Household, Family & Friends 5 - How do you define 'Friend?'

Household, Family & Friends 5

How do you define 'Friend?'

What is a Friend? Who is a Friend? What determines the qualification to be a friend, for you, and how is a friend different from an acquaintance? Do you make a distinction? Have you ever given it a thought? Do you have more than one class of ‘friend?’

Do you spend time with each of your friends? Is that a necessary issue for someone to be a friend? Whether you answer yes or no to that one probably tells a lot about how you define 'a friend.' Or, are there more important criteria you use.

When is someone no longer a friend? Or, are people you consider ‘a friend’ your friend for life! How do you think others feel about this? Do they have the same feelings as you, or do you perceive others as defining a ‘friend’ differently than you do?

Think about it. Share your thoughts.

Please use the Comments below, or Facebook, Google+ or Twitter, to let us hear from you.


Will you take the opportunity to leave a comment? Hope so! ;-)

Think Positive, Do Good! ;-)

Community - Thank Someone Today

Community
Thank Someone Today

Today’s suggestion: Whatever community of which you are a part - Thank Someone Today, for what they have done recently to make that community better (by your definition and interests)!

We should thank people regularly for their contributions to our society, in whatever way. But, sometimes we need a little nudge. This is that nudge, for you, and me, today. This suggestion is also a reminder to think about the community, or communities, of which you are a part… especially those where you are an active participant. It may be a physical location, or it may be a social group. You decide. Think about it. Thank Someone Today.

You do not need to share, but if you have a thought related to this suggestion, we welcome your comments, as always.


What will you do? Leave a comment here or on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter. Create a post on your blog. Talk to a friend or neighbor.


Think Positive, Do Good! ;-)

Throwback Thursday - 26 January 2017

Throwback Thursday

26 January 2017

When I was a young father, this was my image of retirement...

These are my maternal grandparents, about the early 1960s, on their front porch, in the small town of Bayard, Iowa, in their small house. He died at 75, from emphysema, at age 75, in 1968. She lived to 95.

I am now probably now ten years older than they were in this photo. I don't feel nearly as old as they seemed, at the time. Likely, they did. Times have changed some, for sure.

What are your thought as you read this, and see this photo?

Use the Comments below, Facebook, Google+ or Twitter, to get us started. I’ll be back here, next Wednesday, with more of my thoughts. I await your comments…

Think Positive, Do Good! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Personal Activities - Genealogy 2

Personal Activities

Genealogy 2

Earlier I mentioned Photography as a hobby most of my adult life. For the past 20 plus years Genealogy, the study, recording, and sharing of family history would likely be considered my most active ‘hobby.’ I, along with my wife, were most active in our research and recording of our family history between 1995 and 2003…for me, at least. She has continued more active than I on her research since that time. Regardless, we have gathered an enormous amount of information on our families, ten to fifteen generations back on many lines. It has been a real joy, and continues to be a great satisfaction, when interesting issues come up that we can rely on that research to help provide answers to often vexing questions.

An interesting side-note to this is that when people begin to get interested in their own family history, the most often given suggestion may be… talk to the elders in your family first. We are now approaching the time when we are among the eldest living of our respective family lines. In my case, I have one uncle and aunt on my Mom’s side, and one aunt on my Dad’s side, of the prior generation still living. I try hard (not hard enough) to keep in touch with them, still asking questions about ‘the old days.’ After that, I am second oldest of my generation on my Mom’s side. I was also second oldest on my Dad’s side, but the oldest died far too young a number of years ago, leaving me as the oldest cousin. Just interesting to ponder.

I enjoy blogging, as you well know. My family history blog, begun in 2009, contains extensive writing on my family history, including my own history, as you well know, if you’ve been following along, at:
http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/

Our three daughters have been asking questions about our collective family history, now, for a number of years, which we appreciate. We love to share the knowledge we have accumulated. Our grandchildren have now, also, in their own spurts of curiosity, also begun to ask questions about the past, which is wonderful. What has been your experience? Are you asking those questions? Have you been answering the questions you are asked. I would love to hear your comments on your experience, or, even, questions about our experiences.

Use the Comments below, Facebook, Google+ or Twitter, to get us started. I’ll be back here, next Wednesday, with more of my thoughts. I await your comments…


Think Positive, Do Good! ;-)

Household, Family & Friends 4 - Family Spread

Household, Family & Friends 4

Family Spread

 

Is your immediate family scattered across the United States, or around the world, like ours is? Or are they mostly in one close-together area, like your home town? Which of these situations you face can have a serious bearing on what plans you make as you move into the ‘empty nest’ stage of live and beyond, as we mentioned in a couple of earlier postings.

We have immediate family in Utah, Texas and Missouri. Including our siblings, you must add Alaska, Iowa, Minnesota, and Louisiana. If you move to first cousins, several more states are added. Look or sound familiar? Have you decided where you want to spend your ‘Golden Years?’ Is that term still even used anymore? In planning for your ‘Golden Years’ having you considered this may include you and your spouse living to 100 years old or even older? What impact will that have on your decision? Can you even guess where your children will each be living in 10, 20, or 30 years? Most likely not.

What are you doing to stay actively connect to your close family members spread across the country (and the globe)? We’ll talk more about this issue in future posts. Think about it. Share your thoughts.

Please use the Comments below, or Facebook, Google+ or Twitter, to let us hear from you.


Will you take the opportunity to leave a comment? Hope so! ;-)

Think Positive, Do Good! ;-)

Community - Activism

Community
Activism

 

With the Inauguration on Friday and the Women’s March on Saturday, the theme for today must be Activism. This can take many forms, for many reasons, of course. Where do you stand?

Activism can begin with contacting your elected representatives, local, state or national about whatever you are passionate about, for or against an issue. Over the weekend, many persons passionate about their concerns, gathered together to demonstrate, with their physical presence, to show their concerns. Others contributed to a favorite cause, even if they could not march, or gather.

Now, what can we each do to sustain this statement of our concerns? That will be the challenge. The next elections are weeks or months away. In the meantime, how can we take positive actions that will have an impact, and keep our concerns in front of the most important persons or organizations to do the most good - from our perspective? Each of us must find our way. The important thing is to do it.

What will you do? How will you sustain it? Leave a comment here or on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter. Create a post on your blog. Talk to a friend or neighbor.


Think Positive, Do Good! ;-)

Throwback Thursday - January 19, 2017

Throwback Thursday

January 19, 2017

It is May 1962, my mom and dad, Eileen and Pete Smith were visiting us in Winslow, Arizona. We had just arrived in January to start our Air Force life with Detachment 9, 11th Radar Bomb Scoring Squadron, Strategic Air Command, living on the civilian economy. Dad is holding our first daughter, Annette, of course. That is also my cool youngest brother, Paul. They are standing in front of the neat little cement block home we lived in while in Winslow in 1962 and 1963.

Dad would have been approaching his 47th birthday, Mom was 43 years old. Paul was 6. Annette would be 2 in August. Ah, what memories.  ;-)


Think positive, do good! ;-)