Loose Leaf Notes: 13 Outside the Box

1. The World Health Organization ranked the U.S. health care system only 37th in the world. Nothing to sing about, but HE DID.

2. At the recent year celebration of the local literary magazine Floyd County Moonshine and tribute readings to the late poet Elliot Dabinisky, my friend Mara brought me a confusing gift: a plastic container with a shamrock and the name COLLEEN on the label. Below the name and shamrock it said “Strawberries Fraises” and something written in French. There were grapes inside.

3. After the reading, we stood on the loft at the BlackWater Loft overlooking town and saw some friends walking down below. I shouted down to them, “I really wanted to ping some grapes at you but I’m afraid it will stain the new sidewalk.” (The cement was newly poured for the renovation of the Station building and the new Farmer’s Market we’re getting in town.)

4. On a recent car trip with Bryce I realized that I couldn’t keep my eyes off him. Good thing Joe was driving. HERE.

5. Somehow in my mind, Kool-Aid and kaleidoscopes are related. I wonder if it has something to do with the book Electric Kool-aid Acid Test that I read in the 60’s.

6. People must like to give me fruit. On a recent interview for a story I was writing, I was gifted with a box of blueberries, which reminded me of Box of Rain, one of my all time favorite Grateful Dead songs.

7. It’s all a dream we dreamed one afternoon long ago… Phil Lesh wrote the song when his father was dying and although Robert Hunter, who wrote the lyrics, says that “Box of Rain” refers to the world we live on and that he came up with the phrase because “ball of rain” didn’t sound as good, I think the man in THIS video got the meaning right: It’s something you can’t hold on to for very long.

8. On the same day I posted my commentary about right wing extremists comparing Obama to Hitler and generally spreading lies to de-legitimize him and kill health care reform, I received THIS.

9. Wow. I just found out that all THESE Irish people are my relatives. They found me through this blog! (Through THIS post, to be exact.)

10. When I image googled "Think Outside the Box," I got THIS, and even better THIS.

11. I bet it’s hard for people who work in cubicles to think outside the box.

12. Sometimes when I’m bored I jump in the magnetic poetry sandbox and play with others HERE.

13. Written by me on a scrap of paper that I found on my desk this morning: Say what you mean and mean what you say but don’t say it mean.

More playing 13 on Thursday HERE.

Comments

Ha! Yeah, it's getting harder and harder for any of us to think outside the cubicles. This sounds like a Dilbert cartoon. Happy TT!

Posted by: Brenda | September 16, 2009 10:21 PM

Nice T13 post..Thanks for sharing. Mine is weird this week...

Posted by: life's journey | September 16, 2009 10:57 PM

After reading #12, I was expecting a link to Magneticpoetry.com, but your letter site is pretty cool too!

Posted by: Heather | September 17, 2009 12:16 AM

Your list are always so interestiung and fun. This one is no exception! Happy TT!

Posted by: kandyblossom | September 17, 2009 12:51 AM

Cool picture!
I get daily quotes in my email....the parallel with your scribbled note is kinda freaky.

"It is not what you say that matters but the manner in which you say it; there lies the secret of the ages"
-
William Carlos Williams (1883-1963) US poet

Posted by: Emily Kaylor | September 17, 2009 1:48 AM

Hahahaha, love that last quote #13. I'm going to quote it sometime! Thanks for the inspiration :o)

Posted by: teahouseblossom | September 17, 2009 3:17 AM

Love and will try to remember #13!

Posted by: june | September 17, 2009 7:48 AM

I really found the video interesting in #8, it made me very sad to think of it that way. Joe P.has a huge bill when he got sick and had no insurance, he still has none??!!
PS Say what you mean (to say)...........reminds me of the John Mayer song! He repeats those words over and over again. Maybe he is saying this in the song, all I hear is that. xox

Posted by: Sherry | September 17, 2009 7:54 AM

Box of rain oh I love that

Posted by: sandy | September 17, 2009 8:02 AM

I enjoyed reading this. I especially like #13; people are so very mean these days, I think we all need a reminder to be nice.

Posted by: CountryDew | September 17, 2009 8:21 AM

Oh, I wrote the 'say what you mean but don't say it mean' line. I guess I wasn't clear and will change it. I think it came from when I was playing around with answering machine messages. Mine now says: You've reached Joe and Colleen. After the beep, say what you mean.

I love that whole John Mayer album and found that health care video very touching too. The power$ that be don't want things to change and they are spreading fear and lies.

Posted by: colleen | September 17, 2009 9:14 AM

Had to laugh about the Health care song ! I sent the link to my friend in the UK because there the system is good but only in theory. Hospitals are so crowded that they have to send people over to France and Belgium ! We here in Belgium are rather spoiled with the health care system I wonder on what the World Health Organization based their findings ! That there is no healthcare in the States I realized when my aunt had a generalized cancer and I went over to look after her ! and she had a private insurance ! It was a nigthtmare for me !

Posted by: Gattina | September 17, 2009 9:47 AM

#1 just a reminder that insurance companies are mostly run according to government standards/laws.

happy tt!

Posted by: she | September 17, 2009 10:24 AM

Your new relatives look like nice people!!

Posted by: kenju | September 17, 2009 10:52 AM

Very thought provoking 13, wonderful, I'd like to comment on them all. We might be related! My mother is a Murray, from Ireland, but what really struck me looking at the picture was that many had that strong chin, always called the "Murray chin" in my family.

Posted by: chris | September 17, 2009 11:03 AM

Wow Chris! What part of Ireland were your Murray's from? How far back can you trace them?

she, I believe the financial industry is run by government standards too and look what a mess they caused.

Posted by: colleen | September 17, 2009 11:16 AM

I think #13 is an excellent motto. Happy TT.

Posted by: J. Lynne | September 17, 2009 1:41 PM

For some reason, I cannot even imagine you saying anything in a mean way!! You seem way to kind.

Me, on the other hand. I can get pretty mean, it's a big flaw of my personality... I keep working on it though!

Posted by: Poe | September 17, 2009 2:17 PM

I'm never mean but sometimes I'm blunt and tactless, not on purpose.

Posted by: Colleen | September 17, 2009 2:35 PM

I loved this part of your family's post:

"Michael Murray , The Strand, Youghal is almost 94 years of age and is the head of the Murray clan at present. Michael more than stayed the course on Sunday evening and was, in fact, one of the last to leave the Red Store, well into the wee early hours of the morning."

Now that's a relative to be proud of ;0)

Posted by: Bumbles | September 17, 2009 6:07 PM

Great video at #1. I've posted it to my Facebook page.

Posted by: Nicholas | September 17, 2009 7:34 PM

I love #13 :-)

Posted by: Janet | September 17, 2009 7:48 PM

I also have Bergin and Dineen relatives in Ireland but don't know where or who they are.

Posted by: colleen | September 17, 2009 9:29 PM

No.12 sounds like something I would wanna do :)

13 signs he's not into you

Posted by: AD | September 18, 2009 4:06 AM

#11 was funny! Thanks I needed that.