Monthly Archives: March 2024

POSTS FOR SUNDAY MARCH 31, 2024:

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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR SUNDAY MARCH 31, 2024:

Show compassion in one way today.

QUESTION FOR SUNDAY MARCH 31, 2024:

What do you like best about me?

MANTRA FOR SUNDAY MARCH 31, 2024:

I feel proud of myself when I _.

Haiku Poem
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Here’s a song about
The life on the tracks how
Neat freight train comes by

Tuesday December 22, 2020

Haiku Poem # 1
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Now I want supper
I’m getting very hungry
I want to eat NOW

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 1 FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 22, 2020:

Now, I want supper
But the effort of cooking
Doesn’t seem worth it

Haiku Poem # 2
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Why I can’t trust you:
You can’t keep things to yourselves
You are all gossips.

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 2 FOR TUESDAY DECEMBER 22, 2020:

I can’t trust myself
Keeping lips zipped tight, secure
Can’t spill your secrets

Essential Sustenance

We in the twenty-first century think we are the first to be so busy—busy with making money or being students or caring for children, parents, or grandchildren. When we are so busy taking care of people and issues right in front of us, how do we remember to make time to enrich our personal relationship with God? St. Francis, in his own busy life of working, teaching, and writing, was always aware of his need for regular prayer—he would not forget. For Francis, prayer was essential sustenance. His guide was Jesus himself, who invites us through his actions and words to engage in deep dialogue with God. How inviting it is to remember that God calls each of us by name and that our name is written on the palm of his hand.

— from the book Eucharistic Adoration: Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

Thursday March 12, 1992

Dear Tara Rankin,

We stopped off in Fargo at the Motel 6 inn. We had supper at the Taco Bell. I had the Steak Burito. For Breakfast today we went to Sandel’s. I had hash browns, scrambled eggs and whole wheat toast and milk. We stopped in Billings Montana and stayed in the same hotel as yesterday. For supper we went to King’s table buffet. I can’t remember the supper part but for desert I had vanilla ice-cream and hot fudge on it.
Love,
Tara Kimberley Torme

Tuesday April 10, 2018

sophrosyne

PRONUNCIATION: (suh-FROZ-uh-nee)

MEANING: noun: Soundness of mind, as expressed in moderation, self-control, and prudence.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek sophrosyne, from sophron (of sound mind, prudent). Earliest documented use: 1889.

USAGE: “In this sense, sophrosyne seems to be the key to the solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, not only to break the vicious cycle of violence that holds the two sides captive but also to support the idea of nonviolent resistance.” Carlos Fraenkel; Teaching Plato in Palestine; Dissent (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania); Spring 2007.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: You can safely assume that you’ve created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do. -Anne Lamott, writer (b. 10 Apr 1954)

Name Days For Sunday March 31, 2024:

Dobroslav January 10 (Croatia)
Dobroslav January 15 (Slovakia)
Dobroslaw January 10 (Poland)

POSTS FOR SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2024:

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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2024:

Wake up early to exercise before going to work.

QUESTION FOR SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2024:

Where would you most like to go on vacation?

MANTRA FOR SATURDAY MARCH 30, 2024:

There are many things that I love about myself.

Haiku Poem
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Being here with Bear
In another atmosphere
Million miles away

Monday December 21, 2020

Haiku Poem # 1
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

If you had met Spot
You really would have liked him
He was so awesome

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 1 FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 2020:

If you had met Tess
Oh, Tess would have loved you well
She was the best dog

Haiku Poem # 2
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

This year for Christmas
Whether you like it or not
You’re getting coffee.

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 2 FOR MONDAY DECEMBER 21, 2020:

This year for Christmas
Whether you like it or not
We’re staying at home

Be the Jesus Presence

One of the primary Franciscan traditions is to acknowledge the presence of Jesus in our lives. Both Francis and Clare built their lives around this idea. According to the first admonition of St. Francis, the gift Jesus gave us in the Eucharist is the opportunity to expand the work of the kingdom of God to everyone. We are changed dramatically just by being in this living presence and being open to the action of our gracious God. We become instruments of God’s peace, mercy, joy, consolation, or courage. The more we celebrate the small miracles of daily life, the more we realize the very personal action of God in our daily living. The presence of Jesus among us is just that—a widespread presence among all of God’s people. We are able to embed the wonders of the presence of God within us. Each of us can and must be the “Jesus Presence” in this world of ours.

