Carol Silver - Plinky Answers

Life's Little Awkward Moments that only young people suffer but disappears with age: Dating

2010-10-01T19:43:46-06:00

Get him or her to talk about him or herself --easy because everyone likes to talk about him or herself.

Oh for heaven's sake. This is the problem of youth, who have so little to say to each other when they aren't texting.

10 Things That Make Me Happy: so sorry my family is not on the list

2010-10-01T19:39:06-06:00

I am a material girl, but I do value the intrinsic treasures life offers.

My Standard Poodle.
He loves me unconditionally, doesn't stink, and doesn't shed, and listens to me, and threatens others.

My job.
I get to feed information to young people all day long, hopefully make an impression on them, be an effective role model, take away their fears of growing older, show them how accessible an education is, show them the benefits of acquiring a college degree or two, and in general become a part of their high school memory. It's a real gas. Seriously.

My spouse.
He really cares about me, even if he does not verbalize that. He is demonstrative, caring, sensitive, loving, hot-bodied (at 52), cooks gourmet meals for me every single night (could not take my cooking), and gentle. He is a true gentleman, well bred and well mannered and culturally sophisticated.

my community
I dig being an active member of my community, getting to know others, being good friends with those who live closest to me, and improving our community. I feel fortunate to be a member of a close knit community near a large urban area. The best of both worlds.

my boss
He is the greatest. He is so cool. He is young and vibrant and filled with enthusiasm to match my own. I hope he will remain my boss for awhile. People like him do tend to get great opportunities for advancement.

The end of an era, the high school years, and the beginning of another

2010-04-22T21:18:21-06:00

The students that are in my class don't always trust me from the first day and some may take weeks, even months, to open up. Then comes a day when this student is feeling down, and I pick up on that and I do my very best to get a smile on that sad face. Or the day that I break into song and dance on impulse to get a point across in a lesson will break down that wall of resistance. From that point on, my classroom becomes a team and we are all pulling together, and commiserating too. Four years go by and these students are joined at the hip; they are bound; they are brother and sister. Next month another batch of seniors will be booted out into the cold cruel world, and my classroom becomes empty, waiting for the next year and the new students.
My students sometimes confess to me that they don't want to graduate. My insulated classroom has become a cocoon, a warm inviting place where they know they will be accepted, respected, and celebrated. I don't blame them for wanting to stay; I remember the terrors of leaving all that was familiar to me. I tell them it gets worse when they graduate from college. I know it is inevitable and unavoidable. I am stricken at the thought of not seeing those faces each day anymore, not ever again.
So this is what teaching has always been for me: a kind of building up and then a tearing down and rebuilding again. Reshaping the pattern and rekindling the fire of enthusiasm, and striving to bring about better results by reflecting on how I can get it right this time. It takes some of the sting out of ending the relationship with those graduating students, this knowledge that others will need me as much or more.

A haiku about mixed nuts

2010-04-17T16:25:45-06:00

They are not as fattening as reputed to be, and a whole lot more filling than chips, and less caloric than cheese and crackers.

STOP & SHOP Deluxe Mixed Nuts

salty nuggets crunch
slight flavor variation
just one more--no, two

A POODLE makes a great pet

2010-04-17T16:22:08-06:00

Poodles, among all other mere dogs, are the champions of fun and play. The sparkling brown eyes of a poodle ask you to please, please play. The adorable button nose sniffs for crumbs, balls, or other dogs as that puff of a tail wags in delight. How did the poodle get so curly? Clown school could learn a few tricks from the poodle, like how to find the hidden ball, make others laugh, tickle toes and noses, and be a mess.
Poodles are forgiving and forgetful. Poodles just want to have fun. Poodles need toys, pillows, blankies, and space next to you so they can curl up. Poodles don't shed, chew, bark without cause, or stink. They smell good. They look good. They don't requre training. They are smart and know every kind of game to play. The poodle is just waiting for you to figure out how to play!

Decisions get better with age.

2010-03-14T10:21:03-06:00

Aging brings confidence.

