Sherrie Miranda's Blog, page 167
December 22, 2015
5 Great Reasons To Become A Writer
“No. 4 Thick skin” is the most true for me. I used to cry over EVERYTHING! Now, I am learning (slow, but sure!) not to even let people know how I feel when they make a negative comment! I have amazed myself at how good I’m getting at it!
If these don’t make you want to write your story, you probably aren’t meant to write it! ;-)
Peace, love & happy writing to all,
Sherrie
What Derek says here is hilarious, but at the same time, also very true…
December 21, 2015
Monday Funnies
Considering I slept til 9:00 & did the dishes & watered the plants, then ate breakfast, I think I’m doing pretty good getting this up before noon! Thanks again, Chris, for making Mondays the best that they can be! You are my hero! ;-)
Peace, love & laughter for all,
Sherrie
Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog
Yule cookie – Grandpa’s Shortbread
Thanks, Druidess! Must be really special if it’s from your great grandpa! Did he do a lot of cooking? Or maybe just baking?
I used to bake a lot when I was young, and am now getting back into it again. (My hubby keeps the thermostat low so baking serves 2 purposes!)
As far as using margarine, that would be a crime against humanity too! I read an article about how they made it to fatten up turkeys, so when it killed the turkeys, they convinced the FDA to let them sell it to people! Not only that, but the FDA let them convince people through their ads that it was better for them THAN BUTTER! Luckily I was in that 25 year time period when I thought that it was fat that made us FAT, so I never bought the stuff!
Of course, now I know a bit better and have even read that butter helps the body absorb nutrients, so I do partake every now and then.
This would be a perfect time to try a great recipe from it’s place of origin! ;-)
Peace, love & good food for all,
Sherrie
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
Adventures and Musings of an Arch Druidess
For anyone’s holiday pleasure that wants to make it, here is my great-grandfather’s Scottish Shortbread recipe.
1 lb of flour, preferably unbleached, this equals 4 cups
1 lb of butter and don’t you dare use margarine! That would be a crime!
¼ lb of brown sugar but I cheat and use a loosely packed cup which is more than a ¼ lb.
Cut a large rectangle of brown paper out of a paper bag and put it aside.
Combine all 3 ingredients by hand, no cheating with a mixer! Until it is a smooth, well mixed ball of dough.
Pat out flat on the brown paper about ½ inch thick. Prick with fork to break apart later or don’t and just break it into bits when done.
Place in 350 degree oven for around 15 minutes or until light tan. Do not slip a pan underneath. Just put the paper…
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December 19, 2015
The FBI Has Been Watching Those of Us Who Protest in the US for Decades!
I had originally written this on Derek’s post, but since it’s closed for comments, I decided to repost it on my site.
Hello Derek,
I am not sure what country you are from (I’ve since figured out that Derek is from Great Britain), but I can tell you that activists in the U.S. have been watched for years, decades! Have you ever heard of COINTELPRO?
Well, in the 80s, when I lived in New Orleans, we protested the wars in Central America. We weren’t just being watched, we were being infiltrated. At the time, I thought that my boyfriend (who later became my husband and then my ex), was surely being totally paranoid, covering his face with a large bandana whenever the media showed up.
Later we were made aware that we had an infiltrator, probably not the first, but this one was so obvious, because he gave his name as the brother of a Salvadoran in the group. This caused the group, in their naiveté, to tell him stuff about the member who “happened” to have the same last name and a brother with the same first name.
There were probably other infiltrators, but they would say that they came for the women. It seems that the politically active woman had a reputation of being “looser” than other women.
There were also phone calls when we had speakers come from Central America. They named names and threatened members’ lives.
Two of our members were visited by the FBI. One was an American citizen though her two twin sisters were working for the Sandinista government. The other one was a Salvadoran whose visa had run out when he stopped taking classes at the university that brought him there.
There were also Cubans doing a small counter demonstration every time we had an anti-war demonstration. They were allowed to have their signs on poles that had been sharpened so they could use them as a weapon. We, on the other hand, were warned that we would be arrested if we carried anything that looked like a weapon.
Then, one day, one of our members got hold of his FBI file. Most of it was blacked out, but the few words and sentences we could read were total lies. They said he was an alcoholic, though he drank one to two beers a day. They also said he was a womanizer, sleeping with all kinds of women, when, in fact, despite not having a girlfriend, he never came on to any of the women and we never knew of any that went home with him for the night.