— from the book Eucharistic Adoration: Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

Wednesday March 11, 1992

Dear Tara Rankin,

Last night we stopped off in Tomah. We stayed in Lark inn in rm 20. We had supper at The Badger’s restaurant. We had the special which was the fried ham, hash brown, carrots and salad. For lunch we stopped in Minneapolis. We ate in Minneapolis restaurant. I had clam chowder, salad and for desert I had cheesecake & fresh strawberries.
Love,
Tara Kimberley Torme

Monday April 9, 2018

ceilidh

PRONUNCIATION: (KAY-lee)

MEANING: noun: A social gathering, typically involving folk music, dancing, and storytelling.

ETYMOLOGY: From Scottish Gaelic ceilidh and Irish célidhe (visit), from Old Irish céile (companion). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kei- (to lie, bed, dear), which also gave us city, cemetery, Sanskrit shiva, and incunabulum. Earliest documented use: 1875.

USAGE: “‘I hear you were at the ceilidh last night,’ said Priscilla. … ‘That’s right. It was fun. I had a good time.’” Katriena Knights; Where There’s a Will; eXtasy Books; 2018.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Bad weather always looks worse through a window. -Tom Lehrer, singer-songwriter and mathematician (b. 9 Apr 1928)

Name Days For Saturday March 30, 2024:

Dobriša January 10 (Croatia)
Dobromir January 4 (Poland)
Dobromysl January 22 (Poland)

POSTS FOR FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024:

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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024:

Take old blankets and towels to a local animal shelter.

QUESTION FOR FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024:

Where Is The Most Relaxing Place You’ve Ever Been To?

MANTRA FOR FRIDAY MARCH 29, 2024:

I am worthy of love.​

Haiku Poem
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Right here in White Rock
Listening to free music
Everything is cool

Sunday December 20, 2020

Haiku Poem # 1
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

I do go want to
Pet as many cats I can
I do miss my cats

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 1 FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 20, 2020:

I do really want
My puppy to be here now
Try to stay patient

Haiku Poem # 2
By: Tara Kimberley Torme If

If I needed a
Place to stay you would only
Just turn me away.

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 2 FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 20, 2020:

If I needed a
Place to stay you would never
Reach out to help me

‘Who Are You, O God?’

What keeps us from seeking our soul’s deepest desire? Most often it is the ego. Few of us have the courage to pray as St. Francis did—“Who are you, O God? And who am I?”—because we don’t really want to know the answer. While our souls long for intimate unions with God, unions in which we can no longer distinguish our deepest selves from the Divine, our ego selves understand the price of these unions: the loss of our hard-fought external identities. We’ve spent our entire lives crafting an identity to present to the world, and our egos are terrified at the prospect of that identity being consumed in the flame of God’s great love. For if we follow our soul’s desire, we will be left standing defenseless and out of control, which is precisely where we need to be to experience the sheer delight and the richness of God’s consuming love for us. The Good News for our souls is that the fire of God’s love is relentless and will eventually break through our well-formed heat shields. When that happens, we too will become a fire of consuming love that draws in everyone around us.

— from the book Eucharistic Adoration: Reflections in the Franciscan Tradition by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration

Tuesday March 10, 1992

Dear Tara Rankin,

We stopped off at Kalamazoo as planned. We stayed at the Red Roof Inn in Room 144. The house keeper’s name was Heidi. We passed through Chicago and ate in Chilis Grill & Bar in Skokie a suburb of Chicago. For lunch I had baby back ribs & chicken noodle soup in a cup.
Love,
Tara Kimberley Torme

Friday April 6, 2018

boondoggle

PRONUNCIATION: (BOON-dog-uhl)

MEANING: noun: 1. A pointless project funded as a political favor. 2. A holiday trip to an exotic location, disguised as a business trip. 3. Braided cord, made of plastic strips, fabric, etc. verb intr.: 1. To do useless or trivial work. 2. To go on a business trip in which the real purpose is relaxation or fun. 3. To braid plastic strips, fabric, etc.

ETYMOLOGY: Coined by scoutmaster Robert H. Link. Earliest documented use: 1929.

