The Mandi Project

It occurs to me that much of my frustration and stress lately has to do with a lack of trust. I am quite suspicious and wary of anyone these days, and with good reason. We send our kids to school, trusting they will be taught, above all else, how to get along in our culture. Secondary, is the academics. We don't need to know everything under the Sun before the age of 18. We have the rest of our lives to learn all the facts that inspire us. I have learned more as an adult than I ever did in school, when my only job was to learn. We believe the school transportation office when they give pick up times and location, and assure our children will safely reach their destination. We trust the bus driver to do their duty. We trust the hiring agent to have chosen wisely. We trust the students to behave accordingly, so the driver can focus on driving. We trust the court system to enforce court orders and follow due diligence when parents don't pay their child support. ...

I'm sure there has been a surge in interest in survival skills lately, especially since shows like "The Walking Dead" and "Revolution" came out. But there should always be interest in where our food comes from, and a willingness to do for ourselves when circumstances don't allow for the price of convenience. At the grocery store yesterday, I was approached by a woman looking for cash donations to help her buy more than kidney beans for her kids. She claimed she was short money due to recently moving and going through a difficult divorce. I didn't have any small bills on me, and I desperately wanted to help her, but I was only there to buy flour and yeast for making sandwich rolls from left over whey, after making cheese with past-date milk from the market I work at part-time. I searched my brain for any way I could help her without breaking my bank. I have worked very hard to spend no more than $50 a week on food for me and my three teenagers c...

As I headed into work this morning, I was interrupted by a very bad accident blocking the road. Emergency vehicles were already on site, so I had no need to worry, but traffic was being diverted around the accident. No problem for me, but there were many drivers on the detour who did not look so confident. I am not a native to my home community. I grew up in a different state entirely. Maybe that's why I have a good knowledge of my geography. But I also know plenty of native adults who don't know any but the most basic routes through the community. People, learn your neighborhood! There is no excuse for not knowing North from South, East and West. There is no reason not to know that one half the community goes to one school, while the other half goes to another because of where the family lives. Make an adventure out of it. Turn off the GPS and take the kids for a Sunday drive. See who can get you back home. If your family is blessed with two cars and you happen to be ou...

I started this blog as a journal of putting myself first. Life got in the way and, while I did achieve some of my goals that year (2016), I was not able to keep up my blog/journal about it. Like many others, I want to share my story to help other people through their journey. But also to find kindred spirits. For now, this blog is a hodge-podge of things that don't fit with other blogs I've had plans for. We'll see how it grows as time goes on. Shorthand I have always been fascinated by shorthand. And there are so many systems available to learn today, but resources are not often available for aiding in practice. For example, the advice of many of the systems and today's websites recommend reading well-written material in your system of choice. Unfortunately, the only resources available that are written in shorthand are written in Gregg Shorthand. While I think very highly of Gregg, especially since it's been around for over 100 years, it doesn't suit my ...