Nina Lewis

Archive for November, 2008

I am working on an assignment for my IPT class.  (Question: why do we have to do homework over a holiday???)

So, if you happen to see this  page, there will not be anything exciting to read.  Just a link to a podcast.

In a little while, this page will disappear.  It will go away.  It will vanish into thin air.  And that will mean that I am finished with my homework.
Gabcast! NinaLewis.com #2

See Tyler.

See Lisa.

Funny Tyler.

Funny Lisa

Funny, funny Tyler. Funny, funny Lisa.

This was the blooper video when Tyler and Lisa were filming Shoofly Pie for me. Check out the ‘real’ thing on my Grandma Ideas site. (That’s funny, too!)

The price of gas has dropped below $2.00 a gallon. We haven’t seen that price in YEARS!

So, that begs the question: do I now start driving my car once more? Do I continue riding public transportation? These are serious, life altering questions, ya know.

Advantages of driving my own car:

• won’t have to leave so early in the morning

• won’t have to leave so early in the morning
• will get home earlier in the evening
• can stop at the grocery store on the way home from work
• can run errands during my lunch time

Disadvantages of driving my car

• I’ve paid for a year’s bus pass
• I’d have to spend money on gas (our monthly bill has dropped to around $80)
• More wear and tear on car and tires

Advantages of riding public transportation

• don’t work past quitting time (gotta catch the bus, ya know!)
• keep saving money on gas
• don’t have the hassle of trying to find parking at work
• get lots of reading done (about 28 books in 28 weeks!)
• have intellectually stimulating conversations with my husband as he drives me to the bus stop (Me: So what do you think of Obama’s position of health care reform? Him: yawn . . . Me: In Freakonomics, the author was discussing statistical data about the impact of a mother’s education on her children. Him: yawn . . .)
• meet interesting people (like the retired librarian who has been to China, South Africa, Russia, and Australia doing volunteer work — making me really want to retire!)

Disadvantages of riding public transportation

• have to leave earlier for work
• get home later from work
• meet interesting people (like the man whose body odor could knock the paint off a barn)
• taking food to work is difficult — juggling a crock pot of soup, or a cake AND a pan of corn bread AND a laptop AND a book bag while getting on the bus, riding the bus, and getting off the bus is a feat more challenging than any Olympic gymnast ever has to do

After deep reflection and pondering (3.18 seconds), riding public transportation wins. I am thoroughly enjoying all of the reading I’m able to do.

What an adventure riding public transportation can be!

Yesterday, one of the earlier buses on my route broke down. So, as the bus I was riding came to the various stops, there were lots more people waiting to be picked up.

At one point, the driver didn’t even stop because he felt the bus was too full. He must have felt guilty because at the next stop he actually stopped and told the people that the earlier bus had broken down. AND THEN HE LET THEM ON THE BUS!!

Stop after stop he did this. Because I get on at one of the first stops, I was lucky to have a seat. I felt sorry for those people who had to stand in the isle. Crammed together worse than sardines. They didn’t need to worry about trying to hang on to something to maintain their balance. The crush of those around them kept them from falling over.

At one point, I started to softly sing, “The wheels on the bus go ’round and ’round . . .” My seat companion chuckled. Then, I changed the words. “I hope the wheels on the bus keep going ’round and ’round. . .’ The bus driver had pulled over because he said he was losing pressure . . .

It reminded me of stories I have heard about bus rides in South America. Throw in a goat, some chickens, and a pig and my ride would have been the same . . .

Since today is Veteran’s Day, I’ve changed my theme design to be patriotic. I’ve loved all things patriotic. For years. Long before it became popular to be patriotic.

I’ve been thinking of my father today. He served in the Marine Corps during World War II. He joined about half a year before it ended. After basic training, he was sent to the Aleutian Islands where he served as the bugle boy for his company. He had to learn 150 different melody calls — for getting up in the morning, for going to bed, for going to lunch, for going to the bathroom, for EVERYTHING!

I’m also thinking of my father-in-law who served in the army for several years. He was based in Texas and worked as a mechanic. My mother-in-law was able to live down there, too, while he served there. They made life-long friends with people that they met there.

Our family salutes these two great men and their military service for our country.

Several years ago, I read the book Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley. It was a phenomenal book. I highly recommend it. It made me realize that had my father enlisted about 3 months earlier, he could have been sent to Iwo Jima — and the chances of his dying there would have been great which meant that I possibly wouldn’t have been born.

The movie by the same title is one that I recommend, too. It was very well done.

I will be forever grateful to them — and to all of those in all of the armed services — for their defending of our country. May God bless them, every one.