Image Credit: Pinterest
I really appreciated her perspective. I don’t agree with everything she said/wrote, but I felt it was such a good read that I had to share it.
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
This is the championship Ridgeview High School robotics team from Southwest Virginia. Way to go! Image Credit: Dickenson County Public Schools
This was a fascinating editorial that one of my good friends, Mr. Lin, shared on Facebook a while ago. Mr. Lin used to be a teacher at my local elementary school, but has since created an impressive career in school administration. He has been an assistant principal and a principal in the Roanoke County Schools, Floyd County Schools, and now in Pennsylvania.
Here’s the link to the original post:
On The Roanoke Times’ website, the caption with the photo I used states: “The first team from Ridgeview High School in Dickenson County to win a state championship was its robotic team in 2018. That team went on to the world championship in Detroit, where it placed 9th out of 64 teams. Our editorial at left looks at how J.D. Vance’s ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ perpetuates negative stereotypes of Appalachia. There’s a different story the region ought to tell, and the engineering skills of students in one of the state’s most rural localities ought to be part of that new narrative.”
Every time I read something new about Appalachia, whether it’s an editorial or not, I always learn new things or discover something different. This editorial was no exception.
When I first heard about Hillbilly Elegy on NPR’s Fresh Air, I was immediately intrigued. I kept telling myself I was going to read it, but here we are, in July 2019, and I haven’t read it yet. Maybe that’s a good thing.
I didn’t realize Ron Howard is planning to make a movie about the memoir, either. I admire Howard immensely. However, I’m hesitant to see it, whenever it is released. I don’t appreciate negative stereotypes, whether they’re implied or not.
Maybe my feathers are ruffled because of my own Appalachian “history.” Much of my mom’s extended family hails from West Virginia. I have fond memories of many family reunions in Ripley and Beckley. I loved visiting my great-grandmother, Laura Bethany Powers, whom I am named after. She lived to be 102!
In addition, I started researching Appalachia on my own in high school and throughout college.
This editorial opened my eyes to the progress that has been made and seen in Southwest Virginia. Since it is the Roanoke newspaper, I understand why they focused on their own region. Still, seeing the positive statistics made me happy, and hopeful.
I still plan to read Hillbilly Elegy, eventually. I have another 15 or so books I want to read first.
But, after I read Hillbilly Elegy, I’ll likely look up the other two books that were mentioned in the editorial:
I found one other part of the editorial to be striking:
“Given all this talent, technology companies ought to be competing to locate in Appalachia, not acting as if it didn’t even exist. These are the stories we need to be telling the world — that we are a topographically-challenged and economically-challenged part of the country that is populated by smart, hard-working people.”
An interesting thought, and that needs to be explored much further.
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: Good Housekeeping
Welcome back!
Here’s what I’ve read since my last TBR update:
Removing from Laura Beth’s TBR:
Removal Rate: 5/11 = 45%
Keep & Re-Classify – Laura Beth’s Updated TBR
Keep Rate: 6/11 = 55%
Adding To The TBR
So, my current TBR is 13 books.
Do you have a TBR?
What book are you looking forward to reading next?
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: Facebook
Hello, July! It’s hot and humid here in Virginia. Summer just started, and it’s already reaching the mid-90s during the day.
Here are my goals for the month of July:
What about you? Do you have any goals for the month of July?
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: Beauty Beyond Bones
June felt like a bit of a marathon. Oh well. It was a good month!
Here’s the link to my June Goals post:
Ready?
Here we go!
Al and I went to see Dark Phoenix the weekend it opened. It was pretty decent, but we both have similar opinions about the X-Men movie franchise. The cast was great!
The “natural” weed killer recipe is three ingredients: Vinegar, Epsom salt, and blue Dawn dishwashing detergent. It worked pretty well. We definitely have some stubborn weeds, though, so it may take multiple applications!
We made HUGE progress with both garages this month! I’m so excited. Al single-handedly worked on the detached garage, and we were able to park his Mustang in it last weekend! Happy dance. We took several hours yesterday to tackle the attached garage together, and it looks like a different space already. We still have some work to do, but we filled up my car with thrift store donations, and we have so much less stuff to deal with going forward. We’re hoping, by some time in July, to park one of the other cars in it!
I can’t believe it’s already time for Camp NaNoWriMo, July 2019! I really enjoy the structure of it, and I look forward to meeting everyone in my “cabin.”
I’m working diligently to write in my journal every day. I’m taking a page from my Gratitude Challenge blog posts and trying to capture my gratitude list daily.
