Siggy’s Blurbs

Every day someone get to name my duckie.  It is a little yellow duck I keep in my pants pocket that flashes and quacks.  One person named it Snot.  Yesterday it was called Herman and the piano player of my church got to call it Toby Duck today.

The next day it will be called Beatrice,.  Every day someone gets the opportunity to name it for one day.  It is a little silly I have to admit.

Others often  take themselves too seriously.  It lightens my day when I take it out of my pocket let it quack and light and then introduce the person I am talking to to its present name.

It is  a small game I play every day.  I also take myself too seriously.  It lightens up my mood and hopefully in the process does the same to others.

Posted in humor | No Comments »

Why should anyone care about you if you have not reached out to them.  Roots in a community take years, maybe decades to develop.  First of all you have to stay put.  For a long time.   And reach out to others in ways you are able to.

Why should anyone care about you if you have not invested time in them, reached out to them when they were in need.  It is not always money others need.  Often it is just taking the time talking to them, lending an ear

All that takes time.  But that is the way you develop roots in a community.  You can also get involved in a local church.  There are different ways.  Whatever suits you.  Don’t be a hermit.  Get out of the house.  Go to the local store, diner or post office.

Take a chance.  Learn other peoples’ names.  And take the time to have on going conversations with the inhabitants of your town.  All that takes time and effort.  But if you don’t how you you possibly learn about other peoples’ needs  and wants if you don’t get to know them?

And your roots become deeper and deeper in a community if you do some of these things.    You have to put yourself out there.  It just takes a long time and effort on your part.  Roots do not happen overnight.

Posted in local, relationships, time | No Comments »

For the first time I was the old man.  We talked for a long time.  And frequently.  She was waylaid:  she had broken her leg badly and was home recovering.  I started calling her home and having long conversations.

She told me her Dad died several years ago and she was quite close to him and no one ever replaced him.  She had no older man to talk to any longer until me.

She was married and so was I and my other did not appreciate the longer calls and wanted me to stop them.  I knew when she went back to work they would.  For the  first time I was the older male, the older confidant and the realization was somewhat startling.

Not that it was any thing more than that.  It was not.  For the first time I had become the older male–the father figure and that was a role I never thought of myself.  I just got older.

Posted in marriage, relationships | No Comments »

It was just another world–only six miles away.  There is an healthy Amish and Mennonite community that close to me.  Until two years ago I had no idea it was there.

We were looking for someone to build a wooden fence for our yard two years ago.  It was then I became aware of this community.  People who only used horse and buggy to get around.  And had no electricity or cars.

I became friendly with Ron a Mennonite who built our fence.  He was straight forward.  There was no guile.  He was what you see.  Totally honest.  I got to know his large family better and his life.

I marveled this community was so close.  My awareness of this started when I started shopping at a large Mennonite produce stand .  Now I get most of my produce there.  The prices are generally good.  They also have a bakery.

They know me there.  And I learned the names of the two who generally behind the counter.  Sometimes you have no idea of another world until you change you habits a little and go in another direction.  This world was right under my nose and until recently I had no idea it even existed.

Posted in life, local, relationships | 1 Comment »

Why do most teachers in high school and college act as if the whole world learns only by lecture.  I could never understand that.  You would think that is the way everyone learns and I know this is not true.

Some people are kinesthetic learners.  They learn by doing.  Physically doing something.  Some of the most famous dancers did not shine until their parents recognized this and put them in the proper environment.

There is always clues how you learn but somehow you have to recognize them.  There are people who like taking things apart and putting them together.  What do you spend most of your time doing?

So many time a student is a square peg and the system is trying unsuccessfully to put them in a round hole.  I really do not understand why public education is so bad and insists the student learn in a way which is not always to their liking or leaning.

I could personally identify with this.  I was at an disadvantage in school because I did not learn from lecture.  And I am sure there are many others like me.

In fact a college was going to call me handicapped for that reason.  I think that is absurd.  Somehow the parent has to advocate for their child and find the best situation for them.

The situation in which they will flourish.  Every person is different and learns in their own way.  The parent has to figure that out.  Not every one reads but every person excels in one at least one area.  The parent has to figure out where it is.  And put in in that situation.

Posted in children | No Comments »

Some people get educated despite themselves.  Education is not an end point but a process.  The literal translation of the word education means to lead toward.  It is not a degree and is on going.

And it is true:  some people do get educated despite themselves but most of the time it is a journey.   There is really no point you have arrived which is not to say a piece of parchment is not an accomplishment.  It is.  But don’t stop there.

I could never understand people who get degrees and stop reading.  And an education is not simply books.  It is the process of learning during your life.  It never stops.

Some of the wisest people have no degrees.  It is all about learning.  And learning is not always in books.  We need carpenters and mechanics and plumbers.  In fact, there is a shortage of these people.

Whatever you do, do it with your whole heart.  In Thoreau words, ‘Let living be thy sport(from Walden). ‘

Posted in knowledge&learning, life, wisdom | No Comments »