Color Blindness

Silly

One of our most prized senses is our ability to see. Imagine not being able to see anything, ever. Second to that is the ability to see color. My dad and two of my sons struggle to discern red and green, a common color blind problem. They cannot enjoy poinsettias and other red flowers, and greens are just variations of brown. If you can see these colors, you are blessed. If not, I feel your pain.

Color is a big part of our world; it’s everywhere. When I was teaching, the kids didn’t want to see an older movie in black and white. When was the last time you watched a movie in black and white? Yet, we watched Shindler’s List last week, shot in black in white, except for two splotches of red. The lack of color is purposeful, setting a dismal tone.

The world would be a sad place without all the variations of color. My sons are excited to hear of the new glasses, accidentally created for another purpose, like so many important inventions, which correct for their red/green color blindness. They would like to see the world the way their color sighted friends and family see it. I’d buy them a pair right now, except these glasses are special and cost as much as my sight-correction lenses. Perhaps together we can save enough for them.

In my fiction story, Eve, First Matriarch, Eve wakes to a new world. Her memories of that moment oar memories of sight, she is overwhelmed by the shades of greens in trees and bushes, the variety of reds, blues, and greens of the birds, and the purples, greens, oranges, and pinks of the flowers in this new world. Added to this, were the multiple shades of animals. Her visual senses were overloaded. Imagine how this would have been much less overwhelming if she had the disability of color blindness?

Color blindness is a small disability. Others have disabilities that are much worse. Share with me your challenges and how you manage them!

0Shares

Stargazing, Then and Now

I share a favorite pass time with Eve. I imagine her and Adam enjoyed time together, sitting and watching the moon and stars appear each evening. Watching stars together would help them feel confident that this new world would continue to be the same. Connecting the dots between the stars lets us imagine animals and brave warriors. Certainly Eve and Adam found images in their night skies. Watching them in the evening, finding those images where there were, or close to that position each night would give them comfort and confidence.
Later, in the history of our world, falling stars were seen as omens. I do not see our first parents needing omens to guide them. However, in my imagination they were aware of meteors streaking through the night skies, perhaps even on evenings after momentous occasions.
I love the fall when the Perseid Meteor shower passes through our orbit, sending “falling stars” to brighten the sky. Often, when you live in a city, like I do, it is difficult to see falling stars unless you travel a distance away from the lights to see the tiny specks of burning meteors.
One year there were so many my students were excited to share with me the falling stars they saw during the day. They were visible that year both in the night and during the day. I sat on the steps of my front porch and watched the points of light fall through our atmosphere one afternoon. I love the memory.
I still love to watch the stars, especially during meteor showers. I look forward to the next one. Maybe it will be bright enough I can see it in this city I live in now, that is known for its bright lights. This year, we can plan to see the Perseid shower from August 11-14. With the moon waning, they should be easy to see this year, maybe they will be bright enough to see during the day, too. I hope so!
Tell me, do you love to watch the stars, or is there something else you prefer to watch? What do you think Eve would have used to find confidence in her new world? Tell me. Maybe I’ll add it to my book: EVE, First Matriarch.

I look forward to hearing from you.

0Shares

Changes in July

July! A great time for new beginnings! Why wait for January when you can begin again in July?
July is the time when our great country achieved a change, our leaders signing the Declaration of Independence. Life in our country, and in the world, would be significantly different had those brave men not declared independence and revolution. Can you even imagine the world without the United States as an independent country? Great Britain is a fine country, one time spreading around the globe. However, the great ocean between and the change in thinking in the new land separated us.
My parents made a huge change in July, joining in marriage on July 14, 1950. Yes, they are still happily married 65 years later, and living about 2 hours away from us. That change had deep impact on my life and that of my brothers and sisters. We wouldn’t be here without the decision they made that July. Happy Anniversary, mom and dad!
Big changes in our life come in July. Our first move, after two whole weeks of marriage, occurred over the 4th of July weekend, traveling and moving to Guam. We missed the 4th. It was an interesting experience, watching the bombers leave and return as they ended the Vietnamese war. My husband left the Navy and we returned to Utah one July, more years ago than I want to remember. We decided to leave Utah for Las Vegas, Nevada, twelve July’s ago. Both of those changes were good for me and my family.
Now, this July, I have changed my website, hoping to make it more interesting for you, the reader. Blogs and information about my writing are easily available on one site. Yippee for me!
When do you change most often? Does it seem to fall in one month more than another? What are you changing in your life now? I’d love to see what is going on with you.Mom & Dad-Wedding (2)C

0Shares

A Writing Addict

I have spent the last year and a half writing, my husband would say I’m addicted to writing, for when I sit down, my computer is in my lap and I am adding words to, or editing one of my novels.

Yes. I am writing novels. The first in my series of Ancient Matriarchs is Eve, First Matriarch. As the title suggests, I am writing about our first mother, Eve. I have had many questions over the years, especially since I first became a mother about 40 years ago, wondering how she managed those first births. Have you?

Other books in the Ancient Matriarch series are planned, two are in rough draft stage, and are finding form. As I wrote about Eve, I discovered a mystery that could only be answered by writing another series, Lost Children of the Prophets. The first book in this series has a beginning.

Of course, it is all fiction! How else could I tell a story about women whose names are not even recorded, let alone any information about their lives?

Would you like to follow the questions I have, find some of the answers, and learn what may be coming in the lives of the Ancient Matriarchs? Do you want to be first to know when the books are available for you to read?

Join me in my quest in my Weekly Musings. I write something new each week about what is going on in my writing, and I will share some of the insights I have gained.

Check out www.AngeliqueCongerAuthor.com for more information about my books, and the form to add your name to get all this, and more!

And, yes, please share with any friends you think may be interested.

0Shares

Enjoy Your Freedom of Speech

Do you realize how lucky you are to live in the United States? Though we have lost freedoms in recent years, we continue to have more freedoms than those living in most other countries.

I am as disgusted by photos of people stomping on and burning our flag. But, those people have the right to do that and they do not fear arrest or other legal reprisal for their actions. Try abusing a flag in some of the countries under marshal law. It isn’t something you would even attempt.

Citizens of the United States can express their frustrations in many ways citizens of other countries would not consider. Check out social media, almost any opinion is available to read, from far left to far right, and everything in between. Everyone has an opinion, and most share it freely on Facebook, Twitter, and the multitude of other outlets for expression. Calls to elect are often beside calls to impeach or requests to change the time periods for elected officials. No one is arrested.

In the last weeks, a furor has arisen surrounding the Confederate battle flag. Masses have gathered to demonstrate both for and against the flying of the flag. Fist fights resulted as people from both sides lost control of their tempers. Some were arrested for disorderly conduct. None were arrested for expressing their opinions.

We have lost many of our freedoms in the name of “protection.” I fear the loss of more of our freedoms. For now, I am grateful we still have so many.

Happy Independence Day!

0Shares