The wonderful book called "Half the Sky" which is named over the idea that women are half the population tells about ways we can help empower women all over the world by sending micro loans to help women start businesses to get out of poverty and have a better life for their daughters which hopefully includes education.
This book is coming to the big screen on Thursday March 4th at 7:30 at a local theatre near you. It will show success stories of women who have been helped through micro loans. Check out their website at www.halftheskylive.com for more information.
Some friends and I are looking for somewhere we can give a group donation to help women overseas. We look forward to viewing this movie which will show how the little money we spend at the movies and/or Starbucks can change the life of a woman overseas.
I encourage you all to attend and share your comments regarding what the movie inspires you to do. I myself will share with you all what I learn and where we decide to donate our group's money.
Continuing to live out Susan's and Elizabeth's mission of equality for all women, wherever they may live.
MJ Buist
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Happy Birthday Susan B. Anthony!
Today has been marked "Presidents' Day" combining George and Abraham's birthdays. If you are a woman who has voted in any Presidential Election you have Susan B. Anthony to thank and guess what? Today is her birthday, Susan B. Anthony Day.
Ken Burnes Series called, "Not for Themselves Alone" tells the wonderful story of not only Susan but her sidekick, Elizabeth Caddy Stanton. I love the story because these activist women who were trying to get the vote for African Americans realized that they had no political power to do so until they themselves got the vote. I loved the example they set of what women working together can do. Women from all walks of life joined the movement. Elizabeth a wife with many children was the brains while Susan who was unmarried, refusing to be a man's doll or drudge, was the feet to get out the message. Elizabeth, a bit of a radical along with Susan's political savy and organizational skills, made great strives to get women the right to vote.
Sadly, they didn't live to see the day when the 19th Amendment named after Susan B. Anthony was passed by many of who were called Susan's nieces in the movement. Women who brought their own skill sets to accomplish the vote for women.
She reminds me of what we as women, forgetting our differences, can accomplish working together to make this world a better place for the next generation. As I look into issues such as Health Insurance for all, education for girls all over the world, and stopping the violence to women in the Congo; I hear Susan whisper in my ear to continue her work for total equality for all women.
©Buist 2-15-10
Ken Burnes Series called, "Not for Themselves Alone" tells the wonderful story of not only Susan but her sidekick, Elizabeth Caddy Stanton. I love the story because these activist women who were trying to get the vote for African Americans realized that they had no political power to do so until they themselves got the vote. I loved the example they set of what women working together can do. Women from all walks of life joined the movement. Elizabeth a wife with many children was the brains while Susan who was unmarried, refusing to be a man's doll or drudge, was the feet to get out the message. Elizabeth, a bit of a radical along with Susan's political savy and organizational skills, made great strives to get women the right to vote.
Sadly, they didn't live to see the day when the 19th Amendment named after Susan B. Anthony was passed by many of who were called Susan's nieces in the movement. Women who brought their own skill sets to accomplish the vote for women.
She reminds me of what we as women, forgetting our differences, can accomplish working together to make this world a better place for the next generation. As I look into issues such as Health Insurance for all, education for girls all over the world, and stopping the violence to women in the Congo; I hear Susan whisper in my ear to continue her work for total equality for all women.
©Buist 2-15-10
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Those Gaggy Valentines are Back
So today is the big day. A miserable day when I was single but now that I'm married it's just another day - an excuse for chocolate. I'm so happy that this is the last year my 6th grade son will have to buy and address those cheap tear and fold Valentines for his class. My students as well as my husband shopped at the 99 cent store for me this year. I considered buying my husband a valentine at one of these dollar stores and was horrified with what I found. The covers were cute but I would turn the page to find some truly not only "gaggy" but untrue statements. One card had a cute teddy bear but the inside read, "You are my world!", not, "you make my world" or "enhance my world", or "glad you're in my world." I consider myself a whole person. My husband and I at our wedding did the traditional lighting one candle with both of our candles, yet we kept our individual candles still burning. So you see nothing is my whole world, not my faith, my job, my children, my husband, or my friends. My world is made up of all these things and more for which I am thankful, but none of these by themselves is "my world." Other cards had beautiful words and pictures on the cover but again the insides read, "You fulfill all my dreams", or "my life didn't begin until you". I wondered if it were the cheap store I was at. Were Hallmark cards more truthful? My favorite Valentine my husband ever bought me, though he's gotten so many of those glossy 7-11 ones over the years, was one with a heart shaped ditch which was being dug out and it said something like "our love is a work in process but with you it's worth the work."
