Uncle

I’ve tried to make my presence here as free of my personal trials and tribulations as I can make it (some of my diary entries notwithstanding). But sometimes I just can’t forget what’s going on around me and have fun here. For almost two weeks now I have been grappling with some things that make me glad there is a God; otherwise, I think I really would have gone insane. When I got home from Comic-Con, a family member was suffering from some serious health issues. I wasn’t home a day until I found out there was a murder/suicide of a couple we knew. This is a small community which means things like this always affect our household whether we know the people personally or not. We happened to have known these people, and the wife was our family doctor’s nurse for years and years, so we not only knew her personally but as someone we saw anytime we went to the doctor.

About the time I got used to the shock of this, there was a death of one of our kids’ close friends. A day later we got word on the shooting in Aurora, and yes, we know someone whose relative was injured, and the person we know had kids at Columbine High School when that shooting happened! A couple of days ago we got word that the daughter of some very close friends of ours almost died by going off into a canyon and ending upside down in the river a few miles from our house. It is a miracle she is alive and not permanently injured although she does have some serious injuries. And there is more, but I think you get the idea that I just haven’t been in the mood to talk about Comic-Con.

For all of you who have sent me email or a personal message, thank you. They are all very sweet and mean a great deal to me.

Give me some time and I’ll get back in snark mode, but I just can’t today.

Take care,
Frenz

July 29, 2012
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 35 Comments

Is This Normal?

My sane self keeps rearing its ugly head. It’s been in control for almost two weeks now and has prompted me to organize my basement. I always said if I was organizing the basement, I didn’t have enough to do. Actually, it’s more serious than that. With the fires that have been raging around me (some way too close for comfort), it dawned on my slow self that if a fire hit, I needed to be ready.

Not being one bit funny now. I’ve actually been participating in efforts designed to help those who have been devastated by the fires. Some of it is to provide places to stay even a few hours away as I am. And it’s been painful to hear of their loss. I can do no less than help them any way possible.

Perhaps you can help as well — with your finances if not with your time and other resources. Red Cross is always a good choice for helping, but the Salvation Army has been consistently on the ground in this situation, and there are other groups helping. I’ll send along information if you’re interested.

And thank you for anything you can do including your prayers.

July 2, 2012
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 2 Comments

Timeout for Colorado

Note for new readers: I occasionally take timeout from the fun to acknowledge something serious occurring.

I live in the glorious state of Colorado. I love it here where my children have grown and where SO and I have made wonderful friends. Today, many of those friends are in some sort of shelter after being evacuated from their homes over the last few days. The evacuation is occurring up and down the I-25 corridor but mostly west of the Colorado Springs area at the moment. 32,000 people have been evacuated.

[photo near Manitou Springs, Colorado]

We are sending help and certainly sending prayers.

And the rest of the state is tense about what new fires may come due to the very dry conditions all over. I live to the west of Colorado Springs, and usually the river here is cresting about this time, and it’s not unusual for it to threaten to overflow its banks. But this year, I can walk in the river with the water up to my knees, and only in a few cases above my knees. The wheat crop here, which is usually significant, doesn’t exist. Farmers are plowing under what they had planted. Ranchers who hay in August are in the middle getting what little crop they have harvested now. I can’t tell you how odd it is to see haying in June. Lawns and decorative foliage are also looking pretty brittle which is certainly of little importance unless it feeds a fire.

Last evening we had a dry storm (clouds threatening rain but only giving lightening). I stood on my front porch and watched the dark clouds do nothing but create fear they would spark a blaze. And the interminable waiting for some relief has created a tension in town that I’ve never experienced even in the worst winter weather. Everyone feels helpless, and yet this is nothing to what our neighbors to the east are experiencing and again, we hope to help. But maybe some of you can help as well. This is all happening so quickly, I only have this info about helping so far. I will keep you posted, and thanks for anything you can do.

