Christmas Cards and Postal Art

 

I have sent out over forty cards this year to family and friends. Other cards were sent on Swap-bot as well. I am sure I have missed some neighbors, but I sometimes lose track of to whom I have posted. Here are a few samples of the cards I sent out. The first is one my wife says is a little too much, i.e. decorating bills. Its really not a bill; it's a contribution:

 

The next of these are samples of those cards I sent to people I actually know. These are sort of like before and after photos. The "before" is the envelope that have been stained with tissue die. When dying the paper, you never know what effect you will end up with at the end. The "after" is when the addresses and stamp and ink pen doodles have been added. There again, you never know if the envelope will turn out well or be a mess. But when you start your cards late and are desperate to have the cards mailed so they will arrive at least before New Years, you take however they turn out, good or bad, and push them through the mail slot at the post office before the last pick up of the day.

Card One

 

Card Two

 

Card Three

 

Card Four

 

Card Five

 

Card Six

Card Seven

Scoliosis Screening Expert - Not Me

The physical education teacher, "coach," at my school has been very ill for the past two months, so the classes have had various substitutes for all that time. When it came time for the scoliosis screening, which the coach usually does for the boys and the swimming instructor does for the girls, there was no one to screen the boys. So, the assistant principle asked me to do the job. After all, I am the library media teacher, the LIBRARIAN, I can do everything faster than a speeding bullet, leaping over tall buildings ... , and I know everything. (What I don't know I make up, er, I mean I use my extensive research skills to find out.)

As I posted earlier, my grandson has severe scoliosis and has had surgery to place rods in his back. I also have mild scoliosis that did not develop until I was in my 50s.

This is an x-ray of my grandson's back straightening rods.

So, I said yes and had a five minute training session with the district nurse and watched a three minute video on how to do the screening. I am now an expert scoliosis screener. What I really needed to see were examples and non examples of the spine problems I am supposed to be able to see.

The first screening was this morning during four P.E. classes for seventh and eighth grade students who had returned the parent permission paper which explained the state law and the screening process. After the first two classes of looking at spines, I was beginning to doubt my powers of observation, because I didn't see any spine that didn't look straight and proper. The girls' screener told me during the class change that she had fifteen on her referral list for the district nurse. Wow, I had none. But during the next class, three boys had shoulder blades that were not in alignment, and I could see there was some type of problem without second guessing myself. Another three questionable spines presented themselves during the last class, so I referred six seventh grade boys for further screening by the real experts. I hope I didn't miss any eighth graders. Seventh graders will be screened again next year.

Random Ramblings - Again

While I am still unhappy and fearful for the future of my country in the hands of Progressives, Liberals,  and Socialists, I have calmed down from my rant of last month and shall endeavor to refrain from venting, with emphasis on the endeavor part.

Four quotes from my favorite philosopher, economist Thomas Sowell:
"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong."
"We seem to be moving steadily in the direction of a society where no one is responsible for what he himself did, but we are all responsible for what somebody else did, either in the present or in the past."
"One of the consequences of such notions as 'entitlements' is that people who have contributed nothing to society feel that society owes them something, apparently just for being nice enough to grace us with their presence."
"Whenever you hear people talking about 'a living Constitution,' almost invariably they are people who are in the process of slowly killing it by 'interpreting' its restrictions on government out of existence."


I went looking for Christmas cards last week. Yes, I still send Christmas cards with a newsletter and decorated envelope through the U.S. Postal Service. I used to buy wonderful cards at the paper outlet store in Draper, Utah. They moved from there a few years ago, and I have been unable to find the new location. I have come to the conclusion that the paper outlet store has gone where so many small businesses in the last four years have gone - out of business.

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read." Groucho Marx. The only Marxists I can stand are Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo, and Gummo! They were capitalists!


The Marx brothers with their parents in 1915: Groucho, Gummo, Minnie, Zeppo, Sam, Chico, and Harpo

"Serving God is doing good to man. But praying is thought an easier service and is therefore more generally chosen." Benjamin Franklin. Too many people today neither pray nor do good to mankind.