The recipe I chose knocked it out of the park! I was looking for something different to make in our Crock-Pot, and I stumbled upon Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas. It’s only four ingredients, and it’s simply set it and forget it!
Did you have any goals for the month of June? Let me know!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: Nova’s Namaste 365 Online
I was nominated for this writing challenge by Kristian, the lovely author of Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table. Thanks, Kristian, for nominating me!
Here’s the link to Kristian’s post, where I was nominated:
The challenge, Imagination Plantation, was originally created by Nova, the amazing author of Nova’s Namaste 365 Online.
4 Simple Rules:
Write me a short paragraph about what’s happening in this image.
Create a pingback to this image.
Tag three bloggers.
Reuse this same image 🙂 Let’s see how many stories can come from the same one.
Kristin shivered as the plane landed. As she turned off her iPod and listened to the final announcements of the flight attendants, she felt her right hand being gently squeezed. It was comforting.
“K? Are you okay?”
She smiled, squeezing his hand back.
“Yeah. I think so. My stomach always drops when planes land.”
Brennan smiled, hardly believing they had just landed in Germany. Their first time overseas.
As Brennan stroked her hand, Kristin’s thoughts drifted toward the cities and towns they would be exploring for the next 10 days. She was always nervous during plane trips, but for some reason, she was incredibly nervous about this trip. It was odd – She hadn’t felt this nervous around Brennan since the very beginning of their Camp experience. That was years ago.
She started to relax as their Uber left the Munich airport and headed toward the German countryside. The weather was absolutely beautiful, very unseasonable for the middle of August.
Brennan noticed Kristin had drifted off, her head laying on his shoulder. He smiled as his lips grazed her forehead. He caught a glimpse of a sleepy smile.
He took in the sights. It was about a 30-mile drive from the airport. There were so many trees – Far more than he’d ever seen in Texas. The amount of foliage and nature was rivaling Camp in Maine, and that was hard to top. He was in awe the entire drive. There were rivers, bridges, cathedrals, and stunning architecture. It was almost overwhelming. He was a little sad Kristin was missing this, but he thought it better she sleep. They had the next 10 days to take in everything. Germany was just the beginning.
The Uber driver easily navigated the steep, gravel-lined hill toward their first stop. Brennan’s smile grew wider. He remembered how excited, positively giddy Kristin was when she’d found it on Airbnb. It looked like a castle in the photos. And, in real life, unfolding before Brennan’s eyes, it was true.
“Hey, Kristin … Sweetheart?”
She groaned slightly, yawned, and opened her eyes.
“Yes, Brennan? What is it?”
He kissed her forehead, and then brushed her lips.
“Welcome to your castle, darling. Let’s start our European vacation.”
Nominations
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Full disclosure: This is not about my grandma!
I wanted to spread this exciting news!
I’ve been following Didi and her blog for quite a while. I remember her telling us about her amazing grandmother, who was in the process of writing a novel. Well, this week, her grandma’s dream became a reality! Check out Didi’s post, Doris’s book, and share away! I’m definitely buying it in the near future.
Congratulations, Doris!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: AZ Quotes
I hadn’t thought about Lois Duncan in years!
Born in April 1934, she was the oldest child of professional magazine photographers. Raised in Pennsylvania at first, her family relocated to Florida, where her parents became circus photographers. She played in the woods and read. Duncan started writing and submitting manuscripts to magazines at age 10. She sold her first story at age 13. After graduating from high school in 1952, she enrolled in Duke University. However, she dropped out the following year to start a family with the man who became her first husband, Joseph Cardozo.
Her writing career continued throughout the 1950s, publishing over 300 articles for various magazines. Her first novel, Love Song for Joyce, was published in 1958. In the early 1970s, she was hired to teach journalism at the University of New Mexico, after living in Albuquerque for nearly 10 years. While teaching, she enrolled in classes at the university. She earned her B.A. in English in 1977.
Married twice, Duncan had five children. Her youngest daughter, Kaitlyn, was murdered in 1989. After her daughter’s death, Duncan’s writing shifted to lighter fare, particularly children’s picture books.
Her 1966 novel, Ransom, received an Edgar Allen Poe Award. She was the recipient of the American Library Association (ALA) Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1992. In 2014, she was awarded the Grand Master award from the Mystery Writers of America.
Duncan died on June 15, 2016. She was 82. Although the cause of death was not disclosed, her second husband, Donald Arquette, noted his wife had suffered several strokes in prior years.
Killing Mr. Griffin (1978)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
I’m pretty sure this is first book of Duncan’s I read. Every book written by her, I borrowed from Russell Memorial Library in Chesapeake.