June 27, 2012
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 21 Comments

Timeout for New Zealand — a year ago

It’s stunning to me the earthquake in New Zealand occurred a year ago today, and I’m embarrassed to admit I probably would have paid little attention to its aftermath if not for Richard Armitage. But what a difference a year makes. Since ‘The Hobbit’ began filming there, I have met some very lovely New Zealanders, and they have made my association with the country personal.

It occurred to me early this morning how much I feel a kinship with the Kiwis, and really all of the people in that part of the world, when I was reading about experiences during the quake.

Famous Cantabrians’ quake experiences

Cullen Smith | Wednesday, February 22, 2012 6:00

Renowned Christchurch children’s author Margaret Mahy, OBE, was on the move in Beckenham when the quake struck.

“I was in a car going down Colombo St. I thought a wheel had come off but the driver, my helper and chauffeur Lisa Anson, said ‘no, it’s an earthquake’.”

The 75-year-old former librarian said they immediately headed back home to Governors Bay via Dyers Pass.

“We were a bit apprehensive. We didn’t know if the road was open or if we could get through. The earthquake was quite jolty.

Read the rest here.

Mark Hadlow’s situation in particular got to me. My father was in a plane crash when I was a kid. When we first got the news, it was fairly grim. The plane had been mangled almost beyond recognition. It was an hour before we knew if Dad was alive, and I will never forget the feeling of terror.

In our case, my father was very bruised yet able to walk away, but I know there were those in Christchurch who were not as fortunate as my family and Mark Hadlow’s. My heart still goes out to them. If I had it my way, there would be no death and destruction, and there would always be joy in the morning. It’s morning a year later, and I continue to pray that those so severely affected are able to continue healing. Knowing what I now do about the personality of the people from Down Under and Slightly to One Side, I’m confident they have it in perspective but still wanted to share my thoughts.

And a message of hope from their countrymen.

February 21, 2012
Categories: The Hobbit, Timeout . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 2 Comments

Whitney Houston, May She Be at Peace at Last

Whitney Houston is dead at 48. I can’t stop shaking my head.

edit: I have to add this video even if it doesn’t seem to exactly fit the subject at hand. Whitney Houston is the ONLY one who sang this and it was enjoyable. The rest of the time I can feel the masochist who wrote the music laughing at us all when we sit through it.

February 11, 2012
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 12 Comments

Christchurch — More Than Their Share of Trouble

In the middle of typing a post about the charities Richard Armitage supports, charity in general, and how things are too often forgotten after an event has passed, this news popped up in my browser:

Violent’ 5.8 quake in Christchurch

There has been a large earthquake in Christchurch this afternoon. The quake was described as “violent” by Herald reporter Jarrod Booker who was in his home when the quake hit.

It was quickly followed by at least four strong aftershocks. Geonet said the quake measured 5.8 on the Richter Scale, at a depth of just 8km. It struck just off the coast of Christchurch, under Pegasus Bay, at 1.58pm.

There have been several strong aftershocks following the initial quake.

Damage from the quake is unknown, but it was felt as far away as Mosgiel near Dunedin.

Christchurch International Airport is being evacuated.

Newstalk ZB said police are reporting one person injured, but they expect more.

Read more

After you’re done reading that article, consider giving to those people who have been hit hard three times this year. There is the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal and the Red Cross, and those are just for starters.

December 22, 2011
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 8 Comments

A Hearty Thanks

I can’t let this day end without saying thanks to all of you who have made this such a place of pleasure for me, and of course thanks to Richard Armitage for being the perfect foil, which I mean in the very best way. Yep, this is the darndest (sp?) thing I’ve ever done, but I’m glad.

I also have great thanks for my family who puts up with me, and despite all of the trials this year, I’m glad to be alive, glad my family is alive, and glad we love each other no matter what. Enough cannot be said about that. So much to be thankful for, and I give God all the credit.

And now a somewhat Thanksgiving looking scene although this look passed almost a month ago. It’s what I pretty much looked at every day until the snow hit:

When I wasn’t looking at this LOL:

Photos courtesy of me and a local.