Let me tell you about one of my favorite Valentine's Day. My family went out for an early Valentine's dinner (We had money then.) Afterwards I went out for coffee with some of my single friends and I got them each a pretty bag of chocolates. Driving home I found myself upset that Valentine's day had hit on a Thursday-Trash Night and I dreaded taking the trash out. I got home and found it already out. My son had helped his Dad take out the trash. I was ecstatic, at that moment this simple act was the greatest Valentine's gift and from that year on I never had to take out the trash.
So call me an easy, cheap date, but little acts of love bring Valentine's Day to me all year long.
So how do you feel about Valentine's Day. Is it "Ba Hum Lady Bug" day or a day you truly treasure along with all the heart and chocolate wrappings? What have been your favorite Valentine's cards or gifts?
Let me tell you about one of my favorite Valentine's Day. My family went out for an early Valentine's dinner (We had money then.) Afterwards I went out for coffee with some of my single friends and I got them each a pretty bag of chocolates. Driving home I found myself upset that Valentine's day had hit on a Thursday-Trash Night and I dreaded taking the trash out. I got home and found it already out. My son had helped his Dad take out the trash. I was ecstatic, at that moment this simple act was the greatest Valentine's gift and from that year on I never had to take out the trash.
So call me an easy, cheap date, but little acts of love bring Valentine's Day to me all year long.
So how do you feel about Valentine's Day. Is it "Ba Hum Lady Bug" day or a day you truly treasure along with all the heart and chocolate wrappings? What have been your favorite Valentine's cards or gifts?
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Our Train Still Runs
“This train still runs, though the baggage weighs a ton
We carry on, No one is forever young, I’m not done,
This train still runs”.
Janis Ian, This Train still Runs©1992
I was flipping the channels the other night and ran into a beautiful white haired woman singing folk music and was surprised to find it was none other than Janis Ian. Her hit, “At Seventeen” was one of my favorites in my college days. But this was not the timid nervous teen singer with afro hair, but a confident white haired woman with a beautifully mature voice and a face glowing with wisdom. Some complain that singers’ voices aren’t as good when they age, but I found hers so much more mellow and developed than her younger years.
I found her Autobiography at the library which told about the years of struggles that brought her to such inner beauty. I bought her Essential Hits and loved the poetry in her music with some of her songs reminding me of Joni Mitchell of whom I have been a die hard fan.
Then I heard her song, “This Train Still Runs” written in her midlife and it reminded me of the midlife women celebrated in WomanSage. WomenSage is an organization started by Register columnist Jane Glenn Haas which is a non-profit, membership organization dedicated to educating, empowering and fostering mentoring relationships among women at midlife.
In the past women were forced off the “train of life”, retired into the role of Grandmother. Thanks to groups like WomanSage, another car has been added to this train of life where women come together to continue the ride together, discovering new destinations and helping one another and the world with the grace and the wisdom born of maturity. This is something that Janis Ian, who hasn’t had a hit since 1975, is doing.
We admit with Janis that no one is forever young and though we may carry baggage from our life experiences, we have survived the bad and celebrate the good. We still carry on refusing to jump off the train since we are not done. We have plenty to contribute still and we will, since our train still runs.
Buist©2-7-09
Sunday, February 7, 2010
There ought to be a day for......
Last year I bought myself at half off in January an Embracing Your Inner Bitch Calendar. I know many are appalled at this word for women, but being the nice, good girl all my life hasn’t gotten me far. It is truly a Self Assertion Calendar for those of us people pleasers, co-dependent, submissive women or any other name of women who don’t stand up for their own needs and wonder why they never get what they truly want.
I miss it this year but I remember reading on April 19th that it was “National Talk like a Pirate Day”yet there was no national holiday honoring a remarkable woman. It reminded me of the old comedy roasts where such and such never had a dinner in his name. Now I know we have Mothers Day a day to honor one’s role as chief nurturer to your own children but what about teachers or Aunts or Uncles?
So I’ve thought of a few women who should have their own day. There’s Betty Crocker who I will start with in my, “There Ought to Be a Day For…” themed Blog. Others include Erma Bombeck, whose writing I could never match, who helped crazy mothers and all women survive their crazy lives with her gift of humor. Susan B Anthony is a no brainer but whoever put her on a difficult coin was clueless. I discovered that she does have a day on Feb. 15th which is President’s Day too along with the day after Valentine’s Day. So I have next weeks topic decided for me. There’s Elizabeth Caddy Stanton Susan’s dearest friend and partner in the Vote for Woman who is sadly unknown.
