Another New Year is suddenly upon us - so much has happened this past one...
12-5-17: 45,000
acres now burning in Southern California (Ventura); sparked just last night, it
exploded and has burned approximately one football-field-sized portion of land
every SECOND throughout the night!
Thousands of fire fighters, now battling this blaze. At this point, it is still “0% contained.” (Last I heard, the fire was only nearly 80% contained; it had burned over 500,000 acres and isn't expected to be under control until sometime after the new year.) "God bless All Those left homeless" Middle-ground Ministries YouTube Channel - best wishes for 2018.
CAUSALITY:
Everything that happens here has its origins in the past. Therefore, also, what we do today sets the
path for the future. ~unknown author
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So many famous people that I ‘grew up with’ died in
2017: Mary Tyler Moore, Bill Paxton,
Robert Guillaume, Sam Shepard, John Heard, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Don
Rickles, Dick Gregory, Jerry Lewis, Monty Hall, Chuck Barris, Glen Cambell,
Greg Allman, Chris Cornell, Hugh Hefner, ‘Sir’ Roger Moore, John Hillerman,
Della Reese, Jim Nabors, Martin Landau, Erin Morgan, David Cassidy, and Tom
Petty all died within this past year; and Actress Rose Marie (from the Dick Van Dyke
Show) just died this past Thursday at the age of 94.
Just this month...
12-4-17: Record HIGH temperature in Texas today… 84
degrees! Previous record, 83; turning
cold (50-35) for the next two or three days, and then warming up again.
Stock markets hit an ALL TIME HIGH today as well; credit
given to Trump.
UNBELIEVABLE! 12-5-2017: Today on “The
Today Show” they announced Time Magazines ‘Person of the Year’ – ‘The Silence
Breakers’ they are calling them… it is a tribute to the women, known and
unknown, who stepped forward to complain about sexual harassment in their workplace
(and they were many of them), which opened the door for the masses of women AND
men now coming forward to admit that they too had been sexually harassed or
even assaulted in the past; this phenomenon has spread across genres from
Hollywood producers to media moguls and large corporate executives to the
political ring. Megyn Kelly just asked
her audience, since we don’t have to be afraid anymore, if any of them had ever
been sexually harassed or assaulted, to stand up; THE ENTIRE ROOM STOOD
UP. Unbelievable. It’s time for this to STOP. #MeToo
(Personal Journal entry)
12-11-2017: I just got back from my second residency... five days in Dallas, on the campus, going to
classes 8am to 6 pm - exhausting, but, with my Velvet's assistance, I did
alright. Actually pretty good, really. The Associate Dean actually pulled me
out of a class to talk to me and said she has noticed such a difference in my
level of confidence and the way I was able to speak (for our table) in front of
the whole room for a little 'excercise' we did, and just the way I was
interacting with other people COMPARED TO the first Residency (a year and a
half ago). She said I hold a special place in her heart because I've spoken
about my social phobia and other mental illnesses and I'm willing to admit that
it is a part of WHO I AM. She even said she "loved" me! And I said,
"I love you too," short of sobbing.
Tears were slowly rolling down each cheek... it
was strangely awesome; she said, when I graduate, if she can arrange it, SHE
wants to be on that stage and wants to be the one who "hoods" me? I'm
not even sure what "hooding" is, but she said it is something special
for the Doctoral level graduates; a big honor, apparently. I was kind of awe
struck. Then she assured me I would still get credit for the class, and I
wasn't missing anything because I was ahead of most of the group in my courses
having already finished all of my 'research' courses - and this was a class on
Methodology. It was truly a neat experience, both frightening and exhilarating
at the same time. I don't know how else to explain it. I really can't believe,
myself, that in just under two years now I will actually BE a "Doctor of
Counseling, Psychology & Social Sciences" (Lol). My Degree is an
"EdD" however; because it is in the educational field. Qualified to
treat patients, of course; but my specialty is in Pastoral Counseling, however, just a
different type of degree than a PhD... same level, if that makes sense. Anyway,
things are getting better and better for us all the time (I sense I am 'on
track' with whatever this mission it is that I am on) and I KNOW things are
going to be good - every thing will work out, as it should.
12-11: Still so tired …. I may
have missed a few things outside today, though I did spend time out there. It was so pretty again; like 74 degrees
today – the wind was blowing steadily but softly. The boxes are starting to fill up the living room; we’re going to
have to make a trip to Kasey’s soon to take the gifts. The kids are going to freak out when they
see the size of them!
12-25: Had a lovely Christmas Eve and Christmas morning; the kids LOVED the beanbag chairs... Kasey posted all over Facebook that they were the biggest hit 'n a great idea, including pictures of the kids lounging/ sleeping all over them. Nice. COLD TODAY - omg! I think it actually hit freezing last night (apologies to those in the North/ Northeast... I know that seems mild to you).
We arent supposed to get above 40 degrees until January 2nd, according to my phone weather app; that sucks! The kritters are so cold, and when I go out to feed, I can't stand to stay out there and spend time with them so then I feel bad... but I come back in and stand in front of my heater.
12-30: COLD all week; COLD all over - they say there are at least 19 states affected by this deep freeze - weathermen are calling it an "Arctic Invasion." I hope it passes quickly!
12-31-2017: NEW YEAR'S EVE... !!! Be Safe Everybody! ~Dennel
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