down.

@ +32 degrees
Distilled water freezes.
Wabash River water gets thicker.

@ +20 degrees
Floridians down coats, thermal underwear, gloves, and
woolly hats.
People in Indiana throw on a flannel shirt.

@ +15 degrees
Philadelphia landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Indiana have the last cookout before it
gets cold.

@ +10 degrees
People in Miami all die…
Hoosiers lick the flagpole.

@ -20 degrees
Californians fly away to Mexico.
People in Indiana get out their winter coats.

@ -40 degrees
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Indiana are selling cookies door
to door.

@ -60 degrees
Polar bears begin to evacuate the Arctic.
Indiana Boy Scouts postpone “Winter Survival” classes
until it gets cold enough.

@ -80 degrees
Mt. St. Helens freezes.
People in Indiana rent some videos.

@ -100 degrees
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Hoosiers get frustrated because they can’t thaw the
keg.

@ -297 degrees
Microbial life no longer survives in dairy products.
Cows in Indiana complain about farmers with cold hands.

@ -460 degrees
ALL atomic motion stops (absolute zero on the Kelvin
scale).
People in Indiana start saying, “Cold ’nuff for ya?”

AND

@ -500 degrees
Hell freezes over.
The Colts win the Super Bowl.

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