November 24, 2011
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 14 Comments

Timeout for Norway

I started to call this post “What the hell?!” but out of respect for the dead, I couldn’t bring myself to do it; however, that was one of my first thoughts when I heard about the tragedies in Norway. Now given that I just said hell, and I’ve said other “choice words” on this blog, I suppose you wouldn’t believe me if I said I am a Christian, and in fact, do have a love for the Almighty. Nevertheless, it’s true, and thankfully, He is gracious and I’m still a work in progress. Of course I bring this up because I’ve read the killer in Norway is part of a fundamentalist Christian group. I’m not sure what they believe, but whatever prompted the killing spree doesn’t in any way jibe with what I believe, and as a Christian, I vehemently denounce what was perpetrated. It was wrong. But enough about that, I don’t want this to be a diatribe about Christians for or against them. I want to pay my respects to those who died and to those who loved them.

Life is precious, and despite the fun I sometimes have on this blog, I cannot go blithely along while something obliterates it like this. Having been around a lot of death and having counseled people who have lost loved ones, I feel keenly for those people and especially those who lost their children. No matter how many times I am around someone who has lost a child, I still cannot process that horror. It is certainly something that I’ve asked the Lord about many times. For now it’s obvious to me that sin in the world kills people, steals precious things from them and certainly destroys innocence, and this is such a painful example of how it lays waste. Since this is beginning to feel like a sermon, I’m going to stop here and just say that I’m so sorry for the suffering and my heartfelt prayers and sympathy go to those in Norway.

edit: As for Amy Winehouse, I have no words but to say I’m terribly sad just as I was when Kurt Cobain died or Heath Ledger or any number of fairly young people who were unhappy and died too early.

July 23, 2011
Categories: Timeout . Tags: , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 12 Comments

Christchurch Knocked Around Again

The people of Christchurch, New Zealand keep getting their fair share:

Christchurch quake ‘bloody frightening’ – resident
Mon, 13 Jun 2011 5:49p.m.

By Michael Morrah

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says it is a serious situation and he is considering declaring a local state of emergency.

Today, residents were once again thrown into a panic as an aftershock struck at 1pm. Residents ran from indoors and out onto the street.

Jenny Beacroft, who was home when the quake struck, describes the experience as “bloody frightening”.

At least 10 people were taken to Christchurch Hospital with injuries, due to falling building material.

Read the rest here.

I can’t help but wonder if Richard Armitage is still in New Zealand or has indeed gone on hiatus from ‘The Hobbit’ and was in Brighton as some on Twitter suggested. Whatever the case, I hope he and the Kiwi people (despite some injuries) will be well, and even if you didn’t participate in the Rise up Christchurch telethon, it’s never too late to help out.

edit:

June 13, 2011
Categories: The Hobbit, Timeout . Tags: , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 11 Comments

Informal fan challenge (via Me + Richard Armitage)

New Zealand is in need after the devastating earthquake to Christchurch in February. Servetus has issued a wonderful challenge on her blog to help with the effort occurring this weekend. I will also match whatever she raises up to $200. See her blog piece (below) for details on how to participate. No donation is required from you, but if you’re inclined, she has information in that regard as well.

edit: I’ve just had someone request to match this anonymously. Anyone else want to join us, jump in. The water is great. :D

Informal fan challenge [Still grading. Second third of grading done and grades submitted. Last third of the work was due at 5 today, so there's a big stack of papers here still.] In honor of the Rise Up Christchurch – Te Kotahitanga Global Telethon to take place Sunday, May 22, Servetus will donate $1 (USD) for each comment on this post by a unique commentator / IP address up to the first 100 comments. After that 0.25 USD (twenty-five cents) per comment up to a maximum … Read More

via Me + Richard Armitage

May 18, 2011
Categories: Fandom, The Hobbit, Timeout . Tags: , , , , , , , . Author: RAFrenzy . Comments: 13 Comments

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