New Grandchild coming: Time to Pick a Date

My first son and daughter-in-law are expecting their 5th child in December. Since it will be caesearian, they get to pick the date within the doctor's timeline. They had informed us that the doctor recommended Dec. 13th.

While reuniting with a former student who is the same age as my son, he surprised me by saying, "We are having our second child in December also, but we decided on Dec. 12th."
"For a special reason?" I asked.
"Heck yes. That date will be easier to remember: 12/12/12."

I immediately phoned my son and daughter-in-law, and mentioned that to them.
They are considering it.
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This will be my first posting about my grandchildren. Beware, once I get started I may never go back to posting about writing, but then again as my title says, "Writing become You."

My family is very important to me, so why not write about their antics.

Old Story with pictures

In my hometown, we celebrate our favorites:
Palisade has its peaches.
Junction has it JUCO.

Fruita has its DINOSAURS!

Movie Theatre Massacre puts life in perspective

All day yesterday I ran around worrying about paying my bills, cleaning my house and pitying my situation in life. Then this morning when I heard about the Movie Theatre Massacre in Aurora, CO, my concerns seemed so minor.
One man dressed in full armor-like military attire killed 12 innocent people and 59 others.
For what reason? No one knows; he sits in jail tonight not talking to the media or the public.
The journalists keep telling us every little detail, and speculating that James Holmes will probably claim to be "insane."

He can't be insane; he had so many pre=planned details. But he will probably never go to trial; maybe, he will live in institutions forever.

Help wanted: New writing job for me. . . part-time.

Since July 2 I was "let go" from my last writing job. The news from the general manager bummed me out, but didn't make me mad or angry. I'm retired and was writing part-time for a local weekly for exactly two months. I didn't surprise me either.

I am a good writer. I have worked as a freelance and professional journalist at four or five different publications. Those I left because I got married, moved or took another job. This time is was not my choice to stop writing for them.

The production person was peeved at me for several mistakes she made. I wasn't working according to her system. Thus, they claimed that it was "all about the money." Of course, they hired the intern reporter in my place. Probably for my same salary. I knew that the publisher was tight with the funds, and given the choice of keeping me on part-time or hiring a rookie who would do anything she was told to (because it was part of her internship grade), he saved money over keeping both of us working. She is full-time while I was part-time.

Mentally, I compared it to an old TV sitcom I saw many, many years ago. Tommy Lasorda was hired to coach a new team after being fired again from the Dodgers. He wasn't doing what the owner wanted, so  a young manger had to fire Tommy. When he did, Lasorda wasn't upset or anger, he told the young manager, "This is part of the job. I get hired. I get fired. I'll find another job." Something like that.

That's my mental state of mind right now.

25th Dinosaur Days event: ‘Get onboard the Dinosaur Train’

      With the help of the fictional dinosaur star of PBS Kids TV show “Dinosaur Train,” Buddy the T-Rex will be helping and celebrating the 25^th Annual Dinosaur Days free events at Fruita on Saturday, June 30^th. From 9 am to 3 pm

      Starting at Dinosaur Journey Museum, kids and families can participate by visiting a dig site, watching episodes of the TV show, taking pictures with Buddy and learning lots about real dinosaurs.

From 9 a.m. to noon activities at the Fruita Paleontological Area:

     “Come early in order to get a seat on the shuttles from the museum parking lot,” advises ReBecca Hunt-Foster, director of the paleontology.

     “Be prepared for the hike and the heat. Bring water. Wear a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and good walking shoes.

     “The kids can join the Nature Trackers Club by completing four Dinosaur Train ‘Nature Trackers’ challenges (collecting, community, conservation and tracking that morning to get their membership cards.”

     Families can take an easy hike and see real dinosaur fossils while the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management experts will be on hand to answer questions.

From 10 am – 3 pm activities at the Dinosaur Journey Museum

    “This is a come-and-go time outside the museum. Kids can watch episodes of “Dinosaur Train,” take pictures on a cut-out Dinosaur Train or with Buddy the T-Rex, do activities with the John McConnell Math and Science booth, or visit the various vendors that will be outside the museum.” Hunt-Foster said.

     All Dinosaur activities are free. The Museum admission will be at the regular rates.

     Sponsored by the Museum of Western Colorado, with the support of Rocky Mountain PBS, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, Colorado Canyons Association and the John McConnell Math and Science Center.

      If you love dinosaurs or want to learn more about the dinosaurs that once lived in this valley, come enjoy the day-long, free activities starting at Dinosaur Journey Museum.

Two Days Later

Well, two days later, now I know why Fruita Times production person did not run my third dinosaur, she told my boss that I did not turn my stories in. So I was "let go" from my part-time free-lance job.

I didn't get angry, but I told them I was frustrated with their whole "publishing across the state, and the production person who thought she was "the editor, the copy editor, the layout person, everything all wrapped up in one person."

I feel sad that she would not run my stories about the 4-H Club and hometown interest stories.
But, now I can pursue other publishing venues.