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CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:04 PM Apr 2013

Sorry, folks, there will be no Friday Afternoon Challenge today...

I am just too heartsick at the end of this week -- as everyone here is -- and my heart would not be into it. Probably, most of us are just too ragged from all the tragedies that hit this week. Too many lives smashed, too much violence, too much pain. The cumulative effect, including the Senate vote on the gun bill and seeing the faces of Obama, Biden and Gabby Giffords at the White House, has given me pause.

Next week we will have another Challenge. I will see you then.

Everybody keep safe out there.

Love you!

31 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Sorry, folks, there will be no Friday Afternoon Challenge today... (Original Post) CTyankee Apr 2013 OP
Better times are coming. Cleita Apr 2013 #1
How about if our challenge is to find and maintain courage and faith in a tough time. nolabear Apr 2013 #2
a good idea. CTyankee Apr 2013 #4
We love you too, my dear CTyankee... CaliforniaPeggy Apr 2013 #3
oh, thank you peggy! You're very nice! CTyankee Apr 2013 #5
I agree...and once this is over, can I suggest... joeybee12 Apr 2013 #6
Oh, so you want to put me back to work, eh? LOL... CTyankee Apr 2013 #8
Aha! SO you think we'd cheat! joeybee12 Apr 2013 #12
Just googling a museum isn't really cheating. There's another way... CTyankee Apr 2013 #13
Stay strong. Love you back! Baitball Blogger Apr 2013 #7
You are a dear soul CTyankee JNelson6563 Apr 2013 #9
Let us hope that we are going to have a reprieve... CTyankee Apr 2013 #14
Understand completely! marions ghost Apr 2013 #10
thanks, I know you do...some times you have to just stop and think...I am at that place CTyankee Apr 2013 #15
I hear you, CTyankee. sheshe2 Apr 2013 #11
I think we are all undone... CTyankee Apr 2013 #21
For you, my dear suffragette Apr 2013 #16
thank you, suffragette. It is one of my favorites...beautiful... CTyankee Apr 2013 #17
One of my favs as well suffragette Apr 2013 #18
my goodness, you are sweet! CTyankee Apr 2013 #19
This is lovely suffragette Apr 2013 #20
It has been a horrible week. Jamastiene Apr 2013 #22
thank you, jamastiene. Awful, awful, awful.... CTyankee Apr 2013 #23
I studied all week. grantcart Apr 2013 #24
AW, I knew you studied all week! I knew you tried! CTyankee Apr 2013 #25
I am looking forward to the Friday you focus on grantcart Apr 2013 #26
There's an idea for a new Challenge! CTyankee Apr 2013 #27
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend ellisonz Apr 2013 #28
Actually, I am slowly coming out of my "low crouch" from Friday... CTyankee Apr 2013 #29
London! ellisonz Apr 2013 #30
I have already used some in Challenges from the research I've done for this trip! CTyankee Apr 2013 #31

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
4. a good idea.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:12 PM
Apr 2013

Some people think that "Girl with Pearl Earring" is Vermeer's contemplation of beauty and simplicity in a terrible time, perhaps a comfort to him. Almost as if he painted it to get solace and refuge. Perhaps.

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
5. oh, thank you peggy! You're very nice!
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:27 PM
Apr 2013

I had prepared a Challenge which would have been entirely appropriate at any other time. But not this week. And also because I realize that we are all emotionally spent people, looking for the answers, hoping that this will be resolved soon, but asking so many questions...

You are right. Better days will come...we have had some wonderful news in our family which really helps...so I know full well that life goes on...let's just take time to reflect and mourn...

 

joeybee12

(56,177 posts)
6. I agree...and once this is over, can I suggest...
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:28 PM
Apr 2013

A challenge about Boston? Maybe some famous works at the local museums there?

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
8. Oh, so you want to put me back to work, eh? LOL...
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:31 PM
Apr 2013

I get it...therapy...

I could handle that. I love two of Boston's museums, MFA and Isabella Stewart Gardner! But it would probably be too easy to just google those museums and click on the "permanent collection" tab...

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
15. thanks, I know you do...some times you have to just stop and think...I am at that place
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 06:02 PM
Apr 2013

right now. And it really helps to talk about this with other DUers.

Do you know Stanley Kunitz's poem, "The Testing Tree"? There is this wonderful quote from it:

“The heart breaks and breaks
and lives by breaking
it is necessary to go through
dark and deeper dark
and not to turn ”

OY.

sheshe2

(83,319 posts)
11. I hear you, CTyankee.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 05:41 PM
Apr 2013

The whole situation is overwhelming. I am to short on words to say more.

Love and

sheshe

suffragette

(12,232 posts)
16. For you, my dear
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 06:10 PM
Apr 2013



"Hope" is the thing with feathers


"Hope" is the thing with feathers—
That perches in the soul—
And sings the tune without the words—
And never stops—at all—

And sweetest—in the Gale—is heard—
And sore must be the storm—
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm—

I've heard it in the chillest land—
And on the strangest Sea—
Yet, never, in Extremity,
It asked a crumb—of Me.
Emily Dickinson

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
19. my goodness, you are sweet!
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 06:20 PM
Apr 2013

Take care. R & R can also mean "rest and reflection" and I think so many of us are doing that now...and altho I am not religious, this is, through the great art of Brahms, one of my "go to" places for solace and reflection:

Jamastiene

(38,187 posts)
22. It has been a horrible week.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 07:43 PM
Apr 2013

You got that right. I see why you would have a hard time doing the Friday Afternoon Challenge this week. It has been an awful, terrible week.

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
24. I studied all week.
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 07:54 PM
Apr 2013

I knew that this was going to be the week where I may have had a chance.


I could have been a contender.


Love you CT too.

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
25. AW, I knew you studied all week! I knew you tried!
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 08:01 PM
Apr 2013

Next week, we'll start again. A little repose, a time to reflect. It will be good for us.

I think it is good that so many of us are saying ""what the hell am I doing? how do I expect things to change?"

Art will, eventually, save you. Do not doubt it.

grantcart

(53,061 posts)
26. I am looking forward to the Friday you focus on
Fri Apr 19, 2013, 09:28 PM
Apr 2013


"Birds, ducks and rabbits featured in artistic cartoon features".

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
29. Actually, I am slowly coming out of my "low crouch" from Friday...
Sun Apr 21, 2013, 04:31 PM
Apr 2013

we had some really good news in our family and I keep getting a constant stream of pics of my newest grandchild via Facebook from my son! And I'm preparing for my trip to London in late May. So there are the good things in life to be happy about!

Thanks for asking, ellisonz...that was nice of you!

ellisonz

(27,709 posts)
30. London!
Sun Apr 21, 2013, 04:34 PM
Apr 2013

I'm expecting several weeks worth of Friday Afternoon Challenge material from your trip!

And mazel tov on your new grandchild!

CTyankee

(63,768 posts)
31. I have already used some in Challenges from the research I've done for this trip!
Sun Apr 21, 2013, 04:40 PM
Apr 2013

But I'm bringing a fresh notebook to fill when I'm there!

More mazel tov in our family: my stepdaughter whose ordination as a Reform Rabbi is in June has already accepted a job offer from a temple out west, a 132 family congregation! We are beaming with pride!

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