About fifteen years after this incident, I got a postcard from the Freedom of Information Act saying I could get a copy of my file for $25. I have no idea why I didn’t order it. If it WAS filled with blacked-out lines, it would still have been interesting to see what was there and how much was the truth.
Back then (in the 90s), it was said that one in four Americans have FBI files. I can’t help but wonder how high that ratio is today. My guess would be much higher. The protests are larger and more often. The issues are often local rather than about issues in other countries or even other parts of this country.
Anyway, my friend, my suspicion is that people actually do care more about that bloody dog than that bloodied person. From what I can see, we have become numb to human suffering. It is faked in so many TV shows and movies that people feel they’ve seen everything. With PETA around, making sure that the world knows when animals are mistreated, people think about their own pets and are outraged. We need a PETH so that the world starts calling for the ethical treatment of humans and people start thinking about their family and friends whenever they see a bloodied and tortured human being.
Sherrie
Do you know a/b my debut novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador”? A young American woman goes to war-torn El Salvador: http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
My husband made a video for my novel. He wrote the song too:
Going down to Vietnam, gonna have myself a time!
Ana, be sure to let us know how your trip goes, what kind of food you ate, as well as any other details you think are fit to print.
I am hoping to someday put together an anti-war anthology. When I was getting my MFA in Creative Writing, I put together an Introduction and story list with descriptions of each story, several of them were from the point of view of the Vietnamese soldier. At that time, I discovered that THEY called the Viet Nam War, the “American War.” Makes sense once you think about it.
Anyway, I hope every part of your trip is great!
Peace, love & harmony,
Sherrie
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/P11Ch5chkAc?version=3&rel=1&fs=1&autohide=2&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&wmode=transparent
By the time you read this here stream of consciousness, I will be on a plane or perhaps already in the exotic far-away lands. Vietnam feels like an odd choice for our pre-honeymoon, at least for me – having spent half of my life in the Soviet Union, and the other half in the US, I’m used to the stories about Vietnam being all about “smell of napalm in the morning” and “Charlies in the trees”. That was half a century ago, though, so things have changed – I’m going to spend two-and-a-half weeks in the lap of luxury, eating awesome cheap food and getting awesome cheap massages.
I’m hoping for an easy trip with aghm, a very budget airline…and that I don’t freak out the way I sometimes do, when it suddenly occurs to me just how ridiculous it is to be hurtling through the air in a sardine can…
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December 18, 2015
…And the Wisdom to know the Difference…
Wow, Rob, I can’t believe how much we think alike! Is it because of our “Artist’s Mindset”? Or could I actually believe beyond Hope that the majority of the people in the world have a similar belief system?!
I will choose the latter, in the hope that we really can all “learn to get along.”
Thank you so much for this amazing post! ;-)
Peace, love & equality for all,
Sherrie
Sherrie Miranda's historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
The title is from the Serenity Prayer.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, change the things can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
God Grant me serenity and wisdom.
Ten things I cannot change:
1. I cannot change my age or other people’s perceptions of it. I did not create the ageist attitudes that afflict this culture but I can change the way I respond to it. I don’t have to believe that growing older is a tragic personal failure.
2. I cannot change the political choices made by my countrymen. But I don’t have to be silent when I believe those choices are destructive and wrong. I can work with other people to enact a political agenda that is more consistent with my beliefs.
3. I cannot change the actions of the first European settlers to North America. I cannot change…
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Changing the Story
We all have these family stories and legacies. Hopefully, Reblogging this will get us all thinking about what we inherited from our family in the areas of caring, giving & getting affection, and reacting to other’s needs.
My own history and legacy is a complex one, one that involves my parents getting paid when we were sick, me being the main one to help get them the money (by learning how to pretend I was sick) and other things like there not being enough attention to go round.
Life is full of ups & downs and learning & unlearning, of getting & giving attention, and knowing when & who to ask for attention. Hopefully, in the long run, we learn to get attention for the accomplishments we made, rather than getting sick to get it. Hopefully, we learn to do that before we get sick one too many times, and find ourselves dying when we hadn’t REALLY wanted to.
Please, don’t ask me to explain. Just heed my warning.
