Maine

This is the feel of Maine! I love that I just steal someone else's picture...

:-)

Happiness means letting go of things
outside of your control.
It means forging new levels of patience.
And new methods for coping.

Happiness means being grateful
for what blessingsyou have.
Not demanding that they be
tailor-made to your wishes.

Happiness means accepting life as it is.
And stepping forward with
hope for tomorrow--

And yesterday--
And today.

Hope that tomorrow will find growth.
Yesterday, meaning.
And today________________________________.
(FILL IN THE BLANK)



Written on July 7, 2010

Grammie's Stories

As I am spending time in Maine with my grandparents, my life consists of several things, some outdoors and some in. My mom and I are biking a lot along the coast. I did Pilates this morning when I woke up, and then lazily read for a while, watched a movie, did laundry, went rock searching and so on. My rock collection is growing. Since there is nothing else to be doing with my time, why not collect rocks? Seems a good use of the plenty of time I have.

I have also been asking my grandmother about her parents and about her life as well. I have learned the most random things. For instance, when she was applying for jobs, after graduating from college, she said that she couldn’t find a job as a chemist. First of all as background information, when Grammie was in high school, she took physics, which girls just did not do in her day. She was one of two girls to take the class. It comes as no surprise, even after the Rosies changed the workforce, that in the 1940s, women were not allowed to be chemists. Except to wash the bottles and such as she pointed out. Also, one job listed the requirement that she not become pregnant for five years. She obviously refused since my uncle was born. These were interesting facts. To realize that in my grandmother’s lifetime, women did not have the opportunities that they have today. I have often said that I am tired of the feminist criticism that is debated in my English classes, and I still maintain that they are overly discussed at this point, but my grandmother lived through the injustice.

She went to a women’s college, a part of Rutger’s University in New Jersey, where curfew was 7:00 p.m. If she wasn’t in her dormitory by that time, the doors were locked, and the girls had to find a watchman to let them in and rebuke them. When I asked her if he was harsh in the scolding, she said she didn’t know because she never did it. She never got in trouble. I asked her if being in by 7:00 p.m. was hard, to which she said, “no! I was sixteen years old! Where was I going to be?” I also asked her how life was during the War, but she said that she didn’t notice. “I was in college. When you’re in college, you’re in your own little world.” I loved that. Men were not supposed to visit the girls. Not even her brother could come without special permission. She remarked that nowadays, colleges have no regulations. (I thought, BYU does). But I am grateful that curfew is not at 7:00 p.m.

Her mother, my great-grandmother Anna Charlotte, apparently lied to her husband and the government about her age. She didn’t want to be two years older than him so she said that she was born in 1895 on government documents to youthen up. But Grammie found her birth certificate and uncovered the secret. She said that she didn’t think that her father ever knew that she lied. Sounds like a womanly thing to do. I really laughed at this bit.

And my great-grandfather, Howard Skyler Mahany, obviously liked tourism because rather than regular industry. He came over from Ireland when he was eighteen. As an entrepreneur, he owned an excursion boating company that ran up and down the Hudson River and an excursion bus industry.


Grandpa Quotes

I usually write with a pen and paper.
Cell phones. Biggest waste of time.
Why do you keep music on your computer?
Well, where is your IPOD?

NYC--From the Sky

We just flew into an airport in New York City on our way to Maine. Normally on an airplane, my nose is locked into a book, and not even in landing do my eyes leave the pages. But not this time.

At a side glance I noticed a bridge crossing a waterway, and since I'm obsessed with any body of water, I immediately stated examining the metal connection cords, the cars crossing it, and then, whoosh! It was gone, severed from my sight by a curtain of cloud. After a few seconds, the next scene flashed--blocks of buildings that reminded me of legos, locked in side by side, slued to each others sides. I couldn't tell from the air whether they were homes or apartment buildings.

