Death of a Great Blogger

This is the saddest and most difficult blog post that I have ever written. My friend and fellow blogger, Marie Jackson-Bonenberger, age 58, also known as "TheMom" of Attentive Aphorist passed away this past Saturday night. Marie and I were Facebook friends as well as blogger buddies and her daughter posted the sad news Sunday on Facebook. I have already commented my sympathy on Facebook, but again, my deepest sympathy goes out to her family.

Marie's blog was one of the first to appear on my blogroll and was one of my favorites. I liked her outspoken, tell it like it is rants! I also loved how she mixed it up and would update her blog, sometimes several times a day and just let us know what she was up to, and it was never boring. "TheMom" had many interesting things to say about "TheDaughter," "TheGrandson," and "TheSon," who were all regular features on her blog, and of course her neighbors! Many times, before her "TheMom" signature, she would say, "I shall return!" She especially loved using those exclamation marks too! I think it was one way of expressing her happiness with life.

Marie was a loyal follower of my blog and passed on several MeMe awards to me and of course left probably more comments than anyone. I was also surprised at nearly every holiday to receive an e-card from her. She also sent me e-cards "just because" with no special occasions. That little gesture meant a lot to me. I think we had a special connection, because we had so many things in common.

If you read her blog often then you really got to know her, as she was practically famous for her many MeMe's--especially her "Sunday Stealings," which I don't know why, but she sometimes apologized for having so many MeMe's. Each time she did that I would leave a comment telling her not to apologize, and that reading them let us get to know her even more intimately.

Last summer she had wrote about "TheGrandson" and his Mickey Mouse watch and I commented that I loved it and had one too that I bought from Nickelodeon, but it didn't work any more. It just needed a new battery, but no store would install one. The stores made excuses that they might damage the watch in the process of removing the back.

That same day I got an email from her telling me that she had worked many years in jewelry and she would be happy to get my watch working again! She had all the necessary tools to remove the back, install a battery and make sure it worked properly! I was so excited and asked her if she would also do the same with an expensive watch I had bought many years ago from the now closed Sharper Image. She said sure, she would be happy to get any of my watches working again, gave me her mailing address and said to send them and we'd work out the details later. She had big plans coming up, so I put it off.

She had been so excited to take "TheDaughter" and "TheGrandson" to Virginia Beach for vacation, so I waited before I mailed the watches. Then I waited a little longer to give her some time to rest up after vacation. It wasn't long after that and she was first hospitalized with heart problems. I didn't want to burden her after that, as I knew she needed rest and less or no stress. I say "no stress," because she had mentioned in December that she was going to refrain from some of her blogging rants about certain Republicans and a certain Faux News Channel. She could get herself really worked up just thinking about those things!

I don't know if her blog will remain up, but I hope so. It will remain on my blogroll though. There are so many archives and I have not read all of her posts yet. I didn't always leave a comment, because I would read blogs so late at night that if I left a comment then with the time stamp people would wonder if I ever slept! Of course, she said not to worry about that! She didn't worry about petty things like that and if somebody didn't like what she did, said or thought, then too bad! With Marie, what you see IS what you get, and she lived life to the fullest with very few regrets. She was not afraid to let her opinion be known and I loved that about her. She was a very strong willed woman that I admired greatly. I always hoped to meet her in person, but I am thankful for the interaction I had with her online.

As a tribute to her, I am going to carry on her tradition of her Saturday "Caturday" posts. Mine won't be as good, I already know that! Marie had to spend a lot of time looking for those funny postings for us cat lovers. I am planning to have something though to do with cats every Saturday, if possible. This will help me to keep her memory alive. Rest in Peace, Marie.

"TheMom" is gone, but won't be forgotten.

Rep. Aaron Schock isn't gay...not that there's anything wrong with it

via

I Should Be Laughing

I saw this picture on a several blogs today and since the congressman is from my district, I thought it should also be here (after all he said himself that the photo has gone viral).

Please, please, please click the link above the photo for a well written blog post at I Should Be Laughing (one of my favorite blogs). And leave a comment there letting Bob know that John abuzz sent you!

It's a MUST READ!

Question of the day: WHO ARE YOU?

Congressman Bob Etheridge Assaults Student Journalist

Who are you?!

(LOL--so paranoid)!

In all fairness...

NC congressman apologizes for behavior on video

By MARTHA WAGGO

NER, Associated Press Writer – Mon Jun 14, 7:05 pm ET

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Democratic congressman apologized Monday after video posted online showed him swatting at a video camera and demanding that two men taping him identify themselves. (AP) -please click for the full story.

It's Flag Day in the U.S.A.

In the United States, Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States, which happened that day by resolution of the Second Continental Congress in 1777.(Wikipedia)

With all that's happening in the news--oil disaster in the gulf, World Cup, self admitted murderer Joran Vandersloot, Gary Coleman's death, ipad security breach, Tony awards, and so much more, there hasn't been much, if any coverage of Flag Day. It's not an official federal holiday, but parades and other commemorative events are held each year on this day in cities and towns all across the United States.

The towns in my area go all out and have the U.S.A. flag everywhere you look, even on light posts. And I know there are so many better photos of the flag than mine above, but I wanted to post a photo that I had taken. It was actually taken from quite a distance (my neighbor's across the highway) using 4x optical zoom. My neighbor goes all out with the flag protocol. His flag is huge and lit up at night.

I usually have one in my front lawn, but it was tattered and Flag etiquette and standards of respect state that if it is so worn then it is not fit to serve as a symbol of our country. It will be taken to a place such as the local American Legion Hall, where they will destroy the flag by burning in a dignified manner.

If you are not familiar with Flag Rules and Regulations, you might find this website interesting. It shows many flag code violations that made the news, including my favorite--a photo from September 11, 2006, President Bush and the first lady stand on a carpet of the American flag at Ground Zero in Manhattan. Section 8b of the Flag Code reads, "The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground..."(source) You would think an American President would know these things.

Another interesting site is called the American Flag Wall of Shame, which shows lots of "no-no's."

And if you think I am too late in posting about Flag Day...WRONG! The entire week of June 14 is designated as "National Flag Week." During National Flag Week, the president will issue a proclamation urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag for the duration of that week.(Wikipedia)

I think most of us that fly the flag will continue to fly it long after the week is over!

As Mark Twain once said...

"The reports of my death

have been greatly exaggerated."

I just love Mark Twain, so I couldn't resist using that famous quote! I bet you didn't know Mark Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Missouri is only a couple of hours from here, did you? I have been there many times and absolutely love it there. If you ever get a chance, then go visit that charming little river town. There is so much to see and do there.

No, my blog isn't dead yet either! Life has been a little hectic and thrown me off schedule. I apologize to the few of you that may actually read this blog from time to time! I never intended to let it go for so long, so I am sorry. Wow, time sure does fly. Now it is going to be a REAL challenge to get back to posting on the blog. I hope I won't let you down.

~ John