JPPENS

  All humans have the speck that I have named Geer in varying degrees. Some people recognize it while others do not. Some see it more in others than in themselves, but it exists in all of us…compassion, hopefulness,mercy, softness, sympathy, tenderness, caring as well as scolding, punishment, hopelessness, revenge, hate, meanness, jealousy etc. This is part of what I think folks mean when they speak of the human condition. We all have stories because we are all shaped to some degree by the people and events we have experienced throughout our lives. I enjoy watching people and am drawn to their faces and their hands and always wonder what their story is. We at some point have hopes and dreams. Emotionally healthy humans all want the same thing, peace, safety, opportunities, respect and to live on a sustainable planet. This too, I think, is part of the human condition. If this is true and I believe it to be, I ask myself why then is our world so deeply skewed, so intolerant… Again, I...

                                                                                                    ...is the speck within us when empathy (red) and intellect (yellow) meet...

                                                                                                                                                  I believe but do not know factually, this is not a science based fact, not a proven theory, that the upkeep of a humans vehicle, inside and out may be a snap shot of what their living space looks like, this I gave some thought to after my spouse mentioned it to me while riding in the car.  I think there may be some truth to this from personal observations, no one told me for sure, I never read it anywhere and have zero proof. I believe that the record of human existence on th...

                                 A huge thank you to all the many many people who have reached out, read my book and follow my blog. I did not do this for payback. I wrote my memoir and now my blog for wellness and now I see it was not just for my own wellness but for all the folks who continue to share their stories and get the little boost they need to find their voices . I remain thankful and humbled by the entire experience.   Bookbaby.com or your book seller of choice...                                                                                                                         ...

                                                              Something to think about... Becomin g enlightened is but one gift that humanity owns  because we have educated brains and the willingness to allow ourselves to become open to new pathways is yet another gift because we are human... It can happen in structured ways via schooling or via self discovery. It can be sneaky, subtle like stepping into your once favorite jeans only to find you can't button them or it can be as quick and dramatic as a tornado warning. No matter how it greets us we are presented with the choice of acknowledging the Ah Ha moment, you know, that spark when the lights come on or choosing to just let it all go by not giving it another thought... I have had lots of slow passing time, day and night, through my recent shoulder replacement process of hea...

  Me & Velcro... My life teaching motor skills ( hop, jump, throw, catch, run, skip, swing,pass and on and on) as  Physical Education Teacher and coach brought me the great gifts of student engagement, it also brought me worn out body parts... ruptured ACL, knee replacement, ankle fusion, arch lowering and now a total reverse right shoulder replacement with a bicep transplant done last week with the left to be done in the near future... So thankful my bionic parts are possible and all my PT experience enhances every recovery. Mobility is, I believe, the key to healthy aging. Movement of any kind, to any degree is better than none.  I am motivated to continue my fitness walking but mostly to play the game I love...it will be winter golf! Wineingwithjackie.blogspot.com. Will be back writing in a few weeks...

                                                              SPEAK UP PEOPLE... We who are marginalized know that when we speak,write, post we will get the good, bad and ugly. We do it because we will never disappear, be silent or invisible. We deserve to be treated with dignity, love whoever we choose and live and work with equal rights of white men with money, shelter and food. We need to have people that support us be vocal and present because nobody ever survived long alone. Welcome to being prideful....wineingwithjackie.blogspot.dotcom. and THANK YOU

  PRIDE  MONTH is the time for me to once again answer so many folks who have asked, why is it so important for gay people to come out of "their closets", to parade and shout...  because it is a designated time for a community of people who have been throughout history told and treated as though we were less than, not equal to... past time to broaden your lens people.

                                                                               In late Spring the forest trees of the Western North Carolina Mountains are serving up a buffet of impeccable green flavors... The darkened leaves of kale and asparagus, shadowed by the light leafy lettuces dressed with hues of cucumber and kiwi overflow onto our platters. Lime, mint and basil dusted with thyme are the completion of this sensual presentation.  All are invited and welcomed to partake of our seasonal menu.

  Loud Secrets... We all have our stories, our Loud Secrets of traversing the road of personal acceptance and then managing life the best we can...when I wrote and published my story (Loud Secrets A Memoir) I did it for my wellness, never expecting the outpouring of folks who contacted me sharing their journeys. That my experiences helped anyone was beyond my expectations. I post this to encourage other LBTGQ+ to share, to speak their truth when ready and grow in the joy and peace that was once never imagined. I am not able to hold and fight for  pride  in this country at this alarming and horrifying time. I will now and always fight for  pride  in who I am and who loves me. That fight cannot take place as a closeted LGBTQ+ person, or for someone who's native language is not English or are not Caucasian, or are physically or mentally challenged... staying hidden and quiet only continues our ongoing battles for self-esteem. People MUST ALL BE SEEN in this world, ...