Flash. The clouds again. Till I noticed a grouping of skyscrapers, scraping the haze of the city ceiling. As I glanced back, seeing more water and bridges, I saw the Statue of Liberty. I jerked in recognition and immediately searched for Ellis Island. It was so cool. Bridges. Buildings. Sandwiched Houses. Clouds creating snapshots. Soccer Fields. And the Wide Expanse of Population. So Much Humanity Built Into Once Space.

I thought of Milena, my friend from high school. I don't know if she's here or traveling abroad. But in NYC, there are thousands of families, thousands of people. The cemetery is heavily populated and condensed just like its city. The brick expanse of suburb surrounds the glassy tall buildings that make up the capitol.

I thought to myself, "where would the Twin Towers have been?" I remembered not even knowing of them until my freshman year on September 11, 2001. I'm sure that New Yorkers do not say the same.

The clouds were such great breakers. They broke up the details and let me absorb little things--organizing my thoughts and reactions to the Big Apple, as seen from the sky.

A Rock Collection

Well, Elizabeth Bennett asked, “what are men compared to rocks and mountains?” Well, men are still important to me, but I still think that rocks are important too. While we were in South Carolina, I collected little white rocks along the crabbing shoreline. Here in Maine, I found black and checkered rocks to match them. If I like them once I put them together, then I am going to make a rock bowl centerpiece or something, representing both of my grandmothers: one from South Carolina and the other from Maine. I hope there pretty physically, and not just in theory.

Monopoly- Children Learning About Life

Playing Monopoly with children is a different type of Monopoly. My perspective completely changed because rather than care about the game itself, like my normal competitive self, I couldn't pay attention to it because I was laughing so hard at the things my niece and nephews would say and the faces they would make.

For example, after examining the prices of mansions and such, Twelve year old Isaac said, "I don't want to be a grown-up anymore. It's confusing." That comment was soon followed with "I love this game" by eight year old Ben, who was collecting $150 from Isaac. Miss Grace, at only ten years old, raked in the do. Everyone seemed to be paying the Queen for her lucky properties. Yet, even with more than $3,000 in hand, she would exclaim, "What?! $100!" if she had to pay someone. Ben retorted, "Grace, that's nothing!" PopPop (the Grandpa) said while laughing, "you all like this game when you're the one collecting..." Ben said, "This game is all about money." Isaac and Grace chimed, "Exactly." Then, as Isaac held out his hands while I payed him for his mansions, he said, "now, I want to be a grown-up again." PopPop was right.

They skirted past my properties of course, meaning that I lost to children. Yet, I don't take it to heart, considering that I orchestrated most of Grace's trades and building; therefore, I guided her to victory. But hey, I can't have my family losing at Monopoly when I'm not around--got to train them well.

At the beginning of the end of the game, Ben, with $2 in hand, said, "I'm broke." As did Isaac and I as we gracefully lost, while Grace squealed in delight of her victory. She closed the game by saying, "I wish this was real life," all property on her side, mansions and houses galore, and wads of $500 currency. Yeah well, I bet she does. Do Ben, Isaac, and I? I think not!

family quotes

"you can go to hell for lying just like for stealin' chickens." Emma to Dad. (She was repeating his quote that he obviously reminds her of quite often.

"We have two days left. Two days left of awesomeness!" Grace Snider

Feliz Dia de Independcia!

Happy Fourth of July.

Well, a few weeks ago, Hillary and David's mother asked me whether or not we were going to root for the U.S. team or Brazil and Argentina. Well, it made me think about my patriotism. When it comes to soccer, I think I'll swing south, but as for all other sports and things, I'm all for the United States of America. I love that I had to seriously think about this though.

Today at church, we sang patriotic songs for the hymns, which I enjoyed. It was fun to sing about the truth marching on because it is all over the world. Patriotism is more than for a country; it is for God; it is for truth. And this American country is where the gospel was restored. I love Argentina. I love studying and visiting the world. But I love the smell of fireworks, the salty air of the east coast, the cool breeze in the Tennessee trees, and the smell of campfire. These are the traditions of my homeland. Plus, jet-skiing and boating tomorrow.

God Bless the USA. And God bless the world. And God bless the people.