So perhaps we can make our own appreciation day for all the amazing women who have not only affected our lives but changed us for the better.
As promised my tribute to Betty.
There ought to be a day for Betty Crocker.
Before there was Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray or the Internet there was Betty Crocker. Sure there was that French chef Julia Childs, but the all American expert on cooking and baking was Betty Crocker. Many say that she was just a creation of the General Foods Company, but my Uncle Bob Richards, who used to be on the Wheaties’ box before Bruce Jenner - woops Michael Phelps, said he had met her and that her real name was Mildred something. Whether or not she was real, she was a real person to me. Hers was the cookbook my mother used and I still have to this day. I especially grew fond of her when my Home Ec. teacher (yes they had them back then) told us how much she hated Betty Crocker since she never sifted her flour in baking. I hated that teacher, which endeared Betty to me more and more.
I learned to cook from her book and you can tell which of her cookies I made by looking at the oil-and-flour stained pages of the dessert/cookie section. When others went on to The Joy of Cooking I stayed faithful to her. Though I rarely bake anymore, I still consult Betty whenever I have a question. Every Easter she reminds me how long for to boil eggs, and every Thanksgiving I sense her presence at my elbow, assisting me with the turkey. Whenever I need to substitute something, like that expensive cream of tarter in her Snickerdoodles recipe, she would tell me what to use. Her equivalent page has saved me many a time. She has rarely failed me.
My old cookbook is like my Bible of Cooking, and to Mildred or whoever the real Betty Crocker is out there - I am forever thankful.
Buist©6-8-2009
PS Wikipedia confirms that it was Marjorie Childs Husted who created Betty Crocker. General Foods had so many people asking for recipes that they gathered together a staff and Marjorie made up the icon Betty Crocker. Needless to say she is still real to me along with the thousands who received her cookbook for wedding presents. In fact I used her International Cookbook last night.
I miss it this year but I remember reading on April 19th that it was “National Talk like a Pirate Day”yet there was no national holiday honoring a remarkable woman. It reminded me of the old comedy roasts where such and such never had a dinner in his name. Now I know we have Mothers Day a day to honor one’s role as chief nurturer to your own children but what about teachers or Aunts or Uncles?
So I’ve thought of a few women who should have their own day. There’s Betty Crocker who I will start with in my, “There Ought to Be a Day For…” themed Blog. Others include Erma Bombeck, whose writing I could never match, who helped crazy mothers and all women survive their crazy lives with her gift of humor. Susan B Anthony is a no brainer but whoever put her on a difficult coin was clueless. I discovered that she does have a day on Feb. 15th which is President’s Day too along with the day after Valentine’s Day. So I have next weeks topic decided for me. There’s Elizabeth Caddy Stanton Susan’s dearest friend and partner in the Vote for Woman who is sadly unknown.
So perhaps we can make our own appreciation day for all the amazing women who have not only affected our lives but changed us for the better.
As promised my tribute to Betty.
There ought to be a day for Betty Crocker.
Before there was Martha Stewart or Rachel Ray or the Internet there was Betty Crocker. Sure there was that French chef Julia Childs, but the all American expert on cooking and baking was Betty Crocker. Many say that she was just a creation of the General Foods Company, but my Uncle Bob Richards, who used to be on the Wheaties’ box before Bruce Jenner - woops Michael Phelps, said he had met her and that her real name was Mildred something. Whether or not she was real, she was a real person to me. Hers was the cookbook my mother used and I still have to this day. I especially grew fond of her when my Home Ec. teacher (yes they had them back then) told us how much she hated Betty Crocker since she never sifted her flour in baking. I hated that teacher, which endeared Betty to me more and more.
I learned to cook from her book and you can tell which of her cookies I made by looking at the oil-and-flour stained pages of the dessert/cookie section. When others went on to The Joy of Cooking I stayed faithful to her. Though I rarely bake anymore, I still consult Betty whenever I have a question. Every Easter she reminds me how long for to boil eggs, and every Thanksgiving I sense her presence at my elbow, assisting me with the turkey. Whenever I need to substitute something, like that expensive cream of tarter in her Snickerdoodles recipe, she would tell me what to use. Her equivalent page has saved me many a time. She has rarely failed me.
