March and April, 2004
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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE: R.I.P. ORREL HANDY FROST (Nancy Murdock) Click CONGRATS!! (Terry Howlett) Click MULTICULTURALISM (Valerie Davidson) Click EMAIL FOR PAUL JR. (Paul Bisbee, Sr.) Click SAN DIEGO UPDATE (Christel Michelle Murdock) Click UPCOMING VACATION (Priscilla Januskiewicz) Click NEW EMAIL ADDRESSES (Angel Howlett) Click RENEWAL (Teddie Doane) Click ANIMAL BEHAVIOR (Gene Murdock) Click PURPLE KITTY SOCKS (Mer Murdock) Click Click here for Part 2. Part 2 NEW GRANDSON (Carl Martz) Click SILVER SNEAKERS (Tom Howlett) Click IN THE NEW HOUSE (Cindy Leskinen) Click MARS FLICKS (Darrel Murdock) Click GARDEN AND GROVE (Steve Howlett) Click IT MUST BE THE OATMEAL (Mer Murdock) Click DEATH IN THE FAMILY (Teddie Doane) Click MILD WINTER (Chris Estep) Click HEY, IT'S ME, NATT (Natalie Murdock) Click MY HUSBAND THE MARTIAN (Nancy Murdock) Click GOOD NEWS FOR PETE (Bob Murdock) Click IN HER MEMORY (Reported by Stephanie Chamberlain) Click |
Muse Editors, 1999  Nan's wall quilt: "Flights of Fancy" |
Terry Howlett, at a Howlett Reunion |
Terry Howlett I just wanted to congratulate Roy and Tami Murdock on quitting smoking. As a 2 pack a day, 44 year smoker who just passed her first year of being "smober", I know how difficult it was for them to quit. Two of my colleagues, who quit at approximately the same time as I did, have also made it. Having someone else know what you're going through always helps keep you on track. 2003 must have been a good year for giving things up. This year the demon I'm attacking is food. Wish me luck. I'll let you know how it goes. Happy New Year to you and all the Musers. |
Valerie Davidson |
Valerie Davidson Yes, it's a catch-phrase in educational circles. People like to orate on the topic: "Ah, yes, I support multiculturalism in my classroom, blah, blah, blah...." They don't necessarily have any solid ideas of how to educate the given ethnic array, but they think it's a really neat idea! The truth is, there looks to be a kind of cultural revolution going on, because I honestly believe that the 14- and 15-year-olds in my classes have a radically different view of each other's ethnicity than was the case 35 years ago when I was their age. However, this is a topic for the ages and cannot be easily summarized here. We're all flying by the seats of our pants on this one. But wait -- come to think of it, I had parents who were way, way ahead of their time! They were true multicultural thinkers, not just accomplished orators! Here is a partial list of the things I remember, lucky me: * We lived in Florida in a segregated neighborhood (pre-Civil Rights), next to the DeLoaches from Mississippi. I've never met more prejudiced white people than the ones from that state. Little blonde Lucy used to yell mean things at the African-American kids who rode their bikes through our neighborhood. Even at the age of five, I knew that was wrong and mean and never, ever, not once, became a part of that scene. Must have something to do with the way I was raised . . . * In Glen Burnie, I bet Mom was pretty thrilled when my best friend turned out to be the only Japanese child in our entire elementary school. Next thing you know, we were eating Sukiyaki and learning to use chopsticks, thanks to 9-year-old Judy teaching us. Oh, and I developed a life-long passion for those strange little rice crackers, which she brought along as a treat when we took our annual school trip to the Baltimore Symphony. By the way, Baltimore schools were still segregated, and I can remember sitting in the balcony looking down on the schools -- there's a white one, there's a black one ... I also enjoyed spending the night at Judy's house and being treated to a traditional Japanese meal with chopsticks and rice bowls. The whole family enjoyed my wonder and eagerness to participate in those exciting foreign rituals! * Then there was the year that we invited a couple of foreigners to enjoy a dinner with us. Was it Thanksgiving? One guy was Dutch, and the other was Costa Rican, I think. I had learned a few words of Spanish from my fourth-grade teacher, and I was trembling with excitement waiting for the moment when he would ask me (after first asking my younger siblings) how old I was. "Tengo nueve años," I said eagerly. He then delivered a rapid response in Spanish and I said "huh?" but otherwise it was great! * We