Stu Pidasso's Top Ten List

Old Woman with a Rosary

Paul Cezanne 1895-1896

I've been busy, so my assignment is late, but better Nate than lever, right?? Well, to stay on the good side of Mama, I've even done some extra credit work (I know, I'm such a suck up!!)

1. Saving money......between putting a c-note in each kids account each paycheck and a c-note in the Xmas account each paycheck I should be shoring up the savings pretty good.....except for mine. But then I put ten percent away in the IRA to help fund the bankers retirement too, so I hope I am all good.

2. Birthdays....I have one brother and his son who have their magic days coming up. Gotta get those cards in the mail. I also missed oldest brother's significant other a few days back, gotta take care of her.

3. Mom....Has a new doctor. Lots of paperwork and I am the one filling them out. If mom ain't happy, I ain't doing my job.

4. House.....not only the chores around mom's but the multitude of home improvement projects at mine that are in half completed mode.

5. Rugby....still have the sore neck and have been skipping practice and that isn't helping the team or myself.

6. The Boss.......new world tour with a date in Austin in April!! To take the kids or not take the kids....that is the question.

7. Summer Vacation Tour.....besides having my teens for the summer and finding them work, I am trying to plan a ten day "across Texas" trip. I hope we get to hit all the cool swimming and camping spots and maybe the cousins (and sister and hubby) can come along for the ride.

8. Work........lots on my plate and plenty of it. Sometimes I get so caught up in the things I want to do, that I lose focus on the thing that feeds my belly and clothes my children. Must refocus on tasks at office.

9. News........I read a lot. Not novels or science fiction, but the news. Blog news, the local rag, magazines, some TV tickers, amber alert signs, etc.... I like to keep current on the things going on.....just so I can bitch with purpose!

10. My writings.........which ties directly into....well....all of the above. I write about anything and everything, but usually with a purpose. For instance, one of the reports in the news I've read recently involved a 92 year old woman in a shack. She was a survivor of the ice storms that just hit the Mid-East USA. This is my poem concerning the story and how it ties to the everyday American citizen.

Lost Jewel Found

Lovely Jewel Kitrel, a "trooper" from northeast Arkansas,
92 years young, the best woman you never saw.
She was found this past week, alone in her backwoods shack.
Nothing but a wood stove and long johns for her back
She had not eaten for a few days and cried when help arrived,
the Guardsmen were surprised that anyone there could have survived.
But what amazes me the most, is the difference that I see
between a humble little ol' lady and the "hogs" from Washington DC
Never mind the Wall street big whigs and the industry leaders today
who are lining up to take their share of our billions thrown their way.
But not this precious little Jewel, she's got all that she might need
just a warm fire to sit by and a few good books to read.
Why is it that some are happy with the little that they've got,
while others rob, cheat, lie and steal in order to increase their lot?