Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

January 10, 2008

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Today?s Announcement

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Both Contests are now closed, today is the last day of Christmas contest stories.? Stay tuned for the final voting for stories to be posted shortly

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The Christmas Story Contest is now closed; voting has now started.? You have until ??to submit your votes for the stories only.? Please make the effort and submit them.? Our poets are counting on you!

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The Latest on Matt?s Mom is that she has kidney stones. She is on morphine and has been in excruciating pain now for over two weeks.? It is just inhumane as far as I am concerned. The hospital expects her to linger like this until the stone passes.? This is an elderly woman who is in pain.? It just does not seem right to me. Please continue to pray from her recovery.

Don?t forget to order your copy of Angels Watching Over Me, the story of an ordinary woman facing less than ordinary challenges.? Angels Watching Over Me is a story of family love, sacrifices, poverty and an undying faith that makes heroes out of all of us. Here is the link in case you have forgotten it: http://www.lulu.com/content/964306

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Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.? ?You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

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Today?s Stories

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??~**~**~

?ValueSpeak
A Weekly Column
By Joseph Walker

valuespeak@msn.com
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STRIKING BACK AGAINST HOLLYWOOD?S SKEWED LENS

??????????? Evidently, I?m on strike.

??????????? Who knew?

??????????? I must have missed the memo. But I?m reading about it in all the newspapers and on all the Web sites: writers are on strike, and the world as we know it has come to a grinding halt, all for the want of words.

??????????? Or not.

??????????? OK, so my union isn?t really the one on strike.? Let me rephrase that: if I belonged to a writers? union ? which I don?t ? mine wouldn?t be the one on strike.? The writers on strike write for TV and film.? From what I hear, they want a bigger piece of the entertainment pie.? And I can understand that. That?s a pretty good-sized piece of pastry ? more than enough to share generously, don?t you think?? As an ink-stained wretch without a union, I?d love to have any piece of the entertainment pie.

??????????? Heck, I?d settle for a hunk of the entertainment Twinkie.? Whatever.? I?m easy.

??????????? The surprising thing here is, nobody knew they actually had writers for television any more.? I mean, it?s all sports and reality shows, isn?t it?? And the whole point of reality shows is that you DON?T write them ? isn?t it?? Gone are the days of Paddy Chayefsky, Rod Serling, Steven Bochco, James Burrows, the Charles brothers and Aaron Sorkin. Instead we have someone named Melissa on MTV?s ?Real World? solemnly intoning things like: ?He?s got Gucci shoes on, you know.? I?m sitting here in Target jeans, it?s just not gonna work out.?

??????????? You can?t write stuff like that.

??????????? Thank heavens.

??????????? Hollywood is all abuzz about the strike . . . well, that and . . . you know . . . Britney.? Late night talk show hosts are trying to figure out how to be funny without joke writers.? TV series are on indefinite hiatus, and viewers are being fed a steady diet of reruns. They?re even cancelling some of the award shows ? seems the stars can?t say ?and the winner is? without someone to put it down on cue cards for them.? Plus, nobody wants to cross the union picket lines.? In fact, I?m probably violating some cardinal rule of brotherhood and solidarity just by sitting in front of this word processor and making a few verbs and nouns agree.

??????????? Uh . . . they did agree, didn?t they?

??????????? All of which means the ?vast wasteland? of television is a little vaster these days (yes, I know ? ?vaster? isn?t exactly a word; there?s a writers? strike on, for Pete?s sake!? Words everywhere are spinning out of control!).? What better time to put down the remote control, step away from the ol? Motorola and find something else to do? There are children to talk to, spouses to re-connect with, exercise programs to launch and volunteer service projects in which to participate.? Write to an old friend.? Make brownies for your neighbors.? Sort those boxes of old photos you?ve been meaning to organize.? Read a book.? WRITE a book (but be careful on this one ? there may be union implications).

??????????? There?s a ton of stuff to do, stuff you?ve set aside until the day you had some free time.? And now, thanks to the writers? strike, time is what you have.? Think of it as a gift from Lalaland to you: a gift of time.? A gift of family.? A gift of friendship.? A gift of community.? You?ll be surprised at how refreshingly pleasant life can be when you?re looking at it through your own eyes rather than the skewed lens of Hollywood perception.

??????????? And who knows?? When ?Desperate Housewives? finally does return with new episodes, maybe you won?t be quite so . . . desperate.

??????????? And you?ll be ready to strike back.

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~**~**~

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Rainbow Bridge Gang. Missy
Tink, Poo, and the Gang
tinkerpoo2000@yahoo.com

