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Ohio scenes with
with a picture or two
taken in Maryland
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Picture taken along
the bike trail
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Poetical Journal © by Bob Casey
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Mission: To provide poetical and
...............................thoughtful comments on life
VOLUME VII – ISSUE 7: Sunday, August 31, 2008 – Issue #84
CONTENT
- Welcome & Online Version
- Opening Comments from Bob: Moving On
- Become a Premium Subscriber
- Poems: Sanity and Moving On
- My Latest Book – An Oasis in a Cluttered World is now available.
- Vignette: Simple Pleasures of Corn
- Suggestions
- Quotable Quotes
- A Bit of Humor
- Pay It Forward Update
- New Premium Subscriber
- PJ Forum
- Reminder: If you are filtering...
- PJ Demographics – All 50 states and 70 countries (An Iceland subscriber joined this month.)
- PJ Online
- PJ Policies
- Subscription information
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Welcome
I am pleased to have you as a reader. If you enjoy the PJ, please encourage others to subscribe. If your country is not listed in the demographic section at the end, please let me know so I can update the list.
The next issue will come out on Sunday, September 28, 2008.
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Opening Comments from Bob - Moving On
I am moving into a transition phase in my life. For eight years, I have worked for a wonderful company that has allowed me to use my talents to create and implement new ideas. I like to believe that those efforts have helped "leave the world a bit better because I journeyed there (part of my personal mission statement)." I bid adieu to the company in December to focus on my writing and photography. Of course the poetry and this newsletter will continue, but I am also branching out into travel and freelance writing. An article related to my approaching to the Maui Writers Conference in Hawaii has already been sold. (More on both in the next edition.) When you receive this issue, I will already be at the conference. A few days after returning I head with three friends to Alaska for a seven-day photo trip. Thus, the next two issues should be chock full of "Aloha" and "Alaskan" pictures, poetry, and vignettes.
The Premium Blog is finally online. If you are a premium subscriber, you should have received an access code. If somehow you were missed, please let me know.
Friend Jerry from Victoria, Australia continues to recover from open-heart surgery. Read his comments in the PJ Forum.
Become a Premium Subscriber
It is easy! To learn more about premium membership and helping others, click here.
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Two Poems this Issue
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Sanity
Cool breezes
evaporate the salty droplets
running down the forehead.
Could the day be more perfect,
sun and light breezes,
for a ride along the bike trail?
All cares disappear
as one greets passersby
with friendly, “Hellos,” –
so privileged to find respite
from the chaotic tentacles,
which strive to ensnare and steal
one’s sanity.
Comments: In today's highly pressurized world, one needs to take time to "get away" if only for a few hours. Work can become all consuming, making one lose perspective on why we exist and what our mission is. For me, this escape comes on the bike trail or on the yoga mat or on the lake. Where do you go to find your sanity?
Moving On
Quiet, time to think, to listen.
Suddenly, the harsh intrusion of a chainsaw
off in the distance
terminates the life
of a once healthy tree.
Crash! One hundred years end.
The calls of the cicadas
and the sounds of geese
replace the disruptive whine
of the now silent saw.
A solitary ant meanders
along the path.
Where is it headed?
Where am I headed?
Answers yet to come.
Comments: Another poem written during a break along the bike trail. Obviously, it was written for me as I envision a new future. However, this dilemma faces all of us sometime in our lives.
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| Two enjoying ice cream in Annapolis, Maryland |
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| Larry the raker and Bill the foreman |
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| Larry enjoying his hard earned ear. |
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My Newest Book, An Oasis in a Cluttered World, is HERE!
An Oasis in a Cluttered World is now available. If you enjoy the Poetical Journal and this web site, you will enjoy this book. It includes vignettes, poems, recommendations, and guest submissions. (If you order through my web site, you will save a bit, and if you so wish, I will sign the copy.) For more information, go to
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Vignette: Simple Pleasures of Corn
As I age, I discover that simple pleasures bring great pleasure. Recently, we attended a corn roast, an annual event for our church. However, this was the first time we had decided to attend. The Smiths have hosted this gathering for a number of years and have the process down to a science. Upon arriving and dropping off our food contribution for the pot luck, Jan Smith directs me to take the trail back to the "sacred" grounds where the corn was roasting. Taking a slightly around about way, I finally spot "the corn gurus," Bill Smith and Larry Raabe–busy at work. I was not alone as a group, mainly males, stood watching the two work their holy task. We talked among ourselves about corn, pits, smoke, and proper raking techniques.
The pit had been dug earlier, filled with wood and coals, and lit. As the fire turned to glowing embers, the water soaked corn ears were buried in the glowing ash. At the appropriate moment and with a nod from Bill, Larry raked the ears from the ash and deposited them in a bushel basket. The rest of the evening included lessons on husking the hot ears and sitting around tables talking, savoring, sipping, laughing, and yes, turning those ears into corn history. We were so glad we decided to attend.
Simple pleasures, yes, great pleasure!
If you have a guest vignette you would like to submit, please do so. Not only will I enjoy reading it, but if agreeable with you and space permitting, printing it in a future issue. The vignette should be written in paragraph form and relate a personal story or event. Equally important, it should fit the overall tenor of this newsletter. Ideally, it should not exceed twenty lines. Please send to bob@poeticaljourneys.com.
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| Recommendations
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- Take a moment to maintain balance.
- Become a premium subscriber.
- A special is being run on several Poet Prints. Take a peek.
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Cobb Island, Maryland (I thought you needed a break from the rural scenes.)
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"The secret is not to fly in the air or to walk on water but to walk on the earth." – Chinese Proverb
"Pass, therefore, not today in vain, for it will never come again." – Omar Khayyam (1048-1122) Persian poet, mathematician, philosopher, and astronomer..
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." – Lewis Carroll (1832-1898) English author, mathematician, and logician; his most famous work, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
"He who speaks without modesty will find it difficult to make his words good" – Confucius
"He who grasps loses." – Lao tzu (Author of The Tao Te Ching which is fundamental to the Taoist school of Chinese philosophy)
A Bit of Humor
A bit of laughter is healthy for the soul.
Help Doc
A woman burst out of the examining room screaming after her young physician tells her she is pregnant. The director of the clinic stopped her and asked what the problem was. After she tells him what happened, the doctor had her sit down and relax in another room, and he marched down the hallway where the woman’s physician was and demanded, “What is wrong with you? Mrs. Miller is 60 years old, has six grown children and nine grandchildren, and you told her she was pregnant?” The young physician continued to write his notes and without looking up at his superior, asked, “Does she still have the hiccups?”
New Contest Coming . . .
By clicking on this link you can see winners from earlier contests. Anyone who has won a poet print in the past and would like to be pictured on the Grand Winners Page, please send via email a jpg of you holding the print.
As of August 26, 2008, the following has been pledged:
- Total Monetary: $3,912
- Total Volunteer Hours: 945 hours
- Number of Premium Subscribers: 33
To learn more about premium membership and what it entails, click here.
Welcome to New Premium Subscriber
Welcome to Megan from Mansfield, OH who donated to St. Jude Hospital.
PJ Forum
I regret that I cannot publish all of the comments. However, I personally responded to each one. Below are samplings of comments received this month. If you have comments, recommendations, or suggestions for the PJ, please email them to bob@poeticaljourneys.com.
"Thanks for July 27 issue. I haven't had a chance to read it in its entirety, but I will. Obviously, Alison's typing this for me, as my right hand is far from able to yet. Good to hear from you mate and even if I don't respond directly or indirectly, you're most welcome to write to me. I've been home since Tuesday and believe me, having lost 11 kilos in weight (due to the hospital diet and appalling food) it's wonderful to have Alison's cooking again. Speak to you soon mate and God bless." – Jerry from Victoria, Australia (Ed.: It is good to have Jerry back in the forum section. Alison sent a detailed letter explaining the many battles he has been waging. As you can read from his email, his feisty spirit is still alive.)
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Got my first issue of the PJ and really like it. But I was very moved to read your tribute to Phillip. Thank you so much for writing and including that for your readers to know. . . " – Kim from Ohio (Ed.: Thank you, Kim, for your email and comments. Phillip touched many lives.)
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"Loved the latest issue of Poetical Journal! Thanks for all your work with this. And, so glad to see you will be back to the Maui Writers Conference in late August. . .” – Maui Phil (Ed.: I always enjoy hearing from Phil. I am going to give him a call while there.)
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"Thanks for putting in the picture of Gimli. I just wanted to note that you had the name right in the link however, on the web page, you misspelled it as "Gimley." I hope you have a great day!” – Craig from Maryland (Ed.: My son, Craig, is referencing the humorous picture from last month. I immediately corrected the web page. Just in case you didn't view it the first time, here is Gimli again.)
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"Just a few comments on the July issue, which is certainly one of your best. Enjoyed your poems and Allison's report on Jerry. Hope he continues well on the path to recovery. Please let G.L. (Gay Lorraine) know how much I enjoyed her vignette on camping...my sentiments exactly...:-) Much prefer comfort, a.c., and morning coffee...maybe camping in a log cabin with a fireplace or some such, no tents for me. Again, the photography was spectacular...the fireworks displays, especially the reflections on the Schnormeier lake...wonderful!. . ." – Sharon from Texas/Mexico (Ed.: Thank you, Sharon. She also shared with me some of her latest writings. In the next issue I will provide a link. She is currently working on an article about Santorini.)
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"Love the vignettes this month! As usual, your pics are just great! P.S. No thank you to the invitation to tea!" – Bobbie from Pearland, Texas (Ed.: Thanks, Bobbie. Yes, it is a long climb for a cup of tea.)
IF YOU ARE FILTERING
Like you, I receive many unwanted e-mails. However, sometimes some e-mails I want to receive are filtered for a variety of reasons. May I suggest that you place the following in your address book or approved senders list: poetjournal@poeticaljourneys.com This process will increase the odds of you receiving your issue.
Reader Demographics
Geographically, subscribers reside in all U.S. states. Subscribers also live in Albania, Argentina, Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia, & Western Australia), Austria, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, & Quebec), Chile, Croatia, Denmark, Egypt, England, Estonia, Fiji, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Korea, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Netherlands, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad - W.I., Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Vietnam, Wales, and Zimbabwe.
If your state, province, or country is not mentioned, please let me know.
PJ Online
To read back issues of the PJ, go to.
The next issue will be out Sunday, September 28, 2008. It will be Part 2 of the India Issues
Until next time - joy and peace,
Bob
PJ Policies
Guest Poetry: Often readers send me a poem stating they would like it included in the PJ. Many of the poems are well written. Although I enjoy reading them, at this time I do not include guest poetry as part of this newsletter. Instead, I suggest that they submit them for inclusion in the Guest Poet section of my web site. A number have chosen to do so. However, time limitations and quality govern the number that will be accepted. I currently am not accepting poetry from minors.
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Guest Vignettes: On occasion, I publish guest vignettes submitted by one of my readers. If a guest vignette is submitted and selected, the author understands that there is no remuneration provided; the vignette will be included in the e-mailed and web site versions; and will remain posted until I choose to remove it from the site. In all cases, the guest vignette remains the property of the guest author who has given permission for its usage as described in sentences one and two.
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Privacy: I take it very seriously. Your name will never be sold to a third party nor will we disclose at any time your subscription information.
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Unsolicited Mailing: The PJ is never sent unless requested. If you believe you received the PJ unsolicited, please notify me. I will unsubscribe you.
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Reproduction and Forwarding: While the material is copyrighted, you have permission to forward all or part of this newsletter. You may also quote from it. Out of common courtesy (We will forget all the legal jargon and requirements.), I would appreciate at least a mention or a footnote. -- Much appreciated!
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Recommendations: All recommendations are personal ones offered for your information. I receive no remuneration of any kind from the sources or individuals being recommended – other than when I recommend purchasing my books. Actually, many are never aware of their listing. One may ask, "Why do you provide recommendations for specific establishments or locations, especially since many of your readers are worldwide and may never be able to use the information?" The key word is "may." When I travel, I plan much of the itinerary myself. This planning includes reading and listening to recommendations from professional and personal sources. My wish is that any suggestions provided will assist some readers as they make their plans. (Incidentally, I have already received feedback that readers use them.)
Subscription: To unsubscribe click on your individualized unsubscribe e-mail at the end of this newsletter. (Not appropriate for this web page.) Or send a BLANK e-mail (Be sure not to write anything in the subject or body) to
leave-poetjournal@pro.netatlantic.com
Bob Casey
Poetical Journeys
P.O. Box 319
Fredericktown, OH 43019
bob@poeticaljourneys.com
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