Walking Through Memory Lane

~ JodiLea ~ 1 Comment

Now that I have more shelves, cupboards, and filing cabinets, the boxes in the back of closets and stacked in the bedrooms can now be unloaded and put away.

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I’m on Left & sister on Right

Not as easy as it sounds, I find.

A lot of family history in photo albums and scrapbooks are in those boxes. Of course, I knew that. What I did not know, what mom never told me about, were the pieces of US history, also stashed away – in the form of newspapers and magazines. For decades this history followed us through three big moves, in storage twice, and finally rests in my possession. To pass on to my granddaughters, and their children, so they can actually read and view the history they will learn about in school.

I realize that these treasures will not mean so much to them, now.  Some of this happened more than two generations ago, long before they were born. They are smart and healthy and into the things that little girls are into. History will be way up there, along with Social Studies (or whatever they call it now), on their ‘boringest* stuff ‘ list.

Then they will be grown, old enough to appreciate keepsakes from the past. What I save now will be relics, I suppose. They already look like relics – wrinkled and yellowed. Like those of us who were alive when it happened…

There were headlines in huge type “EARTHQUAKE!” for both of the devastating quakes in 1979 and 1989 – in the San Francisco Bay Area. Photos of the Cyprus section of I-880 collapsed and destroyed.

I found a plastic bag of newspapers, with front-page headlines reading “JFK ASSASSINATED!”, and other headlines just as shocking, reporting that horrible week in Dallas.

I saved the week of the September 11th, 2001 newspapers. [For non-US readers: When Al Qaeda’s suicide pilots destroyed the World Trade Center Towers and defiled the Pentagon]

As important as world History is, I feel that it’s just as important to learn about your family history. Hopefully through letters, diaries, stories told, scrapbooks and photo albums and not from newspaper headlines!

Aren’t we, as parents and grandparents, obligated to pass down the family ‘stories’? If not us, then who? Future generations depend on us saving newspapers and family significant things.

Save articles & momentous items in a desk drawer, paper bag, or hat box. When the mood strikes you, they will be ready to slap into a photo album or scrapbook.  😉
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* boringest: adverb. Term used for describing extremely boring activities or events.  Taken from: The Dictionary of Words That Should Be

Badder Grandma

~ JodiLea ~ 1 Comment

Apparently, I did not inherit my Grandma McGuire’s skill. That woman could take great pictures no matter what position the sun was in, or extreme heat/cold. There are so many photos of our family that I treasure now, and they are all because of her diligence.

No matter how much we protested.

When I was a kid, she was always blinding us with that flash-lamp or making us stand still and say cheese. Sometimes, she was more like the paparazzi than a doting grandmother.  I remember her getting fabulous footage of a parade because she squeezed her 4-foot 10-inch frame, through the crowd surrounding the street, until she popped out at the curb with her camera. Nobody even minded – probably because they could see over her.

Now I am the grandma.  Even with an incredible camera, and a wonderfully photogenic family, I was only able to capture a fraction of the fun we had – and it’s blurry. I am so bummed out…

For better or worse, I took these yesterday at the Calaveras County Fair & Jumping Frog Jubilee.

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You heard it here first – I promise to learn how to use my camera in extreme heat and sun conditions, with 3 people talking to me at the same time, and wanting to rip my camisole off because it’s full of popcorn, salt, sweat and dirt.

Grandma, I don’t know how you did it!

Note to Self: Remember This!

~ JodiLea

SmallStonesThe person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.

            — Chinese proverb

I should have this proverb tattooed on the top of my right hand.  So I would see it every day and remember this simple, but very important concept.

It is in my nature to have a great idea and go full steam ahead with it – expecting to create or change whatever it is, in an impossible time frame.  Then… I get overwhelmed. When I am overwhelmed, I become stuck, the task is too large and I don’t know where or how to begin. So I don’t do anything at all and feel like a failure.

I am an intelligent, mature person.  Why do I insist on making things harder on myself?  If three therapists over the years can’t help me answer that question…

I have several ‘mountains’ I want to move these days. Each one requires patience, perseverance and a lot of time.  They should not be done in haste, or, as my folks called it, half-assed, because they are important to me. No boss or taskmaster is looking over my shoulder, or anxiously waiting for these mountains to get moved.  The only ones who give a flying hoot about these things are Me, Myself, and I.

You would think I could give myself a break! Sometimes I do. Then taking a break from one, leaves room for working on another one. Therefore, I am floating in the breeze, not getting anything finished.

You may have noticed this, my dear reader, but my blog posts are few these days. And yes, I know they are boring – a fact I plan on correcting.

Oh wait! That’s another mountain, isn’t it?

Damn!

Gotta Go…