It is with heavy hearts we must report Missy came up the lane about noon
today. Not that we weren't overjoyed to see her, it isn't that. But
we know her Big People hearts are just breaking, Samantha, and now
Missy.
Sammy and Maggie, got Missy moved in next to them, after the Angels
fixed her up with bowls, blankets and other needs. You remember us
telling you, we are all very lucky, each has their own Little Angel to
care for them. We get the most loving care, a good bath, combed, and
brushed, and all that petting, and making over us. For some, it's a
first, as they sure never got it on earth. But we know the ones that
belonged to Lynne got lots of that. Maggie, Sammy, and now Missy all
tell about the loving family that they were blessed with.
The home may be quiet with out them for a while, and it may be quite a
while. We got the news about Ed, Bubba, and Bentley that is still there.
So it isn't totally quiet, but these three are family, and will be
sorely missed, we all know that.
As the gang of Pugs grew, guess we will have a party this evening.
Hope we can get? front row seats for Missy, Samantha, and Maggie.
Hear the movie is going to be Missy came home. Hope that Ma Baker gang
don't try hogging all the chips, pop corn, and other goodies. Maybe
Marks kids will have to call for law and order.
Anyway Lynne, Missy is here, with the others of your family. They'll be
watching and waiting for you, like the good puppies they were when they
lived with you. Alive and well, no more hurts, just waiting at the gate,
for you.
Tinker and Poo; The Boys Write
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?&isbn=0-595-35741-5

?~**~**~

Connections

By: Joseph J. Mazzella

???? When she was in her eighties a lifetime of health problems finally caught up with my Grandmother and forced her into a nursing home. It was a difficult time for us all. I had grown up in her home as a child and lived just across the road from her as an adult. It was hard seeing her then losing weight and confined to a wheelchair. Still, we adjusted. My children and I would load up the car every Saturday for the 25 mile trip to visit her. She always had a tender hug and loving kiss waiting for us. The nurses there fell in love with her too. Her loving but feisty spirit touched them all. She made them laugh and smile and sometimes even taught them a few choice words of Italian that they didn?t need to know. I can remember the whole family gathering to celebrate her 90^th birthday in that nursing home cafeteria. The entire room was filled with love.

???? In the last few years of her life, however, my Grandma?s mind started to fail her as well.? Sometimes she would know us when we visited her and sometimes she would not. As she got worse and worse I would often just sit with her and hold her hand. Words were no longer needed. Her body may have given out and her memory may have left her, but in those moments I felt connected to her soul. I knew that her spirit would soon pass from this world, but I also knew that the love we had shared would live on in my heart always.

???? Even now years after her death I still feel that connection. I still feel that love. It reminds me everyday that we are all one family in this world. We are all Children of God. We are all here to love each other, to help each other, and to grow in oneness with each other. We are here to build bridges to each other?s hearts and to find connections to each other?s souls. Don?t be afraid to love others then. Don?t be afraid to share your life with them. Yes, you may suffer pain and even loss. But as my Grandma taught me so well, the love you share will live on forever.

Joe Mazzella

joecool@wirefire.com

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Poetry Corner

~**~**~

Little Miracles

?Cynthia Groopman

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Little miracles are present in everything we say and do,

Appears brightly in beautiful sun filled skies so radiant, clear and blue

Children laughing and singing brings much joy,

As parents cheer at the miracle birth of a little girl or little boy.

Flowers from buds so little and slight,

Are caressed by rays of golden Divine light.

The frozen ground suddenly is green and alive,

AS birds sing and flowers begin to flourish and thrive.

Helping hands lift us up when we're down and sometimes stumble and fall,

Sheltered are we from the heat or cold by trees so steady and tall.

The food chain is nourished by God's caring from above,

Every morsel we eat is indeed a blessed and cherished gift,

?Given to us by Our Heavenly Father dwelling in Heaven above.

Dear ones caress and embrace us with a special sparkle of mirth,

Oh, little miracles travel with us as we sojourn this precious,

Hallowed, lovely blessed planet earth.

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?Cynthia Groopman

?cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

Copyright ?2007? Cynthia? L.?Groopman

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~**~**~

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Cancellations

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?Cynthia Groopman

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Today, due to bad weather, I had to make a cancellation,

By so doing, my heart was disappointed, not basking in elation.

Cancellations bring frowns to those whose plans were already made,

Because it rained or snowed on their parade.

we cannot foresee the future, as you already know,

Weather conditions and life's happenings,

Do not always shine in sunshine's golden glow.

However, when it has to do with losing money,

That situation is not at all funny.
However, it is better to be safe than sorry as the saying goes,

Thus, cancellations when warranted indicate that a person is wise,

Cautious and always on his toes.

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?Copyright ?2007?

Cynthia? L.?Groopman

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?cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

~**~**~

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Longing for the Sunshine Golden Glow

Cynthia Groopman

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Oh, radiant sunshine glow, how I deeply long for you,

As you once regally resided in the sky so deep, vast and blue.

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Your warmth softly caressed?us?with such love,

A cherished gift to savor from God above.

Frowns and worries always disappeared when you enfolded us in your charming embrace,

Oh, howI desire?to be dazzled with your elegant smile, sprightly dancing upon my face.

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Oh, golden sunshine glow, you clad my soul with cheer,

Seems that you do not frequently appear during the winter season of the year.

When I look up at the sky and your glistening sparkle is not there,

I whisper to God, an earnest prayer.

Oh, golden glowing sunshine, please fill my sky of life very soon,

For then, and only then, I will feel like a springtime flower in full bloom.

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Cynthia Groopman

?cynthia.Groopman@verizon.net

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Story Feedback

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Here are the Published Christmas entries to Date.? If you want to review the stories or poems before voting which will come only at the end of this contest, just go to the archives:? http://archives.zinester.com/98907

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Stories

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Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank?those of you who?chose to be a silent angel and?gave an anonymous donation to keep?Storytime Tapestry up and running.

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Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Maria Keller

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