—
Summer of Fear (1976)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
I don’t remember reading this one, but I wouldn’t be surprised if I did.
—
The Third Eye (1984)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
This one absolutely freaked me out. I don’t think I picked up another book by Duncan for at least six months after this.
—
Don’t Look Behind You (1990)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
I don’t remember reading this one, but I want to. It’s set in Virginia!
—
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1973)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
I didn’t make the connection between the book and the film adaptation (1997) until years later.
—
Chapters: My Growth as a Writer (1992)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
I’ve always been interested and intrigued by authors and their memoirs or autobiographies.
—
Who Killed My Daughter? (1992)
Image Credit: Wikipedia
Being such a fan of true crime, this book is already climbing toward the top of my next TBR list.
What about you? Have you read any of Lois Duncan’s works?
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: Thrive Global
Thanks for tagging me, Kristian!
Here’s the link to the post where I was tagged:
The Rules:
Image Credit: Pretty Wild World
It was hard to pick just two quotes!
Image Credit: Country Living
Tag – You’re It!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
Image Credit: Nova’s Namaste 365 Blog
I was tagged by the amazing, talented Kristian for this post. Thank you, Kristian! Check out her blog at Life Lessons Around The Dinner Table.
Here’s the link to Kristian’s post where I was tagged:
This post was created by Nova. Her blog is Nova’s Namaste 365 Online.
Here’s the link to the original post:
This is what Nova has asked:
“I would love to pass a blog post, as if a journal, around. For the person tagged, I’d like you to just introduce yourself and tell us from what STATE/COUNTRY you reside. I’d like you to write something interesting about where you live once you’ve identified that. Then you can add a couple of your own details, if you’d like.
Each person who is tagged, please tag someone at the end of your post, and create a pingback to this post
Most of all,
Have Fun! 💖💚🌼
Thank you!!”
This is me:
One of my all-time favorite photos. This was taken by my husband, Al, on Christmas Day 2012.
This was taken after a fresh haircut in September 2016. I’m debating going back to this length.
One of my favorite photos from our engagement shoot, July 2015. Credit: Stellar Exposures
One of my favorites from our wedding day – November 14, 2015. Credit: Drew Brink
Dancing at Nick and Savy’s wedding – October 14, 2017.
The day we adopted our two furbabies – December 2, 2018. Al is holding Phineas and I’m holding Ferb. They are our goobers!
I love so many things.
God, and my relationship with Christ.
My parents, Jim and Karen.
My wonderful, amazing husband, Al.
My in-laws, Bruce and Debbie.
Our miniature pinschers, Phineas and Ferb.
So many family, friends, family friends, and church members.
Nature – Flowers, trees, dogs, cats, turtles, frogs, rainbows, sunshine, thunderstorms.
Where I Live – Virginia, U.S.A.
I currently live in Portsmouth, Virginia, in the United States. I’ve called the Hampton Roads area my home for the better part of 26 years. This is the southeastern part of the state. We are also known as the “Seven Cities” – Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, Hampton, Newport News, and Suffolk.
I’ve only lived in five other cities in my whole life – New York City (Governors Island), Alexandria in Northern Virginia, Chesapeake (where my parents still have the same house they purchased in 1992), Farmville in central Virginia to attend Longwood University (2007-2011), and a small apartment in Newport News (2013-2014).
My corner of Virginia gets a “taste” of all four seasons every year, but every year is different. There are years where we’ve had blizzards and nearly a foot of snow, multiple hurricanes, and brief hints of spring and autumn. Hampton Roads is surrounded by water on two sides – The Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean – plus multiple swamps, rivers, and creeks. To get most places, you have to cross at least one bridge or use a tunnel. We are about 45 minutes from the northeastern North Carolina border.
I enjoy living here for many reasons. One of the best is the rich history we have. Jamestown, Portsmouth, and Williamsburg are all part of the early settlers and colonial eras. Yorktown became famous during the Revolutionary War. Norfolk and Portsmouth have significant shipyards. All five branches of the military have bases or installations here – Air Force (Langley), Army (Fort Eustis), Coast Guard (Portsmouth), Marines (MAGTF), and Navy (Craney Island, Naval Station Norfolk, Oceana). NASA Langley is located in Hampton, and it recently celebrated its 100th Anniversary. I could go on for days and days. It’s a pretty cool place to live!
Thanks for this awesome opportunity, Nova and Kristian!
I invite Jenna, who is the author of Bookmark Your Thoughts, to continue this journal!
Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂
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