My old cookbook is like my Bible of Cooking, and to Mildred or whoever the real Betty Crocker is out there - I am forever thankful.
Buist©6-8-2009
PS Wikipedia confirms that it was Marjorie Childs Husted who created Betty Crocker. General Foods had so many people asking for recipes that they gathered together a staff and Marjorie made up the icon Betty Crocker. Needless to say she is still real to me along with the thousands who received her cookbook for wedding presents. In fact I used her International Cookbook last night.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Re-gifting or Sharing the Wealth
My neighbor knocked on the door last night with a barely used airpopper popcorn popper. He was planning on throwing it away unless we could use it. Now in many ways I wish he would have taken it straight to Goodwill but my husband who can refuse nothing took it to keep it from becoming trash. (Actually it saved him from dumpster diving - don't ask me about the drum set he pulled out of the trash last week.) Anyway it got me wondering about a phone call I had from my sister-n-law after Christmas. Actually my husband was conveying her message to me asking if I could use some tea she had gotten for Christmas. I replied that I wasn't sure but I could probably find someone of my tea-loving friends who could use it. Somehow this got translated over the phone to I would re-gift it, to which she replied she would just drink it up herself.
So I asked my husband how the popcorn maker was any different than the tea I would have passed on. Was it regarded re-gifting? Neither our neighbor or I planned on wrapping these items and giving them as a gift to someone. You see I have the Robin Hood philosopy of "sharing the wealth."
My son says even if you don't gift wrap it, it is still considered re-gifting. Yet it was quite ok to give it to Goodwill where it could be sold and raise money for those in need.
Now I have been guilty of re-gifting, these are new items that don't mean much to me but I know others would enjoy more. I think that sharing the wealth by passing things on (just think of hand-me-downs) helps ecologically by keeping folks like my neighbor who just want to trash it along with helping others economically by helping them save money in this economy.
So what do you think? When does "sharing the wealth" become re-gifting?
I would love to hear your comments.
PS Team Buist made a delicious fajita dinner tonight. I cut the meat. John seasoned and cooked it, and I fried up the veggies which my husband got pre-cut at the 99 cent store. My son's thinking of culinary school now.
So I asked my husband how the popcorn maker was any different than the tea I would have passed on. Was it regarded re-gifting? Neither our neighbor or I planned on wrapping these items and giving them as a gift to someone. You see I have the Robin Hood philosopy of "sharing the wealth."
My son says even if you don't gift wrap it, it is still considered re-gifting. Yet it was quite ok to give it to Goodwill where it could be sold and raise money for those in need.
Now I have been guilty of re-gifting, these are new items that don't mean much to me but I know others would enjoy more. I think that sharing the wealth by passing things on (just think of hand-me-downs) helps ecologically by keeping folks like my neighbor who just want to trash it along with helping others economically by helping them save money in this economy.
So what do you think? When does "sharing the wealth" become re-gifting?
I would love to hear your comments.
PS Team Buist made a delicious fajita dinner tonight. I cut the meat. John seasoned and cooked it, and I fried up the veggies which my husband got pre-cut at the 99 cent store. My son's thinking of culinary school now.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
A Year of Intention
Hooray I've gotten in the back door of cyberspace and my computer is allowing me to post. So lets begin with my now favorite word - intention. I have always hated the word goal, it's too cranial for this creative, intuitive, feeling person. On the Meyers Briggs test I always score 0 on the thinking part. So intention has a much deeper heart gut thing going for it. If you really want it you will go for it. I did a dream board since I couldn't cognitively come up with what I wanted. Who knew that by clipping magazine pictures that appealed to me would show my deepest longing where intentions come from. I had an entire board on beautiful clean houses and right then and there I set my intention to get the clutter out of my house.
You see I'm a baby of a depression baby so nothing gets thrown out. I still have the first pair of shoes I bought in High School. Needless to say they are older than most of the teachers I work with. My father was a hoarder and I married one.
Funny thing was 2 weeks after I discovered/acknowledged it, my son decided our house needed cleaning up, his motivation being his girlfriend visiting. One of the quotes I had put on my dream board was not doing it all yourself. Well you see I among 4 people - 3 messy males- have been the only one cleaning. To get anyone to work took screaming,conjoling,threatening, bribing and the martyrdom of it all led me to resentment. So I who have done it all by myself for too many years, have started "Team Buist" where all 4 of us conquer a room for the evening.