Aging is an unavoidable process that is admirable for the wisdom resulting from the myriad experiences that come from aging. Predictability becomes possible, anticipation is heightened or muted, preparedness is a given and needs no forethought. Aging brings foresight, comprehension, empathy, and generosity. Aging brings knowledge, which equates power. Therefore, aging brings more power.
When you get older, you appreciate what you already have and what you have done before. You also appreciate what you never did before, and why you didn't, or what you now need to do. You see with greater clarity of vision, and you have a vision of what is possible and what is not, although possibility becomes achievable. Aging makes you inpenetrable. Aging makes you sage. Aging makes you impermeable. Aging makes you two steps above and beyond the rest of the (younger) population. Aging gives you the ability to see beyond what is in front of you, and decisions become matter-of-course as the course is now highly visible. Aging infuses life with the sense of deja-vu, which doesn't make life boring, but rather makes life far more navigable through the pitfalls that sneak up on the young.
If people can get past the physical face of aging, they will discover the wonder of experiential confidence.

The essence of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is indescribable in the spring

2010-03-12T16:24:23-06:00

Have you ever hiked in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

If you have ever been, you know what I mean. If you have not, you may not fully grasp the intensity of Spring. The flowers and birds are quite busy. The creek flows are running high, so your pack shouldn't be too heavy and you should carry dry clothes. The smell may be the best part. I enjoy the love in the Springtime air. This was one of the first dates I went on with my once-fiance. This is where I survived a black bear invasion. This is the most beautiful, romantic place in the entire world, and it is located right in my back yard. It is environmentally unique in the world, linguistically distinctive, and culturally iconic. The Appalachian culture bears resemblance to some of the oldest cultures of Europe, yet possesses its own stamp of rebellious individuality. The views are the best in the Eastern U.S. and rival the Rockies, while with the flora and fauna they boast, put the European mountain ranges to shame.
The trout fishing is remarkable, the flower variety is unmatched, and hiking is the best way to experience the Great Smoky Mountains. Get out and walk through it. Your senses will be deluged with Spring.

makes me smile

2010-03-12T16:06:22-06:00

Where is the place where you can unwind and relax in the privacy of just you and the Caribbean carressing the coral reef shelf beyond your lawn? Treasure Beach, Jamaica.

No description is necessary. Just watch.

I would enjoy a cemetary across the street

2009-12-31T09:40:11-06:00

Cemetaries are the most romantic places that exist in this society. They have become a haven for old growth trees and offer a peace and quiet that seem out of place. They are never popular destinations, for some reason, although they typically offer fascinating information for the individual willing to piece it all together. The years offer a window into a world that has passed us by here in the present. The words offer a glimpse of emotion that can only be interpreted by the individual willing to stop, read, and reflect on them. The uneven ground demands close attention. The grass speaks of ages of growth, whether manicured or unkempt. If you allow your imagination to wander, you begin to envision the cellular structures emanating from the soil content below the ground, supplying a source of nutrients to evolve into massive, sinewy trunks that make faces and wink at you when you turn your eyes away from them. Then you realize the cemetary has ears, but no mouth. It listens without response. It waits without demand. And, for the attentive person, it enfolds welcomingly. It becomes expectant.

What a beautiful icy shooter!

2009-12-31T09:09:04-06:00

Just add flavored vodka, and your ice sculpture becomes an irresistible main event at your next party!

IMG_0867

One of the best weddings I ever attended as a guest featured large ice scuptures strategically placed around the reception in which your choice of flavored vodka was poured through and you got to catch it in a glass as it exited the ice. They had a giant elephant carving in ice, among other fantastical shapes. The couple was rather conservative, the wedding Jewish, but the party was memorable, thanks to those icy shooters! The shape of the sculpture would not affect the flavor of the vodka in any way, so I would allow my friend to practice his/her carving abilities, as long as the result was large: 2 feet or higher, and fantasy-based. I will supply the flavored vodka!

Treasure Tours treats me right

2009-12-09T20:04:08-06:00

I never escaped on a getaway vacation to a remote villa on the beautiful island of Jamaica until I met Rebecca Wiersma of Treasure Tours.

This is not a map of Treasure Beach. The service of Treasure Tours is so personal, you'll wonder why you ever vacationed anywhere else. They will get you whatever you can think of that you might want or need. They will respond with rapid resolution to whatever sort of problem you may have. They will suggest what else you might enjoy and how to do it or get it. They are community minded and consistently direct business toward the local community and economy. They encourage strategies to conserve the natural beauty of Treasure Beach, such as banning jet skis and limiting the number of stories on beach front structures. Treasure Tours makes your dreams come true.