Peace, love & health to all,
Sherrie
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
When my nurse practitioner told me on Monday that she was treating me for pneumonia, I felt an inordinate amount of satisfaction. Smug, even. And at the same time, I was angry and resentful that my friends and family weren’t rallying around me. When I stopped to look at all that head-ichor, it felt contradictory and very, very old.
We’ve been exploring ancestry in our UU study groups—how ancestors may differ from relatives, how we receive transmissions and transfer them on to the next generation, how we are given gifts and responsibilities. With that in the back of my mind, I began to see my reactions to illness and support as a transmission. They are as much traditions in my family as oyster stew on Christmas Eve.
The only time we could count on our mom giving us positive attention was when we were sick. She touched us with care. She looked at…
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Best Crowdfunding Site? “Crimes & Impunity in New Orleans” needs help to get finished & published!
Does anyone have an opinion about which crowdfunding site is best?
Crowd:it? (might be spelled wrong)
Kickstarter (I used this & am pretty sure I don’t want to use it again – not for a book with no pictures)
Crowdrise?
GoFundMe?
Fundly?
RocketHub?
Indiegogo? Right now, I am leaning toward this one. They don’t usually have videos.
I am thinking of getting the cover art done so I can post it with the campaign.
If you think one is best, please tell me why.
If you know of one that isn’t mentioned here, please tell me about it & why you think it works.
Thanks to all of you!
Peace, love & Art for the masses,
Sherrie Miranda
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
December 17, 2015
5 Great Movies to find time to see!
I wish it were easier these days to find movies after they have left the theaters. Even on Netflix, they only list the movies that WON the Oscar, not the ones that were nominated. Sometimes the nominated movie is better than the one that actually won (as was the case for one of the most gorgeous movies ever made, “Atonement.”-I won’t bore you with the movie that won that year.)
These are in no particular order, just films that my husband and i have seen recently and enjoyed. 1) “No Escape” takes place in a fictional Asian country with an American businessman (Owen Wilson, who I must say, every time I see this guy, I love him more) is coming with his family to live while they somehow improve the people’s water. But they land right smack into a political uprising. There may be a subtext here about how a company’s employees go in thinking they’re helping, but they may not be helping the people, only the rich & powerful. That’s definitely how I saw it!
2) “The Prophet” is an animated film, though not recommended for kids, UNLESS they have been allowed to experience the death of a loved one. Kahil Gibran’s story of a writer who is imprisoned by a dictator, comes to life with beautiful scenes that go into Fantasia-style/hippie scenes. Although the ending is sad, there is hope, when the little girl and her mother that came to love the prophet, see his ghost flying away.
3) “The Judge” is a bit older movie that, once again, I missed because it wasn’t a “top of the charts” movie. Robert Downey Jr. plays an attorney who goes home to discover his father (Robert Duvall), who is the town judge, has been arrested for a murder. The son decides he has to help his dad, but Dad wants some other lawyer, any lawyer, rather than have his own son. This is one of those tear-jerker films if you are like me and get all sentimental about father/son stories. (I have no idea why I am like that since I am a daughter who is very close to my dad, but hey, it is what it is.)
4)” The Grand Budapest Hotel” is a gorgeous movie about a hotel owner and the Indian boy that helps him keep the hotel running. It is funny and political, and heartbreaking as it takes place during the Nazi invasion of Europe. All I can say is it will leave it’s mark; it is not a film you will easily forget.
5) “Bridge of Spies” has gotten a lot of attention, but it’s hard to tell from the ads what it’s about. All I can say is it shows how everyday people get caught up in the world’s BS, and sometimes things actually work out. Tom Hanks is the star, of course, playing an everyday insurance investigator who gets in over his head. But he’s the kind of guy (like many Americans & people all over the world) who is only going to do his best. Nothing else will do! And he does! The film is as visually beautiful as the story. Best movie I’ve seen in a while!
I could write a lot more about all of these movies, but then I would have to do a separate post for each one. And who knows when I would get around to that!
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Give the gift of Love & Spirituality! “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is an anti-war story with a spiritual message & a message about the power of LOVE!
If you need some gifts for some readers, this is a book that has a spiritual message, as well as a message about family and the power of love!
Sherrie Miranda’s historically based, coming of age, Adventure novel “Secrets & Lies in El Salvador” is about an American girl in war-torn El Salvador:
http://tinyurl.com/klxbt4y
Her husband made a video for her novel. He wrote the song too:
