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March 17, 2010
What began as extremely unfussy and obtainable intention – eating better and moving more – has erupted into a full-scale mega-production requiring learning how to cook differently, shopping with new eyes, rearranging schedules, altering relationships, and devising self-inflicting intimidating goals. Building such blockades makes the procedure ridiculously difficult and horribly unpleasant. [...]
March 12, 2010
The phone rings at 5am and I jump awake. The mother in me thinks something is wrong with one of my girls. The daughter in me is afraid my mother has gotten sick and is in the hospital. The sleepy person that I am wants to curse out whoever has tricked me out of peaceful [...]
March 10, 2010
I was never a history buff. I was the kid in high school who got caught napping instead of listening. “So?” I would ask. “Why does this matter?” Now my tweenage daughters ask the same question and I struggle to explain why.
“Because,” I say. And it’s not one of those “Because I said so’s”. It’s [...]
March 10, 2010
My family and I just returned from a fantastic holiday. As soon as I got home I started looking for my countless lists of Things To Do. But that inevitably lead to Things to Avoid. So I have decided to compile lists of Things on Vacation. WAY more fun, and, I am sure, very [...]
March 5, 2010
While walking home in the cold winter wind, I felt a different kind of chill crawl up my spine. Daylight savings time was still on us and that made rush hour all headlights, street lamps and dark corners. I tried to tell myself I was just cold but the man coming my way raised a [...]
March 4, 2010
I’m a pretty sentimental person. For instance, I have saved every single letter and card my husband has ever given me over our 27-year relationship. That’s quite a substantial bit of correspondence considering that for most of that first year, we lived 900 miles apart, and I received an average of five pieces of [...]
March 4, 2010
She noticed him staring at her through the window. Uncomfortably, she shifted. First on one foot, then the other, as she dizzyingly became aware of his intense scrutiny. Boss lady was coming any time soon and if she found this stranger staring at her through her precious shop windows, she would throw a fit. Suddenly [...]
February 18, 2010
Flowers, Greenery, and Gardens
by Bob Grant
One of the aspects of my trips to China, that I truly enjoyed, was seeing all of the flowers, greenery, and gardens along the way. I wanted to specifically mention this fact, and state, the photos you might have seen of typical Chinese landscapes are true. In fact, there were [...]
February 17, 2010
Posted by scottqmarcus in: Attitude, Children, Family, Habit Change, Health & Fitness, Inspiration & Motivation, Life Experiences, Mental Health, Motivation, Personal Experiences, Recovery, Relationships, Travel, Wellness
As I watched the drama, it dawned on me that this process of learning does not end when we move away from our parents. It is a sequence that presents itself continually: Frustration. Lesson. Acceptance. Progress. Repeat cycle as necessary until [...]
February 17, 2010
The man sitting next to me farted. It was loud. It was also the worse expulsion of body gases I had ever endured. He didn’t say sorry or excuse me. He just looked straight ahead as if the overwhelming odor had not invaded his olfactory senses.
I held my breath because I thought I was going [...]
February 17, 2010
The Illusion of Time
Is the essence of one’s existence
For we are born to believe
That we will live forever
The Essence of a Dream
Is that we can achieve
Whatever we strive to obtain
There are no boundaries; only infinity
The Infinity of Love
Allows us to care for many
For time is not the issue
Love is but a passage of our reality
February 12, 2010
The Death of One Stephen Sangirardi Bard715@aol.com
Every year at the Oscars, there is a segment commemorating the stars who have died in the past year. Their picture flashes on the giant Academy screen, cinematic music plays in the background, and people applaud in noticeably ascending degree of the deceased star’s importance. From least important [...]
February 9, 2010
The summer after I turned 16 I got my first real job. My mother did payroll and kept books for many small businesses. From her I learned how to do taxes, balance payroll and keep office ledgers. She insisted I take typing even though at the time I wanted to be a lawyer-painter-journalist-fashion designer. So [...]
February 7, 2010
I am not the Manchurian Candidate
by Bob Grant
How can you embrace an enemy of the USA? More important – why would you? If these questions have not been outright asked of me – they have been implied. Why I chose to speak highly of China, and its people, is something that I do willingly and [...]
February 2, 2010
October 5, 2009
After about a 45 minute delay to try and actually get the lights working, we took the field for our first “real game” of the camp. Jim let all his pitchers go longer than normal, about 2-3 innings a piece. I hadn’t played a game at night in a few years, so it [...]
February 2, 2010
October 4, 2009
A week from this exact moment, I will be on a plane making my way back home to New York. Needless to say, I’m very excited about getting back into the Northeast to all my family and friends, as well as tackling this horrible economy and attempting to find a job. Saturday was [...]
January 30, 2010
October 3, 2009
Today was supposed to be the start of an important weekend series, but Mother Nature showed how much that mattered to her by the amount of rain that was dropped from the sky. We arrived at the ballpark around 11a and the infield looked like a lake. The grass in the outfield and [...]
January 30, 2010
October 2, 2009
When I woke up this morning and opened my shades, the weather looked fantastic, but as the day grew older, Mother Nature brought some hard rain. Jim told us to come to the ballpark no matter what so we could figure out the next couple of days, so we arrived around 4p to [...]
January 28, 2010
Is Experience more important than Education? Is Education more important than Experience? Is there no difference between the two?
We welcome your thoughts and comments.
January 26, 2010
October 1, 2009
As was said yesterday, today didn’t consist of any games or structured drills; we had the entire day to try and get better at whatever skilled we desired to work on. So I took it upon myself to work on ground balls and my footwork around the bag at first base, then went [...]
January 26, 2010
September 29, 2009
Here we are, ten days into this tryout in Joliet, Illinois; we’re pretty much at the halfway point and like I said at the end of the first week, it’s amazing that we only have another week and a half before we go back home. I got two more at-bats in our game [...]
January 25, 2010
September 28, 2009
With week two underway, it has already gotten off to a better start than the first week. We arrived at the ballpark about an hour later than normal, and our day included instruction in the morning, followed by batting practice and a game in the afternoon. While we were taking BP, I saw [...]
January 25, 2010
September 27, 2009
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a week since I flew into Chicago to participate in the SIB Fall League with hopes of landing a professional baseball contract. While talking about it with other players today, everyone seems to be in agreement that this week has gone by very fast, but [...]
January 24, 2010
September 26, 2009
Today was by far the best day I’ve had in Joliet on the baseball field. We all reported to Silver Cross Field and were ready to rock at 4p, but due to our lack of pitchers, we participated in a simulated game. It sounds fancy, but it only means that Jim brings the [...]
January 24, 2010
September 25, 2009
Today was another full day of baseball for all of us. We had some more instruction in the morning, followed by a 7 inning game in the afternoon. As I write this entry, I am balancing a full bag of ice on my left elbow, so it’s pretty safe to say that it [...]
January 23, 2010
I pushed my way through the corn stalks; curiosity leading the way. From my Uncle Elsie’s farm, I could see another house with barns and a silo. My cousin Vera told me it belonged to her Aunt Ruth. Ruth was my uncle’s spinster sister. My Aunt Gladys was my dad’s only sister and my parents [...]
January 22, 2010
I rush through each day as if I have endless days ahead of me
When in reality each day is counting down to my demise
I awake each morning running my day through my mind
Planning on how to get there in the shortest amount of time
I rush through traffic, angry that it is moving so slowly
I run [...]
January 21, 2010
Uneducated clod, or missed opportunity?
Sitting in the hot muggy class room I was getting over last night’s wild dorm party, and wondering when I was going to see that girl again. Where did she say she lived?
Then the words, that have haunted me ever since, came out of an old and rumpled instructor’s mouth.
“In [...]
January 7, 2010
September 24, 2009
Today definitely had its peaks and its valleys; two games were on the schedule and I spent both of them in Right Field. Once Jim and Ronnie split the teams up earlier in the week, I realized that the only other primary 1st Baseman here is on my team. As if that wasn’t [...]
January 6, 2010
Once in a great while you have the privilege of witnessing true, pure, selfless, unconditional love, as our Creator intended it to be, and it totally revolutionizes your understanding and concept of just what real love is. It shakes you back to reality and makes you appreciate what you have with your spouse, as imperfect and sometimes frustrating as it may be. I was fortunate enough to witness this first-hand and I will be forever impacted by [...]
January 2, 2010
September 23, 2009
Today was another day of instruction for us, but since Jim and Ronnie split us up into teams, most of our workout was with our particular team. Tomorrow marks the start of our games, but I have a feeling a majority of the guys are going to be hurting through the rest of [...]
December 29, 2009
September 22, 2009
In the blink of an eye, day two is in the books. Our workout was focused around defense, but ended with a short batting practice session. After practice, Jim and Ronnie (two independent league coaches) told us to hang around in the clubhouse because they wanted to meet with us one-on-one in an [...]
December 28, 2009
September 21, 2009
Today was a hell of a day. I went to bed last night while watching my New York Giants defeat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football, hoping I would have a voicemail or email when I woke up in the morning, telling me what events would happen during the first day of [...]
December 28, 2009
Hi, I’ve just arrived in my mother’s womb. I have no name.
This is day one of the beginning of my life, and I am so happy
It was God who chose to give me life, because I am special to him.
I know he loves me and everyday I’ll thank him again and again.
It feels so warm, [...]
December 21, 2009
September 20, 2009
My judgment day has finally come in the sport of baseball. I’ll never forget the feeling I had when I got off of the airplane at Midway Airport in Chicago, IL: “Holy crap, I’m in Illinois…to play baseball!” I can close my eyes and see myself standing at the terminal, saying this to [...]
December 11, 2009
Posted by AngelaPoseyArnold in: Biography & Memoir, Education, Faith, Family, Freedom, History, Inspiration & Motivation, Life Experiences, Lifestyle, Non-Fiction, Personal Experiences, Relationships, Religion, Short Stories, Social Aspects, Social Issues, Spirituality, Women's Perspective
Christmas 1947-Alabama (Not so much unlike Christmas 2009–Alabama—same heart–same spirit)
By Angela Posey-Arnold
“What are you getting for Christmas this year, Jimmy? I think I’m getting a record player. I picked one out at Elmore’s.” Bonnie said to her friend and classmate at lunch.