Graduate school – those were the days

2009-12-09T19:49:05-06:00

Well, for one thing, I went when I was forty-five and was not partying but instead supremely confident, or at least, competent. Being the oldest student in every class had to give me confidence, otherwise I might have died of embarrassment. But this was something to be proud of. Besides, the subject matter was the best part, and my interest in what I was studying was a new concept to me. I never really was interested like that in class before. I never made so many A's before, and especially, I never cared about making A's. It became an obsession for me because I wanted to be the best in the subject I was studying.

Did this happen because I paid for these classes? Did this happen because I arrived at that place in my life where I could enjoy school instead of boys, parties, rock music, or girlfriends?

All I can say now is, it was so much fun that I'd like to go back and do it again!

A hard goodbye to Betsy

2009-12-09T19:39:40-06:00

My sister died unexpectedly. She told us she was sick. She was just twenty-nine, three years younger than I to the day. We were born on the same day. It was kind of like having a twin sister who was fraternal, not identical. She went to the emergency room because she didn't have health insurance. But this was after she asked my dad to check her into a hospital and he refused...I still don't know what that is about exactly. She sat in the emergency room for a few hours with a friend because none of her family was with her, although my mom had been nursing her at home for days on broth. She just kept throwing up and having diarrhea and finally she became delirious. When she lost her blood pressure and died, it was just the last thing I ever expected to happen; I mean, people just don't die at her age. But she did. Her autopsy revealed that she had Schmidt's Disease, which is adrenal failure and similar to Addison's Disease, a malady JFK was treated for. But no one could figure this out until Betsy was dead.

So I didn't get to say good-bye, not exactly, not the way I needed to after she departed from this life. We had affirmed our deep love for each other at least, after fighting like cats most of our lives together. We were polar opposites in every conceivable way: she had blond hair and blue eyes, and mine are brown. She was short and I'm tall. She couldn't spell and I like to think I can write. But we were even more alike: we both were dancers and actors and singers and artists. We both partied and above all else, we shopped and adored wearing beautiful clothing and accessories.

Rainbows and hummingbirds: natural beauties

2009-12-01T20:13:32-06:00

Nature provides miracles...but will we notice?

Rainbow

Once I actually witnessed hummingbirds in the wild mating. It was so surprising to see that I literally could 'hardly believe my eyes'-- so strange to realize what I was seeing in a delayed reaction. Another sight I've witnessed were two rainbows in the sky reflecting each other--opposing arcs that met in the middle. This is difficult to describe, but the rainbows reflected each other as mirrored opposites.

Thankfulness increases, exponentially

2009-11-25T08:04:17-06:00

There is much to be thankful for every year, and the more years Thanksgiving is celebrated, the more thankful it is possible to become. This is the year that the knee gave out and thankfully, it has made a 98% recovery without surgery. This is the year that everyone either got a pay cut or lost a job; thankfully my paycheck grew and my job is safe, although I was furloughed several days (that means I worked for free). This is the year my weight got to be too much and the scales tipped and the photographs from the summer vacation showed and told all the news. Thankfully, with a little effort, ten pounds were successfully shed and so far have stayed off...up until now. Family played a role in feeling thankful this year. A family reunion in October is a reminder of how fleeting time is and how helplessly mortal we all are, and how precious family is; how thankful I am for the gift of time spent with my family. The suicide of a long time friend is another reminder of the gift of life and marriage; how thankful I have become to have the gift of a happy marriage. Being thankful is a philosophy of life that strengthens with the passing of time. Some of the intangible gifts of life that we are blind to in our early life become extremely precious by the time 50 rolls around. I guess I be feeling even more thankful in the coming years.

You'll probably see me impeccably dressed for the Occasion and the weather, in Attire purposefully suited to the Occasion

2009-11-06T20:17:50-06:00

Wardrobe is my life and my passion, and I can't leave my house daily without dressing especially for the purpose, the season, the formality, and the occasion that day presents. Wardrobe to suit the weather is a foremost consideration and supersedes all other categories.

Jewelry
Surviving remains of my sister and my mother, each of whom is deceased before her time and out of the natural order of life events. Mother was the doctor's wife in suburban Atlanta of the 1970's--Regenstein's and Regency Shop in Rich's. Sister designed for the team Carolyn Tanner for Regency Shops and I am the sole heir of these estates. I have no daughters. My niece thinks all of it is rather much.

