Wednesday Wisdom: cursive writing & magazines ♥

Hello lovely Friends!  Happy Wednesday! ♥

The sun is shining today after three days of heavy, heavy rain and I feel like October is smiling on us today.  

Do you want to know something very random that I've been thinking about?  I think it's so very sad that kids aren't taught cursive writing anymore. It suddenly dawned on me (for reasons unknown!) that the generation after John will never know how to properly write cursive and it's basically become obsolete.  He was taught in first and second grade how to write the alphabet and sign his name, then it stopped.  The kids were given computers and that was the end of that. These days everything is electronic and at the doctor's office or CVS we sign our names on a pad with our finger.  Am I the only one who thinks this is sad.  Technology is a great thing I know, but somewhere along the way we've lost our charm.  

Kids aren't even given schoolbooks anymore because everything is downloaded on a device.  We broke our backs walking home with book bags that weighed a ton and you know what?  We didn't have to worry about Wi-Fi or low battery or technical difficulties. And it was so fun to see whose name was written in the book, so you knew who had it before you : ) It all seemed so much simpler.  And with the disappearance of cursive something inside me feels like we're going backwards instead of forwards. I guess I'm a dinosaur, but these are the things I ponder.  My Dad told me that at some point the penny is going to disappear from existence as well.  WHAT? Are you telling me my grandchildren will never know cursive wiring or know what a penny is?! I can't even fathom it.  

 All I can say is that I'm thankful I grew up in a world with cursive writing, heavy book bags, and pennies. Because those things are important. 

And while we're on the subject of my never-ending nostalgia, did you know that you can borrow magazines from the library? I didn't either until just recently. Last week I accidentally wandered over to that section and found all my old favorites that I hadn't seen in ages.  Gosh I love the library! 

I used to love magazines!! One of the best parts of going to any appointment was the waiting room with all the magazines!  Once we got phones no one seemed to care about them anymore and once Covid hit they disappeared from waiting rooms entirely. Have you even been to a doctor appointment and didn't have your phone? I have and it's terrible just sitting there with no People or Us Weekly to flip through like in the old days. 

The other thing is magazines are expensive now. One can cost up to $10 and that's just crazy. Probably because they want to us read them online.  But doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?  It's so satisfying to flip through a good magazine!!!  

And thanks to my local library, I can! ♥

And that's all I have to say about that!  ♥

Thank you for listening to my rant : ) 

Have a great Wednesday, friends!  xx 

The Rainbow Connection ♥

I think I must have been around 9 or 10 when I first heard Karen Carpenter sing.  I remember my parents had a 45 record of Top of the World that I would listen to on the living room stereo.  I had no idea who she was or what she looked like, I just knew she had the most beautiful voice I had ever heard. 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was in my early teens I bought a cassette tape of The Carpenters Greatest Hits.  I listened to it so much I practically wore it out. And then came the Christmas album, Christmas Portrait, which is still my favorite holiday album of all time. Every Christmas I would check it out of the library and listen to it over and over.  Oh, how I loved it so!  It wasn't until I was much older that I learned how sad she was, how she had anorexia, and died so young.  This was before the Internet so information didn't travel as quickly as it does now.  All I knew is that I loved her voice, and Rainy Days and Mondays was my song in junior high.

 

 

 

 

 

You know how certain songs stir up nostalgia in you? Whenever I hear a Carpenters song I am instantly taken back to those early days when I was hearing Karen for the first time.  Listening to her now with my adult ears my heart breaks for her, but my little 12 year old ears only hear happiness and joy coming from the little cassette player in my bedroom. 

 

 

So why am I telling you this? Well, on Friday I accidentally came across a Carpenters recording that I had never heard before.  It's another song that I LOVE and I couldn't believe that I had never heard this version before. 

 

 

One of my favorite songs is The Rainbow Connection, from the original Muppet Movie (1979).   I have heard many, many versions of this song over the years and  aside from Kermit himself, none as beautiful as The Carpenters. 

 

 

 

 

There's something about the words to this song and the feelings it stirs up in me that makes me so comforted to hear it.  I think about the innocence of my childhood when my parents were young and I had not a care in the world.  I loved the Muppets (still do!) and seeing The Muppet Movie for the first time on HBO was such a thrill! (we had just gotten cable) Remember Kermit riding his bike? I still don't know how they did that :)

 

So now that you understand my love for these two things....you can image my joy when I stumbled across a YouTube video of The Carpenters singing Rainbow Connection. I was so emotional my eyes filled with tears ♥

 

I wanted to share with you the link to the song so you could hear it for yourself.  I hope you listen and enjoy it.  It's my way of bringing us together. 

 

 

The Rainbow Connection ♥

 

 

If my life had a soundtrack, this song would be it.

 

In these uncertain times we live in I hang on to the things that comfort me...my family, my friends, and my memories ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm sure John will have his own nostalgic moments like I do someday. 

 

 

And that's a really nice thing to think about....♥

 

 

Have a wonderful Monday, friends! I'm so grateful for you! xx

 

 

Love,

the lovers, the dreamers, & me