I was going to do a drawing system but we decided to all work together. However with my son forging the way some of his priorites were different than mine. The VHS tapes of course were taking over, yet they had a place but my son decided to take all of them off the shelf. I of course had to go throught all he was tossing to look for tapes such as my Wedding, Ministry Consecration, his ultrasound etc. I didn't realize that my husband had gotten lots of used VHSs at garage sales to tape over. To my horror I discovered Russ Limbaugh recordings that had no place in my home. After sorting them all out my husband insisted that I count them for income tax purposes - so again I went through them. It was 210 VHSs later that I took to Goodwill.
Dishes are still the job no one wants to take. My sons complain that Dad doesn't do them and when I ask him he'll say, "Well I cooked one night this week." This was the night I shaped the burgers, got all the ingredients together and he barbequed needing my son to assist him.
Well enough for now. We have spent three days working on the garage and have taken loads to Goodwill. My kingdom for a dumpster.
More Team Buist later.
MJ.
You see I'm a baby of a depression baby so nothing gets thrown out. I still have the first pair of shoes I bought in High School. Needless to say they are older than most of the teachers I work with. My father was a hoarder and I married one.
Funny thing was 2 weeks after I discovered/acknowledged it, my son decided our house needed cleaning up, his motivation being his girlfriend visiting. One of the quotes I had put on my dream board was not doing it all yourself. Well you see I among 4 people - 3 messy males- have been the only one cleaning. To get anyone to work took screaming,conjoling,threatening, bribing and the martyrdom of it all led me to resentment. So I who have done it all by myself for too many years, have started "Team Buist" where all 4 of us conquer a room for the evening.
I was going to do a drawing system but we decided to all work together. However with my son forging the way some of his priorites were different than mine. The VHS tapes of course were taking over, yet they had a place but my son decided to take all of them off the shelf. I of course had to go throught all he was tossing to look for tapes such as my Wedding, Ministry Consecration, his ultrasound etc. I didn't realize that my husband had gotten lots of used VHSs at garage sales to tape over. To my horror I discovered Russ Limbaugh recordings that had no place in my home. After sorting them all out my husband insisted that I count them for income tax purposes - so again I went through them. It was 210 VHSs later that I took to Goodwill.
Dishes are still the job no one wants to take. My sons complain that Dad doesn't do them and when I ask him he'll say, "Well I cooked one night this week." This was the night I shaped the burgers, got all the ingredients together and he barbequed needing my son to assist him.
Well enough for now. We have spent three days working on the garage and have taken loads to Goodwill. My kingdom for a dumpster.
More Team Buist later.
MJ.
Monday, February 1, 2010
I'm Back - Team Buist
I have so many ideas of what to blog yet my own computer does not allow me on my edit page so here I am at the library.
I would like to tell you about Team Buist. My family is actually working together to clean our home and attack the clutter. I hope to present a diary of how together we are working together to attack years of neglect.
We had a family project over Christmas when my son decided to add to all the details of the holiday by making a stuff octopus for his girlfriend. So I had the joy of teaching my son to sew and my husband the Engineer even made a prototype for it. It turned out great but turned into a family project with Grandma helping him with the sewing like she had done so many times with me and my sewing projects.
Anyhow along with working on various rooms in my house each night my youngest decided that Friday night should be a family game and movie night. My husband who bought an official popcorn maker makes popcorn. Anyhow I've been so surprised how much closer our family has become since doing these mini-projects together.
Well the next time I return to the library I will bring my posts on USB to transfer. Until then does anyone know how to get your computer to not say, "Site not found". Thank you all for your patience with me and I intend on doing a consistent blog.
MJ.
I would like to tell you about Team Buist. My family is actually working together to clean our home and attack the clutter. I hope to present a diary of how together we are working together to attack years of neglect.
We had a family project over Christmas when my son decided to add to all the details of the holiday by making a stuff octopus for his girlfriend. So I had the joy of teaching my son to sew and my husband the Engineer even made a prototype for it. It turned out great but turned into a family project with Grandma helping him with the sewing like she had done so many times with me and my sewing projects.
Anyhow along with working on various rooms in my house each night my youngest decided that Friday night should be a family game and movie night. My husband who bought an official popcorn maker makes popcorn. Anyhow I've been so surprised how much closer our family has become since doing these mini-projects together.
Well the next time I return to the library I will bring my posts on USB to transfer. Until then does anyone know how to get your computer to not say, "Site not found". Thank you all for your patience with me and I intend on doing a consistent blog.
MJ.
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