And I wear it. Now that the eighties are de riguer, the belts are back and the earrings are getting bigger, also the necklaces. The buckles and the vests are back and mine date back to the seventies; this has been an impetus for me to avoid too much weight gain over the years and incredibly has worked for me.

I am enjoying the revival and renaissance of eras that I lived and loved, the sixties--seventies--eighties. I say, holding on to all of this extraneous stuff-- the belts, the pins, the scarves, the photos, has given me lots of pleasure in the wearing of it all. I have a concentrated sense of style that supersedes any particular fashion trend, and this is what guides my dress every day of my life. I have a lot of accessories to wear, and I do my best to wear them, all the time, everyday.

Sometimes I discover some item and am pleasantly surprised, having forgotten that I owned it, or the finding of it is especially serendipitous...

And all of these accessories remind me of my mom and my sister. So I wear the jewelry for them, in order to remember each of them.

Shoes
Shoes are as the elixir of life for me; without shoes I would be without the breath of life. Shoes are the reason for loving living. Shoes provide impetus to work. Shoes are the underlying, literally and figuratively, purpose of every outfit. Shoes can make or break an outfit in a single finish, patent leather for example. Shoes say so much about you, personally, a fact my husband pointed out to me (he was the son and grandson of a shoe salesman).

Jacket
The jacket is the ultimate clothing item of flexibility, high fashion, color contrast, weather protection, attitude, and overall appearance. It provides the first impression. It comes in all colors and styles and is a delight to collect and enjoy wearing day in and day out in all weathers, and I do work all of those scarves and oversized pins onto the jacket's exterior. Now I can add a big necklace and big shoulders.
The jacket ties the look together.
The jacket can coordinate or contrast. The jacket is the finishing touch. The jacket, in my case, can be a leather Dana Buchman bargain (both hot and loud), or a hand-knit shawl of Mom's, or a wool wrap I bought one year for my sister's birthday present.
The jacket gives the desired warmth and protection from Nature's elements, and then provides that sense of style that is transmitted with the first glimpse of a person and must not be underestimated; it is true that a first impression is important.

I wish I'd been a child of the 1960s

2009-11-05T20:42:50-06:00

Oh what a great thing this decade was...the awakening of the youth, the melting of folk, jazz, blues, and beat music...the fashion, the makeup, the hair...the writing...the politics, the legislation, the leadership...the automobiles...wierd science...

Better sorry than safe

2009-11-05T20:40:19-06:00

Better to be sorry in love than safely never loved. Better to be sorry in experiences than inexperienced. Better to be sorry than have nothing to be sorry about...live and learn, I say.

A ghost story

2009-11-05T20:36:49-06:00

My mother called me from the grave about 8 days after she died. Turns out she wanted me to mark her resting place; she didn't have a headstone and I had turned my attention to her estate. Well she knew how to get in touch with me. She called me on my cellphone and disrupted the discussion I was having with the accountant about executing her will and distributing her estate. Cut my phone right off. I checked and saw that I had plenty of battery power and a good signal. So, mystified, I hit redial and heard the number tones dialing. The ringing at the other end was answered cheerfully by the words, "Arlington Cemetary!"
My mom is buried at Arlington Cemetary.
This happened again and I decided to stop dialing and think about what was happening and why she might be calling me. It had to be something important. I believe it was.

Helping those to help the future

2009-10-14T18:38:48-06:00

Students need help, financially mostly. I am establishing a foundation for Adairsville High School to provide a scholarship to two college bound students, a male and a female, in the senior class. Many graduates feel detered by financial need to even consider going on to college seriously. Maybe after a couple of years of work, they will go. And maybe they never will. The more years that divide high school graduation and college, the more challenging college appears.

I've decided to check out Taj Mahal

2009-10-14T18:29:42-06:00

I went to Macchu Piccu, Peru by hiking the 42 k Inca Trail, hauling my backpack on my back, not on some guide's back like all the other tourists. So the elegant, cultured Taj Mahal should be my destination, now that I've reached a ripe old age and have acquired a taste for Indian culture, so rich, so delicious, so redolent with saffron and curry.

