A license to learn

Tonight my husband, Todd, and I assisted in administering amateur radio exams. Yes, we are both HAMs, which came in very handy during our sailing adventures. To legally use the amateur radio frequencies, a person must pass an exam to gain their radio station license. Gaining one’s HAM license doesn’t demonstrate that one is an expert in all things amateur radio, rather it’s “a license to learn.”

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Jane Austen Quote–Miss Bingley

 “How very ill Eliza Bennet looks this morning, Mr. Darcy,” [Miss Bingley] cried; “I never in my life saw any one so much altered as she is since the winter. She is grown so brown and coarse! Louisa and I were agreeing that we should not have known her again.”

However little Mr. Darcy might have liked such an address, he contented himself with coolly replying Continue reading Jane Austen Quote–Miss Bingley

Failure to recognize new leadership era

Today I finished a difficult to write post over at BlaineParents.org:

The many changes in governing positions have ushered in a new leadership era for Blaine County School District. Former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Steve Guthrie, was voted out May 2013. Vice-Chair, Don Nurge, resigned soon thereafter. Former Superintendent, Lonnie Barber, signed a Separation Agreement in September 2013—the Trustees sited “differences in leadership style.” Guthrie’s successor as Chairman, Paul Bates, resigned last week because minors had been drinking alcohol in his home on New Year’s Eve.

Our current Board of Trustees demonstrated decisive action when responding to the recent social hosting event at former Chairman Paul Bates’ home.

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Grumbling en route to Praying

Having donned warm clothes and buckled myself into our Jeep this morning, I grumbled in my heart while driving to a Moms in Prayer meeting. Last week I finally got myself out the door to attend for the first time, so I’m still getting used to including this commitment in my weekly schedule. My regular morning routine on weekdays is to guide the children in getting ready for school, making sure they get there in time, then coming home for aaaahhhhh…. time off.

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The depression beast

[March 11, 2014: I plan to write more on this topic as medication has played an important role in keeping the depression beast dormant.]

Depression is a beast within. Years ago in the midst of a depressive episode I sat on the living room couch during the twilight of the day. Outside, the trees were silhouetted against an indigo sky. The depression beast ate away at where emotion and purpose should have been found within me. On my lap lay my Bible, which I was reluctant to open. How can mere words on a page help? I wondered.

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Jane Austen on novels

When Jane AuNorthangerAbbey-182x300sten wrote Northanger Abbey–her first full-length book–novels were, well, novel. Jane Austen was at the forefront of writing in a brand new literary medium. The following is her take on novels and novel writing:

“…and if a rainy morning deprived them of other enjoyments, they were still resolute in meeting in defiance of wet and dirt, and shut themselves up, to read novels together. Yes, novels; for I will not adopt that ungenerous and impolitic custom so common with novel–writers, Continue reading Jane Austen on novels