moved to Minnesota and it turned out to be a homogenous white-people state (the 1970 census declared the state 98.2% Caucasian!!) -- so my multicultural parents decided it would be a good idea for us to belong to a North-Side church. Next thing you know, our extended family included African-Americans. As the whole Civil Rights thing heated up and everything started to change, my nice white friends were known to say things like, "I don't think I'm prejudiced, but I don't know any black people!" I remember Adrienne being a little put-out at having to call herself black: "I'm brown!" she said. * Then there was the exchange student, Feli, from Costa Rica, who lived with us my junior year in high school . . . and the young woman from Taiwan . . . and . . . . . . So, now that I'm a teacher in a multicultural classroom, when students in my rowdy 4th-period classroom try to call me a racist simply because I'm white, I can remain calm and help them deal with the special problems that they are growing up with, because . . . well, I know in my heart that I wasn't raised that way. Paul Bisbee, Sr. Hi Everyone. Our son Paul Jr. is leaving Fort Drum, NY to go overseas on the 28th of Feb. 2004. You can E-mail him at any time, here before he leaves or when he gets overseas. Wish him well: a safe trip over and a safe stay as well, and a safe trip back home. Paul will be overseas for about one year to a year and a half. I know he would appreciate hearing from family and friends back home. Paul's Address = biz.bisbee@us.army.mil. (All lower case.) We don't know what country he will be in. We will let you know as soon as possible. Yes, he has taken his Laptop Computer with him. |
Christel Michelle Murdock |
Christel Michelle Murdock I know it's been a while, but I finally got up the nerve to send an update. Lately, everything has been fairly rocky... I've been looking for a new job while maintaining my old one (Blockbuster), I have been trying to invest and get a condo in my area, and I have also been enjoying my (other) Grandmother's beautiful new Bedlington Pups. As far as the job goes, I found one! Or rather, one half found me and we sorta met in the middle. Adrienne, I'm sure you remember her, has been working at the Red Cross for a few years. She has been trying to get me to apply ever since I decided to move back to San Diego. I applied to a few jobs there, but heard nothing in several months until about a month ago when they called me back for an interview... and long story short... I got the job! This week, I started training for a hospital services position at the San Diego American Red Cross's Blood Bank. As a hospital services technician, I am responsible for taking and filling orders for blood products that come into my department, then either shipping them out or driving them to their respective locations. The training for this seamingly simple position is intensive, and I'm really enjoying it. I have completed the primary book training and will start riding along with fellow Hospital Services staff during my shift (swing shift: 3pm-11:30pm) on Wednesday. Almost everyone I have met has been incredibly friendly and I feel so good about the work I am setting out to do - helping save lives. My career will not end here, however (but who expected it to?). The Red Cross is an organization that I want to stick with for life, but I will be gradually working toward a professional position, such as public affairs or who knows? Maybe President (of the Red Cross, not the United States.. yet). If my performance is up to par, I will be eligible for advancement to another position in 6 months. As for the condo, I found a gorgeous little condo conversion in El Cajon. It is 1-bedroom, 700sq. feet. I have been in escrow, however, since December.. and I learned today that additional extensive construction must be made to meet inspection requirements on certain interior walls, so it will not be available until approximately June. Thus far, my closing date has been set back three times and I have been eagerly anticipating close. I think I will have to move out of my current living situation and get my own apartment or living space, but I am most likely going to stick with this condo... it's beautiful, it feels like me, it's in a safe area, and when compared to similar properties selling in the area, it is a bargain! Now, to the pups. It has been a long time since we've had the pitter-patter of teeny, tiny feet around and