Rushing's Ramblings

I've lived in many places and learned many years ago that moving all my possessions only weighed me down. Leaving furniture in several cities where I lived and buying the latest furnished house suits me. The current furniture collection will be left for the next owner of this abode. I've mastered letting go of most things, not living and even some living things, which means I've been alone most of my adult life! Books are usually given away as soon as they are read. I won't reread them because it would take me many lifetimes to devour the excellent literature available now and in the future. Besides, what better way to show love than to give someone a book you've enjoyed and know they will, too? A few years ago, a wildfire was coming perilously close to my house. The local authorities imposed mandatory evacuation. After seeing smoke rising above the trees across from my residence, I packed everything I needed in a hurry. My most loved possession in the house ...

  Yesterday, the wind was gusting to 50 mph.  It was a blustery, unpleasant day to be outside.  We were driving on a backroad near Georgetown when my six-year-old grandson looked up and exclaimed, “A bird is struggling in the sky!”  As we sat at the light watching the bird make no progress with his wings flapping furiously against the wind, we kept screaming at him to turn around. The bird was very determined to continue fighting the headwind but going nowhere.  We wondered if his little body would not survive the strain of fighting the wind and fall from the sky.  Finally, he flew sideways to the nearest power line to rest after his struggle, and we drove away with the satisfaction that the bird would fly for another day.   Later that day, my thoughts drifted to the little bird that fought the wind bravely but finally surrendered.  I thought about all the years I’ve tried to make a difference by working with like-min...

DEDICATION   Stinky Butts was written in response to our County Judge banning two books from the local library because of the words “farting” and “butt” in the titles.  Children love scatological humor.  The words butt and farting never hurt a child.  While small groups of people around the country are busy banning books, our children are being trained to protect themselves from people entering the classrooms with assault rifles.  It’s easier to ban books than ban ARs killing our children.  Let’s encourage our children to read books.     Stinky Butts is dedicated to our County Judge.  May he open his eyes to see.   To my two grandchildren: I love you with all my heart.  You bring me endless joy.   This book should be read to young children by parents.  Please feel free to expound on the page about sharing feelings by giving children examples of how they might express themselves ...

  My daughter and her family do not attend church and follow no religious doctrine. And before you pass judgment on her beliefs, or rather non-beliefs, you should know that she is more generous and compassionate toward those less fortunate than anyone I know, including all the “good” Christians I’ve met along the way.    It got our attention when my six-year-old grandson, Patrick, recently revealed that God speaks to him.  When I asked what God said, he replied, “He tells me hello.”  I responded that it must be comforting to have God whispering in his ear.  He casually agreed and flatly stated, “It is.”   I received a message from him a few days ago while he was visiting London with his parents.  He texted, “I believe in God and see Jesus at the graveyard.  I swear.” Whatever image he was experiencing had to be vital for me to know, so I texted back, “I support whatever you believe because I’ll always love you.” ...

Sandie and I were close friends for most of our childhood. We marched in the band, attended school events, and had many classes together for twelve years. We enjoyed staying at each other's houses on the weekends when we were young. I remember many evenings talking for hours into the early morning about classmates, teachers, and our dreams for the future. Giggles about all things took up most of our time. Shortly after Sandie and I obtained our driver's licenses, Sandie asked if we could spend some time together on a Saturday. She lived about a mile from me and offered to pick me up at my house. We were laughing at something ridiculous when the car suddenly left the pavement. Sandie wasn't experienced enough at driving to recover, so we ended up in a deep ditch alongside Phillips Park, only a few blocks from her house. No one was hurt, but the car was severely damaged and was subsequently towed. I don't remember riding in an automobile with her after that incident, but ...

Since moving back to Texas five years ago, I've learned more than I ever wanted about human nature, and it isn't pretty. The support of the previous president, our politically motivated governor, the pandemic, and the subsequent reaction to COVID by people living in rural Texas has revealed an eagerness to turn away from the sound, scientifically proven research and follow along on a dark road led by the biggest quacks in the country. It feels like I've been dropped into a Stepford Wives scenario, where not just the wives but the husbands have become robots that are easily led to believe anything they're told. I always thought it was a lack of critical thinking or pure laziness, but it's more sinister than not taking the time to research and use logic. No, it's far worse. It's the willingness to relinquish any desire to dig further than what someone in authority tells them, whether it's a rogue medical "professional" or a man-child disguised as...

  (The Alcalde is a publication of Texas Exes org, named after Gov. Roberts, who signed the university into existence in 1913. "Alcalde" is the Spanish name for a town's chief magistrate)   There are three stories of note in the September/October issue of The Alcalde.  The front cover contains the phrasing “The Sports Issue,” yet, the first article that caught my attention with great interest was about research conducted at UT by chemistry graduate student Abby Gatmaitan.  Approximately 8% of global seafood products are mislabeled, but the number is closer to 87% for some species, like snapper.  Fish fraud has significant consequences on health (mercury and other contaminants), the environment (overfishing), and the economy (higher prices for mislabeled fish).  The government inspects less than 1% of imported seafood.  Ms. Gatmaitan discovered that by using the MasSpec Pen, a Sharpie-sized device developed by a UT chemistry te...