India is so far away and very expensive to travel to, a very exceedingly large and forbidding a country in both its language and its culture. To go would be to see a blindingly beautiful monument to love for a woman, and naturally I find that appealing. However the idea of such an arduous journey does not immediately appeal to me...yet I would take the journey without hesitation if a ticket were put into my hand. Is it only the money? That could be why I haven't traveled there, come to think of it.

Tell me about yourself.

2009-09-27T16:18:26-06:00

This is an important skill and should be practiced in order to achieve mastery. Depending on why you want to get someone's attention, the first and best way is to let the person talk about him or herself. Ask questions that go beyond the 'yes' or 'no' response, and require an insightful and revealing answer. Ask questions that don't probe too deeply. The right questions can reveal valid and relevant information, and you will get that person's attention if you willingly listen with patience and provide confirmation that shows you're listening.
Getting someone's attention can have important applications in many different areas in life. It is not just about romance. This skill is necessary to success and promotion in the world of work. Many career areas require some skill at getting someone's attention. Doing this artfully requires subtlety and a finesse, so that the person whose attention you seek isn't made overly aware that that is what you are seeking.
Hardly anyone wants to allow someone else to talk about him or herself these days-- it takes way too much effort. So this is a guaranteed, sure-fire way to get someone's attention...even if unaware of what you're doing at the time, he or she will remember you later-- and voila, you have gotten attention.

One of the best meals I ever ate was celebrating my twenty-first birthday.

2009-09-27T16:04:45-06:00

I long for the Coach and Six on Peachtree Street in Atlanta.

Lobster, I think
This was my 21st birthday. My then-boyfriend took me to the Coach and Six in Atlanta. I fell in love with him that night. It wasn't the dinner, it was the man. He was the only man I'd ever met who knew which knife cut bread. He knew how to order wine. This happened such a long time ago, I remember his eyes through the curling tobacco smoke from his pipe he smoked there in the dining room after dinner. That was 29 years ago. The Coach and Six has closed, but we are still happily married, usually.

I'm gonna hop the bus to Adairsville in Adairsville, GA

2009-09-26T19:30:23-06:00

My angel & demon are fighting over me

2009-09-26T12:32:07-06:00

Just ignore that damned demon.

They are arguing with me whether I should tell the truth or not. Whether to be nice to others or just do whatever I choose. Whether to actually give a hoot or think what I want and say what I think.
So far the angel is winning narrowly over the demon.
I have paid dearly for ignoring her in the past.
It is prudent to maintain the code of decency and suppress the urge to act on instinct. This is the point that angel is trying to make me understand. To act on impulse is natural, the demon keeps reminding me.
I'm trying much harder these days to take the advice of that angel, since impulse and instinct turn out to be pretty base urges and are not likely to help me in any way, but rather cause me lots of grief.

The view of Lake Garrett is beautiful

2009-09-22T14:11:48-06:00

I have visited many beautiful places in this world, but nothing quite compares to remote, wooded, wild, sheltered, forgotten Lake Garrett.

The scenery is idyllic and pastoral. There are varieties of ducks, gray herons, egrets, pileated woodpeckers, and many other kinds of birds. There are beaver, muskrats, osprey, and an elaborate food web is in place. The lake is unfortunately spoiled with a couple of feet of silt, yet it is vibrant, peaceful, and undisturbed. Looking at it all, it is easy to believe I am miles and miles from any city.

Reality TV show GONG award is an awards show we need

2009-09-22T14:00:01-06:00

Reality TV show GONG award
The lowest common denominator in TV entertainment.

Music sounded different, not better, on record

2009-09-08T19:40:05-06:00

My dog made a memory of my record collection. Tape could be put away in good order and forgotten, but 8 track aged too rapidly to keep. The CD unfortunately might be better if it did not age, break, or mar -- they are too delicate.

My stay at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, CA

2009-08-20T13:31:01-06:00

If I told you where this place is, it would not be the nicest anymore. So I must keep it a secret.

At this wedding, the bride's family paid for her family members and out of town guests to stay at the wedding location. The Ranch is a pristine, 5-star location in the hills above the Pacific Ocean. It is unforgettable.

Next birthday, I'd like to Relax on the shore in Jamaica

2009-08-20T13:22:48-06:00

Relax on the shore in Jamaica
I want to because I cannot; my birthday falls during the time of year when I am in the classroom!