I am LOVING it. I am trying to talk Tiffany into wanting a Bedlington so we can take one into our home when we are finally able to get into El Cajon... it's going to take some work. Anyhow, I'm exhausted. I hope you are doing well and I miss you to pieces! Take good, good care of yourselves! Priscilla Januskiewicz Roy and I are trying to stay well before we leave on vacation March 9. Mum has been here for the month of February, but will go to Donna's in March. She is slowing down quite a bit and needs a lot more help because of the painful osteo-arthritis in her shoulder. I was wondering if an old family photo from 1907 was taken on Mother's Day, but the first observance was actually the following year, in May of 1908, after a great letter-writing campaign to ministers and others in 1907. Again, thanks for all your hard work on the Web pages. Angel Howlett Greetings from Palmer, MA. Chris, the girls, and I are doing great! I just wanted to let you and the other Musers know that Chris and I have new email address and to also revise our home address on the list as well. Angel's- jigsawpuzzled9496@yahoo.com Chris's- bm2cjhusn@yahoo.com Thanks for helping us with the revisions to our family info. [Ed. Note: We will include the new address in the next edition of the list.--NAM] Talk to you soon! Happy Valentine's Day! Teddie Doane Feb. 14: Just a quick note. I'm exhausted. I cooked a 25 pound turkey with all the fixins' today. Aunt Gerty Hakkila died yesterday, just weeks shy of her 95th birthday. She was such a wonderful lady. Tomorrow is our 30th weddding anniversary! Where does the time go? We're going to renew our vows. We asked Marion Lyon to perform the ceremony. This will be a first for her but she seemed almost as excited about it as I am! It will be just the three of us at her place. I will bring a camera and have her take a picture or two for posterity! and proof! |
Gene Murdock Muse Web Page |
Gene Murdock While looking for a new technique for putting myself to sleep a while ago I thought of trying to list the different ways we attribute animal behavior to ourselves. I was amazed at the number of ways we do it, and found it most entertaining and relaxing over a period of several nights. There are many examples for some animals like dog-gone, dog-tired, doghouse, dog days, etc. I shall, for the most part, just list one example for each animal and leave the rest for you. Each time he set the book down he dog-eared the page. Has the cat got your tongue? She sings like a canary! The line for tickets snaked its way down the street. As he described the incident he was parroting the words from a book. The detective was fishing for clues. That old lady is a real old cow! (A common phrase in England.) The boys were just horsing around when the lamp fell. He really pigged out at the food bar. She really got his goat when she mentioned his antics at the party. And she hen-pecked him all the way home. He felt like he was really in a rat race. The mouse for his computer worked without a cord. The Bobcat tractor climbed the hill on its caterpillar treads. The clerk waddled like a duck coming down the hall. The unsuspecting visitor got goosed in the elevator. The eagle-eyed hunter spotted the distant prey. Back in the cabin he crowed about his catch. Many sports teams choose an animal as their mascot as a symbol of their strength and agility. In professional football there are the Miami Dolphins, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Indianapolis Colts, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Denver Broncos, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions, the Atlanta Falcons, the Carolina Panthers, the Arizona Cardinals, the Seattle Seahawks, and the St. Louis Rams. Other teams in baseball, basketball and hockey also use animal names, but I’ll leave those to occupy your mind the next time you can’t get to sleep. Meri Murdock The arty, gorgeous Laurel Burch socks I got for Christmas are so precious to me, that I experience great stress on laundry day. Twice already I have had major panic attacks (and, yes, they do feel like heart attacks) while putting my clean laundry away, because I could not find one of my socks. By the way, it is very hard to hold the phone to talk to the 911 operator while wildly throwing clothes and sheets all over the room! I found the offical site online, but the store is being remodeled. |
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