                                                                          So, trying to be a respectful individual... I know how busy doctors offices are... I know if you don't show up or call to reschedule you can be charged a fee...I know how precious time is...I know how very valuable it is...I know all this... I call my doctors office...I go through a directory of statements that finely tell me to then "push # 0" for the operator...I listen to a voice telling me that "someone will be with you shortly"...I listen to every service they offer, who their newest physician is, all of their office locations all over the city and then hear that "someone will be with you shortly"...I hear a voice saying "We are still practicing our COVID rules of masking and distancing" and so this craziness continues. I don't...

  Absolutely for sure...I have never been a staunch Democrat or staunch Republican. I have been a supporter of social justice for all and know right from wrong and good from evil. I have always used that platform in my voting decisions. Our present government is not about a particular party, it has become a government of moral debauchery with the narrow focus of Us (with the power and money) and the them ( society left with the dredges of their bankrupt decisions) that in the end will only fill their personal bank accounts with absolutely no regard for WE THE PEOPLE...

                                                                         Sitting at our library table early this Easter morning, doing my usual laptop work when I look up to see the back of a grey haired  person sized bunny, erect ears, swinging a woven basket and urgently tugging on their bottom to keep from exposing its butt... it turns left upon exciting our driveway and I can see this is probably a geriatric bunny, its wearing eye glasses as it steps gingerly down the street...my smile is falling all the way to my heart as I whisper "the Easter Bunny really came". I open the front door to see a large orange plastic egg waiting to be discovered.  The joy and fun we experienced this morning all because a caring someone took the time to step outside of themselves ...it's just plain kindness in ...

                                                       As I stood by my bedroom window at 2 this morning and gazed at our brightly illuminated night sky that held an almost perfectly shaped moon the pause of awe I experienced...my breathless fear was palpable. The courage, curiosity, intelligence of the science involved, all based on facts and truth held by the crew of Artemis ll gives me continued hope that the WILL of humanity will continue to adapt, care for and protect the speck that is our earth world, all because of diverse scientific men AND women...how grateful we are to have humans like this...

                                                          A Challenge...watch the Netflix documentary "Stamped From The Beginning" and then ask yourself honestly " am I really non racist" against ANYONE different from myself... This is why our world, particularly people of color and all women are still fighting against male white dominance... Truth is painful but silence is deadly...

A huge thank you to all the many many people who have reached out, read my book and follow my blog. I did not do this for payback. I wrote my memoir and now my blog for wellness and now I see it was not just for my own wellness but for all the folks who continue to share their stories and get the little boost they need to find their voices . I remain thankful and humbled by the entire experience.

  LOUDER PLEASE...again and again... Speak your truth Stand, if you are able and fight for our American Constitution...with your voice, your words, your actions March for our democracy and never remain SILENT

                                                      I can't believe what I hear or what I see. I know what being a good human is...empathy and care for others who have less and are forced to fight for themselves and their families to be free from violence...this is why the majority of people are crossing  borders. No matter what you hear, this is a fact...they are not coming to steal a job, but hope to work to provide for themselves. They are not coming to take over your town or this country. They are coming for the same reasons all of our ancestors did... to have a better life. Fact people! To have someone tell me that a person deserves to die because they kicked the tire of a car, or stood with a sign yelling, or that a child was used as a ploy only to make a video moment more effective or that people have been paid to get on busses to go picket...

“We the people…” When spitballs and pea shooters in schools are replaced with automatic weapons, where are “We the people…”? When untruths and fear are used as tools to sway and incite the blind unquestioning believers, where are “We the people…”? When $$$$ and power are THE REASON, above all else, where are “We the people…”? When a Country’s moral compass becomes magnetized so far away from true north, where are “We the people…”? When the answer to mass killings is to give more guns to the masses, where are “We the people…”? When the climate changed from what it was to real weather no one expected, where are “We the people…”? When closed doors and redacted words are left covered to hide the sins,  where are “We the people…”? When social injustice because of race, color, gender, orientation or land of birth suffer for the good of one race, one color, one gender, one orientation or one land of birth, where are “We the people…”? When our elections are raped and voters discounted, whe...

  NOW Not everyone can resist in the streets. But there are many things you *can* do, that *need* to be done, to support those who can: MONEY: Bail costs money. Hospital bills from protest injuries cost money. (In the kafkaesque American health care system, boy howdy does getting treated for injury cost money).  Lawyers to defend your arrested neighbors - to make sure your arrested neighbors get food and water in custody: that costs money.  Sustaining resistance costs money - costs a *lot* of money.  Little contributions, given to your friends and neighbors, add up.  Little contributions to national organizations rallying defense - like the ACLU - add up.  Money matters. Especially among us financially privileged, it's a key role we can play. VOICE: You have a voice - right here on Facebook. On BlueSky. On Twitter. At the workplace lunch room. Everywhere else.  I've written this over and over again - every place people gather, online or in person, is a...