Saturday Song: Jesus Christ Superstar

In the 1960’s, one of the first eight-track tapes I owned was the sound track from this classic rock opera, which deals with Christ’s crucifixion. The album came in two parts, and for a while, I only had the first. In 1971, when my father and I traveled from our home in Tucson, Arizona, to visit relatives in Wyoming, my uncle Jon had both parts on two cassettes. I eventually received, as a gift, another eight-track tape containing both parts. In celebration of Easter, here’s the title song. Enjoy, and have a great Saturday.

***

Abbie Johnson Taylor
We Shall Overcome
How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver

That’s Life: New and Selected Poems
My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds
Like Me on Facebook.

***

Thursday Book Feature: A Broom of One’s Own

A Broom of One’s Own: Words on Writing, Housecleaning, and Life
Peacock, Nancy.
Copyright 2008.

In this funny and inspiring memoir, acclaimed novelist Nancy Peacock shares experiences from her days as a housecleaner, an occupation she undertook to support her writing. Each chapter tells a different story about her interactions with one or more of her clients. She describes what it was like to work for people in a gated community she calls “the promised land.” She touches on her relationships, interjects stories about her writing life, and provides advice to other writers. In the end, she explains how and why she finally quit the housecleaning business and started teaching and keeping her own house clean.

This book was recommended on a blog I follow, and I’m glad I picked it up. I laughed at some of her anecdotes and sympathized with her in many situations with clients, who appeared to be mostly rich snobs. The way she was treated sometimes, it’s a wonder she continued cleaning houses for as long as she did. I think anyone, not just writers, would find this book an interesting read.

***

Abbie Johnson Taylor
We Shall Overcome
How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver

That’s Life: New and Selected Poems
My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds
Like Me on Facebook.

***

Re-blog: Voices of Life–A Review

Like Lynda, I’m proud to be associated with Behind Our Eyes, a group of writers with disabilities, and to be on the editorial staff of Magnets and Ladders, the online magazine we produce. I’m also flattered that Lynda mentions me in this post. If you or someone you know is a writer with a disability, I suggest reading what Lynda has written about Behind Our Eyes and Magnets and Ladders.

Voices of Life–A Review

***

Abbie Johnson Taylor
We Shall Overcome
How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver

That’s Life: New and Selected Poems
My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds
Like Me on Facebook.

***

What’s in My Name?

Because I still have unpacking and catching up to do after returning from my trip, today’s post is short but hopefully sweet. Thanks to aurorajeanalexander for inspiring it.

My legal name is Abigail Louise Taylor. I’m not sure why my parents decided to name me Abigail, but Louise was my paternal grandmother’s name. Johnson was my maiden name, and Taylor was my married and now my widowed name. That’s why my author name is Abbie Johnson Taylor. Because I loved my husband, yet still felt a sense of loyalty toward my family after I was married, I decided to adopt both last names. That’s what Laura Ingalls Wilder did.

What’s your name? How much do you know about why you were given that name? You can either tell me in the comments field or on your own blog with a link to this post. Either way, I look forward to reading your answers.

***

Abbie Johnson Taylor
We Shall Overcome
How to Build a Better Mousetrap: Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver

That’s Life: New and Selected Poems
My Ideal Partner: How I Met, Married, and Cared for the Man I Loved Despite Debilitating Odds
Like Me on Facebook.

***

Triggers

This blogger makes some interesting points about gun control. If you think assault rifles should be included in our Second Amendment right to bear arms, remember the tragic school shooting in Florida last month, and think again. This is why I marched in West Palm Beach yesterday.

Storyshucker

We remain stunned by the unbelievably brutal attack on innocent high school students in Parkland, Florida. Who knows why the individual, obviously disturbed, felt compelled to do such a violent thing thereby ending seventeen lives and damaging so many more. Hindsight cannot help too much now.

The trigger has been pulled and there is no going back.

In the wake of the horror, debate rekindled over gun control and the meaning of twenty-seven little words. They have been dissected countless times but the conclusion has remained largely the same. Gun advocates cling to that decision because parts of the Second Amendment provide quite a sturdy position from which to take a stand.

But so do parts of the First. Enter the students.

Regardless of one’s political leanings, the organization and determination of the kids at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School must be admired. Their collective response in speaking out was…

View original post 380 more words