NOTES: The original boondoggle was a braided cord made by Boy Scouts. In 1935, a New York Times article quoted someone criticizing a New Deal program to train jobless to make handicrafts as a boondoggle. Since then this sense of the word has become more common.

USAGE: “Officials thoroughly understood Seattleites’ concerns that the new arena was a boondoggle benefiting mainly sports franchise owners.” Bill Mullins; Becoming Big League; University of Washington Press; 2013.

“Jeffrey Neely, the General Services Administration employee pictured in a hot tub sipping wine on taxpayer money, retired with full benefits after the lavish 2010 Las Vegas boondoggle he planned was uncovered in the media.” Betsy McCaughey; Liberty Belle; Creators Publishing; 2015.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Conscience is a dog that does not stop us from passing but that we cannot prevent from barking. -Nicolas de Chamfort, writer (6 Apr 1741-1794)

Name Days For Friday March 29, 2024:

DIXON April 3 (Canada & U.S.)
Dobiegniew January 20 (Poland)
Dobrawa January 15 (Poland)

POSTS FOR THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2024:

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RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS FOR THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2024:

Download a meditation app and try it out tonight before bed.

QUESTION FOR THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2024:

As A Kid, Were You Ever Frighted Of A Monster Under The Bed Or In The Cupboard?

MANTRA FOR THURSDAY MARCH 28, 2024:

I am allowed to take care of myself.

Haiku Poem
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Where is Ashley?
Thought she was supposed to come
That’s what I was told

Saturday December 19, 2020

Haiku Poem # 1
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Right now I am on
A cat petting mission to
Go pet lots of cats

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM #1 FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 19, 2020:

Right now I am on
My way to something scary
Because it’ll be new

Haiku Poem # 2
By: Tara Kimberley Torme

Perhaps you are too
Stupid to know the door’s locked
For a good reason.

RACHEL TAYLOR’S RESPONSE TO MY HAIKU POEM # 2 FOR SATURDAY DECEMBER 19, 2020:

Perhaps I am too
Scared of what a locked door hides
I feel and trapped

Now Is the Day of Salvation

Reflect

The words of Psalm 118: 24, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it,” frame the day with hope and possibility. They remind us that now is the only moment there is, and that in this holy moment—this day—we can choose love, truth, joy, and forgiveness. We can begin again as God’s companions in healing the world. We can do something wonderful, as poet Mary Oliver counsels, with our one “wild and precious life.”

Pray

God of change and glory, God of time and space,
in this holy moment give to us your grace.
Let me live this moment with joy and affirmation.
Let me share love and create beauty for you and my kin,
human and nonhuman alike.
For this is the day that you have made
and I will rejoice and be glad in it.
Amen.

Act

In this unique and unrepeatable day, pause to consider: What acts of kindness and love will you perform? In what ways will you celebrate the fact that you woke up this morning to a day of possibility and wonder? How will you bring joy to the world today? Take time today to do something beautiful and loving for God.

Friday March 22, 2024

Today my mother & I went all the way to Metrotown for a whole bunch of errands. We went into the dollar store (now off my bucket list) for cards etc. I found an awesome butterfly glasses case. At Walmart we found some Depends, Tylenol Arthritis plus other foods. And chocolate @ Purdy’s for us for Easter. At Superstore it was mainly nuts and Listerine. I mostly caught up with my back up posts for my social media when I came home. And I’m taking the time to just mainly chill out today as I am really very super tired.

Saturday March 23, 2024

Today I was up around 5 am. It’s a more chilled out day @ home today. I checked my emails for a short time before turning on the TV for the funeral of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney. My hair got cut & dyed @ home today. And after lunch I caught up with more of my social media posts. I am still decompressing from my Toronto trip. And I am catching up with more of my beloved PVR’d shows. I have no shortage of stuff to watch, nor things to do. It’s a really nice day @ home today.

Sunday March 24, 2024

Today I was up @ 3:53 am which provided me the extra time to do a basic check of my emails. And I did some random googling for the heck of it. Being Palm Sunday the church was fully packed – standing room only going all the way to the foyer. After lunch I wrote my 3 Easter Cards (one with a birthday) to the few people I’m sending out to. They have a very extra special message plus a gift enclosed for those people to use. I took time after that to forward/advance post to my Social Media since my time will be limited for the next few days.