Jimmy swallowed the last bite of apple, “A record player? That will be neat. [...]
November 22, 2009
My skin jitters. “Come on, babe. You have to keep breathing.” My eyelids flicker, but the beige walls are too bright. Breathing hurts. He squeezes my arm, shaking me. “Wake up, honey.” I groan. It would be so good to sleep. I can’t think for fear of unconsciousness. My eyes roll back in my [...]
November 22, 2009
Last Friday night my wife and I were driving on the freeway – in the passing lane going about 70 mph – when from out of nowhere a deer came out of the median and jumped in front of our vehicle. I had absolutely no time to react – I hit it broadside at full [...]
November 15, 2009
My wife and I decided it was time to educate our 4-month old granddaughter to the pleasures of our local mall – here is how she started the day and her thoughts on her experience:
Wanting to keep my “Girlish Figure” I started the day with aerobics on the Mat.
After a quick “liquid breakfast” – I [...]
November 14, 2009
Posted by npofahl in: Attitude, Biography & Memoir, Creative Writing, Entertainment, Family, Freelance Author, Humor, Inspiration & Motivation, Life Experiences, Non-Fiction, Personal Experiences, Short Stories, Social Aspects, The Writer's Corner, Women's Perspective
The Wide and Wacky World of Sports
Nancy Pofahl
I like sports. My whole family does, save my daughter. She’s the odd one.
When I was young, I loved to play tennis, volleyball, basketball or anything that involved guys crashing into girls. Especially [...]
November 12, 2009
“…And the weary stands defeated, overlooking the momentous destruction of peace…
He has been evolving, since the long job started, and as much as I know that the feeling of being settled perhaps is something that might seem a tad boring to him, and yet. He has told me before to remind him when he starts work I would need to reel him back to earth, and yet this time around, his level of satisfaction be it in terms of work or the need to mother-coddle me (which really does not need to exist) and my somewhat dependence on him, seem to all revolve in an ugly circle of mundaneity.
His constant jibbing of his current workplace which he has since forsaken to take up in arms at another firm, which can be akin to my complaints of work prior to this. His need for space which I do acknowledge and try to stay out of the way by heading out with friends. His needs in life which I try to cater, be it to not be disagreeable and sweet as a diabetic sugared rabbit.
It is all a matter of transition, whether it be that I am often coined as illogical which he sweetly coats with words honed at highlighting my talents in most trades (and my failures in them as well – one minute enthusiasm they say) just because I happen to drift off half way through conversations into a deeper form of thought, whilst he ignores much of whatever I say. ‘Let’s sit down and talk’ he says, only to want to come to the point quickly and not to listen to whatsoever I really have to say.
‘Feelings’ it seems are over rated in this district especially when it comes with the term, ‘making a mountain out of a molehill’. And that I stopped, coining my words with a heightened sense of diplomacy. ‘Yes my love’, ‘alright my dear’, and though it has only been a short period of time, he has passed the verdict; one of dredgery and contempt. One of self-righteousness, honed from a well-adjusted lifestyle. Even through valiant efforts, he sees me rather intellectually incapable to follow up to speed with his brainy all-encompassing ways due to his love for books and high-end zest for life.
Money he says is the root to all his problems. Contradictory to mine, where I had thought that coming here was to start a life anew with him, he sees it as if I am a tad bit too clingy. ‘Live life for yourself’ he said, ‘not just laze around and do things that I can do within a day’.
Coming from my part, all I see right now is one of a life less travelled. One of discovery and companionship. A life in pursue of chasing certain dreams. And yet, what is a dream. When the party has waned and the moon hangs high in its stead, where does it all end? Happy or sad; vibrant or fading?
A ‘no sir, yes ma’am’ scenario, and we have got perhaps the perfect script of yet a lengthy and arduous journey of cyclical values. ‘We need some time apart’ he said. And so ends what I think or feel, or desire; and revolution [...]
November 5, 2009
He stood over her and briefly stroked her long hair with the back of his hand. He remembered it as blonde and radiant for all of those years. It was now brilliant platinum silver, but it had lost none of its silkiness. She breathed steadily and he let his [...]
October 31, 2009
Stephen Sangirardi The House of Gentile Bard715@aol.com
Dominic Gentile was the only child of Tony and Doreen Gentile. They lived in Westchester where Tony made a lot of money at IBM and Doreen made enough at Bloomingdale’s. Doreen was a sweet, passive woman, but Tony turned out to be a brutal father. He was a [...]
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Books by SWI Contributors
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Feeding Starving People
Feeding Starving People
by John Armor
Last Saturday, we did something that was only a small step up from mindless, unskilled labor. I’m glad we did it. We recommend it to everyone else.
An enthusiastic lady came to our Rotary meeting a week before. She was a teacher, acting as a volunteer for her church. She asked us [...]