Monday March 25, 2024

Today I was up @ around 4:06 am. So I got ready to get into the shower before checking all of my emails & also pay off my one credit card bill. I enjoyed a hot chocolate @ Cafe Artigiano all by myself while typing up some of my micro fiction stories (I have tons). I went to the dollar store store to pick up erasors, pencil sharpeners, mechanical pencil refills & some notebooks before I went home for the rest of the day. Now that I am home I am just chilling out by catching up with all of my PVR’s TV shows. I am tired.

Tuesday March 26, 2024

Today I was up after 4 am. I went into the shower before doing a shorter check of my emails. I did a mini reshuffle of my mini writing books pluse I set a boat load of DVD’s to give away to the diabetes people next Tuesday. And I dusted my room & table etc. After lunch my mother & I went to International Village to see the movie One Life. It’s a true story on Sir Nicholas Winton who saved 669 Jewish children from Czechoslovakia during WWII. It’s a story I was not aware of. I am really glad I went to see this movie.

Wednesday March 27, 2024

Today I was actually up @ 5 am for a change. I did a short email check before getting ready to work. I am getting more new files formed @ work. There was a farewell lunch for one of my coworkers today @ White Spot. I enjoyed a super lovely steelhead trout burger with sweet potato fries plus hot water & lemon. I also enjoyed conversation with one of my coworkers. There were about 15 of us. Now that I am home I am just chilling out. I am super stuffed from my lunch. I am also super tired.

Thursday March 28, 2024

Today I woke up @ about 3:31 am. I did extra emailing including posting some pictures to my social media. I was basically the only person in my section @ work which allowed me to commandeer an entire section to myself. I processed employee file labels for over 30 employees today. After lunch I went back out to the Vancouver Art Gallery for about an hour. It was a free Curiko experience on the Coast Salish Weaving. They were filming the TV show Family Law (my favorite) @ the gallery. I have it from the horse’s mouth they’re coming back to TV soon.

Friday March 29, 2024

Today I was up @ 5 am. I got into the shower ASAP before checking my email. I double posted my pictures to social media today. And in the morning I caught up with some of my PVR’d TV shows. I went out to the Good Friday Mass & my yearly confession. The church was super jam packed. People were standing all the way out to the foyer. Plus people were seated downstairs to see the service on TV. It’s astounding on how packed the church can be on a Good Friday. I am glad I am back home again to relax for the rest of the day.

Saturday March 30, 2024

Today I was up @ 5 am. I got into the shower ASAP. I did my emails this morning before going out with my mother. We went out to Value Village today as they had a 40% off sale on selected items. We found a handmade quilt, towels, purses, rainboots, pants. With the two new purses I acquired today, I have a total of: 3 pink; 3 purple; 3 blue; 4 red; 1 green; 2 black & 1 beige for a total of 16 purses. We walked back to London Drugs Where I picked up my meds & then we walked all the way back home. I am really super tired.

Monday March 9, 1992

Dear Tara Rankin,

I’m moving to Vancouver. It’s my day on the road. The first leg of the journey was from Mont. to Toronto. Now we have to go from Toronto and hope to go to Kalamazoo by tonight for the second leg of the journey. I’ll report more later. We are now in the famous Detroit city in USA!
Love,
Tara Kimberley Torme

Thursday April 5, 2018

frumious

PRONUNCIATION: (FROO-mi-uhs)

MEANING: adjective: Very angry.

ETYMOLOGY: Coined by Lewis Carroll as a blend of fuming and furious in the poem Jabberwocky in the book
Through the Looking-Glass. Earliest documented use: 1871.

USAGE: “As the weeks passed, the frumious language that his supporters used all sounded more and more like the outcry of people sure that they would be cheated of their due.” Mark Wahlgren Summers; The Ordeal of the Reunion; UNC Press; 2014.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: I shall allow no man to belittle my soul by making me hate him. -Booker T. Washington, reformer, educator, and author (5 Apr 1856-1915)

Name Days For Thursday March 28, 2024:

Dita July 27 (Latvia)
DIX April 3 (Canada & U.S.)
DIXIE April 3 (Canada & U.S.)